The world is louder than ever before, with industrial noise and background sounds permanently punctuating our days. For those who listen to a lot of music, this can be worrying. Will we miss out on certain frequencies be lost to us in our listening? Fortunately, there are now a raft of headphones on the market that are taking 'tailor-made listening' to a new level, introducing app-based hearing tests for their owners to utilise before they press 'play'. Headphones testing hearing loss and quality are now at the helm of tailor-made listening.
We've rounded up some of the headphones and apps on the market that test your hearing before use, so you know you're listening to the best quality audio – specifically tailored to suit your hearing.
The headphones that test your hearing before use
Being able to hear clearly has implications beyond our ability to enjoy music, but headphone brands have started to explore the issue. You can now buy headphones that test your hearing before use, adjusting the sound profile to suit your needs.
Ever since audio companies developed smartphone apps to be used alongside their wireless headphones, users have often been able to choose and adjust EQ presets to suit their taste. Now, this is being taken a step further.
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The apps and headphones testing hearing before you listen to music
Mimi
Mimi is a leading proponent of app-based hearing tests, and has recently partnered with audio brands
including Focal, Beyerdynamic and Nothing. Their system takes you through a series of beep tests, where various frequencies are played through each ear for you to identify. If, for instance, you don’t hear bass or treble well, the test’s results are then applied to your headphone’s EQ, which will adjust, boosting those frequencies to give you greater clarity.
Even with excellent hearing, the app is able to adapt in real time. It can help the ear transmit more information to the brain, including unmasking frequencies you’re not typically able to hear.
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Anker Space One
Anker’s HearID custom sound app analyses your hearing and creates a tailor-made sound set-up.
You don’t need to remortgage to enjoy impressive audio and the latest features. These super-value over-ear Anker Space One headphones have great noise cancelling and 40mm dynamic drivers. They're also Hi-Res and LDAC compatible.
They benefit from the HearID app, a hearing test that tailors the sound profile specifically to you.
Denon PerL Pro
Denon now has a couple of true wireless earbuds – the PerL and PerL Pro – that can be tuned to the sensitivities of each individual. They use something called the Masimo Adaptive Acoustic Technology.
These true wireless earbuds adapt their audio (via the app) to suit whoever is listening to them. They’re a little large compared to some on the market, but the adaptive noise cancellation and both lossless and spatial audio still sets them apart.
Focal Bathys
Even without any personalised audio enhancements, these active noisecancelling headphones, with exquisite comfort and 30hr battery life, sound sublime. They boast a solid, welldefined bass and smooth
mid-range, with the added bonus of the Mimi hearing test to boost your enjoyment even further.
Jabra
Jabra also has a hearing test feature on its Sound+ app.
The SoundID App
If however, you already own a great pair of headphones and you use an Android smartphone, the SoundID app can help. Again, it analyses your hearing and creates an individual listening profile. Nevertheless, here you can apply the audio enhancements – and your own additional tweaks – to over 500 headphone
models including Sony and Apple.
Read more
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Top image: used with a Mimi hearing test, Focal Bathys headphones adjust the sound to suit
