Frequency Responses of Conventional and Amplified Stethoscopes for Measuring Heart Sounds.

Background: Frequencies of normal and abnormal heart sounds have previously been reported, but the acoustic analyses of the frequency responses of conventional and amplified stethoscopes for different heart sounds have not yet been reported.

Objectives: To compare the acoustic analysis of frequency responses of three stethoscopes (conventional and amplified) for measuring simulated heart sounds.

Materials And Methods: This exploratory study used Starkey SLI-ST3, Cardionics E-Scope II (both electronic) and Littmann Classic S.

Comparing Loudness Tolerance and Acceptable Noise Level in Listeners With Hearing Loss.

The present study was a follow-up investigation to a previous study exploring the relationship between listeners' loudness tolerance and listeners' acceptable noise level among normally hearing adults. The present study compared the same two measures, but data were obtained from listeners with hearing loss; 12 adults with sensorineural hearing loss participated in a loudness tolerance measure using a scaling technique initially established for setting hearing aid output limits, in addition to an acceptable noise level measure. The acceptable noise level procedure used in this study quantified the listeners' acceptance of background noise while listening to speech.

The relationship between the acceptance of noise and acoustic environments in young adults with normal hearing: a pilot study.

Background: The acceptable noise level (ANL) indicates how much background noise a listener is willing to accept while listening to speech. The clinical impact and application of the ANL measure is as a predictor of hearing-aid use. The ANL may also correlate with the percentage of time spent in different listening environments (i.

Relationship between loudness tolerance and the acceptance of background noise for young adults with normal hearing.

This study investigated the relationship between listener loudness tolerance and listener acceptable noise level (ANL). Twenty-five normal hearing adults completed loudness tolerance and acceptable noise level measures. Loudness tolerance was measured using a scaling technique.

Comparing pure-, pulsed, and warbled tone thresholds in adults at 3000 and 6000 Hz.

Purpose: Pulsed and warbled tones are suitable substitutions for pure tones in hearing threshold measurement according to the 2005 American Speech-Language-Hearing Association guidelines. These guidelines also recommend measuring thresholds at 3000 and 6000 Hz. To date, there is no research directly supporting substitution of pulsed or warbled tones for pure tones at 3000 and 6000 Hz for listeners with normal hearing or with hearing loss.

The effect of speech presentation level on acceptance of background noise in listeners with normal hearing.

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.