J Audiol Otol.
2017 Sep;21(3):133-139. 10.7874/jao.2017.00066.
Preferred Compression Threshold and Release Time in Quiet and Noisy Conditions for Elderly Korean Hearing Aid Users
- Affiliations
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- 1Division of Speech Pathology and Audiology, Research Institute of Audiology and Speech Pathology, College of Natural Sciences, Hallym University, Chuncheon, Korea.
- 2Department of Audiology, Hallym University of Graduate Studies, Seoul, Korea. leejh@hallym.ac.kr
- 3Future IT Research Center, Samsung Advanced Institute of Technology, Yongin, Korea.
- KMID: 2394757
- DOI: http://doi.org/10.7874/jao.2017.00066
Abstract
- BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES
Listeners with sensorineural hearing loss want to compensate for their narrow dynamic range from appropriate compression functions of hearing aids. The present study aimed to determine which compression threshold and release time of nonlinear hearing aids might affect speech recognition and speech quality judgments.
SUBJECTS AND METHODS
Ten elderly listeners with symmetrical moderate-to-severe sensorineural hearing loss participated in the study. To compare two compression threshold (31 dB SPL vs. 61 dB SPL) and two release time (50 ms vs. 500 ms) conditions, subjects' speech recognition was measured using the Korean version of the Hearing in Noise Test in both quiet and noisy situations. All subjects were also asked to rate the degree of speech quality in terms of loudness, sharpness, clarity, and background noise immediately after completing the speech recognition test.
RESULTS
Although no significant difference emerged in speech recognition thresholds between the two compression thresholds in the quiet situation, the compression threshold of 31 dB SPL showed a lower (or better) signal-to-noise ratio of speech recognition compared to that of 61 dB SPL. The release times of 50 and 500 ms did not statistically differ in both quiet and noisy situations. Subjective categories were found to be louder and clearer in the 50 ms release time for quiet and noisy, respectively.
CONCLUSIONS
We expect that these patterns of current results will apply for better-fitting protocol of elderly Korean hearing aid users.
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