Press release
21.10.2009 - Wedemark
Hear what you want to hear: Sennheiser´s Sets for hearing aids
It is often difficult for users of hearing aids to enjoy music or television. Not only does the sound become mixed together with surrounding noises, it is often necessary to adjust the settings to the listener's personal hearing ability to ensure that a television programme is pleasant to listen to and easy to understand. The Set 830 S and Set 840 S assistive listening systems from Sennheiser are there to do exactly this: they transmit the sound directly to a hearing aid and allow it to be adapted individually to the listener's hearing impairment.
According to estimates of the World Health Organisation, around 278 million people worldwide have impaired hearing. In Germany alone, the figure is between 15 and 20 million across all age groups. 2.5 million of these wear a hearing aid. To help these people, Sennheiser has developed Sets 830 S and 840 S. These assistive listening systems use infrared or RF transmission to send the audio signal from the television, stereo system or radio directly to a receiver connected to the hearing aid. This allows users to acoustically emphasise only those elements that they really want to hear. "Often, users of hearing aids are faced with the problem that their hearing aid not only amplifies the audio source but also makes unwanted surrounding noise louder. That makes selective listening difficult and speech intelligibility suffers," explained Oliver Berg, Product Manager for Audiology Products at Sennheiser. "With Set 830 S and Set 840 S, users can listen to the audio source directly through their hearing aid. This allows the advantages of an assistive listening system and a hearing aid to be optimally combined."
Perfect combination
When connected to an audio source, the transmitter of the listening system automatically transmits the audio signals to the receiver. The infrared connection of Set 830 S allows the user to move freely around the room within a range of up to twelve metres. Set 840 S uses RF transmission for the signals, which means that they can even go through walls. As a result, users can continue listening to the television or a stereo system even when they leave the room to go into the kitchen or garden.
The neckloop for the receiver functions as an induction loop. This uses a magnetic field to transmit the audio signals to a hearing aid fitted with a induction switch. Alternatively, a cable connection can also be used. The listener's own hearing aid, which has been optimally fitted to their ear, can remain in place. However, if they want to remove their hearing aid, that is not a problem either. Both receivers can be used to connect headphones, allowing perfect relaxation while watching television or listening to music without the need to wear a hearing aid.
Individual sound adjustment
Audio settings such as volume and balance can be quickly and conveniently adjusted to the listener's individual hearing ability directly at the receiver — without having to change the hearing aid settings. What is more, the assistive listening systems also have various switchable functions to optimally adjust the sound to an individual's hearing. A switchable compression function balances out unpleasant differences in volume between quiet and loud sounds, while an individually selectable treble gain function allows those with a hearing impairment to understand speech more clearly.
The Sennheiser Group, with its headquarters in Wedemark near Hanover, Germany, is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of microphones, headphones and wireless transmission systems. The family-owned company, which was established in 1945, recorded sales of over €385 million in 2008. Sennheiser employs more than 2,100 people worldwide, around 55% of whom are in Germany. Sennheiser has manufacturing plants in Germany, Ireland and the USA, and is represented worldwide by subsidiaries in France, Great Britain, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark (Nordic), Russia, Hong Kong, India, Singapore, Japan, China, Canada, Mexico and the USA, as well as by long-term trading partners in many other countries. Also part of the Sennheiser Group are Georg Neumann GmbH, Berlin (studio microphones), K + H Vertriebs- und Entwicklungsgesellschaft mbH (Klein + Hummel studio monitors, installed sound) and the joint venture Sennheiser Communications A/S (headsets for PCs, offices and call centres).
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You can find all the latest information on Sennheiser by visiting our website at www.sennheiser.com, or by contacting:
Sennheiser electronic GmbH & Co. KG
Pressereferat • Edelgard Marquardt
Am Labor 1 • 30900 Wedemark
Fon: +49 (5130) 600-329
Fax: +49 (5130) 600-295
e-Mail: edelgard.marquardt@sennheiser.com
