title: Speech and music quality ratings for linear and nonlinear hearing aid circuitry.
abstract: This study evaluated quality ratings for speech and music stimuli processed using peak clipping (PC), compression limiting (CL), and wide-dynamic range compression (WDRC) hearing aid circuitry. Eighteen listeners with mild-to-moderate hearing loss were binaurally fitted with behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids and instructed to rate the quality of speech under various conditions in quiet and noise and two genres of music. Results for speech revealed a slight preference for WDRC at 80 dB SPL, and equivalent ratings for the three circuits under all other listening conditions. Music ratings revealed a marginally significant preference for WDRC and a preference for classical over popular music. For music, judgments on pleasantness were the most influential on overall circuit preference.
authors.affiliation: University of Washington, Seattle 98105, USA.
authors.forename: Evelyn
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Davies-Venn
authors.forename: Pamela
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Souza
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Fabry
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001301:Audiometry, Pure-Tone; D001307:Auditory Perception / Q000502:physiology*; D001309:Auditory Threshold; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D011474:Prosthesis Design; D013018:Sound Spectrography; D013067:Speech Perception; D013997:Time Factors