We Deliver Safer Sound

As anyone who has been to a professional stock car or drag racing event will tell you, they are LOUD. When top fuel dragsters and funny cars launch full-throttle down the track, the sound is so deafening that spectators can "feel" the sound waves hitting their bodies. During a four hour stock car race, the sustained noise in the grandstands can be as loud as a gun shot or jackhammer. Now consider the driver, pit crew, track and safety personnel. They are all exposed to noise on the track surface that can approach the level of a jet plane taking off.

According to the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA), the maximum exposure time for unprotected ears is eight hours per day at a level of 90 decibels (dB). Beyond this point, humans will experience irreversible hearing damage. For this reason, workers exposed to noise levels beyond the guideline are required to use hearing protection, such as ear plugs. These hearing safety devices are given a Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) that shows the effective reduction in noise levels. For example, working in a factory with a sustained noise level of 110dB requires use of hearing protection with a minimum 20 NRR which produces a "net" noise heard by the worker at the 90 dB maximum OSHA threshold.

Earplugs are commonly used in industrial environments to provide workers with hearing protection within OSHA limits. High end earplugs offer 29dB to 33dB NRR when worn properly. Proper wear is critical to effective noise blocking because the ear canal must be sealed to prevent unwanted noise from entering. If the ear plug is the too large or small or is not completely inserted or becomes dislodged during speaking, eating or drinking (when the ear canal moves) it become much less effective.

An alternative to earplugs is the "earmuff" that goes over or behind the head. These headsets can provide up to 30dB NRR, depending on how well they are worn. To be most effective, the ear muffs must press firmly against the head in order to create an effective noise barrier. But as anyone that has ever worn a pair of earmuff style headphones will tell you, they are hot and cumbersome when worn for hours at a time. And they are very awkward when worn with any sort of hat or helmet. The common result is that they are loosened which allows noise to reach the ear canal.

The noise level in the grandstand at some NASCAR tracks has been measured at over 120dB. Public address systems must be at least this loud to be heard over the noise from the track. At the track surface, noise levels approach 140dB. And in the race car, the driver must deal with noise in excess of 150dB. There is no doubt that every person present at these events is in danger of injuring their hearing.

		Spectators Many spectators use portable radios that they use to listen to the "play-by-play" from the track announcer. Others use scanners that can be tuned to listen to the two-way communications between their favorite race car driver and crew. These scanners commonly are equipped with earmuff style headphones that provide a 20-25 NRR.
		Pit Crew and Track Personnel Crew and track personnel can be classified as either "listeners" or "communicators". Listeners are those who listen to radio broadcasts for instructions or information. Communicators are those that both speak and listen, typically using two-way headsets with microphones. Both groups use earmuff style headsets that offer NRR similar to those used by spectators. High-end models offer "active noise reduction" technology which, while effective, is very costly.
		Race Car Drivers Drivers are the most exposed to potential hearing loss while driving loud, open exhaust race cars. Drivers that do not use two-way radio communication commonly wear earplugs to provide hearing protection. Those that require communicating during the race use either "in-the-ear" earphones that have foam tips which are inserted into the ear canal or "ear molds" that are formed to the shape of the outer ear and contain a speaker that broadcasts audio into the ear canal. Custom ear molds that fit tightly into the outer ear provide some noise blocking capability. In-the-ear models are effective, but only when the foam can be inserted well into the ear canal and form a seal that blocks out ambient noise. In both cases, the earphones and ear molds can be uncomfortable when worn for long durations.

Unsafe Sound
The primary issue with the use of headphones or earphones is the level at which the audio is played into the ear canal. The louder the sound level broadcast into the ear canal, the greater the chance of hearing damage. In virtually all applications, ambient noise combines with the broadcast audio in the ear canal. The louder the ambient noise, the harder it is to hear the audio broadcast through the headset/earphone speaker. To compensate, the user increases the headset/earphone volume - often to unsafe levels. Many racing headsets/earphones use larger speakers in expectation that the user will increase the volume to compensate for ambient noise. The result is continued exposure to hearing damage.

Superior Noise Blocking Offers a Solution
Considering that the competition between broadcast audio and ambient noise is the underlying cause for increasing the headset/earphone audio volume, a viable solution to the problem is to reduce the ambient noise entering the ear canal. This can be accomplished by creating a solid sound barrier within the ear canal that prohibits ambient noise from entering. The result is less competition with the broadcast audio which can be heard at much lower volumes - and at levels that do not lead to hearing injury.

TA-100 = Safer Sound
The TA-100 earphone is designed to deliver the greatest possible noise reduction, enabling audio broadcast at lower volume levels which can prevent hearing damage. The primary elements of the TA-100 include the earphone electronics and the replaceable foam tip. Each element has been carefully engineered to produce the highest quality audio that is broadcast into the ear canal containing the least possible ambient noise.

The TA-100 uses state-of-the-art microelectronics to provide a clean, crisp audio broadcast through a "sound pipe" that funnels audio from the speaker through the foam tip and into the ear canal. The earphone module operates at a frequency range of 20 Hz - 20,000 Hz. This is the frequency span that is traditionally assigned for the human ear response. With the possible exception of young children, most of us cannot hear reliably over this range.

Sealing the ear canal to block ambient noise is the function of the Comply™ foam tip. These tips were initially created to meet the needs of hearing aid users. They are made of viscoelastic polyurethane foam that offers impressive characteristics based on scientific research and development conducted by Hearing Components, Inc. in Oakdale, Minnesota. They are licensed for use with the TA100 earphones under U. S. Patent nos. 4,880,076 and 5,002,151 and their international equivalents.

Tests conducted by the US Army have proven that this unique method of Viscoelastic Passive Noise Reduction (VPNR) results in hearing protection equal to or better than Active Noise Reduction. The same foam tips used in TA-100 earphones have been used in military helicopters in practical application for hundreds of thousands of hours. These foam tips have unique capabilities that are ideally suited for ambient noise blocking in audio applications. The tips are designed to be squeezed, inserted into the ear canal and allowed to expand slowly at body temperature, conforming precisely to the ear canal for a custom fit.

When the Comply tip is properly inserted, the TA-100 earphone will achieve a 42 NRR - far surpassing headphones and earphones used in racing applications today. They connect to any racing radio harness or scanner using an industry-standard 3.5mm stereo plug. They are sold with a pair of "standard" and "slim" size Comply foam inserts so that the user can determine which size if best suited for their unique ear canal. A convenient carrying pouch is also provided to store the TA-100 earphones when not in use.

Unlike other racing communications audio equipment, an investment in TA-100 earphones is not limited to the race track. When the race is over, these remarkable earphones can be used with virtually any digital audio player (Apple iPod), CD player, or even an old Sony Walkman. Use them on trains, planes, subways, or any other place where ambient noise is competing with digital sound quality.

TA-100 noise blocking earphones offer state-of-the-art audio at a remarkable price. With a suggested retail price of $49.95 the TA-100 offers twice the noise-blocking performance at half the price of earmuff style headsets and earphones. The TA-100 is a sound investment.

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