We pride ourselves on being good listeners – maybe not always to each other, but definitely to great music! In what seems like an avalanche of new items promising ever better audio, cool features, neat colors or bling, it’s rare to encounter a product that changes the way we actually listen to music. We tried the dBLogic EP-100V Earphones at an analyst event in New York recently, and found the idea interesting: earphones that automatically limit the sound volume to protect the user’s hearing. Mac Edition Radio fans will recall that we’ve been encouraging folks for years to ditch their earbuds in favor of in-ear units that seal off the ear canal. These let you lower the volume to safe levels, giving better sound and improved bass response. Music can actually be played at lower volumes because the sound coming through the in-ear units isn’t competing with outside noise.
Unfortunately, audiologists are seeing an increase in hearing loss among people who listen to music on the go. dBLogic cites statistics that say that 1 in 5 teens already suffers from hearing loss. Some countries, including France, have even legislated volume limits for music players. iPods have long had an ability to lock in a maximum volume level, but let’s face it, even a young child can figure out how to disable that limit! Without hearing protection, great sound will only be a memory for members of the Millennial generation, unless they and their parents act proactively.
When dBLogic told us about their new line of earphones that promised to protect hearing without the need for software or batteries, yet offer high audio quality at an affordable price, we were intrigued and, to be candid, a bit suspicious of their claims.
One day, as I was running out the door for a day trip into New York via Amtrak, I grabbed the dBLogic EP-100V earphones to take along. I tried a few different sizes of the provided ear tips until I found the ones that fit best. I discovered that running the cord over the top of my ear was the most comfortable and secure fit. I plugged them in and got back to working on my laptop. They didn’t seem too out of the ordinary; the audio was good, with a solid sound, nice bass, clean highs - just normal quality earphones for the price point. As I settled into my seat for the commute, I listened to a variety of music. The EP-100Vs seemed like they were nothing too unusual - that is until I switched my computer from iTunes to the Amtrak Wi-Fi and tuned into a NPR broadcast that was much louder than I expected. After a quick burst, the volume suddenly and automatically dropped down to a normal level. At that moment, I realized just how effective the claims of volume limiting were. They did their job very smoothly and almost unnoticeably. For the most part, the technology was pleasingly invisible.
By working with the actual sound pressure levels (SPL) in the user’s ear canal, the design of the earphones circuitry limits the SPL to 85 decibels, which, according to the company, is based on Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and European Union (EU) guidelines. dBLogic refers to this formally as SPL2 technology, and in practice, even abrupt changes in volume were reduced quickly and without a noticeable drop in sound quality. How SPL2 technology actually works isn’t specified on their website or specifications, but we found that they worked as advertised, keeping audio levels to a level that provided enough volume even for the metal head cranking Metallica, yet not so loud as to damage one’s hearing. We were pleasantly surprised to find a product that did this automatically, requiring no knowledge, extra software, or special adapters – just plug-and-play.
Already have some great earphones? If you want the SPL2 volume protection dBLogic offers an adapter for use with your own headphones or earphones, as well as a sound level meter for testing earphones. As of the time of this review we were waiting on review samples to test, and will update this review once we have them, so for now we will have to take their word on how well the SPL2 adapter works with various manufacturers products. For parents of kids who want to groove to their favorite beat, replacing normal earphones or earbuds with the dBLogic EP-100V is an enormous step in the right direction toward protecting the hearing of any listener, especially young people’s hearing (“You’ll thank you me later, son!”) and preventing them from losing their hearing the way that Pete Townsend did. The dBLogic EP-100V Earphones are a Mac Edition Radio Holiday Pick!
Harris Fogel, posted 12/31/2011
For more information on the dBLogic EP-100V Earphones visit: www.dBLogic.com
