For the "hip and happening" set - it might be "cool" to listen to music on an iPod or MP3 player, with ear buds plugged directly into the ears But Dean Garstecki, a Northwestern University audiologist, warns that these ear buds might increase the risk of hearing loss.
Garstecki says that ear buds associated with modern devices the likes of iPods, MP3 players, etc, boost sound signals by as much as 6 to 9 decibels, and are likely to result in loss of hearing. According to Garstecki, an increasing number of young people are now experiencing the kind of hearing loss found in aging adults, which can be traced back to their music habits.