Benefits from Spatial Separation and Fluctuating Masker on Sentence-in-Noise Recognition in Normal-Hearing and Hearing-Impaired Listeners

Purpose: This study examined the spatial separation benefit (SSB) and fluctuating masker (FMB) for sentence-in-noise recognition in normal-hearing (NH) hearing-impaired (HI) listeners.Methods: Twenty NH listeners 10 HI who were regular hearing-aid wearers participated this study. To measure SSB FMB, Korean Matrix scores obtained using different types of noise (steady-state speech-shaped noise, three sinusoidally amplitude-modulated noises) when was colocated with target source or spatially separated by 30° 60°.Results: For group, between beneficial, regardless type noise. Among four performed poorer than other modulated noises, yielding a substantial improvement speech-in-noise resulting from masker’s fluctuation. The amount FMB depended on signal-to-noise ratios listeners. listeners, also advantageous general, their slightly greater unfavorable listening conditions. However, hardly took advantage temporal dips even use hearing aids.Conclusion: benefited fluctuation as well sound sources. A positive only observed an adverse condition. Regardless modulation rate, received little glimpses speech masker. result can be considered planning audiological evaluation rehabilitation