Listen to This

I know that this is going to go against the grain for teachers, administrators and district purchasing managers but for years you’ve been needlessly buying two different kinds of headsets for kids. The time has arrived for a rethink because one device can handle playing high quality audio as well as have a microphone for videoconferencing or adding a voice-over to a video clip. Phonak’s Audeo ably combines the two into one earphone/microphone set that works as well for speaking as for listening.

Based on Phonak’s digital hearing aid technology, the Audeo earphone not only sounds great but comes with a variety of accessories for fitting to just about any ear in the class. The package comes with three different sets of silicone and one pair of foam earplugs as well as two ear loops so that every kid will be able to listen and talk in comfort.

In addition, the earphones come with 6 sets of audio filters as well as a tool to remove and install them. It all fits into a small canvas bag, so nothing should get lost. Unlike other headsets, Phonak sells all the tips, filters and loops separately as replacement.

The Audeo earphones weigh only half an ounce and have a standard 3.5-milimeter jack. This lets it work with a wide variety of devices, from MP3 and DVD players as well as notebooks and media players.

The sound is nothing short of phenomenal, with balanced low, high and mid-range tones, particularly compared to the typical headsets that most schools provide. Capable of reproducing between 5- and 17,000-hertz, the Audeo earphone’s output is accurate, even at low volume. The big payoff is that kids no longer have to turn up the volume on cheap headsets into the danger zone in order to hear what’s going on.

After using the microphone with Skype’s videoconferencing service, it’s sensitive to a small voice without picking up too much background noise. On the downside, the earphone’s wires tangle easily, something that might prove frustrating to a room of kids.

While the $159 price tag for Phonak’s Audeo may make administrators and district buyers blanch, they’re worth it because they not only perform two classroom tasks but do them extremely well.

A-
Phonak Audeo
http://pfe.audeoworld.com
$139 for audio only; $159 with microphone

+ Excellent audio and microphone
+ Light weight
+ Includes several different ear plugs and loops
+ Comes with canvas case

- Expensive
- Wires easy to tangle