What is you’re at a concert, and you’d like the sound to be a bit different so you could enjoy it more? Here Active Listening is an audio device that fits into your ear and is controlled by your smartphone. With the Here, you would be able to control the audio experience of any concert, event or place where there’s an audio experience happening around you. It can even help on planes to give you a good night’s sleep without any noise distractions.
This isn’t a set of headphones, but a device that takes in the sounds around you and allows you to control how you hear. Hans Zimmer, who has done countless soundtracks for Hollywood movies, was a partner for the Here team. Zimmer’s experience with creating sound and atmospheric music for movies helped out the Here team immensely.
The technology in the device takes in the sound and uses a range of signal processing algorithms that target specific frequency ranges to then change the sound as it enters your ear. To the listener, there is no latency heard as this all happens in less than 30 microseconds. For people who are audiophiles and want a way to experience live music with the sound under their control, this is a really good device. Musicians and performers could use it on stage to be able to control how they hear the sounds they’re playing/performing to.
An app comes with the device for smartphones those features Bass Boost, Treble Boost, Reverb and Flange effects. Here is currently on Kickstarter looking for backers. It is expected to be ready for delivery by December 2015 and comes with a one-year warranty. There are packages for software developers, and music producers. Sound designers, engineers, producers and musicians are encouraged to get involved, to give their input and feedback on what they want from the device, what could make it better or how it could be improved.
To make a concert or event better by being able to control the audio frequencies would be something many people would be interested in. It is a good idea that has potential in more areas more than just musical events and performances. Hearing issues are common, and with the right input this device could have hidden potential. To be one of the first to get a device, a minimum pledge of $199 is the asking price, and you receive a free t-shirt. $359 gets you two devices, a developer package is $499, $799 to join the Beta team and $999 or more to meet the team and get a chance to test the final prototype.
Related Links: Kickstarter
