Abstract
Acceptability of everyday non-speech sounds is closely related to hearing aid (HA) satisfaction. Acceptability is determined by a listener’s overall impression of a sound when its different aspects, such as loudness, naturalness, and clarity, are considered. Various HA features, especially digital noise reduction (DNR), are designed to improve acceptability. Compared to basic HAs, premium HAs have more advanced DNR functions, as well as other unique features that are not included in basic HAs. Manufacturers often claim that everyday non-speech sounds are more acceptable when listening with premium HAs relative to basic HAs. However, there is minimal evidence to support this claim. This study evaluated acceptability of non-speech sounds in laboratory and real-world settings when using exemplars of basic and premium HAs. Forty-five older adults with mild-to-moderate hearing loss were bilaterally fitted with four pairs of BTEs (two basic and two premium) from two major manufacturers. Outcomes were obtained for each pair after a four-week field trial. Laboratory data were acceptability ratings of 21 real-time produced everyday sounds with different durations and intensities. Self-report data were rating scores from three questionnaires. No evidence was found in this study to show that premium HAs yield greater acceptability than basic. (Work supported by NIDCD.)
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