Have you ever left a concert or festival with your ears ringing? That is your ears and body telling you “That was too loud.” But what’s actually going on inside your ears when all that music goodness (the bass thumping and the speakers blasting?) Let’s break it down.
The inner ear’s cochlea contains thousands of sensory receptors known as hair cells. These specialized cells translate mechanical sound waves into the electrical impulses the brain perceives as hearing. Because they cannot repair or reproduce themselves, any damage to them is permanent.
For reference, here are some Decibal levels that we may be constantly exposed to.
Normal conversation is usually around 60 decibels (dB).
Concert or nightclub can easily hit 100–120 dB. (At this level, sound waves are so strong they physically push the tiny hair cells back and forth more than they were designed to handle, causing them to get damaged!)
High-fidelity earplugs like DownBeats don’t block music, they lower the volume to a safe range (around 18–20 dB reduction) while keeping the sound clear. This gives your ears the protection they need, so you can experience the concert fully without paying the price later.
