RP301 - Where You Are in a Room? Evaluating Processing Delay on the Sensitivity to Listener Location

Abstract: The interaction between the direct and the amplified sound in an open-fitting creates patterns of interference that can distort the incoming sound. The degree of distortion depends on the duration and characteristics of the processing delay. Such distortion may interfere with acoustic cues present in reverberant environments, which provide cues to a listener’s location within a room. This study examined sensitivity to changes in listener location in a room, when using open-fit hearing aids with different processing delays. Results suggest that shorter processing delays yield greater sensitivity in detecting changes in the room acoustics, which may help listener’s spatial awareness.