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TECHNICAL REQUIREMENTS
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| Equipment |
| Equipment
guidelines have been established to optimize your potential
results with The Listening ProgramTM.
Because of the importance of preserving the harmonic content and the
wide
frequency ranges contained in TLP, good quality equipment is
recommended.
This quality of sound equipment will typically cost around $100 and up. |
| The
Compact Disk Player: Due to the vast number of models
of CD players available and the rapid change in the market, it is
difficult
to recommend a specific player. Portable, personal CD
players,
such as the Sony DiscmanTM,
provide
the most flexibility for the listener. If you are using this
type
of player, a model that has rechargeable batteries and an anti-skip
mechanism
is preferable. (Note: The headphones
that come with these players
will NOT be adequate for use with TLP.) |
| If
you prefer, you may use your component
home stereo system
or a mini-component (bookshelf) system.
With these systems, be sure
that
the equalizer is turned off, or that the equalizer settings
are flat,
and that loudness or mega-bass settings are turned off.
The channel balance
should be equal between right and left. Boom box players
are not
ideal
for use with TLP. In general, these systems are intended to
maximize
low frequencies and to be played at high volumes. They do not
typically produce as good a quality of sound at the higher frequencies
as do
other types of players. |
| Headphones:
Good quality headphones
are an essential element of your TLP equipment. The important
aspect to consider when choosing headphones is the frequency
response. At the high end of the response range, headphones
should have a frequency response of at least 20,000 Hz
guaranteed. This allows for transmission of the higher
frequencies at a relatively low volume. Two other specifications
important to TLP are Driver Size, which should be 40-50mm
and Power
Handling Capacity, which should be 1000mW (for closed style,
minimum)
or 500mW
(for open style, minimum; 750 ideal). |
| Wireless
headphones are NOT to be used with TLP. The technologies
used to transmit sounds through the air will negatively affect the
quality of sound needed for TLP. Wireless headphones will also
impact
the preset channel balance for laterality on the CDs. More
specific
recommendations follow at the end of this article. |
| Parental
Supervision: To ensure maximum
effectiveness of TLP, it is important that your equipment is
functioning properly. If you are using TLP with a child, put the
headphones on and listen for a few moments to be sure that the
headphones, CD player, and CD are all working properly, and that the
volume is not turned too loud. Make sure you do this at the
beginning of EVERY session. |
| Equipment
Troubleshooting |
| If
you notice that sound is coming out of only one side of the
headphones for an extended period of time, sound cuts in and out (other
than the sound of the gating in the "B-Tracks"), or the CD is skipping,
check the following: |
| Compact Discs: TLP CDs should be handled very
carefully. Dirt, scratches, or fingerprints on the CD will affect
how it plays. Try using a commercially available cleaning kit to
keep CDs clean. Try a different CD in your player to determine
whether the problem is with your TLP CD or with your other
equipment. If one of your TLP CDs becomes scratched or damaged,
contact your program supervisor to
order a replacement. |
| Headphones: If you hear sound in only one
side of the headphones, or if the output is intermittent, the
headphones
may need to be repaired. First confirm that the headphones are
plugged into the player properly. Try listening through a
different
pair of headphones (such as those that came with your CD player) to
determine whether the source of the problem is the headphones or the
player. Headphones typically come with a warranty. Contact
the manufacturer or retailer for recommendations for repairs. |
| Compact Disc player: If you have ruled out the CD
or
headphones as the culprits, your CD player must be the problem.
Again,
contact the manufacturer or retailer for repairs. |
| Volume |
| Volume, at all times,
should be soft and
gentle. The
effectiveness of TLP is not based on amplitude. More volume does
not equal
more effect. If anything, active listening -- the purpose of TLP
-- is better served at low volume levels. This also protects the
delicate mechanisms of the auditory system. |
| Start each session with a
sound check
and periodically check
your child's volume level. In most cases, it should be below 2 or
3 (on a scale of 1-10). |
| Spend
approximately one minute listening and establishing a
comfortable, LOW-LEVEL volume. This volume should be maintained
throughout
the entire 15-minute segment. Volume in TLP has a large dynamic
range. This is intentional; it is one of the psychoacoustic
processes
that invites active listening. |
| Shifts
in volume will be most noticeable in the nature sections and in
the B-Tracks of each segment. These B-Track sections are the
middle five minutes of each 15-minute segment and are the most heavily
processed. They have been specifically lowered in volume from the
adjoining tracks. The filtered and gated sounds in the B-Tracks
need not be at the volume level of the rest of the program.
Because of their strength, we lower the volume to keep the listening
experience pleasant. Do NOT raise the volume in these
sections. We want to re-emphasize that when it comes to
volume, LESS IS MORE |
| Warning:
Excessive exposure to any loud sound can cause permanent
hearing damage. Please keep volumes
low while listening to anything through headphones. |
