by Richard Serra

Created on: November 10, 2009

Although the question of whether a lot of bass is good or bad a very good one, the answer isn't one that leans too hard on how much damage it might do long term. Since bass notes travel as a slow sound wave, and the membrane, which is on the order of a miniture drum, vibrates when any sound is produced. This in turn channels to the inner ear, whereas tiny thousands of hair-like nerve endings, cilia, sends the sound they pick up to the brain via auditory nerve.

What is not understood is that by listening to anything at loud levels will permanently damage those nerve endings, and eventually cause a loss of hearing. How much depends on how long the abuse was tolerated. Since bass notes create a low resonance, the damage to the nerve endings are not as damaging as much that the high frequency notes would produce, which vibrates hundreds of times more than the bass notes do. High frequency at high volume is like sunlight in your eyes. It is dangerous.

Since the bass notes move slowly compared to the high frequency notes, the nerve endings are not as much at risk, but the membrane would certainly take a lot of abuse. Niether end of the sound spectrum is good for your ears at high volume. Its not so much how much bass you like, but how loud it is. All sound at loud levels will take a toll on the nerve endings, not just in your car, but at least you have a choice as to whether you want to listen to high volume bass now, and not be able to hear later, or use moderation so as to be able to keep on listening late in life.

Lets take another look on the "bad" side of loud bass in your car, if you are one that likes to listen like that of course, what would you image those who may be taking a nap, or trying to enjoy a nice quiet evening sitting on the porch, or perhaps maybe in church on a Sunday morning are thinking or saying? I know one thing for sure, its when I'm not in the best of moods, and I hear someone just sitting idle nearby, listening in all his glory, some of the worse sounding music, with thunderous bass booming through the neighborhood, I want to go out there and bulldoze his car into the ground if I had one.

I can't imagine what goes through the minds of those who think this is okay to do, that they can damage their ears, and damage their relationship in the neighborhood as well.

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