Objectives: Voice in the external auditory canal (EAC) is expected to change while being affected by the resonance of the concha cavity and the EAC. Acoustical analysis should include the frequency range of EAC resonance. This study aims to determine the influence of the resonance of the EAC by analyzing formant. Methods: Male voiced monophthongs were used in this study; the most frequently used vowels were /a/, /i/, /u/, /e/, /o/. Experimental voice in the real ear and sound field was recorded by 12 healthy young female subjects. Voice characteristics were analyzed by Praat (ver. 6.0.19). The formant frequency of the sample and experimental voice were analyzed with descriptive statistics. The relationship between the sample voice and experimental voice was analyzed by a paired t-test. Results: The voices between the sound field and real ear demonstrated significant differences at F3 and F4 of /a/, F2, F3, and F4 of /i/, all formant frequencies of /u/, F2 and F4 of /e/, and F1, F3, and F4 of /o/ (p < .05). Conclusion: Voice in the real ear is collected under the influence of resonances, distance from the sound source, and rounding. Understanding these changes is expected to improve the analysis of timbre and individual voices and speech understanding.
Purpose: A number of hearing loss had gradually been increased due to several reasons including newborn hearing screening, social environmental, and sociodemographic factors. In most cases, hearing loss is treated with the use of hearing aids. Hearing aids are composed of several parts, and the mold is a primarily component. Horn, damper, and vent of mold can control the sound pressure level in the ear canal, and furthermore, the vent can reduce the occlusion effect by controlling the low frequency of below 1,000 Hz. This study aimed to acquire basic information for audiological rehabilitation by investigating the effect of a vent diameter on the external auditory canal. Methods: Thirty-three ears of 18 subjects were participated. They had no problem with external and middle ears. Real ear measurement was used. Real ear unaided gain (REUG) and real ear aided gain (REAG), which were found by opening vent diameter 0, 1.1, 2.1, 3, 4 mm, and open ear canal. The study compared the differences between REUG and REAG, statistically. Results: There was observed significant gain differences at below 400 Hz in diameter 1.1, 2.1 mm, below 500 Hz in diameter 3, 4 mm, and below 600 Hz when the ear canal opens. Conclusion: These findings will be expected to be useful information to predict the vent effect in audiological rehabilitation using hearing aids.
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