Effect of Preferred Volume Setting on Speech Audibility in Different Hearing Aid Circuits

Pamela E. Souza; Virginia J. Kitch

doi:10.1055/s-0042-1745628

Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, Table of Contents

J Am Acad Audiol 2001; 12(08): 415-422
DOI: 10.1055/s-0042-1745628

Original Article

Effect of Preferred Volume Setting on Speech Audibility in Different Hearing Aid Circuits

Authors

Pamela E. Souza

Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington
Virginia J. Kitch

Department of Speech and Hearing Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington

Abstract

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Abstract

This study compared preferred volume setting for linear peak clipping, compression limiting, and wide dynamic range compression (WDRC) amplification and quantified speech audibility at the preferred volume setting for each amplification type. Ten listeners with mild-to-moderate hearing loss were fitted monaurally with a behind-the-ear hearing aid programmed sequentially with WDRC, compression limiting, and linear peak clipping amplification. Speech was presented in quiet and in noise at a range of input levels. In each condition, the listener adjusted the volume for maximum clarity. Signal levels were measured using a probe microphone system. There was no significant difference in speech audibility between amplification strategies for any speech level regardless of the presence or absence of background noise. These results imply that the improved audibility advantage of WDRC over linear amplification demonstrated in controlled environments may not be maintained in situations where the hearing aid wearer controls the volume.

Abbreviations: AAI = Aided Audibility Index, AI = Articulation Index, ANOVA = analysis of variance, NAL-R = National Acoustic Laboratories-Revised, SIR = Speech Intelligibility Rating, WDRC = wide dynamic range compression

Keywords

Amplification - audibility - clarity - preferred volume

PDF (674 kb)

References

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