Output limiting, whether expressed throug hearing aid function as peak clipping or compression, is of considerable importance to those hearing impaired individuals utilizing amplification. The type of output limiting selected is determined by hearing aid user acceptance and is normally associated with maxim power output requirements. Growing awareness among audiologists and hearing aid dispenser of the need for clinical assessment of tolerance has led to a closer examination of maximum power output requirement and the most effective limiting method. As with any amplifying system, modification of design parameters to achieve desired limiting may involve a reasonable trade-off. Certainly, compression amplifiers introduce certain disortion products not normally found in peak clipping amplifiers. One of the principle problems to be resolved is the kind of amplification required versus subsequent distortion (whatever the type) and whether or not the trade off of signal fidelity for user acceptance is favorable...