Optimum listening voulme for In-Ear Phones? (Ety ER-6i)

[iPod_Greg]

Please choose the appropriate forum for this topic. Thank you. Might seem like a stupid question, but I was just wondering what other people would say about this...I use a pair of Etymotic Research ER-6i in-ear phones as my main source of audio from my iPod. (My primary listening environment being the school bus ;) ) For quite some time I've been listening to my 'tunes at about 20%-35% volume, but haven't been hearing quite as much detail as I thought was possible (nor as much as I'd like to hear...as I side note I rip all my music at MP3 320bkps) So I decided to crank up the volume a bit. Things were sounding better detail-wise at about 50%-60%. Here's my question though...this doesn't sound or "feel" that loud, but I don't want to damage my hearing. However, more detail seems to be present at the higher volume. Is there a "sweet spot" for volume/detail? Finally, how high do you usually have the volume cranked on your iPod? Thanks for any input.

--Greg

[)v(ajin_R_]

hmm i usually cant get a lot of detail unless i turn it my ipod up to around 70%... i dont know but i think louder = easier to hear more detail... you wont damage your hearing if you gradually turn the volume up, i used to be worried about that until i turned it up slowly and found the right volume (for me around 70%) but i dont have in ear phones... but you could still play with the volume a bit and see the results...

[JazzyMac]

Originally posted by iPod_Greg
Please choose the appropriate forum for this topic. Thank you. Might seem like a stupid question, but I was just wondering what other people would say about this...I use a pair of Etymotic Research ER-6i in-ear phones as my main source of audio from my iPod. (My primary listening environment being the school bus ;) ) For quite some time I've been listening to my 'tunes at about 20%-35% volume, but haven't been hearing quite as much detail as I thought was possible (nor as much as I'd like to hear...as I side note I rip all my music at MP3 320bkps) So I decided to crank up the volume a bit. Things were sounding better detail-wise at about 50%-60%. Here's my question though...this doesn't sound or "feel" that loud, but I don't want to damage my hearing. However, more detail seems to be present at the higher volume. Is there a "sweet spot" for volume/detail? Finally, how high do you usually have the volume cranked on your iPod? Thanks for any input.

--Greg
Volume depends on your environment. Just because you have in-ears, doesn't mean that low volume is mandatory. Especially if you don't wear them every day (to get the optimum seal). In the gym, my nano is at about 55%-60 with the Ety's. I thought I was wrong until I went back to my el-cheapo phones for one workout and found I had to turn the nano up to 98%, AND turn my headphones up to 100%--and I could still just barely hear anything!!! :eek: When I'm out with the dog, my Shures are at about 40%. I'm taking a few trips pretty soon and will be noting the volumes on each: Plane, train, and automobile. :)

If you were alone in a quiet room--chilling--and you had to turn your phones up to 60%, then I would worry a bit. But a school bus? Nah. Crank away! :D

One more thing: Remember, the whole point of in-ears is the isolation factor. If you had normal ear/headphones, you would be turning up the volume just to "hear" the music because all the surrounding noise was a distractor--not to ear detail in the music. Turning up the volume, to hear the music "better" is a totally different thing.

[Kapalua]

IMHO, with the Ety 6i Isolators and also my Ety Er4 P's I only need 45 to 50 percent volume MAXIMUM with my 60 Gig Color in a very noisy environment to hear the clear differentiation of individual instruments that headphones of this caliber are capable of delivering. The Ety's fit so superbly and isolate out so much outside sound that higher volumes are not necesary or desireable. I do find on the Nano, I need to crank them to 50 percent or slightly higher for some reason to be equally happy with the clarity and differentiation of the sound stage.

[iPod_Greg]

Thanks for all the replies! Glad to hear others boost the volume even with in-ear 'phones. By the way, I do find the isolation with the ER-6i's superb, especially with the tri-flange tips. IMHO it beats the fancy active noise-cancellation on my friend's Sony headphones. As JazzyMac mentioned, I don't need to crank my iPod up as much when I'm in less noisy environments, but it certainly seems to help sometimes. Thanks to everyone for sharing their opinions/experiences.

--Greg