I asked a lead audiologist whether or not our headphones are damaging our hearing, and she told me that ANC and volume control is ‘only half the equation’ — here’s why regular breaks are vital to avoid 'flattening your tiny hair cells’ for good

Something I've wanted to do for a long, long time: ask an audiologist for their expert advice on protecting our hearing when it comes to today's ever-advancing audio tech. I test headphones, speakers, DACs, turntables and the like all day every day, so my auditory system is one I'd like to safeguard — and sometimes I worry that noise cancellation and volume control aren't always the rock-solid defense shields we think they are.

I also happen to have a friend who recently spent over £4,800 (around $6,390 or AU$9,189) on top-of-the-range Amplifon hearing aids, a notable expense for a freelance professional guitarist even if their hearing loss is classed as 'severe' in the left ear and 'moderate-to-severe' in the right (that'll be the amp under their left ear, won't it?). If we can all stave off that extra cost, it'd be lovely to know how, no?

On the day of...

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