"This is a critical time. Teens are at a greater risk than ever in terms of hearing loss," says Marilee Potthoff, director of marketing for the House Ear Institute. "Sennheiser's support of HEI programs is valuable in helping us reach the young consumer audio market, and is bringing greater exposure to what is proving to be a very successful public education campaign."
HEI, a non-profit organisation dedicated to advancing hearing science through research and education to improve quality of life, was established in 1946. Its Sound Partners hearing conservation program and scientific explorations of the auditory system have helped to provide crucial knowledge to members of the pro audio community and general public who are at a high risk for hearing loss.
The latest campaign uses the humorous character 'Earbud' to inform teens about the dangers of noise-induced hearing loss, an irreversible affliction that accounts for 30% of all hearing loss in the population. "Not only is Sennheiser donating funds, they're also a compelling product sponsor for our contest," Potthoff says. "Overall, the timing of 'It's How You Listen That Counts' is very good, especially in light of the heightened presence of MP3 players in the news. At HEI, we believe we need to be discussing MP3 players, as well as all of the other situations in a teen's typical environment that expose them to high decibels."
Potthoff advises that people should be aware that MP3 players are only a risk factor if they set their volume levels above 85 decibels and don't limit their exposure time. A practical rule of thumb is that if you can't hear someone speaking to you at a normal conversation level while you are listening to an MP3 player or other device, it's likely that the volume is at an unsafe level for your hearing.
(Lee Baldock)
