Michael Santucci and Shannon Switzer - Safe Use of In Ear Monitors

Welcome to the third installment of the Updates in Music Audiology workshop recap from the NHCA 2025 conference. This week we will help Sensaphonics celebrate their 40 year anniversary by featuring the voices of founder Michael Santucci and hearing clinic director Shannon Switzer. Together, they shared a brief history of in ear monitors, common fit and use issues, and recommendations for their safe and effective use. Their presentations have been edited slightly for the audio-only format.  Michael Santucci is a Doctor of Audiology and president of Sensaphonics, Inc., Chicago, IL. In 1985 he founded Sensaphonics which designs, develops and manufactures custom in‐ear products for the music industry as well as a variety of other hearing conservation applications. For over 40 years he has provided Audiological consultation and customized hearing protection strategies to both Chicago area musicians and many of today’s most prolific music performers from all genres of music. Today, Dr. Santucci continues his hearing conservation efforts, spearheading the development of innovative new products and technologies that have 3 patents for the 3DME IEM system and the dB Check Pro sound level analyzer. Both products are NAMM tech award finalists. Dr. Santucci is the Chair of the Music Induced Hearing Loss Task Force for the National Hearing Conservation Association. Dr. Santucci is also a member of the Audio Engineering Society (AES), where he is Chair of the Technical Committee on Hearing and Hearing Loss Prevention. In 2015 through this year, Dr. Santucci was invited by the World Health Organization to participate as an expert consultant as part of the WHO’s Listen Safe Initiative in Geneva SZ and is a core member and coordinator for MLS. Sensaphonics is the first winner of the Safe in Sound award presented by the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and the NHCA for achievements in technology, was the first winner of the prestigious Larry Mauldin award for pioneering new ideas for hearing loss prevention and was twice presented the Governor’s Award and once presented a Fellowship Award from the Audio Engineering Association and has been awarded Honors of the Academy with the 2023 Samuel Lybarger award from the American Academy of Audiology. Shannon Switzer, Au.D. is the Director of the Sensaphonics Musicians’ Hearing Clinic in Chicago and is a featured audiologist in the MusiCares x Tuned teleaudiology partnership. As a lifelong clarinetist herself, she became fascinated with hearing conservation for musicians while earning her Doctorate of Audiology at Northwestern University. She primarily provides direct patient care to over 1000 music industry professionals annually through a variety of channels; the Sensaphonics clinic, mobile visits at music venues in Chicago, onsite clinical residencies with orchestras around the country, and teleaudiology visits with musicians around the world. Dr. Switzer is passionate about promoting hearing health through public education. She lectures at conferences, gives interviews to various music media, and trains audiologists in music audiology best practices. She has recently joined the WHO’s Make Listening Safe committee for safe listening in music venues and organizes high-profile musicians to promote World Hearing Day on their social media. She is an avid concert-goer and can’t help but chat about hearing protection in the crowd, even when she’s “off the clock”.