Table 1.
Device details and electroacoutic and simulated real ear measure output
| Devices Overview | Electroacoustic and Simulated Real Ear Measures | ||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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| Device Name | Manufacturer | Retail Cost | Processor | Directionality/Remote Mic | Streaming Capability | Noise/Speech Processing6 | Frequency Range (Hz) | Equivalent Input Noise (dB) | Max OSPL 90 (dB) | Max OSPL Frequency (Hz) | Total Harmonic Distortion (%) | Approximation of NAL Frequency Targets (Number of targets)1 | |||
| 500 Hz | 800 Hz | 1600 Hz | Within 10 dB | Within 5 dB | |||||||||||
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| Bean | Etymotic | $299.99 | Linear | No | No | No | 200-8000 | 24 | 101 | 3500 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| Bean T7 | Etymotic | $299.99 | Linear | No | T-coil4 | No | 200-8000 | 31 | 100 | 4100 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 7 | 4 |
| CS-50+ | Soundworld Solutions | $349.99 | Digital | Directional2 | Bluetooth5 | Yes | 200-7300 | 27 | 112 | 2380 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 8 | 5 |
| LifeEar | LifeEar | $349.99 | Digital | No | No | Yes | 350-6000 | 20 | 115 | 900 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 6 | 2 |
| MD Hearing Aid AIR | MD Hearing Aid | $299.99 | Digital | No | No | No | 280-6300 | 31 | 122 | 750 | 1 | 2 | 5 | 7 | 3 |
| Songbird Ultra | Songbird Hearing | $395.00 | Digital | No | No | Yes | 350-6000 | 29 | 115 | 2120 | 0 | 0 | 2 | 9 | 7 |
| SoundHawk | SoundHawk | $349.99 | Digital | Remote Mic3 | Bluetooth5 | No | 200-7000 | 20 | 101 | 2240 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 6 |
| Tweak Basic | Tweak Hearing | $144.99 | Digital | No | No | Yes | 200-7000 | 24 | 111 | 2120 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 6 | 4 |
| Tweak Focus | Tweak Hearing | $249.99 | Digital | Directional2 | No | Yes | 200-7160 | 28 | 113 | 2200 | 1 | 0 | 0 | 5 | 3 |
| MSA30× | RCA | $30.00 | Linear | No | No | No | 350-4000 | 50 | 129 | 700 | 4 | 5 | 4 | 4 | 2 |
Bold indicates measure was within tolerance limits defined in methods section
Number of frequencies at which devices were able to approximate frequency targets during speech mapping with an average sound input within 10 dB and within 5 dB
Directionality refers to the device's ability to focus on sound signals in front of the patient rather than those behind the patient, thereby allowing the patient to focus on a signal of interest
A remote mic offers a portable microphone that can be placed next to a signal of interest to achieve a better signal-to-noise ratio
T-coil allows for direct input via a telecoil (copper wire); this is commonly used with landline telephones and large loop systems in amphitheaters and museums
Bluetooth allows for the devices to be customized/programmed via a smartphone and for direct input from the phone signal to the device
Noise/Speech processing refers to the algorithmic signal processing that attempts to enhance speech signals while reducing noise
T-coil was not active during electroacoustic and simulated real ear testing