Sensaphonics Gold Circle Expands Again

	Sensaphonics' Joe Tessone and Michael Santucci; Mystery Street's Miles Fillmore; Curtis Hartling, Greg Genna, Frank Wartinger, and Sylvie Auger. To her right is Chicago band Nitetime Dental: Eddie Schmid, Amuj Gangopadhyaya, and Mike Smags.

Sensaphonics, the specialists in safe sound, welcomes five more members to its Gold Circle audiology group. The quintet attended the two-day Gold Circle seminar at Sensaphonics corporate offices in Chicago, Illinois, on June 5 - 6, 2015. The seminar teaches audiologists the basics of working with musicians, specifically regarding in-ear monitors (IEMs) and hearing protection.

"Musicians are unlike other audiology clients," notes Sensaphonics founder and president, Dr. Michael Santucci. "They are striving to improve their on-stage performance, not their hearing. As audiologists, it's important that we do more than take ear impressions, but to also show them how to monitor effectively without compromising their hearing health. That's what the Gold Circle program is all about."

The audiologists graduating into the Sensaphonics Gold Circle are: Sylvie Auger of Audiology Centre West in Montreal, Quebec; Rebecca Blaha and Greg Genna of Salus University, Elkins Park, Pennsylvania; Curtis Hartling of Oregon Health & Science University, Portland, Oregon; and Frank Wartinger, in private practice in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. All will be added to the Sensaphonics audiologist referral list and have earned 1.4 CEU credits.

The Gold Circle seminar is taught by Santucci and audio engineering consultant, Joe "Sound Guy" Tessone. Topics include in-ear monitoring and hearing protection technology, concert sound system design, backstage etiquette, and marketing to musicians and music fans, all in the context promoting safe listening practices and evidence-based audiology. Attendees are also certified in taking proper ear impressions to Sensaphonics' music industry specifications.

The Gold Circle seminar also includes hands-on lab session with a live band, held at Mystery Street Recording in Chicago. The basics of live sound systems are demonstrated, showing the dramatic difference that in-ear monitors can make to the band's listening levels and overall stage volume. The audiologists interact with band members, taking volume measurements with the Sensaphonics dB Check sound level analyzer and hearing the band's mix through the 3D AARO in-ear system with Active Ambient technology.

The Gold Circle Seminar is a professional development program that is fully accredited for Continuing Education Units (CEUs) by the American Academy of Audiology.