Comparison of performance with a conventional and a two-channel hearing aid.

Twenty experienced binaural hearing aid users evaluated a two-channel behind-the-ear instrument, with a low band that offered dynamic range compression and a high band that provided linear amplification. After a 5-week trial period, data from the Profile of Hearing Aid Performance (PHAP), the Speech Perception in Noise (SPIN) test, as well as 2-cm3 coupler measurements were compared for the two-channel experimental device and the subjects' single-channel aids. Most subjects showed significant improvement on the SPIN test and on the PHAP with the two-channel aid. Subjective comments were predominantly enthusiastic, and 17 subjects (85%) chose to exchange their present instruments for the experimental aid. After a total of 19 weeks experience with the two-channel hearing aid, 15 subjects were reevaluated; the mean scores for the SPIN test and for most of the PHAP subscales were unchanged from those observed at the 5-week assessment.