Playing Simultaneous Multi-Frequency Audio file - Headphones

[xta]

Hello,

I'm developing an audio file that simultaneously plays pure tones ranging from 20 Hz to 10 kHz (not a frequency sweep). I have some questions regarding potential damage to headphones when playing this file:​

Can headphones be damaged by high sound levels or extended playback duration?
How long can headphones withstand exposure to high sound levels, for this specific file?

If I create a file with frequencies from 20 Hz to 10 kHz, but use slightly impure tones instead of perfectly pure ones, will this offer any protection against damage from high decibel levels or extended playback?
Would adding white noise to the audio file help protect the headphones?

The headphones I'm using have the following specifications:
- Sensitivity: 110 dB (±3 dB)
- Impedance: 32 ohms
- Frequency response: 20 Hz to 40 kHz

I'd appreciate any insights on safely conducting this experiment while minimizing the risk of damaging the headphones.
Thank you for your assistance.​

 

[staticV3]

Hi @xta! Welcome to ASR.

Can headphones be damaged by high sound levels or extended playback duration?

Yes, depending on the sound level and playback duration.

How long can headphones withstand exposure to high sound levels, for this specific file?

Impossible to answer.

If I create a file with frequencies from 20 Hz to 10 kHz, but use slightly impure tones instead of perfectly pure ones, will this offer any protection against damage from high decibel levels or extended playback?

No.

Would adding white noise to the audio file help protect the headphones?

No.

I'd appreciate any insights on safely conducting this experiment while minimizing the risk of damaging the headphones.

Back off the volume when you hear the headphone complaining

 

[kemmler3D]

Hey, welcome to ASR!

As usual @staticV3 delivers correct answers before the rest of us have our shoes on.

I would only add that your headphones are likely to be safe if you play such a file at a normal or even a bit louder than normal listening level.

If you crank it up as loud as your headphone amp can go, there may be some risk.

The most common ways you can damage a headphone would be 1) overheating the voice coil or 2) over-excursion leading to physical damage.

#1 is mostly from pumping in too much total energy overall for too long. #2 is from putting in too high of a voltage, could be for a short time.

 

[Blumlein 88]

Welcome to ASR. You don't need to develop the file. Just download Multitone. As the name suggests among other things it has multitone test signals. Including one like the AP units Amir uses to test gear. I don't think multiple tones are the right signal for speakers or headphones, but if you keep levels down it should work.

Multitone - Loopback Analyzer for Audio | Distort documentation

Multitone is currently in beta test. Use at your own risk!

distortaudio.org

Beta Test: Multitone Loopback Analyzer software

This is a software beta-test for IMD and THD aficionados with an intense desire for multi-tone audio testing :) The start of the documentation and the download website is here: https://distortaudio.org/multitone.html (for 64-bit Windows) Multi-tone Analyzer (MA) was more of an experiment than...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[JeremyFife]

Just stating the 'bleedin obvious' ... I assume that you're not actually listening to these tones - ears are not replaceable, unlike headphones. Look after your hearing

 

[Blumlein 88]

If I create a file with frequencies from 20 Hz to 10 kHz, but use slightly impure tones instead of perfectly pure ones, will this offer any protection against damage from high decibel levels or extended playback?​

The way this has been done is a warble tone. It may have a center frequency and vary slightly above and below the center frequency.

It might help to understand what you are hoping to accomplish this way instead of sweeps. Sweeps are pretty good for phones, you can do stepped sines as an alternative. You also can do pairs of sweeps to get info on IMD levels.

So what are you aiming to use this for? And do you intended to use a microphone or one of the standard headphone testing devices?

 

[DVDdoug]

You'd need to know the maximum power rating for the headphones and the maximum voltage from the headphone amp.

Power (Wattage) can be calculated as:
Power = Voltage Squared/Impedance.

If you can stand the volume... If it's not so loud (with the headphones on your ears) that it's uncomfortable, it's probably safe for the headphones. Most headphones can go very loud and you are more likely to damage your ears than the headphones, especially with continuous tones which are perceived as louder than temporary program peaks.



Note that speaker testing is MORE "dangerous: (to the speakers). Speaker power ratings are for program peaks, and continuous test-tones at rated power can burn them up. And the tweeter can't handle as much power as the woofer. You can burn-out a tweeter with high frequencies that you can't hear and/or frequencies the tweeter can't reproduce. You can also burn-out a woofer with frequencies that are too low for the speaker to reproduce. You'll probably hear some distortion or rattling or something, but it may not seem "loud".

 

[xta]

Hi @xta! Welcome to ASR.


Yes, depending on the sound level and playback duration.


Impossible to answer.


No.


No.


Back off the volume when you hear the headphone complaining

Thank you for your concise clarifications.

 

[xta]

Hello,

I would like to thank all your contributions and precious insights.
I am very appreciative.
I don´t intend to listen at maximum or near maximum level.
It is a debate that I am having with another person, and would like to test the headphones.
Does someone know a site that calculates or estimates the maximum playing time given the power needed to reach a desired volume?
From another site I can retrieve the amount of power needed to reach a desired volume.

Thank you,
Best regards,