The results revealed that speech understanding in noise improved when using asymmetric directional microphones compared to binaural omnidirectional microphone fittings and was not significantly hindered compared to binaural directional microphone fittings. The results also revealed that listeners accepted more background noise when fitted with asymmetric directional microphones as compared to binaural omnidirectional microphones. Lastly, the results revealed that the acceptance of noise was further increased for the binaural directional microphones when compared to the asymmetric directional microphones, maximizing listeners' willingness to accept background noise in the presence of noise. Clinical implications will be discussed.

Background: The acceptable noise level (ANL) is a measure of willingness to listen to speech in thepresence of background noise and is thought to be related to success with amplification. To date, ANLshave only been assessed over short periods of time, including within a session and over a three-week andthree-month time period. ANL stability over longer periods of time has not been assessed.<br />Purpose: The purpose was to examine the stability of ANL over a one-year time period.<br />Research Design: A repeated-measures, longitudinal study was completed.<br />Study Sample: Thirty young adults with normal hearing served as participants. The participants weretested at two different sites.<br />Data Collection and Analysis: Two trials of most comfortable listening levels (MCLs), background noiselevels (BNLs), and ANLs were assessed for each participant during three experimental sessions: at0 months, six months, and one year.<br />Results: Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variances revealed no significant change in MCLs,BNLs, or ANLs within a session or over a one-year time period. These results indicate that ANLs remainstable for one year in listeners with normal hearing.<br />Conclusions: The finding that the ANL is stable over a longer period of time supports the theory that theANL is an inherent trait of the listener and mediated at in the central auditory nervous system.<br />

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Purpose The aim of this study was to assess the impact of transducer (loudspeaker, supra-aural headphones, and insert earphones) selection on the acceptable noise level (ANL). Study Sample Thirty young adults with normal hearing who reported difficulty with background noise served as participants. Research Design A repeated-measures experimental design was employed. Data Collection and Analysis Most comfortable listening level (MCL) and background noise level (BNL) were measured for all participants using three transducers (loudspeaker, supra-aural headphones, and insert earphones). ANL was computed as the difference between the mean MCL and the mean BNL. Results Analytical statistics revealed that ANL did not differ due to the transducer used. However, there were statistically significant differences found for MCL and BNL across transducers. Conclusions Results of this study indicate that ANL is not vulnerable to the selection of transducer and that ANLs can be compared across transducer types. Researchers should cautiously interpret findings across studies when discussing the base measures of MCL and BNL as these may be influenced slightly by transducer selection.

Background: The acceptable noise level (ANL) is the maximum level of background noise that an individual is willing to accept while listening to speech. The type of background noise does not affect ANL results except for music (Gordon-Hickey & Moore, 2007; Nàbĕlek et al, 1991). Purpose: The purpose of this study was to determine if ANL differed due to music genre or music genre preference. Research Design: A repeated-measures experimental design was employed. Study Sample: Thirty-three young adults with normal hearing served as listeners. Data Collection and Analysis: MCL and BNL were measured to twelve-talker babble and 5 music samples from different genres: blues, classical, country, jazz, and rock. Additionally, music preference was evaluated via rank ordering of genre and by completion of the STOMP questionnaire. Results: Results indicated that ANL for music differed based on music genre; however, the difference was unrelated to music genre preference. Also, those with low ANLs tended to prefer the Intense and Rebellious music-preference dimension compared to those with high ANLs. Conclusions: For instrumental music, ANL was lower for blues and rock music compared to classical, country, and jazz. The differences identified were not related to music genre preference; however, this finding may be related to the music preference dimension of Intense and Rebellious music. Future work should evaluate the psychological variables that make up music-preference dimension to determine if these relate to our ANL.

Background The acceptable noise level (ANL) is a measure of willingness to listen to speech in the presence of background noise and is thought to be related to success with amplification. To date, ANLs have only been assessed over short periods of time, including within a session and over a 3-week and 3-month time period. ANL stability over longer periods of time has not been assessed. Purpose The purpose was to examine the stability of ANL over a 1-year time period. Research Design A repeated-measures, longitudinal study was completed. Study Sample Thirty young adults with normal hearing served as participants. The participants were tested at two different sites. Data Collection and Analysis Two trials of most comfortable listening levels (MCLs), background noise levels (BNLs), and ANLs were assessed for each participant during three experimental sessions: at 0 months, 6 months, and 1 year. Results Two-way repeated-measures analysis of variances revealed no significant change in MCLs, BNLs, or ANLs within a session or over a 1-year time period. These results indicate that ANLs remain stable for 1 year in listeners with normal hearing. Conclusions The finding that the ANL is stable over a longer period of time supports the theory that the ANL is an inherent trait of the listener and mediated at in the central auditory nervous system.

Although ANL values were reliably measured in all of the 5 yr old listeners, this was not the case for 4 yr old listeners. ANL values were not reliably obtained from 4 yr old listeners; however, the ANL procedure is appropriate for use for 5 yr old listeners. Furthermore, ANL means, SDs, ranges, and distributions were in agreement with those from older school-aged children and adults, and ANLs in preschool listeners were unaffected by the type of background noise stimuli.