The article "Hearing Loss and Personal Music Players - Reducing exposure is prudent" says that the reported use of these devices is high in young people and users often listen for several hours a day at maximum volume. The devices increasingly use earphones that insert into the ear canal, which produce higher sound levels in the ear than "over the ear earphones" used at the same volume. These sound levels can exceed 120 decibels, similar in intensity to a jet engine.

The editorial concludes that more comprehensive and ongoing surveys of the hearing health of young people are needed, both to clarify the role of personal music players in hearing loss, and to develop evidence based guidelines for safe usage.

However it is wise to remember the sub-heading of this particular piece: Reducing exposure is prudent.