Chosen Listening Levels for Music With and Without the Use of Hearing Aids.
OBJECTIVE
The objective of this study was to describe chosen listening levels (CLLs) for recorded music for listeners with hearing loss in aided and unaided conditions.


METHODS
The study used a within-subject, repeated-measures design with 13 adult hearing-aid users. The music included rock and classical samples with different amounts of audio-industry compression limiting. CLL measurements were taken at ear level (i.e., at input to the hearing aid) and at the tympanic membrane.


RESULTS
For aided listening, average CLLs were 69.3 dBA at the input to the hearing aid and 80.3 dBA at the tympanic membrane. For unaided listening, average CLLs were 76.9 dBA at the entrance to the ear canal and 77.1 dBA at the tympanic membrane. Although wide intersubject variability was observed, CLLs were not associated with audiometric thresholds. CLLs for rock music were higher than for classical music at the tympanic membrane, but no differences were observed between genres for ear-level CLLs. The amount of audio-industry compression had no significant effect on CLLs.


CONCLUSIONS
By describing the levels of recorded music chosen by hearing-aid users, this study provides a basis for ecologically valid testing conditions in clinical and laboratory settings.
University of Colorado, BoulderDenver Research and Technology Labs, Cochlear Ltd., Centennial, CO.
Naomi B H
NB
Croghan
University of Colorado, Boulder.
Anne M
AM
Swanberg
University of Colorado, Boulder.
Melinda C
MC
Anderson
University of Colorado, Boulder.
Kathryn H
KH
Arehart
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D002755:Choice Behavior; D005260:Female; D006310:Hearing Aids; D006319:Hearing Loss, Sensorineural / Q000534:rehabilitation*; D006801:Humans; D008144:Loudness Perception; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009146:Music; D055815:Young Adult