Have you ever heard of the cocktail effect? No, not the feeling you get when you’ve had one too many cocktails. It’s a cheeky phrase to describe the noisy experience you usually have in social settings, like at a cocktail party, restaurant, or even a big event venue. In all of these situations, you and many others might find that you have difficulty hearing others when they talk. More specifically, this is a form of hidden hearing loss, where in various situations, you cannot hear as well as you’d like to, and it’s not necessarily an issue that plagues only those who are hard of hearing. It’s something everyone might experience.
A major issue with hidden hearing loss and similar effects is that they are not diagnosable or even measurable in the traditional sense. Unless you already own a hearing aid, which is usually prescription-based and very expensive, there’s not much you can do to improve the situation, or at least that was the case. Sennheiser has introduced pseudo earbuds called Conversation Clear Plus, which solve this exact problem. They’re uniquely designed to enhance speech in bustling situations, like that cocktail party we talked about.
Through a bevy of intelligent technologies, like active noise cancelation (ANC), directional speech enhancement, and easy personalization via the Conversation Clear app, you can enhance the intelligibility of the spoken word and return to your busy lifestyle. They’re specifically designed to help you hear and participate in social events and conversations in crowded places like restaurants, stores, and beyond. And because they seamlessly connect to mobile devices via Bluetooth, you can also use them to hear phone conversations and media, like your favorite tunes.
Cutting through the noise: Hearing speech better than ever
You might notice immediately that Sennheiser’s Conversation Clear Plus looks uncannily like a pair of Bluetooth earbuds. Well, that’s because they are, and you can use them to listen to music, podcasts, and other audio streams. But the real reason they exist is to help you hear speech clearer than ever before.
We’ve all had that moment where we’re trying to enjoy good company, but it’s nearly impossible because of background noise or other conversations. Whenever someone speaks, you must yell “what” or “huh?” It’s embarrassing and just as excruciating for everyone else there, too, because no one likes to repeat themselves several times. If this happens often, it might discourage you from attending social events. Maybe that’s already happening to you now?
Conversation Clear Plus solves this merely by boosting speech using various integrated technologies. Thanks to a beamforming microphone, they enhance whatever they’re pointed at. So, all you have to do while wearing them is look at whoever is speaking. Not only will they boost that person’s speech so you can hear better, but they will also adapt to their surroundings in real time to help lower some of the ambient and background noise.
Meanwhile, you have complete control over your noise levels and experience. You can effectively turn down the volume for the surrounding environment at any time by adjusting the noise cancellation strength. Above all, a directional microphone array mated to advanced signal processing — the beamformer — rejects sound from the sides and rear so that the dialogue occurring in front of the listener remains in focus. That way, you can hear the entire conversation and participate in real-time, like everyone else, without worrying or fiddling with the device. It all happens automatically and can be further adjusted with a tap.
It’s not hard to imagine scenarios where these would be super helpful. At a loud restaurant or coffee shop, when you’re visiting with friends or family, at trade shows or conventions that take place in noisy, open areas, busy public areas, public transportation, or even at home when you’re trying to talk to your spouse and the kids are yelling, or the TV is loud. They can be used more practically, too. Imagine attending a guided tour in busy or crowded areas. You can use the Conversation Clear Plus to hear the tour guide and better enjoy the experience.
What else can the Conversation Clear Plus wearable do?
As a quick primer, let’s explore what else the wearable can achieve:
- They help you understand people better in noisy situations
- Significantly reduces droning so you’re more aware of your surroundings
- Offers multiple listening modes and sound settings to improve speech clarity
- Offers multi-functional use through Bluetooth for phone calls, listening to media, and more
- They come in a compact, truly wireless format that you can use anywhere
- Offers up to 27 hours of listening time, or up to nine hours per charge, with two extra charges from the charging case
- Includes a compact, pocket-friendly charging case to store them in
- Guided setup and straightforward customization through the Conversation Clear companion app
- Take total control of advanced speech features through the app or the earbuds themselves
- A custom fit kit with a wide range of eartips and retention fins ensures long-term wearing comfort tailored for your ears
Sennheiser also conducted an independent study that found 95% of Conversation Clear Plus users experienced significant speech enhancement when using the device. Impressive, right?
Sennheiser Conversation Clear Plus: Bringing the volume back to reasonable levels
Thanks to easy setup and operation and clear personalization options through the Conversation Clear app, you can configure the wearable precisely how you want or need them. Advanced speech enhancement ensures you hear the voices and people you care about without asking them to repeat themselves. Powerful speech enhancements ensure you can still listen to your people in crowded or noisy environments. Moreover, you don’t have to carry multiple headsets or devices because they also double as Bluetooth earbuds to play media and other audio streams. The Conversation Clear Plus are all you need.
