A new gadget is promising to personalize the listening experience by adjusting it according to individual hearing capabilities. The $129-device performs a hearing test and then automatically adjusts output settings on your music source.
As the debate rages on over how best to listen to music – digital vs. analog, earbuds vs. headphones, and so on – one thing has become crystal clear: not everyone hears or experiences music in the same way. Now, this new product promises to analyze each audio experience and adjust the music to sound best for them.
The gadget, called Aumeo, combines with a dedicated app to measure a user's hearing by performing a test, which emits various frequencies, similar to the tests performed by doctors to determine if a person has suffered hearing loss. By adjusting the volume until each sound disappears, Aumeo collects the necessary data to tailor an individualized listening experience to the user from whatever output source is used, such as a phone, iPod or even a home speaker system.
Aumeo was developed and created by a team of experienced audiologists and sound experts. Paul Lee, the company's founder, explained that many listeners, who are seeking clarity over volume, are increasing their volume settings unnecessarily:
"Today, we live in a one-size-fits-all world of audio that doesn't take your unique hearing into account. We all hear differently and are sensitive to different sounds. With today's consumer electronics devices, consumers turn up the volume to hear more clearly."
Lee believes that his device can potentially reduce hearing loss suffered as a result of listening to music too loudly.
Aumeo is compatible with all types of audio files as well as popular streaming services like SoundCloud and Spotify. It can also optimize a user's listening experience when simply carrying out a phone conversation, and it is Bluetooth compatible. The device measures just about 2 x 2 inches.
Aumeo has initiated an Indiegogo campaign that has already raised more than three times the $40,000 needed to mass manufacture the device, but donors who sign up before July 9 can receive their Aumeo for $99 rather than the retail price of $129.
