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According to an investigation carried out by UFC-Que Choisir, certain TV headsets currently on sale do not respect the volume limit dangerous for hearing. A risk to be aware of during the shopping and gift-giving season.
Were you planning to give a TV headset for Christmas? Be careful which one you choose! Because according to tests conducted by UFC-Que Choisir and revealed in November, “some TV headsets exceed the dangerous limit”. And can therefore cause damage.
4 models to avoid to preserve your hearing
TV headsets allow you to listen to TV sound directly via wireless headphones. They are mainly used by people who are hard of hearing, or people who want to listen to TV without disturbing those around them.
Thus, out of 10 models of headphones from major brands in the audio world tested, 4 do not comply with the French standard limited to 100 decibels (dB) maximum. The UFC Que Choisir strongly recommends against their purchase:
These are the helmets:
- Dolfin Premium L General Terms and Conditions (limit of 111 dB);
- Geemarc CL7500 Opti (113 dB);
- Amplicomms TV2500 (115 dB);
- Humantechnik Sonumaxx2.4 (116 dB).
“As the regulations applicable to TV headsets are unclear, UFC-Que Choisir contacted the Directorate General for Competition, Consumer Affairs and Fraud Control (DGCCRF) in order to obtain clarification” announces the consumer service.
The manufacturers clear their customs
For their part, the manufacturers concerned argue that this equipment is dedicated to a hearing-impaired population, and that they can therefore go up to 125 dB. “It’s wrong ! Nothing authorizes them to do so. Worse, such sound volumes risk damaging the ears of everyone, hearing impaired or not.underlines Jean-Charles Ceccato, vice-president of National Hearing Day.
Added to this is the fact that, very often, the target audience is not notified on the packaging. You generally have to delve into the instructions for use to find a warning, if one exists. So anyone could use these powerful models.
“This could indeed pose a problem, for example imagine if a child accidentally handles a headset like that, turns the volume all the way up and turns on the television, the sound at more than 100 dB will inevitably leave him with irreversible hearing damage”protests Philippe Metzger, audiologist and deputy secretary general of the National Hearing Day association.
Also questioned by the association, Brice Jantzem, president of the National Union of Audioprosthetists (SNA), provides an explanation for this lack of precision:
“If the manufacturer claims a headset intended for the hearing impaired, the device becomes a medical device in the eyes of the law, with the constraints linked to this type of classification. Only certain professionals would have the right to distribute it, no more free sales! “.
What are the risks of listening too loudly?
Too high a volume in headphones can irreversibly damage your hearing and the hearing assets that we all have to begin with. If sensory cells are naturally destroyed over time, any sound trauma can accentuate this process and cause:
- Hyperacusis (lowering the level of noise intolerance);
- Tinnitus;
- Hearing loss.
Therefore, security rules must be recommended to users.
Using headphones is of course not prohibited, but this must be based on safety rules given by hearing experts:
- Do not listen to headphones for more than 2 hours per day;
- Do not exceed 60% of the maximum level (when this is limited to 100 dB);
- Also let your ears rest, like you let your eyes rest when using a screen. At least 15 minutes for every 45 minutes of listening.
Particular attention should therefore be paid during this holiday and shopping period if you were thinking of purchasing this type of product in store or on the Internet.