ITASCA, ILLINOIS — Knowles Corporation (NYSE: KN), a leading global supplier of high-performance electronics for demanding applications, including capacitors and radio frequency (“RF”) filters, advanced micro-acoustic microphones, and balanced armature speakers, has teamed up with Mimi Hearing Technologies, the provider of the number one hearing test app on the market and a global leader of sound personalization software, to create innovative solutions for audio devices, such as true wireless stereo (TWS) earbuds, in-ear monitors (IEMs), headphones, and more.
The Breggz™ ZOHN-1 in-ear computer is the first hearable device to market that incorporates this cutting-edge combination of Knowles and Mimi technologies, delivering a breakthrough in premium, personalized and immersive listening. The ZOHN-1 technology combines Knowles balanced armature (BA) drivers and Mimi’s sound personalization software to enable users to experience finely tuned, high-quality sound personalized to their hearing profile, offering a new standard in hearing health and sound experience.
“By integrating Knowles’ advanced balanced armatures and Mimi’s sound personalization software, we are able to deliver a fully customizable sound experience with the Breggz ZOHN-1. This combination allows us to offer a full-spectrum sound that immerses listeners in every note, pitch, and tone—from rich bass to clear highs—personalized precisely to each user’s unique hearing profile. The result is professional-grade sound, tailored for your ears only.”–Breggz Founder Xander de Buisonje
The average consumer spends over four hours daily consuming audio for entertainment, work, school, and voice calls. Wireless earbud manufacturers compete to meet this demand with high-quality audio, voice capture and personalized listening experiences. However, there is an adjacent need to protect users from hearing loss associated with both increased audio consumption and age. The technologies from Mimi and Knowles work together to tackle both needs – helping consumers get the best listening experience from their wireless headphones while simultaneously compensating for mild to moderate levels of hearing loss to reduce further damage to the user’s hearing.
“Hearing ability is unique and changes over time – influenced by age, health conditions, genetic factors, and increasingly listening behavior. We use glasses to see objects more clearly and reduce fatigue, so why don’t we use technology that can do the same for our hearing?” said Mimi CEO Florian Schneidmadel. “By offering a precise hearing test and hearing ability-based sound personalization for each individual, we are democratizing the access to healthier listening features and improved sound experiences. Our solution, combined with Knowles balanced armature technology, allows manufacturers of wireless headphones to add hearing health features to their products and help all end users enjoy every detail and richness of the sound that balanced armature tweeters can reproduce.”
Using Mimi’s sound personalization software, listeners can identify and tune their audio output to the frequencies that will best suit their hearing abilities and preferences. Meanwhile, Knowles BA drivers can dramatically increase the high-frequency sensitivity of wireless earphones, packing incredibly detailed and accurate sound within a tiny component. Together, these technologies enable designers to configure their devices for precise hearing personalization and compensation to produce the optimum sound quality across the range of hearing abilities and preferences.
“Audio technology is improving rapidly — lossless streaming services are proliferating, and hearing health and premium audio are converging. To empower consumers to take advantage of these improvements, we have invested significant time and resources into understanding how to deliver the best-sounding audio from wireless earbuds,” said Jon Kiachian, President of Medical and Specialty Audio at Knowles Corporation. “Knowing that treble boost and hearing personalization are essential to delivering that experience, we’re excited to see our BAs working together with the Mimi personalization software to allow people to hear the fullest potential of their sound. Together, Mimi and Knowles will help earbud designers create truly immersive, personalized listening experiences for their consumers.”
TWS manufacturers can add Knowles BAs and Mimi’s Sound Personalization software to wireless earbuds, allowing listeners to tune the audio to their unique hearing while creating safer listening practices for consumers. Breggz ZOHN-1 showcases this capability, delivering a sound experience tailored to the listener’s hearing profile and ensuring a premium listening experience with personalized sound clarity and enhanced detail.
To learn more about Knowles premium sound solutions, visit www.knowles.com/applications/ear-solutions/premium-sound.
