Siemens survey reveals the UK’s favourite sounds

The sound of wine being poured scooped 19 per cent of the votes in a new survey, beating traditionally popular sounds such as the dawn chorus and a crackling open fire. And intolerant Brits voted the sound of a screaming child the most annoying sound ever - moreso than novelty ringtones and nails on a chalk board.

The survey of 3,000 people was conducted by Siemens Hearing Instruments to coincide with the launch of Centra, the world’s first trainable hearing aid, which has the first and only sound suppression system to reduce irritating, impulsive non-speech sounds, like rustling paper and clanging dishes.

The research also revealed that 29 per cent of us - that’s nearly one in three - are kept awake at night by a snoring family member. Eighteen per cent have their beauty sleep disturbed by drunken partygoers and 16 per cent are woken up by noisy neighbours.

Despite the fact seven per cent of the nation says they suffer sleepless nights thanks to their baby crying, sentimental Brits also said their most memorable sound was their children’s first words.

The sound of gun shots was picked by 38 per cent of people as the scariest sound they could hear and 31 per cent chose the sound of a crackling log fire as their most comforting sound.

Squeaky Joe Pasquale was nominated as the celebrity with the most annoying voice, just over Janet Street Porter and Jade Goody. Women named Sean Connery as the star with the sexiest voice, along with Pierce Brosnan and Barry White, while men opted for the husky Mariella Frostrup over Angelina Jolie and Joanna Lumley.

Thirty-eight per cent of people who answered the survey also said they had a family member with some hearing loss who hadn’t had a hearing test, and 57 per cent said there was a stigma attached to wearing a hearing aid. Thirty-four per cent said they would be put off wearing a hearing aid because of the stigma.

Psychologist Dr Glenn Wilson from Kings College, London, who analysed the survey for Siemens, said: “The sounds that rank as favourites are either associated with fun and pleasure, such as wine being poured, laughter and a popping champagne cork, or peace and reassurance, such as a dawn chorus, purring cat and an open fire. The most annoying sounds are those that are intrusive and peace-shattering, such as crying children, mobile ring tones and alarm clocks, or threatening, such as a dentist's drill, gunshots and nails on chalkboard.

“The stigma of hearing aids relates to the perception that the wearer is ‘old’ and ‘handicapped’ and therefore likely to be a nuisance. However, this stigma is diminishing as young people adopt earpieces for their iPods, mobile phones and other ‘techy’ devices and technology improves to ensure that hearing aids don’t just amplify noises per se but improve clarity and intelligibility.”

Rob Ryman, hearing therapist and audiologist at Siemens, said: “We are not surprised to find that over a third of the respondents have a family member with hearing loss that has not had a hearing test, as 15 years can typically pass between the onset of hearing loss and the moment when people first seek help. Many people feel that hearing aids will amplify all sounds, even those that are irritating, and be a hindrance as much as help. But technology is evolving quickly and hearing systems like Centra, which offers the most advanced hearing technology available, enable users to feel comfortable and confident in any situation, improving their hearing and quality of life.”