Review: Ultimate Ears LoudEnough Earphones
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One of the downsides to reviewing so many media players is that my kids love to play with them almost as much as I do. When I reviewed the Sansa View, for example, they spent almost as much time as I did watching videos on it. And don’t even get me started on how much they loved the iPod Touch and its rotating Coverflow screen. Not that I mind, we had a great time with it. The problem was the headphones. Neither the Sansa nor the iPod Touch has a speaker, and my kids do prefer to be able to hear the video. Which means they would need some headphones.
Most of the time, I am using a higher end, in-the-ear style headphones. Great for reviewing media players, but terrible for delicate little eardrums. This put us in a real conundrum . Recently, however, I found the solution in the Ultimate Ears LoudEnough Earphones for Kids. Let’s take a look.
So, why do we need earphones that are designed specially for children? Well, there are two problems. The first is that my headphones have large earbuds, which could scratch my son’s ears because they are too large for his ear canal. Also, because these earbuds will not sit properly in his ear, the sound will not be directed into his ear canal. This can result in muffling or distortion of the sound, or even potential damage to his eardrums. In addition to not being sized properly, there is no way to monitor the volume accurately. What might sound fine to me could be blaringly loud in his ear. Again this can cause serious damage to his ear drum, including hearing loss.
The Ultimate Ears LoudEnough Earphones addresses both of these problems. First, the earbuds are much smaller and more compact than ordinary earbud headphones. Above, you can see them next to my regular sized Ultimate Ears. They are considerably smaller, meaning they will fit properly and sit inside a child’s small ear without causing damage.
What makes the headphones really work well for kids, however, is the volume-limiting component. This ensures that the volume never rises above roughly a quarter of the actual volume. Go ahead, parents, let your kids blast that music as loud as they want to. Ultimate Ears will give you complete peace of mind that it is never too loud or damaging their hearing.
Of course, since these are designed for kids, they have to be attractive to kids or they will just collect dust, regardless of how well they might work. Attractive to kids generally means bright, fun colors. The LoudEnough headphones come in three colors. We got the blueberry. There is also Mint and Plum. The headphones even come in a matching plastic carrying case.
I am a huge fan of Ultimate Ears. They have long been my favorite headphones to use when testing media players. And I am happy to see them release such a socially responsible product as the LoudEnough headphones. Children, especially older children are notorious for listening to music too loudly. And headphones make it almost impossible for parents to really monitor the true volume of the music their children are enjoying. With the LoudEnough headphones, parents can rest easy knowing their children will always have their music set to a reasonable level, while children learn the value and importance of listening to music in a smart way. And for everyone in the house, this all spells a little peace and quiet.
So, what did my kids think of them? Ben said they sounded great. Max loved them. And both enjoyed hours in front of the Sansa View watching Star Wars over and over again…happily able to hear the dialogue. And what better endorsement could there be?
What I Liked:
- Small size is perfect for little ears.
- Vivid colors are attractive to kids.
- Volume-limiting component works perfectly and provides parents with a little peace of mind.
What Needs improvement: Not a thing
Where to Buy: www.loudenough.com
Price: $39.99
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