Headphones fail quality test, may harm hearing
Print Edition
SEVERAL types of headphones and earphones manufactured by Panasonic, Philips and some local firms have failed quality checks after being found to pose a risk to people’s hearing, authorities said yesterday.
The assessments were based on European standard EN50332 as China does not have its own benchmark for determining maximum sound pressure levels, the Shanghai Quality and Technical Supervision Bureau said.
The European standard specifies the minimum acceptable wide band characteristic voltage of headphones and earphones associated with portable audio equipment is 75 millivolts (mV). Of the 28 batches tested, 14 had at least one side that fell short of that requirement, the bureau said.
According to the standard, the lower the voltage, the higher the sound pressure level. When sound pressure gets too high it can result in hearing impairment, the bureau said.
Left and right earphones produced by Panasonic China registered 12.9 and 15.8mV in tests for their wide band characteristic voltage, far below the European standard, while Philips China samples scored 50.8 and 71.9mV, according to the bureau.
Products made by several local brands, including Edifier and Bingle, also failed to meet the standard, the bureau said.
The bureau has ordered all of the firms to enhance their safety controls, improve the design of their products and include a warning of the possible risk to hearing on their products’ packaging.
It also advised people to use only headphones or earphones that have good performance ratings on wide band characteristic voltage.
People should avoid using headphones for long periods, should never turn the volume up too loud and must never use them in noisy environments, it said, adding that people with hearing problems should avoid using them altogether.
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