Digital Hearing Protection: What's So Special?
Have you ever wondered why many people opt for hearing aids when they could wear earplugs? Well, it's not because they don't like the idea of having something stuck in their ears. Digital hearing protection is a game-changer. It can reduce harmful noise, enhance the lower-volume sounds you want to hear, provide a more comfortable listening experience, and quickly adapt to changes in your environment. Digital technology also offers more features than analog technology. So, if you're looking for enhanced personalization and customization features in your hearing protection—or if you want better quality sound—digital technology might be right for you!
There are several reasons why electronic hearing protection is superior to traditional earplugs. Let's explore them now!
Harmful Noise Can Be Reduced
Digital hearing protection can help reduce noise to a safe level. Harmful sounds are blocked, but you still have access to normal conversation.
The human ear detects ranging frequencies of sound between 20 Hz and 20 kHz. The basic unit of measurement for volume is decibels (dB). A quiet room is about 30 dB, and a loud rock concert can reach 115 dB. The average person can hear sounds up to 80 dB before feeling pain in their ears or experiencing permanent damage like tinnitus or hearing loss. Analog hearing protection reduces the volume by 10-15 dB, enough to protect your ears while allowing you to talk with friends easily and hear other important sounds, such as sirens or alarms ringing nearby. Digital hearing protection reduces this number even further—upwards of 30-35 dB depending on how much noise reduction you select—so your ears will feel protected from harmful noises while also retaining their ability to pick up other sounds around them.
Lower-Volume Sounds Can Be Enhanced
Digital hearing protection can amplify low-volume sounds, such as a person whispering or someone's footsteps. This is useful for communication and situational awareness in noisy environments.
Digital hearing protection uses a microchip to process sound waves before they reach the ear canal. The chip works by compressing incoming sound and then decompressing it as it travels from the chip to your inner ear so that you hear amplified sounds at a lower volume level than without amplification. For example, if you were wearing digital hearing protection while walking down an airplane aisle to talk with your seatmate during takeoff, they would hear everything you said clearly but only at a fraction of their usual volume level (and vice versa).
The Listening Experience Is More Natural And Comfortable
Digital hearing protection is more comfortable than analog hearing protection. With digital hearing protection, you can adjust the level of sound reduction to match your environment and personal preference. You can also change the settings on-the-fly without having to remove any equipment or make adjustments with tools.
In addition, digital hearing protection is more natural sounding than analog hearing protection because it's not muffled by layers of foam or plastic. This makes it easier for you to communicate with others and interact in social settings while protecting your ears from dangerous noises—which means you're better protected from noise-induced injury!
Digital Technology Adapts To Changes In The Environment Quickly
A digital hearing protection device measures noise levels every few milliseconds and adjusts its internal amplification level accordingly. This means that you will experience no delay in reducing or increasing your hearing protection when there is a sudden change in sound pressure level.
In addition, digital hearing protection can use adaptive algorithms to adjust noise reduction based on your environment, such as if you're working indoors or outdoors. For example, an adaptive algorithm could automatically reduce the amount of noise when it detects that you're in a quiet office space versus when you're working on an active construction site—and vice versa!
Conclusion
Digital hearing protection is a great way to protect your hearing and can be used in many situations. It may seem minor, but it makes all the difference in how you experience sounds around you. With digital technology, hearing protection is more personalized, natural, and comfortable than ever.