Short term influence of hearing aids on the spectral structure of the sustained a.
Authors: Perrin E, Collet L, Berger-Vachon C
Year: 1999
Source: Acustica 85(5):728-33.
Abstract: The paper describes the effects of short-term use of conventional hearing aid (HA) on the spectrum of the sustained vowel: 'a'. Eighty study participants using binaural HA with hearing impairment higher than 50 dB SPL above 500 Hz, were divided into two groups. Three recordings were conducted for each group. In the first occasion, both the first and the second group were recorded without HA; in the second session the first group was recorded with, and the second group was recorded without the HA; and in the third occasion, the first group was recorded without, and the second group with HA. On comparing the first two recordings, the influences of fitting the HA could be obtained; the comparison of last two recordings demonstrated the influence of removal that followed the fitting of HA. The acoustical material used for the HA was studied globally, as well as by dividing in 3 segments; the vowel spectrum was studied from 0 to 8 kHz, with each frequency band being 500 Hz wide. The results indicated that there is a short term influence of fitting a HA on voice production, and this influence is a redistribution of the energy in favor of the lowest frequencies. (CIRRIE Abstract)
Institution: LESI, Orleans Univ., France
Language: English
Subject headings: Abstracts, Hearing aids, Hearing impairments, Prosthetics, Speech