Philips 2021 TVs to offer sound personalisation and a hearing test

Philips 2021 TVs to offer sound personalisation and a built-in hearing test
(Image credit: Philips)

Philips has announced that most of its 2021 European Android TV range will offer Mimi Sound Personalisation technology.

Mimi Sound Personalisation lets viewers alter their TV audio to match their individual needs. Users can take a short hearing test - on an iOS or Android device - to create a 'Hearing ID' profile, which is then synced to the TV using a QR code.

Using this information, the volumes of different frequencies are adapted to help compensate for each individual's hearing capabilities. You can also turn the feature off by using 'Guest Mode'. 

Loss of the capacity to hear higher pitch sounds is a common feature of ageing, especially for those in noisy workplaces, but the way we perceive sounds, from spacial localisation, to which frequencies we feel are more dominant, is unique to each person.

Mimi's software uses a processing algorithm to review over 100 parameters that contribute to how you hear audio, assessing psychoacoustic factors such as the lowest intensity sound you can detect and your ability to process quiet ‘masked’ sounds when noise is present.

Mimi Sound Personalisation has previously been available on Loewe TVs and headphones from manufacturers like Beyerdynamic, Kygo Xellence and Bragi. Last year Philips included the technology on models in mainland China, but this is the first time they will be offering it to European customers.

The Phillips 2021 TV ranges to offer Mimi Sound Personalisation include the 8506, 9006, 9206, 9506, OLED706 and OLED806 and OLED856, which will be available from early May onwards.

MORE:

Philips 2021 TV lineup: everything you need to know

Read our guide to the best OLED televisions

Best Dolby Atmos soundbars 2021: the best Atmos TV speakers

Mary is a staff writer at What Hi-Fi? and has over a decade of experience working as a sound engineer mixing live events, music and theatre. Her mixing credits include productions at The National Theatre and in the West End, as well as original musicals composed by Mark Knopfler, Tori Amos, Guy Chambers, Howard Goodall and Dan Gillespie Sells. 

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