Most Comfortable Listening Levels, Background Noise Levels, and Acceptable Noise Levels for Children and Adults with Normal Hearing

2011 ◽  
Vol 22 (05) ◽  
pp. 286-293 ◽  
Author(s):  
Robert Moore ◽  
Susan Gordon-Hickey ◽  
Alisha Jones
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Noise Level ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Developmental Change ◽  
Pediatric Population ◽  
Strong Predictor ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
The Difference

Background: For adults the acceptable noise level (ANL) has been shown to be a strong predictor of hearing aid success. ANL is calculated as the difference between most comfortable listening level (MCL) and background noise level (BNL). No studies have made direct comparisons of these measures between adults and children. Purpose: To evaluate and compare MCLs, BNLs, and ANLs in children and young adults. Research Design: A cross-sectional design was used in this study. Two groups (children and adults) were tested for each dependent variable. MCLs and BNLs were measured for each participant, and ANLs were computed from these two measurements. Study Sample: The participants were 34 children (8–10 yr) and 34 young adults (19–29 yr) with normal hearing. Results: Significant main effects were found for MCLs and BNLs. There was no main effect for ANLs. MCLs and BNLs were significantly lower for the children than for the adults. Conclusions: These results suggest that while ANLs are unchanged from childhood to adulthood, there appears to be a developmental change in MCLs and BNLs. These findings have implications for the use of ANLs in the pediatric population.

The Effect of Speech Presentation Level on Acceptance of Background Noise in Listeners with Normal Hearing

2006 ◽  
Vol 17 (02) ◽  
pp. 141-146 ◽  
Author(s):  
Clifford A. Franklin ◽  
James W. Thelin ◽  
Anna K. Nabelek ◽  
Samuel B. Burchfield
Keyword(s):  
Noise Level ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Presentation Level ◽  
Background Noise Level ◽  
Acceptable Noise Level ◽  
The Mean ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Speech Presentation

A method has been established to measure the maximum acceptable background noise level (BNL) for a listener, while listening to speech at the most comfortable listening level (MCL). The acceptable noise level (ANL) is the difference between BNL and MCL. In the present study, the ANL procedure was used to measure acceptance of noise, first, in the presence of speech at MCL and, then, for speech presented at much lower and higher levels in listeners with normal hearing. This study used the term ANL to describe the results obtained at MCL and also at other speech presentation levels. The mean ANL at MCL was 15.5 dB, which is comparable to results obtained by previous investigators. ANL increases systematically with speech presentation level. Mean ANLs ranged from 10.6 dB when speech was presented at 20 dB HL to 24.6 dB when speech was presented at 76 dB HL. The results indicated that the acceptance of noise depends significantly on speech presentation level.

The Influence of Listener's Gender on the Acceptance of Background Noise

2003 ◽  
Vol 14 (07) ◽  
pp. 372-382 ◽  
Author(s):  
Deanna S. Rogers ◽  
Ashley W. Harkrider ◽  
Samuel B. Burchfield ◽  
Anna K. Nabelek
Keyword(s):  
Noise Level ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Hearing Sensitivity ◽  
Hearing Status ◽  
Acceptable Noise Level ◽  
Listening Levels ◽  
Males And Females ◽  
The Difference

The acceptance of background noise can be assessed by having participants select the maximum background noise level (BNL) to which they are willing to listen while following speech at their most comfortable listening level (MCL). The difference between the selected BNL and MCL is the acceptable noise level (ANL). Preliminary investigations have revealed large between-participant ANL differences that are not related to age, hearing status, preference for background noise, or uncomfortable listening level. This study investigated listener's gender as a possible factor contributing to these between-participant differences. Comfortable listening levels for speech and accepted levels of speech-babble background noise were obtained binaurally, via the sound field, from 50 (25 male, 25 female) young, acoustically naive adults with normal hearing sensitivity. Results indicate that, although males had higher comfortable listening levels and accepted higher levels of background noise than females, ANL values were not different between males and females.

scholarly journals Acceptable noise levels in Arabic-Persian bilinguals

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Fateme Taheri ◽  
Ahmad Geshani ◽  
Jamileh Fatahi ◽  
Shohreh Jalaie ◽  
Mojtaba Tavakoli
Keyword(s):  
Noise Level ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Test Results ◽  
Medical Sciences ◽  
Persian Version ◽  
Background Noise Level ◽  
Acceptable Noise Level ◽  
The Difference ◽  
E Mail

Background and Aim: Acceptable noise level (ANL) test is a reliable measure of people’s abi­lity to tolerate background noise. Central ner­vous system is one of the determinant factors in subject’s tolerance of noise. Bilinguals’ diffe­rent central activity pattern may yield different ANL test results from monolinguals. This study aims to compare noise tolerance function in Arabic-Persian bilinguals with Persian monolin­guals via Persian version of ANL. Methods: In the present study, the Persian ver­sion of ANL was administered on 115 cases with normal hearing (56 male, 59 female) aged 18–37 years in three groups of the Persian mon­olingual, sequential Arabic-Persian bilinguals, and simultaneous Arabic-Persian bilinguals. Results: The statistical analysis revealed sig­nificant difference in most comfortable level (p = 0.002) and background noise level (p = 0.011) among three groups, i.e. between Persian monolinguals and sequential Arabic-Persian bil­inguals and between Persian monolinguals and simultaneous Arabic-Persian bilinguals. In other words, mean scores of bilingual were higher than monolingual scores. There was no signifi­cant difference among three groups with regard to ANL scores (p = 0.114). * Corresponding author: Department of Audiology, School of Rehabilitation, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Piche-Shemiran, Enghelab Ave., Tehran, 1148965141, Iran. Tel: 009821-77530636, E-mail: [email protected] Conclusion: Despite the difference between Persian monolinguals and Arabic-Persian bilin­guals in most comfortable level and background noise level, there is no significance difference in ANL results. Therefore, auditory central proce­ssing acts similarly in normal hearing monolin­gual and bilingual subjects. As a result, Persian version of ANL can be used for Arabic-Persian bilinguals, too.

Influence of Music and Music Preference on Acceptable Noise Levels in Listeners with Normal Hearing

2007 ◽  
Vol 18 (05) ◽  
pp. 417-427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Susan Gordon-Hickey ◽  
Robert E. Moore
Keyword(s):  
Noise Level ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Maximum Level ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Music Preference ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Acceptable Noise Level ◽  
Acceptable Noise Levels ◽  
Better Than

Acceptable noise level (ANL) is defined as the maximum level of background noise that an individual is willing to accept while listening to speech. The type of background noise does not affect ANL results with the possible exception of music. The purpose of this study was to determine if ANL for music was different from ANL for twelve-talker babble and investigate if there was a correlation between ANL for music samples and preference for those music samples. Results demonstrated that ANL for music tended to be better than ANL for twelve-talker babble, indicating listeners were more willing to accept music as a background noise than speech babble. The results further demonstrated that ANL for the music samples were not correlated with preference for the music samples, indicating that ANL for music was not related to music preference. Therefore, music appeared to be processed differently as a background noise than twelve-talker babble. Un nivel aceptable de ruido (ANL) esta definido como el máximo nivel de ruido de fondo que un individuo esta dispuesto a aceptar mientras escucha el lenguaje. El tipo de ruido de fondo no afecta el ANL, con la posible excepción de la música (Nabelek y col., 1991). El propósito de este estudio fue determinar si el ANL para la música era diferente del ANL ante un balbuceo de doce hablantes, e investigar si existía una correlación entre los ANL para muestras de música, y para la preferencia con respecto a estas muestras de música. Los resultados demostraron que el ANL para la música tendió a ser mejor que el ANL para el balbuceo de doce hablantes, indicando que los sujetos estaban más dispuestos a aceptar la música como ruido de fondo que el lenguaje en balbuceo. Los resultados además demostraron que el ANL para las muestras de música no correlacionaba con la preferencia para las muestras de música, indicando que los ANL para la música no tenía que ver con la preferencia musical. Por lo tanto, la música parece procesarse diferente como ruido de fondo que el balbuceo de doce hablantes.

Modeling Speech Level as a Function of Background Noise Level and Talker-to-Listener Distance for Talkers Wearing Hearing Protection Devices

2017 ◽  
Vol 60 (12) ◽  
pp. 3393-3403 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rachel E. Bouserhal ◽  
Annelies Bockstael ◽  
Ewen MacDonald ◽  
Tiago H. Falk ◽  
Jérémie Voix
Keyword(s):  
Noise Level ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Speech Sound ◽  
Sound Level ◽  
Hearing Protection ◽  
Background Noise Level ◽  
Vocal Effort ◽  
Protection Devices ◽  
The Difference ◽  
The Relationship

Purpose Studying the variations in speech levels with changing background noise level and talker-to-listener distance for talkers wearing hearing protection devices (HPDs) can aid in understanding communication in background noise. Method Speech was recorded using an intra-aural HPD from 12 different talkers at 5 different distances in 3 different noise conditions and 2 quiet conditions. Results This article proposes models that can predict the difference in speech level as a function of background noise level and talker-to-listener distance for occluded talkers. The proposed model complements the existing model presented by Pelegrín-García, Smits, Brunskog, and Jeong (2011) and expands on it by taking into account the effects of occlusion and background noise level on changes in speech sound level. Conclusions Three models of the relationship between vocal effort, background noise level, and talker-to-listener distance for talkers wearing HPDs are presented. The model with the best prediction intervals is a talker-dependent model that requires the users' unoccluded speech level at 10 m as a reference. A model describing the relationship between speech level, talker-to-listener distance, and background noise level for occluded talkers could eventually be incorporated with radio protocols to transmit verbal communication only to an intended set of listeners within a given spatial range—this range being dependent on the changes in speech level and background noise level.

scholarly journals Comparison of Acceptable Noise Level Generated Using Different Transducers and Response Modes

2018 ◽  
Vol 2018 ◽  
pp. 1-9
Author(s):  
Liang Xia ◽  
Jingchun He ◽  
Yuanyuan Sun ◽  
Yi Chen ◽  
Qiong Luo ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Noise Level ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Presentation Modes ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
Acceptable Noise Level ◽  
The Subject ◽  
Response Modes ◽  
Chinese Subjects

The acceptable noise level (ANL) was defined by subtracting the background noise level (BNL) from the most comfortable listening level (MCL) (ANL = MCL − BNL). This study compared the ANL obtained through different methods in 20 Chinese subjects with normal hearing. ANL was tested with Mandarin speech materials using a loudspeaker or earphones, with each subject tested by himself or by the audiologist. The presentation and response modes were as follows: (1) loudspeaker with self-adjusted noise levels using audiometer controls (LS method); (2) loudspeaker with the subject signaling the audiologist to adjust speech and noise levels (LA method); (3) earphones with self-adjusted noise levels using audiometer controls (ES method); and (4) earphones with the subject signaling the audiologist to adjust speech and noise levels (EA method). ANL was calculated from three measurements with each method. There was no significant difference in the ANL obtained through different presentation modes or response modes sound. The correlations between ANL, MCL, and BNL obtained from each two methods were significant. In conclusion, the ANL in normal-hearing Mandarin listeners may not be affected by presentation modes such as a loudspeaker or earphones nor is it affected by self-adjusted or audiologist-adjusted response modes. Earphone audiometry is as reliable as sound field audiometry and provides an easy and convenient way to measure ANL.

An Electrophysiological Measure of Binaural Hearing in Noise

2008 ◽  
Vol 19 (06) ◽  
pp. 481-495 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jeffrey Weihing ◽  
Frank E. Musiek
Keyword(s):  
Noise Level ◽  
Repeated Measures ◽  
Otoacoustic Emissions ◽  
Pure Tone Audiometry ◽  
Binaural Hearing ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Repeated Measures Design ◽  
Brainstem Response ◽  
Different Levels

Background: A common complaint of patients with (central) auditory processing disorder is difficulty understanding speech in noise. Because binaural hearing improves speech understanding in compromised listening situations, quantifying this ability in different levels of noise may yield a measure with high clinical utility. Purpose: To examine binaural enhancement (BE) and binaural interaction (BI) in different levels of noise for the auditory brainstem response (ABR) and middle latency response (MLR) in a normal hearing population. Research Design: An experimental study in which subjects were exposed to a repeated measures design. Study Sample: Fifteen normal hearing female adults served as subjects. Normal hearing was assessed by pure-tone audiometry and otoacoustic emissions. Intervention: All subjects were exposed to 0, 20, and 35 dB effective masking (EM) of white noise during monotic and diotic click stimulation. Data Collection and Analysis: ABR and MLR responses were simultaneously acquired. Peak amplitudes and latencies were recorded and compared across conditions using a repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results: For BE, ABR results showed enhancement at 0 and 20 dB EM, but not at 35 dB EM. The MLR showed BE at all noise levels, but the degree of BE decreased with increasing noise level. For BI, both the ABR and MLR showed BI at all noise levels. However, the degree of BI again decreased with increasing noise level for the MLR. Conclusions: The results demonstrate the ability to measure BE simultaneously in the ABR and MLR in up to 20 dB of EM noise and BI in up to 35 dB EM of noise. Results also suggest that ABR neural generators may respond to noise differently than MLR generators.

Further Validation of the Speech Transmission Index (STI)

1987 ◽  
Vol 30 (3) ◽  
pp. 403-410 ◽  
Author(s):  
Larry E. Humes ◽  
Stephen Boney ◽  
Faith Loven
Keyword(s):  
Speech Recognition ◽  
Background Noise ◽  
Recognition Task ◽  
Sound Field ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Noise Levels ◽  
Transmission Index ◽  
Speech Transmission ◽  
Binaural Listening ◽  
Prospective Analyses

The present article further evaluates the accuracy of speech-recognition predictions made according to two forms of the Speech Transmission Index (STI) for normal-hearing listeners. The first portion of this article describes the application of the modified Speech Transmission Index (mSTI) to an extensive set of speech-recognition data. Performance of normal-hearing listeners on a nonsense-syllable recognition task in 216 conditions involving different speech levels, background noise levels, reverberation times and filter passbands was found to be monotonically related to the mSTI. The second portion of this article describes a retrospective and prospective analysis of an extended sound-field version of the STI, referred to here as STI x . This extended STI considers many of the variables relevant to sound-field speech recognition, some of which are not incorporated in the mSTI. These variables include: (a) reverberation time; (b) speech level; (e) noise level; (d) talker-to-listener distance; (e) directivity of the speech source; and (f) directivity of the listener (eg., monaural vs. binaural listening). For both the retrospective and prospective analyses, speech-recognition was found to vary monotonically with STI x .

scholarly journals A cross sectional study of hearing thresholds in medical students

2019 ◽  
Vol 5 (2) ◽  
pp. 434
Author(s):  
V. M. Hemlata Katiyar ◽  
D. Elango ◽  
Vincent Prasanna
Keyword(s):  
Young Adults ◽  
Medical Students ◽  
Noise Exposure ◽  
Bone Conduction ◽  
Normal Hearing ◽  
Early Screening ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Hearing Thresholds ◽  
Significant Difference ◽  
The Right

<p class="abstract"><strong>Background:</strong> The hearing thresholds of young adults with no known hearing loss or noise exposure is expected to be closer to 0 dB HL, though with the increasing usage of recreational noise through personal amplification devices there is shift in thresholds noted. Some studies have highlighted the effect of these devices on the hearing thresholds and a general shift of thresholds towards 25 dB. Objective was to determine the audiometric thresholds of a screened sample of medical students with presumed normal hearing.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Methods:</strong> A total of 103 medical students in the age group of 20 to 23 years were screened and subjected to PTA. The Pure tone average was calculated for air conduction (AC) and bone conduction (BC) separately and also for high frequencies (HF). The average for the female students was compared with that of male students. The right ear average was compared with that of left ear.  </p><p class="abstract"><strong>Results:</strong> There was a statistically significant difference with higher thresholds for males in BC and HF, however the difference in AC was not significant. Between the right and left ears, there was statistically significant elevation observed in BC average in the right ear, but no significant difference was found in the HF and AC thresholds.</p><p class="abstract"><strong>Conclusions:</strong> There is evidence of thresholds especially BC, shifting more towards 25 dB HL in young adults considered to have normal hearing. Early screening will help in identifying this and prevent further elevation by judicious use of mobile phones, personal music players and personal listening devices.</p>

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