Earworn Monitors: Hearing Self Analysis
How to Privately Understand your Limitations

By Anthony McLean & Steve Harvey

Ear Q Technologies, an audio/audiological startup based in San Rafael, California, has developed the Ear Q Reference Hearing Analyzer. Ear Q is a PC-based hardware/software system (Mac system under development) that provides an accurate, private means of hearing self-testing.

Ear Q consists of custom designed and calibrated Headphones, a reference calibrator inserted between your PC’s soundcard and the headphones, and software. The system is available for use with specified ear-worn monitors.

SOFTWEAR

Airphones™ headphones

Software controls generation of all test signals via pro and many consumer soundcards, displays audiological results, and specific to mixing engineers, suggests various equalization schemes for monitoring at different listening levels that will correct for individuasl hearing characteristics. Each Ear Q system includes a set of Airphones™ headphones, which are modeled after passive noise-reduction pilot’s headphones and which provide 25dB NRR attenuation of external noise. The manufacturer’s specs show that this will effectively make almost any studio or quiet room comply with ANSI standards for allowable background noise in Hearing Test Booths. Similar specs are obtained using the specified/compatible earworn monitors.

Outside of their role in the testing process the headphones are also an appropriate choice for in-line monitoring your incoming signals from the stage / checking that stereo mix feed mid show.

The inline Calibrator establishes a known SPL level inside of the headphones in response to a 1kHz tone. This level is user-set. Connection is made to the headphone output of a mixing console though a PC soundcard into a stereo input.

WHY DO I NEED TO KNOW ABOUT MY HEARING?

There are two vital pieces of information that sound engineers must know to stay competitive and gainfully employed:

#1.) How bad is my hearing loss and where exactly are my holes? What does my hearing curve look like compared to normal?

#2.) How can I make my mixes sound closer to how they did before I damaged my ears? Is it possible to accurately correct for my altered hearing?

Figure #1 [shows Left Ear only]

MEASURING YOUR HEARING Ear Q employs a simple screen display akin to a graphic equalizer that allows you to individually test both ears for Minimum Audible Pressure sensitivity. Conventional audiologist’s hearing measure human Sensitivity to the frequency range of speech between 125Hz and 8,000Hz. Ear Q allows you to test yourself over nearly the full frequency range of music, from 60Hz to 20,000Hz. Let’s assume you’ve been at FOH for many years and your SPL sensitivity resembles the Figure #1 measurements.

You can then view how your measured hearing sensitivity compares to Normal,” (see Figure #2) which is defined as the average results of healthy individuals between the ages of 18 and 25. The Minimum Audible Pressure (MAP) Audiogram display shows Perfect” hearing at the very top (0dB of Hearing Loss, compared to the average) with increased amounts of hearing loss shown as points near the bottom of the graph.

Please note that Can’t Hear entries are displayed as Uncertain Results”. Software also stores and displays multiple results so users can compare sensitivity before and after three beers, before and after a four hour, 120dB-average show, and before and after ten months on the road.

This example is a dramatic case of HF hearing loss. Typically, an engineer with this hearing curve who was not clearly aware of his specific hearing loss, will unconsciously allow considerably more HF into the mix than artistically required.

Figure #2

SPECIAL SUGGESTIONS To help the engineer offset this tendency, Ear Q also displays suggested EQ settings for various monitoring levels (see Figure #3). These settings were derived from Etymotic Research’s FIG6 algorithms, which are music-friendly settings for hearing aid gain applied to the audiological frequencies, and are designed to bring your perception of the mix closer to what most of your audience hears.

The calculated EQ takes fully into account the non-linear behavior of the human auditory system so that the amount of suggested boost declines as the overall level of the mix increases.

HOW DOES THIS AFFECT MY WORK?

For the live sound mixer, Ear Q’s suggested EQ settings can reference how you are translating EQ through your mains, showing you where you may be under-compensating during set up main house EQ. For instance, assume your analysis curve shows a gaping hole at 3.5K.

Figure #3

Accepting the severity of your loss, you will realize you’re probably not pulling as much 3.5 out of the house as you should. Meanwhile, your personal EarQ curve can help you strategically create a less biased, more audience-matched FOH house curve. For monitor mixers, working long stretches with the same band, you can establish personal curves on the entire band. This will help you (and them) understand their needs and provide more satisfying (and safer) monitor mixes.

Note: In our September/October 2001 issue we will detail the application of EWM systems in live performance.

In the meantime, if you are inclined to research these systems further on your own, we have provided a online Buyers Guide, in this issue, to aid in your research.

EAR Q Compatibility Note:
Currently, Ear Q is ONLY compatible with the provided headphones and with the custom ProPhonics model of monitors by Sensaphonics. This is important, because verified accuracy requires clinical studies of at least twenty people per earphone model to establish comparisons against known results. Such studies are, as of yet, uncompleted.

Ear Monitors®, Ear Monitors, the Ear Monitors brand and name, EM2, MG4, Future Sonics EARS, all affiliated logos and images are registered trademarks of Future Sonics, Incorporated.

July/August 2001 Live Sound International