Abstract
Background Emotional speech differs from neutral speech in its envelope characteristics. Use
of emotional speech materials may be more sensitive for evaluating signal processing
algorithms that affect the temporal envelope.
Purpose Subjective listener preference was compared between variable speed compression (VSC)
and fast acting compression (FAC) amplitude compression algorithms using neutral and
emotional speech.
Research Design The study used a single-blinded, repeated measures design.
Study Sample Twenty hearing-impaired (HI) listeners with a bilaterally symmetrical, mild- to-moderately
severe sensorineural hearing loss and 21 listeners with normal hearing (NH) participated.
Intervention Speech was processed using FAC and VSC algorithms.
Data Collection and Analysis A paired-comparison paradigm assessed subjective preference for FAC versus VSC using
emotional and neutral speech materials. The significance of subjective preference
for compression algorithm (FAC or VSC) was evaluated using a linear mixed effects
model at each combination of stimulus type (emotional or neutral speech) and hearing
group (NH or HI).
Results HI listeners showed a preference for VSC over FAC when listening to emotional speech.
The same listeners showed a nonsignificant, preference for VSC over FAC when listening
to neutral speech. NH listeners showed preference for VSC over FAC for both neutral
and emotional speech materials.
Conclusion These results suggest that the subjective sound quality of emotional speech is more
susceptible than neutral speech to changes in the signal introduced by FAC. Clinicians
should consider including emotional speech materials when evaluating listener preference
for different compression speeds in the clinic.
Keywords
hearing aids - compression - emotions - sound quality
