Most Comfortable Listening Level Presentation Versus Maximum Discrimination for Word Discrimination Material

Abstract

The purpose of the present study was to determine if most comfortable listening level (MCL) presentation of word discrimination material would yield maximum discrimination for normal and sensorineural hearing loss subjects. The results of the study indicated that normally hearing listeners do obtain maximum discrimination at MCL, while presentation of word discrimination material at MCL to sensorineural hearing loss listeners does not yield maximum discrimination. Further examination of the results would also contraindicate the use of any other method which incorporates single or dual presentation levels as a means of determining maximum discrimination for the sensorineural hearing loss listener

Key Words:

• Speech audiometry
• Most comfortable listening level
• Maximum speech discrimination
• Speech reception threshold
• Sensorineural hearing loss