Feature: Headphones
hear! hear
OBH has recently expanded its IFE section to acknowledge the importance of this growing industry. But without a quality headphone, even the most sophisticated IFE system loses its impact on the customer, making ear gear an increasingly important choice. Laura Gelder investigates
he noise of a jet plane taking off has long-been cited as a top-end scorer in the decibel stakes, but the ambient noise from inside the aircraft cabin still reaches 75 to 80 decibels of noise, affects more people and assaults the ear canal for a considerably more sustained period of time. Headphones, therefore, become much more important in the context of the inflight experience – not just as a purveyor of sound but as a noise canceller for sleep-deprived jet setters. In fact, one study reported by the journal
T 54
www.onboardhospitality.com
Food Quality and Preference even found that high levels of background noise can diminish the sensitivity of people’s palates. The study blindfolded volunteers who were given a range of foods to try while being played different levels of white noise and their responses indicated that people had a less acute sense of the sweetness and saltiness of foods the louder the noise was played. So it appears that headphones can be used to enhance more than one element of the onboard sensory experience.
From disposable ear buds to state-of the-art
noise cancelling leather-clad headphones, complimentary, plain and practical to colourful children’s headphones for the buy-on-board market – there is a product to suit every kind of airline and its varied customer base. An increasingly sophisticated audience demands headphones that deliver on style as well as substance: “With the ever-increasing quality in video, consumers now expect the same quality of audio from their music and movies, and are turning to high-end headphones to achieve it,” says Lisa Benzaoui from Global
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