Sennheiser implements sports broadcast-friendly hearing management technology

With technology introduced to the Sennheiser HD25 headphone range, Sennheiser Solutions has become the first company to market LimitEar’s HDM Pro device, which enables sound levels to be adjusted dynamically to reduce the impact of NIHL (noise-induced hearing loss).

LimitEar’s patented Hearing Dose Management technology goes beyond the functionality of the limiters currently available to the market, which simply cap sound levels. The HDM Pro device intelligently changes users’ sound levels through the day to ensure that their exposure to reproduced sound stays within legally defined limits. The HDM Pro-enabled Sennheiser Solutions headphones help provide duty of care to employees whilst minimising the operational challenges of working within variable ambient noise environments.

Broadcasters are particularly at risk of NIHL, due to wearing headsets, headphones and earpieces for long periods, often in variable levels of ambient noise. EU regulations state that workers should not be exposed to average noise levels of 85dBA over an eight hour period.

Speaking to SVG Europe about the specific implications of the technology for sports broadcast, LimitEar managing director Stephen Wheatley remarks: “Sports broadcast environments can be amongst the most challenging for broadcasters to work in because of the highly variable levels of ambient noise. HDM Pro allows headphone users to experience periods of high reproduced sound to cope with the fluctuating ambient level, whilst keeping their exposure to reproduced sound within legally defined limits and maintaining sound quality.”