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Original Article

The effect of presentation level and compression characteristics on sentence recognition in modulated noise

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Pages 283-294 | Received 26 Jun 2002, Accepted 27 Jun 2003, Published online: 07 Jul 2009
 

Abstract

The effect of fast-acting compression on speech recognitionin fully modulated (FUM) noise in listeners with normaland impaired hearing was investigated in two experiments. We wanted to determine the relationships between the benefitfrom compression and some audiological factors.Furthermore, the sensitivity to changes in compressionparameters was also evaluated. The results showed thattwo-thirds of the listeners performed worse with fast-actingcompression than with linear processing. Normal-hearinglisteners showed the most benefit from compression. A significantrelationship was found between benefit from compressionand speech-to-noise ratio at threshold (SNRT) inslightly modulated (SM) noise. Pure-tone threshold wasfound to be a weak predictor of benefit from compression.No relationship was found between benefit from compressionand the release of masking for the FUM noise. Thevariability in the results across different compressionparameters was related to SNRT in SM noise. The resultssuggest an inverse relationship between benefit from compressionand the severity of the suprathreshold hearing loss.

Sumario

Se investigó en dos experimentos el efecto de una compresiónde acción rápida sobre el reconocimiento dellenguaje con ruido totalmente modulado (FUM), ensujetos con una audición normal o alterada. Quisimosdeterminar la relación entre el beneficio de la compresióny algunos otros factores audiológicos. Más aún, se evaluóla sensibilidad a los cambios en los parámetros de compresión.Los resultados mostraron que dos tercios de lossujetos mostraron un beneficio negativo de la compresión.Los sujetos normo-oyentes mostraron el mayorbeneficio de la compresión. Se encontró una relación significativaentre el beneficio de la comprensión y larelación señal/ruido a nivel del umbral (SNRT), conruido levemente modulados (SM). Se encontró que elumbral tonal puro fue un débil pronosticador del benefi-cio de la compresión. No se halló relación entre el benefi-cio de la compresión y la liberación del enmascaramientopara el ruido FUM. La variabilidad en los resultadossegún los diferentes parámetros de compresión se relacionócon el SNRT en ruido SM. Los resultados sugierenuna relación inversa entre el beneficio de la compresión yla severidad de la hipoacusia supra-liminar.

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