What Do The Critics Of Bone Conduction Technology Say
Those who claim bone conduction technology is dangerous and to say that loud volumes can damage our ears. This is true. But the same can be said of any headphone technology. The danger is not exclusive to bone conduction. The truth is there are pros and cons to both types of headphones, bone conductors, and none bone conductors, but the real risk is simply having the volume turned up too loud and it always has been.
How Does Bone Conduction Technology Work
Those with hearing issues may benefit from bone conduction headphones since they dont rely solely on the eardrum.
The abridged version of bone conduction headphones is that they rest directly on the listeners cheekbones. Unlike traditional headphones and earbuds, the eardrum doesnt vibrate to pass the information along to the cochlea. Instead, the vibrations from the bone conduction bee-lines for the cochlea.
Due to the lack of eardrum involvement, this technology is good for people with hearing deficiencies, as the bone conduction vibration acts in lieu of the eardrum.
Great Use For Different Professions
Many professions require both regular communication and situational awareness. Soldiers, for example, need to remain vigilant about their surroundings. Wearing earpieces can be a danger, because they may not be able to hear and react to a dangerous situation. With bone conduction headphones, they are able to maintain communication with their team while remaining safe and situationally aware.
Athletes such as runners and cyclists also benefit from the many kinds of bone conduction headphones. These outdoor sports require a certain level of awareness to keep safe. And using bone conduction headphones allows users to remain alert to their environment.
Plus, most bone conduction headphones can be worn with safety helmets and other gears. You wont have to sacrifice anything just to upgrade your ride with some music.
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Benledande Hrlurar Frdelar Och Nackdelar
Ända sedan benledande hörlurar kom till platsen har de varit ett mycket omtvistat ämne. Audiofiler avskyr dem och förespråkare älskar dem. Bristen på isolering är den största frågan för många musik och ljud låter bara svagt och urvattnat jämfört med vanliga hörlurar.
Om Marmite tillverkade hörlurar skulle de vara benledande hörlurar. Och även om det finns några fördelar med benledande hörlurar, finns det också många varningar att tänka på. Ljudkvaliteten är den största. Det finns bara så mycket du kan göra med benledning.
Och även de bästa produkterna på marknaden bleknar i jämförelse med ljudkvaliteten och troheten du får från även ett par par öronsnäckor eller hörlurar. För dem med hörselproblem eller svårigheter, visst, benledande hörlurar är ett bra alternativ. Men om du hör är bra, finns det bokstavligen ingen anledning att använda benledande hörlurar framför vanliga.
Men att avskriva benledande hörlurar som en gimmick gör tekniken en massiv björntjänst. Tillämpningarna av benledande hörlurar för personer med hörselproblem, även delvis hörselnedsättning, är enorma.
Om du till exempel har hörselnedsättning i ett öra kan du inte lyssna på musik i stereo. Men med en uppsättning benledande hörlurar kan du – och det är betydande. Som någon som älskar musik, om jag tappade hörseln på ett öra eller båda, skulle jag vara ytterst tacksam att någon hade kommit med benledande hörlurar.
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Bone Conduction Headphones: Getting Questions About These
You can buy a good pair of bone conduction headphones for under $150. Some of your students may have seen them or own a set. Heres a little information to add to your next Intro Psych hearing lecture, or at least some information to hold onto in case a student asks. If you teach Biopsych, you can dig even deeper into this topic or have your students do the digging.
Bone conduction headphones, such as Aftershokz Trekz Air, send vibrations through, well, bone. The headphones speakers are generally positioned against the cheek bone or upper jaw bone right in front of each ear. The cheek bones carry the vibrations through to the temporal bone the bone that surrounds the cochlea. While the specifics are still under investigation, we know that these vibrations cause the cochlear fluid to move, triggering the cilia that send their messages to the auditory cortex where we hear sound. It could be that the bone vibrations cause the fluid in the cochlea to move due to a change in pressure, the vibrations in the bone put pressure on the walls of the cochlea causing them to compress, or the vibrations in the bone could cause waves in the cerebrospinal fluid in the skull thereby causing waves in the cochlea . Or all three.
While you may not be familiar with the occlusion effect , everyone with some amount of hearing has experienced it. While talking, plug your ears with your fingers. Your voice will sound up to 20 decibels louder .
References
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When You Shouldnt Get Bone Conduction Headphones
If youre an audiophile or want headphones with a noise-canceling feature, then bone conduction headphones just simply arent for you.
If Youre an Audiophile
If youre all about that bass and treble, then bone conduction headphones may not be suitable for you. They simply dont offer the same listening experience that traditional in-the-ear or over-the-ear headphones provide.
So, if you consider yourself to be a total audiophile who cant stand not hearing every single note and subtle sound in your music, then you should get headphones with higher sound quality.
If You Want Headphones With a Noise-Cancelling Feature
Bone conduction headphones allow you to hear whats going on in your surroundings. While this is ideal for some people, for others, its undesirable.
If you are one of those people that wants your headphones to tune out everything except what you are listening to, then bone conduction headphones definitely arent the right choice.
From A Letter To The Editors Of Hearing Journal:
In the article Letters: The Truth about Bone-Conduction Earphones Portnuff, Cory AuD, Ph.D. Berger, Elliott MS
It states that The maximum output levels of MP3 players. The highest reported output level of which we are aware in the peer-reviewed literature is 120 dBA, with a tight-fitting earphone. .
The description of the Aftershokz bone-conduction earphones included the statement, Because the headphones do not use the eardrums to transmit sound, they allow users to listen to music without the risk of eardrum damage.
MP3 player earphones are not capable of producing levels great enough to cause an eardrum perforation, so users would not be at risk of eardrum damage from any type of earphone. Rather, listeners are at risk of cochlear damage from the overuse of any type of earphone. The fact that these earphones use bone-conduction transducers does not inherently make them any safer than any other earphone, as the bone-conducted sound is transduced by the cochlea similarly to air-conducted sound.
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If Youre A Swimmer Then Go With The Hptcc Waterproof Bone Conduction Headphones
One of the benefits of not using traditional earbud drivers is that you can make a pair of headphones that is completely waterproofcase in point, the HPTCC Waterproof Bone Conduction Headphones. This has an IPX8 rating, so you can submerge it with no problem. This is great for swimmers who want a soundtrack while doing laps then problem solved.
Safe Listening: How Loud And For How Long
While its common to keep headphones or earbuds in for several hours a day, listening at high volumes for long periods of time takes a toll on our hearing. Research shows that listening to sound above 85 for more than 8 hours can lead to hearing loss. Though 85 dB is the magic number, todays smartphones can blast sound up to 120 dB. At 120 dB or more, hearing damage occurs almost immediately.
For reference, here are the decibel measurements of some common sounds:
- Whisper: 30 dB
- Power drill: 130 dB
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What About Everyone Else
This makes me wonder what about all the other people out there who may suffer from hearing difficulties but dont know about Bone Conduction headphones? How many people struggle with these or just dont bother at all? Not everyone can afford top of the line hearing aids that work with an Apple iPhone or an iPhone for that matter.
Of course, we also understand that Bone Conduction headphones wont necessarily improve everyones audio experience, but if this isnt common knowledge then it really needs to be.
People with hearing issues could really benefit from this technology, allowing them to appreciate headphones in the same way the rest of us do.
References:
Q: Can You Wear Glasses With Aftershokz
Yes, you can wear your glasses while using AfterShokz headphones. The company recommends putting the headphones on first and then sliding your glasses into place for a more secure fit. They can also be worn underneath a helmet, and the waterproof model can be worn with a swim cap covering the tips of your ears.
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Benledande Hrlurar Frklarad: Frdelar Och Nackdelar
Richard GoodwinDetta blogginlägg kan innehålla affiliatelänkar
by Richard Goodwin | Juli 23, 2021 | Användarguider
Vad är benledande hörlurar? Och hur fungerar de? I den här guiden kommer vi att förklara allt du behöver veta + fördelar och nackdelar med att använda benledande hörlurar …
99.9% av människor använder också vanliga hörlurar öronsnäckor eller hörlurar över örat. Så har det varit sedan hörlurarna kom ut på marknaden.
Och medan ny teknik har kommit till platsen – brusreducerande och trådlös anslutningtill exempel – hörlurar har alltid fungerat på samma sätt. Du placerar hörlurarna inuti eller över öronen för att lyssna på musik eller podcasts eller vilket ljud du vill.
People With Malformed Ear Structures
Most people with absent or malformed ear structures caused by atresia, microtia, or anotia can enhance their hearing through bone conduction. This malformation or absence of organs in the outer ear or the ear canal makes air conduction of sound impossible. In some cases conducting surgery to correct the deformity may cause more damage. To avoid complications bypassing the outer and middle ear through bone conduction is the best option.
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Who Should Use Bone
Medically, the best bone-conduction headphones are beneficial for those experiencing conductive hearing loss, a condition that directly affects the transmission of sound through the eardrums. Conductive hearing loss is just one way the auditory system can be disrupted, so bone-conduction headphones wont work for everyone with hearing difficulties.
Bone-conduction headphones are also helpful for those who need to maintain situational awareness while they enjoy their music. These headphones provide an additional layer of safety for bikers, hikers, driversessentially anyone who needs to be aware of their surroundings. Active in dense urban environments? Bone conduction makes for great running headphones. Bone-conduction headphones are also particularly great for swimmers. Air conduction is heavily suppressed when we are underwater, but the vibrations created by bone conduction can still be transmitted, which means a waterproof pair of bone-conduction headphones can keep you connected to your workout playlist lap after lap.
Now, bone conduction wont make your entire face shake, rattle, and roll, so you dont need to worry about experiencing discomfort while you listen. In fact, many report that these headphones are secure, comfortable, and easy to wear. However, if you are sensitive to pressure, there is a chance that you may experience dizziness or headaches after a long stretch of listening.
Are Bone Conduction Headphones As Good As Regular Headphones
In terms of build quality, comfort, and fit the bone conducting headphones are the same to regular headphones. But when it comes to sound quality, bone conduction is slightly lagging behind.
You can find good-sounding workout headphones with bone conduction technology but wont find any audiophile headphones with it.
The main issue is the lack of rich bass. Open ear design with bone conduction isnt best suited for that.
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The Bose Sport Open Earbuds Are A Great Alternative To Bone Conduction Headsets
When you want to listen in mono mode, the right earbud must be nearby, even if its in the case.
Like bone conduction headphones, the Bose Sport Open Earbuds feature an unoccluded design that leaves your ear canals completely open. You get all the same safety benefits from Boses chunky earbuds as you do from a set of bone conduction headphones, but Boses earphones sit where your ears meet your skull and use precisely placed speakers to funnel sound down your ear canals. If you have fine hearing abilities and want something to keep you safe, these IPX4 earbuds are a great option. They sound much better than bone conduction headphones and serve a similar purpose for those who need a pair of earbuds that are safe for outdoor use.
Next: Best bone conduction headphones
What Are The Best Bone Conduction Headphones
If youve searched the internet for a pair of Bluetooth bone conduction headphones, youre likely already familiar with the company AfterShokz. After all, it controls a large segment of the bone conduction earphones market. Our sister site SoundGuys has an in-depth list of the best bone conduction headphones available, but heres our quick rundown of the top three.
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Bone Conduction And Hearing Aids
That industry, of course, is the Hearing Aid industry, an area where more research and hard work has gone into crafting Bone Conduction technology than any other. Without this technology, those who suffer from hearing difficulties may have very different lives to the ones they have now.
To put it frankly, if it was not for Bone Conduction technology their disability would be a lot more pronounced and debilitating. During the 20th century, numerous patents were filed to develop and utilize Bone Conduction technology in a number of ways, from music, communication, advances in military equipment to the headphones we use today.
All the while audiologists were working diligently to create the best hearing aids they could. For hundreds of years and they have been looking for ways for people to hear who couldnt.
Are Bone Conduction Headphones Any Better Than Traditional Hearing Aids
Bone conduction headphones work as an excellent temporary solution if you have gradual or permanent hearing loss in one ear or both ears. You can also use bone conduction headphones if your middle or outer ears dont transmit noise and sound correctly.
Traditional hearing aids amplify acoustic sounds which enter through your ear canal. Yet, if you use bone conduction headphones, the function can offer better or alternative sound quality, require much less energy, and can be more comfortable to wear because nothing is in your ear.
Moreover, these headphones can help prevent ear canal or middle ear diseases, humidity, and eventual irritation that are part-and-parcel of some traditional hearing aid designs. As such, bone conduction headphones may offer a more satisfying experience and are affordable to boot, which works well for anyone who requires an effective temporary hearing aid that doesnt break the bank.
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How To Clean Earbuds And Headphones
Hearing loss isnt the only risk associated with headphonesdirty headphones and earbuds can increase the possibility of ear infection. As we carry them around from day to day, earbuds pick up dust, dirt, sweat and grime and can cause an 11-fold increase in bacteria in the ear. Just as we clean our clothes regularly, its important to keep our headphones clean and sanitized as well.
Here are some tips for how to safely clean your headphones and earbuds.
How to clean earbuds:
- Use a soft, dry toothbrush to gently dislodge any clogged dirt or earwax trapped in the wire mesh part of the earbud
- Dampen a cotton swab with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer and wipe down the wire mesh area, then allow to air dry
- If your earbuds have silicone ear tips, you can remove them, let them soak in soapy warm water for 5 minutes, and allow to air dry
How to clean headphones:
- Dampen a cloth with rubbing alcohol or hand sanitizer and gently wipe down the outer part of the ear pads, then allow to air dry
- Headphones made of special materials may require special care
Headphone hygiene tips:
Dont Overthink It Just Get The Aftershokz Aeropex
If youve been browsing your local electronics store, youve likely seen some headphones from Aftershokz. The company has been pumping out multiple versions of bone conduction headphones for years, and the best it has to offer is the Aftershokz Aeropex. These have a similar design to some of the previous models, so if youve ever used a pair of Aftershokz headphones before youll know what to expect.
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So Are Bone Conduction Headphones Safe
Bone conduction headphones are a relatively new technology available to consumers. But bone conduction has a long history of being used for individuals experiencing certain forms of hearing loss.
In fact, it is widely rumored that Beethoven himself used this technique when experiencing hearing loss later in life. By placing a metal rod between his piano and his mouth, he would be able to hear the music through the vibrations in his mouth.
Despite its history of being used for hearing aids, it doesnt necessarily mean they are safe or wont cause any hearing loss, as many companies claim. As much as these companies would like to say that bone conduction is completely safe, that isnt entirely true.
The question of headphone safety is complex. True, headphones and earbuds sometimes have a bad reputation. But whether they are safe for hearing loss or not depends largely on how you use them. The same thing can be said for bone conduction headphones.
Although there may be some distinct advantages to bone conduction headphones, they can still be unsafe when used inappropriately.
Hearing loss aside, there is one definitive way bone conduction headphones are safe. They feature an open-ear design, allowing users to hear their surroundings. This promotes safety, as its still possible to hear any warnings or dangers.