Denon, part of Sound United, which was acquired by global medical technology company Masimo last summer, has announced the acquisition of Nura, a maker of self-learning headphones.
Nura offers headphones with personalized listening technology through otoacoustic emission measuring technology. The idea behind the headphones is that they are tuned specifically for each listener, capturing the subtleties of each person’s hearing so that you can hear more detail in music that you might otherwise miss. This takes into account that people might even have different sensitivities in their left ear versus the right, and vice versa.
The headphones accomplish this through sensitive microphones that measure otaacoustic emissions (OAEs) from your cochlea. Measuring these faint sounds, produced by the inner ear as a byproduct of amplifying sound, help the headphones determine to which frequencies a specific wearer’s ears are more or less sensitive. Run a hearing measurement test and, once complete, the headphones play back tunes based on your unique hearing profile. The profile is stored on the device and applies to whatever you’re listening to, no matter the source.
“Nura’s technology is a perfect complement to Denon’s mission to expand human experiences through acoustic innovation,” says Trip Randall, Denon Brand President. “We’ve been committed to sound engineering for 113 years and counting, and we know that personalized audio is the future. This evolution with Nura is a natural fit, as we continue to innovate for the most discerning of audio consumers and push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
The addition of Nura’s technology into the Masimo Adaptive Acoustic Technology (AAT) platform, combines Masimo’s 30-year expertise in signal processing with the acoustic engineering from Masimo’s consumer audio businesses. This, says the company, will allow products to address unique hearing complexities that vary from person to person.
Masimo AAT works by creating personalized listening profiles for each user based on the individual’s unique hearing. By measuring the user’s hearing sensitivity and tailoring sound accordingly, Masimo AAT ensures that no instrumental detail or sound subtlety is left unheard. This technology combined with Denon’s audio engineering prowess will enable a more accurate and precise delivery of sound, says the company.
The first Denon product featuring Masimo AAT is expected to be introduced in mid-2023.