What advantage does this have over simply using my home computer for these long nights of language study?
better sound.
Really? How is the sound better? We’re talking about a computer with speakers versus an iPod with speakers, right?
Let’s say you’re at the park taking a long walk, and you’d like to listen to a little Latin: the iPod would sure come in handy, no?
I like the idea, though there remains the aversion to headphones (for the disconnected isolation alone!), and the fact that there aren’t any parks to speak of within a few hours of here.
the stereo unit that you would plug the ipod into is much better quality than any computer speakers (I have yet to hear computer speakers that actually sound good).
Really? Mac speakers are excellent for desktop models, and I have some fine external speakers for my iBook.
Sorry to play devil’s advocate with some of these suggestions — don’t let me shut you down! I really want, and need to find a way to enjoy my iPod. Everything each of you has said has helped bring me closer to that goal.
But as far as I know, computers can hook up to any speakers. My dad has his computer hooked up to a high-quality stereo system which he’s had since before I was born (and it still sounds great after all these years).
But then, my dad’s stereo system is hooked up so he can like convert LP to MP3, audio cassette to CD, and even MP3 to audio cassette (I once had to do this, astonishingly enough). But it is a complex system, and things often have to be adjusted, so I can see why most people don’t have this type of setup.
However, my computer (or rather, the computer over which I have the most exclusive use because it’s 40 miles away from my parents) doesn’t have any sound at all. I like that, since it encourages me to keep my room relatively quiet. And when I really need sound, I find ways to get it (such as using my dad’s computer when I’m at my parents’ home).
Turn on the maximum volume limiting and use it as it was designed to be used?
Well, if you don’t want to use earphones and if you never plan to listen to music/etc. anywhere except in physical presence of your computer, then maybe you should consider that an iPod might not be for you.
Don’t know if anyone has already mentioned that you can sometimes play these devices through the car’s stereo system. I drive and 89 volvo stationwagon. I bought something that is adapted to the slot the casette goes into. I plug my mp3 player into that something, which works fine. What I don’t know is if there is a way to do something similar with a CD player.
Moreover, its been proven people can get used to a lot of things. I bet with proper conditioning even earphone-adverse subjects could be trained to accept earphones. Then by-and-by they, if they are language nerds like us, may come to appreciate the importance of such devices for modern language instruction. Cheers to all.
That’s my main goal right now, getting that device — but I see it’s something like $90 on Apple’s site. That’s just for the FM radio one.
Moreover, its been proven people can get used to a lot of things. I bet with proper conditioning even earphone-adverse subjects could be trained to accept earphones. Then by-and-by they, if they are language nerds like us, may come to appreciate the importance of such devices for modern language instruction. Cheers to all.
I used to use an mp3 player with headphones, in Italy back in 2005 actually, and I noticed a distinct loss of my once extremely acute hearing — and that was with extremely moderate use and low volume. I learned my lesson soon enough, but I’d be a fool to repete that event.
I used to have a portable cd player connect through a cassette adapter and it worked very well. I have heard from others, though, that the FM devices do not work nearly as well (but since fewer cars have tape players, the FM devices seem to be much more commonplace). They say the sound quality is noticeably degraded. I’m sure there are different quality FM transmitters, though, so it’s probably worth researching these if anyone is planning to buy one.
I installed a CD player for my car, and one of the things that came with it, but which I didn’t have a need for, was a little connector that would attach to an iPod on one end, and the typical red & white audio connectors on the other that would attach to the aux input on the back of the CD player. I would suspect such a little device would work very well and wouldn’t be very expensive (since it was just included with my rather inexpensive CD player). Of course, the car stereo would have to have the input jacks on it, and the little device wouldn’t do anything to power the iPod, like some of the combo units I’ve seen.
Did your hearing improve after you stopped using the player?
My hearing is pretty good now - but my father’s family has a history of hearing loss, so I doubt it will be very good 30 years from now (and I think I’m going the way of my paternity since I already have a slight case of tinnitus).
Well, from what I understand, hearing loss is permanent. However, with all diseases, like hearing loss that might run in the family, do yourself a favor and don’t exspect it — if you do expect it, then you predispose your future to bringing about that end. Just protect your hearing, and exspect good hearing your whole life.
That goes for all health.
However, with all diseases, like hearing loss that might run in the family, do yourself a favor and don’t exspect it — if you do expect it, then you predispose your future to bringing about that end. Just protect your hearing, and exspect good hearing your whole life.
I do not think that by expecting an illness your predispose yourself for it, now or in the future.
But the ancient Greeks had this idea that you cannot escape from your destiny, merely can you delay it somewhat. And we do not know what is our destiny, since the Oracle at Delphi, the Pythia, is not really at work any more.
All disease is the result of one thing: stress. The body is constantly bombarded by illness, but only acquires a disease (read: dis-EASE) when it is not at ease, and is stressed — then, the weakest link in the chain is the one that breaks. Stress occurs mostly through a poor state of mind. In this way, we recognise that the mind is what can provide, or withhold, the catalysts that produce disease.
As for hearing loss, if I choose to exspect this, then I will have predisposed by entire psychology to achieve the end that my subconscious mind has accepted as fact. I will find myself in situations that might cause damage to my hearing, and I will end up subjecting myself to those affects. This is merely how human psychology functions.
Ah! I had no idea we could include Christian Science among the faiths represented on Textkit.
You’re saying that if I think I likely will suffer hearing loss I am more likely going to stop using earplugs or start using earphones? GGG must be an exception to your “rule.”
Those little headphones you stick in your ear hole are really quite unsafe - especially outdoors, where there is ambient noise, you need to set the volume too high to be able to listen above the sounds of passing traffic,wind,etc and this results in hearing damage.
I have switched over to bigger and clunkier isolation headphones - the ‘old fashioned’ ones with pads that fit over the ears. These isolate the ambient noise, meaning that you can listen to the ipod at a significantly lower decibel level.
I enjoy listening to my ipod while I walk - I find walking and studying are conducive, and sitting too long does not suit me. I was getting slight tinnia from the old ipod headphones - the little ones that you insert in the ear. I don’t get any problems at all with the isolation headphones.
Evan.