Abstract
ObjectiveThis study was aimed at examining the effects of an adaptive non-linear frequency compression algorithm implemented in hearing aids (i.e., SoundRecover2, or SR2) at different parameter settings and auditory acclimatization on speech and sound-quality perception in native Mandarin-speaking adult listeners with sensorineural hearing loss.DesignData consisted of participants’ unaided and aided hearing thresholds, Mandarin consonant and vowel recognition in quiet, and sentence recognition in noise, as well as sound-quality ratings through five sessions in a 12-week period with three SR2 settings (i.e., SR2 off, SR2 default, and SR2 strong).Study SampleTwenty-nine native Mandarin-speaking adults aged 37–76 years old with symmetric sloping moderate-to-profound sensorineural hearing loss were recruited. They were all fitted bilaterally with Phonak Naida V90-SP BTE hearing aids with hard ear-molds.ResultsThe participants demonstrated a significant improvement of aided hearing in detecting high frequency sounds at 8 kHz. For consonant recognition and overall sound-quality rating, the participants performed significantly better with the SR2 default setting than the other two settings. No significant differences were found in vowel and sentence recognition among the three SR2 settings. Test session was a significant factor that contributed to the participants’ performance in all speech and sound-quality perception tests. Specifically, the participants benefited from a longer duration of hearing aid use.ConclusionFindings from this study suggested possible perceptual benefit from the adaptive non-linear frequency compression algorithm for native Mandarin-speaking adults with moderate-to-profound hearing loss. Periods of acclimatization should be taken for better performance in novel technologies in hearing aids.
Highlights
High-frequency components of acoustic signals convey useful information in speech and music
While Xu et al (2020) study focused on detection ability through one-time tests, the current study aimed to provide a more comprehensive evaluation to test the impact of adaptive non-linear frequency compression (NLFC) on different aspects of perception ability including Mandarin consonant, vowel, and sentence recognition
We evaluated the efficacy of the new adaptive NLFC scheme on Mandarin speech perception and sound-quality ratings in adult hearing aid users
Summary
High-frequency components of acoustic signals convey useful information in speech and music. They play an important role in sound-quality perception, sound localization, speech perception in noise, and language development in children (Stelmachowicz et al, 2002, 2004; Monson et al, 2014; Moore, 2016). Many patients with sensorineural hearing loss have difficulty accessing high-frequency information. For this population, the most common intervention is to wear hearing aids. Among many different frequency lowering algorithms, non-linear frequency compression (NLFC) has been implemented in modern commercial hearing aids, such as Phonak Naida hearing aids. The key concept of NLFC is to disproportionally compress high frequencies into lowerfrequency regions. Sound with frequencies below the CT remains unchanged but sound above the CT is compressed
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