Patent ID: 8160261

Claim:
An audio monitoring system for providing audible sound to a person, the audio monitoring system comprising: at least one earphone for coupling sound to an ear of a person, the at least one earphone sized to at least partially fit within an ear canal and having at least one attached microphone located about an opening to the ear canal with an output responsive to sound as received by the ear of the person in normal listening, the at least one earphone having a preamplifier configured for receiving microphone output levels of about 14 volts peak or greater; at least one receiver within the at least one earphone; and, an amplifier incorporating electrical equalization that couples the at least one microphone output to the at least one receiver so that the combination of the amplifier with the at least one receiver and the at least one microphone mimics the tonal balance heard through the full frequency range of human hearing by the person with no earphone in place, and wherein said amplifier and said at least one microphone provide maximum sound pressure levels received by the person in normal listening in excess of 120 dB-SPL.