Music through headphones is one of the great simple pleasures of modern life. Whether it is a morning commute, a workout, or a long drive across the Central Queensland landscape, personal audio is part of everyday routine for millions of Australians.
It also poses a genuine risk to hearing when used at high volumes over time — a risk that is easy to manage once you know what to look for.
Understanding Decibels: A Simple Guide
Sound is measured in decibels (dB). The scale is logarithmic, which means a 10 dB increase represents roughly a doubling of perceived loudness and a tenfold increase in sound energy.
To give this some context:
|
Sound |
Approximate Level |
|---|---|
|
Quiet library |
30 dB |
|
Normal conversation |
60 dB |
|
City traffic (inside a car) |
70–80 dB |
|
Lawnmower |
90 dB |
|
Loud music through headphones |
94–110 dB |
|
Live rock concert (near stage) |
105–115 dB |
The World Health Organization (WHO, 2019) reports that 1.1 billion young people worldwide may be at risk of hearing loss due to unsafe listening practices, citing personal audio devices and loud entertainment venues as primary contributing factors.
How Long Is Too Long?
The relationship between loudness and safe listening time is well established. As a general guide, based on guidelines from Safe Work Australia and the WHO:
- At 85 dB: approximately 8 hours is considered the standard safe daily exposure limit
- At 91 dB: safe exposure drops to around 2 hours
- At 97 dB: around 30 minutes
- At 103 dB: around 7.5 minutes
Most smartphone and device volume settings, when pushed to 70–80 per cent of maximum, produce levels in the range of 94–100 dB through typical earbuds. This is above the 85 dB threshold.
The 60/60 Rule
The 60/60 rule is a simple guideline recommended by many hearing health organisations:
Listen at no more than 60 per cent of maximum volume, for no more than 60 minutes at a time.
After 60 minutes, taking a break of at least 5–10 minutes gives your auditory system a chance to recover. This is particularly relevant for teenagers and young adults, who tend to listen for longer uninterrupted periods.
It is not a guarantee of safe listening — it is a practical starting point that significantly reduces risk compared to high-volume, extended listening.
Noise-Cancelling Headphones: A Safer Option?
Noise-cancelling headphones use active technology to reduce background ambient sound. This can actually support safer listening habits, for a straightforward reason: one of the main reasons people turn up the volume on headphones is to drown out background noise. In a noisy environment — on a bus, in a cafe, near traffic — the brain pushes the volume up to compensate.
When a noise-cancelling headphone removes that background noise electronically, many people find they can listen comfortably at a lower volume.
Research supports this. A study by Killion et al. (2011, Hearing Review) found that listeners in noisy environments increased their preferred listening level significantly compared to quiet conditions, suggesting that reducing background noise can contribute to lower chosen listening levels.
Noise-cancelling headphones are not a perfect solution — they still need to be used at moderate volumes — but for people who regularly use headphones in noisy environments, they may support safer habits.
Earbuds vs Over-Ear Headphones: Does It Matter?
The short answer is: the type of headphone matters less than the volume and duration of use.
That said, there are some practical differences:
In-ear earbuds sit directly in the ear canal, which means sound is delivered very close to the eardrum with less distance for it to dissipate. At high volumes, this proximity can intensify exposure.
Over-ear headphones sit away from the ear canal and tend to have larger drivers, which can produce good quality sound at lower overall volumes for some people.
Bone conduction headphones conduct sound through the cheekbones rather than the ear canal. They are useful for people who need to remain aware of their surroundings, but they still produce sound that reaches the inner ear — they are not inherently safer at high volumes.
The most important variable, regardless of headphone type, is keeping the volume at a moderate level.
Signs You May Be Listening Too Loud
Some signs that your listening habits may be worth reviewing:
- Other people can hear your audio when you are wearing headphones
- You need to raise your voice to speak to someone beside you while listening
- You cannot hear someone speaking to you at normal conversational volume with headphones in or on
- Your ears ring (tinnitus) or sounds seem muffled after a listening session
- You find yourself increasing the volume over time to get the same level of satisfaction
That last point — gradually needing more volume to feel the same effect — can be a sign that hearing sensitivity has changed. It is worth discussing with an audiologist if you notice this pattern.
Practical Steps for Safer Listening
Check your device’s volume limiter. Most smartphones and tablets have a built-in feature that allows you to set a maximum volume cap. On iPhones, this is found under Settings > Sounds and Haptics > Headphone Safety. On Android devices, similar options are available in the Sound settings.
Use the 60/60 rule as a starting habit. Set a timer if needed and take regular breaks.
Choose quieter environments where possible. If you can listen in a quieter setting, you will naturally choose a lower volume.
Invest in better quality headphones. Well-made headphones tend to produce clearer sound at lower volumes than cheap alternatives, which often require higher volume to compensate for poor audio quality.
Model good habits for children and teenagers. Young people whose parents listen at moderate volumes tend to adopt similar habits.
A Note for Parents
Children and teenagers are heavy personal audio users. The hearing habits formed in youth tend to persist into adulthood, and cumulative noise exposure over a lifetime matters.
It is worth having a straightforward conversation with young people about volume — not as a lecture, but as a practical skill. Explaining why the 60/60 rule exists, and showing them how to check their device’s volume settings, is a useful starting point.
If you are concerned about your own hearing or your child’s, CQ Audiology offers hearing assessments for all ages across Central Queensland.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How do I know what volume level my headphones are actually producing in decibels? There is no simple way to measure this without equipment. As a practical guide, if someone standing at arm’s length from you can hear your audio clearly, the volume is likely in an unsafe range. Several smartphone apps claim to measure headphone output levels, but their accuracy varies. The most reliable approach is to use the 60/60 rule and your device’s built-in volume limiter.
Q: My child wears earbuds for hours during school holidays. Should I be worried? Extended high-volume listening over long periods is worth addressing. The main factors to consider are volume level and total duration. Encouraging regular breaks, using the device’s volume cap, and choosing noise-cancelling options if the child listens in noisy environments are all practical steps. If you have specific concerns about your child’s hearing, a hearing assessment is a sensible starting point.
Q: Can listening to music at moderate volumes through headphones cause hearing loss? Research suggests that moderate volume levels — broadly, below 85 dB — used for typical daily periods are unlikely to cause hearing changes. The risk increases significantly with volume and duration. The key is forming the habit of moderate listening rather than relying on occasional awareness.
Q: Is there a “safe” type of music to listen to through headphones? The type of music does not significantly affect the risk — the volume level and duration do. However, some genres (electronic, metal, highly compressed pop) tend to be mastered at higher overall loudness levels, which can lead to higher comfortable listening volumes for some listeners.