Question
Does non-linear frequency compression (NFC) improve listening in noise?
Answer
Some people benefit in noise with NFC; others do not. To better understand what those patient variables are, we need further research. Several studies have reported that, on average, subjects’ ability to understand in noise improved with SoundRecover compared to conventional amplification.
Bohnert (2010) demonstrated that 7 of 11 subjects with severe to profound SNHL performed better in noise with SoundRecover than with conventional amplification.
Wolfe et al. (2011) showed that children with up to moderately-severe SNHL improved on the Bamford Kowal Bench speech-in-noise (BKB-SIN) test after six months of NFC use.
This Ask the Expert was taken from the article and text course, Sound Bytes on SoundRecover – view the complete article for more information.
References
Bohnert, A., Nyffeler, M., & Keilmann, A. (2010). Advantages of a non-linear frequency compression algorithm in noise. European Archives of Otorhinolaryngology, 267(7), 1045-1053. doi: 10.1007/s00405-009-1170-x.
Wolfe, J., John, A., Schafer, E., Nyffeler, M., Boretzki, M., & Caraway, T., et al. (2011). Long-term effects of non-linear frequency compression for children with moderate hearing loss. International Journal of Audiology, 50(6), 396–404. doi: 10.3109/14992027.2010.551788.
For more information, please visit www.phonakpro.com or the Phonak Expo Page on AudiologyOnline.
