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Topic: Loud Movies Could Damage Hearing
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Jeffry L. Johnson
Jedi Master Film Handler
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Posts: 809
From: Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Registered: Apr 2000
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posted 02-22-2003 11:48 AM
here
Loud Movies Could Damage Hearing
Some Movies Register Over 96 Decibels
POSTED: 6:40 p.m. CST February 20, 2003 UPDATED: 11:21 a.m. CST February 21, 2003
BIRMINGHAM, Ala. -- If you've ever gone to the movies and thought the volume was too loud, doctors say you might be right. An NBC13 investigation proves the sound levels in many movie theaters could be doing damage to your ears. Exhilarating, action-packed thriller movies are turbo-charged with ear-piercing sound effects. Most moviegoers NBC13 talked to say the volume in motion picture theaters is their biggest complaint about a trip to the cinema. "Because sometimes when you leave the movie, you can still hear it in your ears," said Flame Porter. "You just have a headache. They're just too loud and there's no way you can control the volume," said John Ray. "You've paid your money. If you're going to watch the movie, you're going to sit there and endure it." But enduring it could mean medical damage to your ears. To prove it, NCB13's Scott Mauldin took a store-bought decibel meter to the movies and put sound to the test. But before going to the movies, NBC13 checked some sounds you may hear every day. In a crowded restaurant, the amateur decibel meter peaked around 86 -- close to a 90-decibel warning from most hearing doctors but still in the safe zone. At the airport, the roar of an airplane topped out louder than 96-decibles from where we stood. Doctors say long-term exposure to that noise can hurt your ears. With the decibel meter on the hood of a car, every blast of the car alarm rated at 96 and up, considered unhealthy. To know if sounds are damaging your ears, doctors consider the loudness level and length of time you hear high volumes. Exposure to anything 90-decibels or greater becomes harmful for eight hours or more. "Once you get to a point where you go up in loudness, that time continues to half," said Dr. Dennis Pappas Jr. "In other words, once you get to 95 decibels, you can only be safe for four hours. Once you get to 100, it's going to be two hours." At the newest James Bond film, ear-piercing sounds from explosions to gunfire spiked our meter in parts of the film. The needle jumped constantly -- 96 decibels and higher several seconds at a time. It was as loud as the roaring jet engine at the airport. A different theater and a different show, Al Pacino's new thriller "The Recruit" barely budged the sound meter above unhealthy levels. During one chase scene the needle bounced up to 94 -- only four points over our doctor's warning. At a third movie, "Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers," sound effects in parts of the fantasy film left the meter jumping over 96 and up. Pappas says the sound check proves high volume in movie theaters could contribute to hearing damage. "I would say so. If you feel like you have to cover your ears because the sound is so noisy, then I think that would definitely be too loud," Pappas said. "A lot of what you feel though is a bass sound and that's something that might not damage your hearing." Pappas says if you feel like covering your ears, don't be shy -- it could make the difference between damage to your hearing and long-term protection. The volume at movies may be different each time the film is run and employees in some theaters check the loudness with sound meters, following medical guidelines for volume. Managers at every movie theater NBC13 visited said customers can always ask to have the volume adjusted.
Copyright 2003 by NBC13.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
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Paul G. Thompson
The Weenie Man
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Posts: 4718
From: Mount Vernon WA USA
Registered: Nov 2000
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posted 02-22-2003 04:59 PM
Bill, with all respect, I highly disagree!!! I think that is your personal opinion, and possibly you were a disgruntled ex-military man.
I spent 22 years in the United States Navy, and I can tell you we were very cautious and concerned about injuries occurring to our personnel. Many of people have been severely disciplined in safety violations, and in some cases, faced a courts-martial board. The military spends thousands of dollars training individuals to perform their duties, and cannot afford to have that all go down the drain by loss of personnel due to injuries and life.
Michael, the US Navy does....as well as other branches of the armed forces in this country.
Our military is very concerned about noise levels. While a military person is on the flight line or in the area of aircraft engines running, (both recips and turbines), ear protection must be worn. The military provides high quality war protection devices.
Civilian airports also require ear protection in high noise enviroments.
Just for the heck of it, I took my Handy Dandy Radio Smack sound pressure meter to measure the intermittant pull-down and loop noise. I am running Simplex XL machines, (only 3 at present) and the "A" weighted noise 1 inch from the intermittant sprocket measured 105db SPL, the other came up with 102db SPL, and the third came up with 100db SPL.
Much more nosier that I orginally thought. Maybe some of you should try that, just for giggles.
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