[dintech]

I wonder if more dynamic music is actually worse for developing tinnitus and so on when listening on headphones. As the perceived loudness is lower for dynamic music, people turn it up to compensate. This means that the peaks in real terms are actually louder than the equivalent super-compressed stuff while achieving the same listening level.

[chiph]

I dunno - I'd want to consult an audiologist or ENT doctor (otolaryngologist) before answering. But my uneducated opinion is that dynamic music gives the ear time to recover from the loud sections (given normal listening levels), while the compressed-to-all-hell music does not, since it's a constant high level sound.

My tinnitus came from being around jets & equipment in the military, concerts (Rush's Presto tour in 1990 was super loud), and competitive shooting. I double-up on my hearing protection these days.