Phonak Primero DPC User Manual

User's Guide
Product: primero DPC
Extreme noise, natural communication
Dynamic hearing protection with in-ear voice pick-up
over Voice Intra-aural Pick-up (VIP) technology
Product Overview
primero DPC is a communication headset with dynamic hearing protection that is designed for
use with professional radios.
An in-ear miniature microphone first captures the wearer's voice using intra-aural pick-up
technology. primero DPC's unique algorithm then separates this speech from background noise,
before sending it over the radio channel with excellent sound quality. Thanks to Phonak's VIP
technology, the primero DPC system offers excellent listening and speaking comfort and is
useable in the very noisiest of environments.
Headset functionality
primero DPC includes two miniature loudspeakers (one in each ear) and one in-ear microphone.
Medium-loud to very loud background noise (~70–115 dB) is recognized using a special algorithm
and filtered out of the speech signal for excellent understanding by the listener.
Hearing protection functionality
primero DPC users are continuously protected against harmful noise, both during and outside of
radio communication sessions. Level-dependent protection provides the user with full ambient
awareness in quiet environments and exactly the correct amount of attenuation (sound dampen-
ing) when the surrounding noise is above permitted exposure limits. Loud 'impulse' noises such
as gun shots, crashes, industrial machines etc. are instantaneously dampened to a comfortable
level. Immediately after these loud noises have dissipated, primero DPC then readjusts so that
normal sound, conversation or warning signals can once again be heard.
Figure 1: primero DPC system overview
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3
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2
Figures 1-4 show primero DPC in detail
1. Lanyard
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2. Ear mold for left ear
3. Ear mold for right ear
4. Snap-on neck cord with safety break points
1
on each side
5. Connector with safety break point
6. earJack adapter with loudspeaker
TM
7. earJack adapter with
TM
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loudspeaker and in-ear microphone
8. Connector for communication
system (e. g. radio)
9. Control box
10. Sound inlet for the ear microphone
(ambient). This can be covered with
a snap-on foam wind screen
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Figure 2: primero DPC ear mold with
earJack TM adapter
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Figure 3: primero DPC control box
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11. Press-To-Talk (PTT) button for radio
12. On-Off switch and battery door
13. Volume key - Up (ambient)
14. Volume key - Down (ambient)
15. Screw-on detachable fixing clip/band
16. Index mark for On, Off, and battery door opening
Figure 4: primero DPC earJack adapterOn the right side is a loudspeaker ,
TM
and on the left side a loudspeaker combined with in-ear microphone (for picking up speech)
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Important User Information
For full protection, in noisy environments you must wear the hearing protection 100 % of the
time.
Never use the device without the earJack TM adapters correctly inserted into the custom-made
ear molds. Verify that these are fitted according to these instructions before use.
Make sure you always have one earJack TM adapter with loudspeaker and one earJack
adapter with loudspeaker and in-ear microphone in use.
Your ear-plug is provided with level-dependent attenuation. Check its correct operation
before use. If distortion or failure is detected, you should refer to Phonak's advice for mainte-
nance and replacement of the battery.
Wear, adjust, clean, and maintain this hearing protection device in accordance with Phonak's
instructions here. You may adversely impact the protection offered if you do not follow these
instructions.
primero DPC's ear molds are fully re-usable. However they should be inspected regularly and
cleaned properly, according to these instructions. The ear mold material is long-lasting,
highly robust and made to withstand mechanical, thermal and chemical stress. However the
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shape of a user's ears can change over time, e. g. if the user significantly reduces his or her
body weight. This type of change can adversely affect the sealing of the ear molds and
thereby the attenuation (dampening) provided. We recommend that you verify proper sealing
of the ear molds after 2–4 years.
The primero DPC system can be connected to portable radio devices. The user should review
proper operating procedure before use. In case of fault or malfunction, contact the manufac-
turer.
Hearing protection devices can block out warning sounds, alarms, and other important signals.
Always pay extra attention to your surroundings when wearing hearing protection.
Place the system in the pocket provided when not in use and store in a dry place at tempera-
tures not exceeding +60 °C. If primero DPC it is not used for a prolonged length of time,
remove the battery from the control box.
Dispose of defective systems properly or send back to the manufacturer for repair.
Warning: Performance may deteriorate with continued battery usage over time. The typical
period of continuous use that can be expected from the ear-plug battery is 200 hours, after
which the system may begin powering down (this is indicated via repetitive acoustic beeps).
Warning: The output of the electrical audio circuit of this hearing protector may exceed the
daily limit sound level.
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Figure 5: For full protection, when in a
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noisy environment you must wear the hearing
protection device 100 % of the time.
Instructions for Use
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Putting the system on
Figure 6: Click the earJack adapter with the
TM
loudspeaker into either left or right ear mold
and the other earJack TM adapter (featuring the
loudspeaker and microphone ) into the other
ear mold.
Figure 7: Place the lanyard over your head.
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The ear mold marked red is for your right ear,
the ear mold marked blue is for your left.
Figure 8: Insert the ear mold into your outer ear
with the opening pointing into your ear canal.
Figure 9: Twist the ear mold slightly to insert
it properly into your ear. Ensure that the mold
. stays firmly put in your outer ear and forms
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a good seal. (Until you become familiar with
the procedure, use a mirror to verify that
the ear mold is seated correctly in your ear.)
Switching the system on
primero DPC: Connect the control box with the radio connector to your portable radio s ystem.
primero DPC is powered by the portable radio handset when this radio is connected and switched
on. At this point the internal primero DPC battery (if present) is disconnected and its On-Off
switch becomes redundant. If there is no power available from the radio, the primero DPC system
(ambient mode) can be operated using its battery.
TM To insert the primero DPC's battery, open the battery door (see Figure 3) by switching the On-Off
switch counter-clockwise to the position indicated by the battery symbol. Take the On-Off
switch out of the control box. Insert the battery with its positive (+) end pointing outwards. Push
the On-Off switch back into the control box and turn it clockwise. In position 0 the battery door
is closed; in position 1 dynamic hearing protection is powered on.
When switching the system on – either via the On-Off switch or via a portable radio – a beep on
each shell side indicates correct operation.
When battery power is low, the system signals this with a beep every 30 seconds. Shortly before
the battery powers down completely, the frequency of the beeps is increased.