title: Most comfortable loudness shift as a measure of speech attenuation by hearing protectors.
abstract: The feasibility of using most comfortable loudness (MCL) as a real-world measure of speech attenuation introduced by hearing protection devices (HPDs) was studied. The authors compared three insert HPDs and an earmuff under three test conditions: (a) monaural earphone listening, (b) binaural earphone listening, and (c) sound field listening. The earmuff was used only in the sound-field condition. In addition, three sets of fitting instructions were utilized. Twelve normal hearing subjects participated. Results indicate that MCL shift can be used as a simple measure of speech attenuation provided by HPDs. The observed MCL shifts were affected by the fitting instruction but not by the listening condition. Findings support the notion that MCL-based tests of speech attenuation by HPDs can be conducted reliably both in sound field and under earphones and may be a simple and valid tool for assessing changes in speech audibility due to the wearing of HPDs.
authors.affiliation: Pennsylvania State University, Department of Communication Disorders, University Park 16802, USA.
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Letowski
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Burstein
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Clark
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Romanowski
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sevec
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001302:Audiometry, Speech; D004430:Ear Protective Devices; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D013061:Speech Acoustics