1 out of 5 people use noise-canceling listening devices, either earbuds or headphones [1]. The majority of aficionados use the headphones supplied with the smartphone, especially among those under 24. But the listening modes seem to be changing thanks to the connected mobile speakers. The essential question remains which listening practice to favor so as not to alter your hearing?
The choice of equipment will depend on different criteria:listening comfort, sound quality and price. Another criterion:the sensation of immersive sound that will be obtained thanks to the noise reduction. External noise pollution is then reduced and the ear is focused on the diffused sound. These materials are necessarily more expensive than basic headphones due to the different technology and the fashion effect. A simple classic over-ear headset already helps to somewhat prevent outside noise pollution thanks to the shells covering the auricles.
Many athletes are turning to earpieces or bone conduction headphones. Practical because they will leave the ear canal clear and thus allow the ear to retain its alert function. Indeed, the principle of bone conduction is to bypass the eardrum to activate the inner ear by vibrations via the bones. This solution is very popular with athletes because it combines listening, hygiene, safety and listening comfort. But the feeling of immersive sound is less present.
The use of connected speakers is progressing in the equipment used by the under 35s. They have the advantage of putting distance between the ear and the sound. The farther the ear is from the source of diffusion, the more the acoustic power is reduced; the lower the risk of hearing impairment.
The healthiest practice lies not so much in the choice of equipment as in the way of listening to the sound. For a good ecology of the ear, it remains necessary to take into account the volume and the listening time but also the distance. On these three criteria depends the acoustic power exerted on the cells of the ear and the risk that they let go. The more they are solicited and the greater the acoustic stress will be, the more the brain will have difficulty in decoding the information that reaches it. The impact is not only measured on the auditory effects of the listening mode (impediments in understanding speech, deafness, tinnitus) but also on those called extra-auditory:stress, fatigue, nervousness... Unfortunately, the duration of Listening to devices is increasing across all generations, not just teenagers.
One of the good practices consists in alternating the use of different broadcasting equipment, earphones or headphones, listening via connected mobile speakers or those of the computer or even those of the telephone or tablet. To modulate.
The rule of thumb is to give your ears some recovery time. To be fully efficient, they need to breathe. Sleep time without noise solicitations is very beneficial, but the current place of noise in lifestyles invites to integrate recovery times during the day.
[1] source:study carried out by Ifop for the JNA Association.
