Earmold Influence on Aided Speech Identification Tasks

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Abstract
The physical characteristics of hearing aids are modified when the instrument is coupled with an earmold and fitted to an ear canal. This study compares the electroacoustic characteristics of four specific earmold variations with behavioral speech audiometric tasks in five normal-hearing and seven sensorineural-hearing-loss subjects. Speech-Bekesy thresholds were obtained under each earmold condition with continuous discourse for detectability, intelligibility, most comfortable loudness, and tolerance. Speech discrimination ability was evaluated with the Modified Rhyme Test in three signal-to-noise ratio conditions. Significant differences in test scores attributable to earmold modification were difficult to demonstrate, in spite of the fact that substantial variations in the ear inserts were readily apparent in both structural and electroacoustics analysis.

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