Loud music in nightclubs

shrewd

Irishwolff wrote: »

I went to a club in Dublin city center last night and the music was so loud, it was nearly impossible to have a conversation without shouting. So my question is, why do they have the music so loud in nightclubs? I also paid 6 euro for a pint which is another issue in its self.
Is there any pubs or clubs in Dublin that dont have the music so loud, to the stage where you might consider bringing earphones and use an alternative way of communicating, like texting?!

what kind of music do you like? i've only found the workman club on Wellington Quay,D2.
the music is usually played at moderate level

DonkeyStyle \o/

efb wrote: »

Congrats, you're officially too old for clubbing.

I found them too loud since I was too young to be in one. I suspect the people who don't mind the volume are already half deaf from spending so much time in them.

Madam_X wrote: »

Can't see anything wrong with music being too loud for chat in nightclubs - they're supposed to be places where you dance.

You still need to communicate with people. Have you really never shouted yourself hoarse right in somebody's ear and they still couldn't hear you?

opinion guy

.......


WHAT ?????










:pac:

12gauge dave

Ya ive noticed you have to smoke in order to have a conversation in pubs and clubs didnt bother me when i was 18 and it was all new but at 24 its a a bit annoying already

Eathrin

I go to a club to dance, and I like my music loud.
There are places in clubs to sit down and have a chat if one so wishes.
My only issue with loud music is the danger it poses to my hearing.

validusername1

if it's too loud, you're too old

shedweller

But what about rules and regulations? Do they get left at the door?
Is there an exemption for nightclubs wrt noise levels?

kippy

I've seen some club and pub staff, not sure was it here or in the UK, wearing earplugs (and still manage to hear orders btw). Whatever about the young lads laughing at us aul ones, from a technical health and safety at work act, there are strict guidelines for signage and the provision of safety equipment for staff who are exposed to noise over certain decibel levels for a prolonged period as well as a responsibility to, where possible, bring the noise within safe limits. Any other work environment and it is taken really seriously.
A court case cannot be two far away and that will change the game.
As far as the punters go, there is probably not the same onus on the club but again a case would change that.

smash

Talk about being a buzz killington... Nightclubs have always been loud!

Neewbie_noob

Irishwolff wrote: »

Well obviously didnt know the price before hand

I ALWAYS ask the price of an item before buying, failing that when he rung up 6 squids on the till, I would have told him to shove it and walked away. I never go to clubs anyway. They're not a place to meet a nice girl anyway, and just a venue (unfortunately, mostly populated by sumbags). I met the most amazing girl by random chance and a weird coincidence, which I won't get into here

leggo

kippy wrote: »

A court case cannot be two far away and that will change the game.

This isn't a new phenomenon.

What happens if you're exposed to loud music, unprotected, is that eventually you may get tinnitus, which is almost like your ears become allergic to loud noises (people may have experienced small doses of it before after a particularly loud night, your ears will seem to repel even listening to earphones on low volume).

But tbf, that's something that has been around yonks, be it with touring bands, roadies, DJs who work every night of the week or even clubbers who would go out 5-7 nights a week and dance close to the speakers. Going to Copper's once every couple of months and not being able to hear your mate tell you about her nightmare week at work won't do long-term damage. And anyone who is around it long enough knows where to get proper precautions (or can at least find out because they'll deal with people who likely have done so regularly).

Ah the litany of reasons I do not bother with night clubs any more. I am a talker and not much of a dancer so environments that are that loud were never really conducive to me being able to chat girls up and the like.

However since getting into a relationship I still have no interest in going back. 5 to 10 euro for a drink is insane. Instead I throw a monthly house party in my place on the second weekend of every month. I built a stone BBQ and a Jacuzzi myself so they are always there for the party. I love to cook and always do something special. Get bottles of spirits and crates of beer in.

Everyone has a great time - skantily clad females in the jacuzzi adds another dimension the guys like of course - the drink is much cheaper - the food is great - people can talk and dance - I honestly can not think of a single reason to go back to clubbing.

Plus since I put a collection box in the corner my mates throw money in every time to pay towards the party and I usually come close to breaking even and everyone has STILL paid less than they would on a night out. If I ever make a profit I throw it back into the next party.

saiint

holystungun9 wrote: »

As I go clubbing quite a bit, the sound levels are something that concerns me but I haven't gone about looking into it until now (your thread has reminded me). Here in Madrid, clubs (in some, at least) have a decibel meter attached to the system by the DJ booth so that people can check out what the levels are like. Last night, in one club the level was about 96 dB and the club I went to on Thursday night was as 105dB.
I've just checked the decibel time exposure guide http://www.dangerousdecibels.org/education/information-center/decibel-exposure-time-guidelines/ and found that the permissible time for being in an environment at 96 is just an hour (I was there for two), and on Thursday night, for 105, I should only have been there for about four minutes (I was there for four hours).
I don't know where exactly the mic for this thing is placed in the club but I presume it's in a reasonably neutral spot, i.e. not right beside a speaker.
Either way, the music is definitely too loud.
Option one is to stop going but that's not going to happen. Option two is to bring earplugs. I know some DJs get bespoke ones made but they cost a lot (granted, not as costly as losing your hearing). I have seen more general club ones in a music store I go to, so I will ask about them as I don't want the music I love to slowly fade away as I get older.

the dB is higher as your closer to the speaker
so at 96 dB right beside the speakers
itd be more like 85-90 in the actually club

if the club is open as in all windows open or no glasses on the windows (generally places like spain,bulgaria etc have open clubs)
the dB would be alot lower as the sound is not rebounding off everything
so your safe

kippy

I am aware this isn't a new thing, however some of the h and s as well as a more litiguous culture are.

kippy

I am aware this isn't a new thing, however some of the h and s as well as a more litiguous culture are.

gobnaitolunacy

saiint wrote: »

the dB is higher as your closer to the speaker
so at 96 dB right beside the speakers
itd be more like 85-90 in the actually club

if the club is open as in all windows open or no glasses on the windows (generally places like spain,bulgaria etc have open clubs)
the dB would be alot lower as the sound is not rebounding off everything
so your safe

Also the dB is lower the more people are in the club, the extra bodies dampen the sound.

opinion guy

kippy wrote: »

I've seen some club and pub staff, not sure was it here or in the UK, wearing earplugs (and still manage to hear orders btw). Whatever about the young lads laughing at us aul ones, from a technical health and safety at work act, there are strict guidelines for signage and the provision of safety equipment for staff who are exposed to noise over certain decibel levels for a prolonged period as well as a responsibility to, where possible, bring the noise within safe limits. Any other work environment and it is taken really seriously.
A court case cannot be two far away and that will change the game.
As far as the punters go, there is probably not the same onus on the club but again a case would change that.

kippy wrote: »

I am aware this isn't a new thing, however some of the h and s as well as a more litiguous culture are.

But health and safety doesn't cover the punters - the ones likely to sue. Pub staff are either likely to not care aobut the job and quit, or be so dependent on the job they are too afraid to do anything and too broke to bring a court case - so i can't see anything changing soon

Dravokivich

KyussBishop wrote: »

Have a small amount of tinnitus in one ear from loud music in a pub; only need one night out in a ****ty place like this, to do permanent damage.
If you hear any ringing in your ears after being at a pub or wherever, generally that indicates some damage is already done, so don't hang around once you notice the music is really loud.

I don't know why it's something that's not clamped down on really, because (seeing as it can cause permanent hearing damage) it's something you think would have legal limits, such as a maximum decibel rating and such?

There are regulations about how much can be heard from a distance outside of a venue. The local City/County council is responsible for following up on such complaints.

Unsure who is responsible for monitoring the levels within the venue.

gobnaitolunacy

I would imagine it would be difficult to sue a venue for hearing loss. How would you prove you went to Club X on Y no. of occasions and got hearing loss as a result from that place only?

3GAINSBOROUGH

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

I would imagine it would be difficult to sue a venue for hearing loss. How would you prove you went to Club X on Y no. of occasions and got hearing loss as a result from that place only?

If you can provide proof you attended a venue on a date (by ticket stub, or bar recpeipt etc), and the Council Inspector finds the sound level to be to high in that venue; then you can sue for damages.

Just the same that if a bar worker shows their payslip, proving they were working there 40 hours a week, they can prove they were there when their hearing was being damaged during that time. Its no different to working in a factory with loud machinery. The Employer has a legal obligation to comply with Health and Safety, and that means monitoring noise and sound levels.

kippy

opinion guy wrote: »

But health and safety doesn't cover the punters - the ones likely to sue. Pub staff are either likely to not care aobut the job and quit, or be so dependent on the job they are too afraid to do anything and too broke to bring a court case - so i can't see anything changing soon

Health and safety, to a large extent, does cover thepunters.

opinion guy

kippy wrote: »

Health and safety, to a large extent, does cover thepunters.

Not for noise levels it doesn't

KyussBishop

leggo wrote: »

But tbf, that's something that has been around yonks, be it with touring bands, roadies, DJs who work every night of the week or even clubbers who would go out 5-7 nights a week and dance close to the speakers. Going to Copper's once every couple of months and not being able to hear your mate tell you about her nightmare week at work won't do long-term damage. And anyone who is around it long enough knows where to get proper precautions (or can at least find out because they'll deal with people who likely have done so regularly).

Not true though, because (depending upon the loudness) you only have so much time before your ears start getting damaged, and the louder it is, the shorter that time:
http://www.noisehelp.com/noise-dose.html

I have slight tinnitus in one ear, from a single night out in a particularly loud place; as a general rule, you shouldn't hang around in a place when you notice the music is really loud.

Dravokivich wrote: »

There are regulations about how much can be heard from a distance outside of a venue. The local City/County council is responsible for following up on such complaints.

Unsure who is responsible for monitoring the levels within the venue.

Heh interesting, I wonder if this means it's more acceptable to keep the windows closed with loud music (making it even louder inside), without care for the inside sound levels.

Probably not, but yea it'd be nice to see some place get slapped with a court case, so other places start giving warning to customers or put sound levels back to normal limits.

Dravokivich

KyussBishop wrote: »

Heh interesting, I wonder if this means it's more acceptable to keep the windows closed with loud music (making it even louder inside), without care for the inside sound levels.

Probably not, but yea it'd be nice to see some place get slapped with a court case, so other places start giving warning to customers or put sound levels back to normal limits.

TBH, more often than not, I've noticed the materials used in the building to cause more problems, such as plasterboard coverings for walls and others with low density. Cause a lot of reflection of the high frequencies.

Cuddlesworth

leggo wrote: »

Going to Copper's once every couple of months and not being able to hear your mate tell you about her nightmare week at work won't do long-term damage.

I think your problem is you don't understand how hearing loss works. You don't suddenly find it difficult to hear people talking after a rough night, you begin to miss frequency ranges from both high and low until eventually you are left with nothing. Higher frequency's are perceived as louder and are quicker to go through abuse. This happens naturally to all people, but constant exposure to load noise sources accelerates this process.

So you end up at 35 not being able to hear birds sing. And wearing a hearing aid at 60 if not before that.

saiint wrote: »

the dB is higher as your closer to the speaker
so at 96 dB right beside the speakers
itd be more like 85-90 in the actually club

if the club is open as in all windows open or no glasses on the windows (generally places like spain,bulgaria etc have open clubs)
the dB would be alot lower as the sound is not rebounding off everything
so your safe

I've been in clubs pushing at least 120 off the speakers with a ambient above 90. Its not a healthy work environment and as I said before, in any other industry you would be supplied with ear plugs.

Clubs have been pulled up on it before. But like most things here, I would say the money made is far more then the possible fine.

gobnaitolunacy

Cuddlesworth wrote: »

Clubs have been pulled up on it before. But like most things here, I would say the money made is far more then the possible fine.

That article seems to be more concerned with workers welfare rather than punters.

opinion guy

gobnaitolunacy wrote: »

That article seems to be more concerned with workers welfare rather than punters.

Nobody is worried about punters welfare. You are there by choice. If you don't like it leave or bring your own earphones.

Now - I don't agree with that, but that is the unwritten assumption.

There are rules governing employees noise levels, and rules governing local residents noise levels, but none covering the punters noise levels who chose to be there

Madam_X

DonkeyStyle \o/ wrote: »

I found them too loud since I was too young to be in one. I suspect the people who don't mind the volume are already half deaf from spending so much time in them.


You still need to communicate with people. Have you really never shouted yourself hoarse right in somebody's ear and they still couldn't hear you?

Yeh I thought the thread was focusing more on how annoying it is to have to roar to have a conversation, rather than the actual damage it causes.

Yawn at the "cool" people going on about how those who object to it are boring/old. Meh, I despised it at 17. That stuff about "old" gets way overused in relation to... lots of stuff.