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Are Apple Airpods capable of producing 165 decibels of sound? (lemm.ee)

submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

8 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Inspired by this article, where a Texas family claim that an "Amber Alert" on their son's Airpods caused his eardrum to rupture.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10830803/Boy-suffered-ruptured-ear-drum-hearing-loss-Apple-AirPods-blared-Amber-Alert.html

At least some parts of the case have been dismissed:

https://www.casemine.com/judgement/us/6354c39e5358106ecd0d9f1d

https://casetext.com/search?q=Gordoa%20v.%20Apple&sort=relevance&p=1&type=case

According to this, sound levels starting from 165 decibels would cause eardrum rupture: https://evidence.unboundmedicine.com/evidence/view/EBMG/457351/all/Acute_acoustic_trauma#:%7E:text=An%20intense%20sound%20wave%20will,also%20rupture%20the%20tympanic%20membrane

Question: Are the Apple Airpods physically capable of producing 165 decibels of sound?

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[–] [email protected] 14 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Almost certainly not by sound, but creating a seal in an ear canal can make it significantly easier to rupture an ear drum. Even a slap up side the head can rupture an ear drum if you get a good seal to their ear before all the trapped air gets crushed. Remarkably easy if it's the second time, I'd know! 20% hearing loss sucks.

Giving him the benefit of the doubt, maybe the alert startled him and he slapped his ear in surprise trying to dig it out. Or maybe stacked on an injury. Or he could always be a weirdo with thin membranes. We're not all clones!

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 months ago

Step 1: Discombobulate.