...would you want someone to tell you, or do you care?

and if you don't care, why bother with headphones/earbuds/whatever in the first place? why not just carry around a boombox?

support your answers. use complete sentences.

when i was a teen i found it cool to have music leaking out of my headphones

Dewrede said:

aha! a perfect specimen. what was "cool" about it? was it that people had to listen to your music, but you got away with it because technically, you had headphones, so you couldn't get in trouble for it?

I haven't worn headphones in ages.

If someone did tell me I had music leaking I would consider them to be bitchy.

But, I guess it is kind of annoying to be the other person.

If someone told me that I'd turn the volume down, and then gradually keep notching it back up over time.

Who wants to listen to music on low volume?

I thought it was cool that others could hear my music
[Edited 6/15/06 6:23am]

luv4all7 said:

well, like, what if someone you kinda KNEW, like a co-worker, had leaky headphones and you just said "i don't know if you know this or not, but we can hear your headphones clear as day."

i mean, i operate under the assumption that i have semi-snappy earbuds that were designed not to leak sound, so when i feel like cranking it up, i know i'm not bothering anyone. i don't like imposing my music on other people, because i don't like having other people's music imposed on me (mainly because i am a music snob, but partially this is an etiquette thing). i'd want to know if i was rocking the house with my earphones.

Dewrede said:

is this because you knew the music you were listening to was so good that everyone around you would instantly be turned on to it and have you to thank? i used to have that fantasy.

Anx said:

See, I'm not one to rain on anyone's parade. I'd let it go. If it was buggin' me though, and it was an extremely close friend or something, I'd just make some kind of lame joke about it, and hope they get the hint.

Anx said:

something like that

luv4all7 said:

i usually let it go if it's on the train or something - at worst, i'll give them the stink eye if i'm really annoyed - but if it were a REALLY good friend, i'd make a point of chiding them about it, just because i like being a meanie and teasing those i love. if it were a co-worker and they were blasting their iPod in the office, i'd probably say something before our boss outlawed earphone use in the office.

Anx said:

Good point about the boss banning stuff. Some people are clueless, and ruin sh*t for everyone! Like cell phones.....why do people insist on having the "Hello Moto" ring full blast at work.....turn it on f'in vibrate!

Anx said:

Yes, I would definitely want to be told. I don't like the idea of annoying other people with my music, and it bugs the shit out of me when other people do it. When it starts to annoy me to the point of violence I calm myself down with the thought that they're ruining their own ears and will probably be deaf before they're 40. I have on occasion thought of applying a scissors to the offending headphones, although I have managed to restrain myself so far.

And for those who think it's cool to subject other people to their leaky 'phones, try listening to somebody elses. For two hours. 'tsss tsss tsss tsss tsss'. Then tell me how cool it is.

noise pollution is never cool

here's what i use. they have little soft rubber thingies on the end that actually GO INTO YOUR EAR CANAL so music doesn't leak out. probably not the healthiest choice in the world for my hearing, but they keep outside noise out and they keep the music in.

I think it's their own business if people want to leak noise through their earphones , it should be a constitutional right

You might as well say people aren't allowed to have stupid conversations
in your presence either , when you're annoyed by it , in a train or something
[Edited 6/15/06 7:53am]

This affliction of wanting people to hear your music (even if they don't like it) affects the young most often. Kids like subjecting old fogies to their tunes.

Dewrede said:

Actually, I do. Well, not all the time but in the mornings definitely. On the train I usually catch in the mornings there are hundreds of people travelling from further afield than me. My journey takes an hour. For some of these people it's an hour and forty minutes. As they're spending so much time commuting, part of that time is required sleep time for them. People who make noise on this train are not appreciated and are usually very quickly told to shut up / turn it off or get off at the next stop.

After nearly 5 years of commuting by smelly old train my top five most annoying things on an early morning commuter train, in no particular order, are :


People shouting into their mobile phones. Talk, don't shout, or even better, text. What the fuck is so important anyway, that it couldn't wait until you get to work ?

People who smell bad. Particularly on Monday mornings. You had the whole weekend to take a wash, why didn't you ? And by the way, ever heard of deodourant ?

Screaming Babies. Why are you bringing a baby onto an early morning commuter train ? It's not fair on you, it's not fair on the baby, and it's not fair on your fellow passengers. Sort your life out, find a creche near your home. and dump your baby in it before you go to work.

People with leaky headphones so loud you can hear their music clearly despite wearing earplugs - and they're usually listening to something shit.

People with leaky headphones so loud you can't hear your own music properly because of them - and your choice of music is clearly better than theirs, so if anybody's music should be leaking, it ought to be yours.

that's funny

especially the part concerning smelly people
[Edited 6/15/06 8:38am]

Quick question regarding headphones. Is it just me that can't seem to handle wearing the smaller, in-ear loose speakers? For the life of me, I can't get them to stay in! Are my ears weirdly shaped compared to everyone else?! Am I that dense? Listening to my ROKR while doing the dishes is a son of a bitch. What am I doing wrong, and does anyone else go through this?
[Edited 6/15/06 8:40am]

Dewrede said:

Of course, this applies strictly to mornings. In the evenings going home I'm awake and hardly grumpy at all, so anything goes. Except smelly people. OK, I don't mind too much if you've spent the day lugging stuff around a building site. It's these suit and tie wearing middle aged pre-deodourant era men who take off their jackets and their every movement releases a waft of stench that makes you gag. I was once very close to telling one such specimen that in Iarnród Eireann's (our rail company) bylaws, it states that nobody has to travel with smelly people, and that I could ask to have him removed at the next stop. (This is actually true - the bylaw does exist). I was too embarresed to say anything though - how do you politely tell somebody that their stench is making you sick ? Fortunately he got off at the next stop.

INSATIABLE said

Yes, I have the same problem but usually only when I'm walking - the motion makes them fall out. I usually stick them into my ears at a 45 degree angle (with the leads sticking out horizontally) and then twist them downwards. I have no idea if this actually makes them any more secure, but it feels like I'm screwing them into my ears and therefore they should stay in for longer.

But I'd recommend the type Anx uses (pictured above) - they don't leak sound, they don't fall out, and they don't become uncomfortable. Although, as he pointed out they may well be worse for your ears than the normal kind, but as they're right in your ears you don't need as much volume.

INSATIABLE said:

I've only ever had one pair, but, me too! I think our holes aren't big enough.....

(Set up for stupid perverted joke)

luv4all7 said:

This happens to me, too.. It's ear discrimination or somethin'. I miss the old discman bendy headphones.

AsylumUtopia said:

good law

Dewrede said:

me and my leaky headphones will be hanging out in front of your house tonight.

AsylumUtopia said:

that's the worst part. people who are inconsiderate about their personal music device usage are usually people who have crappy taste in music.

nickelback? ashanti? oh gosh, thanks for turning me on to these artists, o subway music sage. where o where do you ever discover these obscure artistic geniuses?!?

Anx said:

That's it exactly. Subway music sage. hehe.

"Whilst I appreciate that you may be wide awake and full of enthusiasm at this early hour, presumbly due to your youth - made obvious by your attempted beard and the fact that one leg of your jeans contains more material than I'm wearing on my entire body - I am sleepy and grumpy and would rather be in bed. I also appreciate that, given your youth, the pinnacle of your musical appreciation thus far is the discovery of Snow Patrol. However, at this hour of the morning I do not wish to be subjected to the gnashings and wailings of another average two-chord band. I'm trying to snooze to Sigur Rós damn it! So turn that noise down or I'm gettin my scissors out. Snip, snip."

One of these mornings, when I'm particularly tired and grumpy, I can see myself saying something like that. So far I've managed to restrain myself to 'Could you turn it down please', but the day is coming...

AsylumUtopia said:

As long as they're not incredibly rude about it, I would very much like for someone to tell me if my music is leaking through my headphones, because I wouldn't appreciate hearing their music, most likely. Although telling me about it doesn't mean I'll turn it down.

No really, I'd probably either turn it down or off completely.

Protege said:

on public transit, i just deal with people's rudeness. that's why i always have a book and my mp3 player on hand. i can block out the noise and plant my nose in a book and i'm good to go.

at work, it's different. i don't want to be here in the first place, so why do i need my concentration bungled because you wanna rock out to your ashlee simpson album? and if i'm too loud, i wanna know. it would influence how i listen to it on the train and stuff too.

I've never had a problem with headphone leakage, it's people car stereos that make me insane. Especially since I know half of the noise is just to get attention.

You got my attention, now I hate you.