Model-based loudness compensation for broad- and narrow-band signals

Authors

  • Dirk Oetting Project Group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology, Fraunhofer IDMT and Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Oldenburg, Germany; Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg and Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Oldenburg, Germany
  • Stephan D. Ewert Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg and Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Oldenburg, Germany
  • Volker Hohmann Medizinische Physik, Universität Oldenburg and Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Oldenburg, Germany
  • Jens-E. Appell Project Group Hearing, Speech and Audio Technology, Fraunhofer IDMT and Cluster of Excellence “Hearing4all”, Oldenburg, Germany

Abstract

A fundamental problem when attempting to restore loudness perception in hearing-impaired listeners are differences in the loudness perception of narrow- and broad-band signals when compared to normal-hearing listeners. Here, a multi-channel dynamic compression algorithm is presented where the signal-to-masking ratio (SMR) is used to modify the channel gain function. Result 1: The evaluation of this approach using a loudness model showed that the loudness perception of hearing-impaired listeners can be restored to the loudness perception of a normal-hearing listener for signals with different bandwidths. Result 2: Inconsistencies between the individual measured loudness function using the categorical loudness scaling procedure and the model predictions were found. The available model parameters, being i) hearing threshold level, ii) outer, and iii) inner hair-cell loss, were not sufficient to fit the model to the individual narrow-band loudness perceptions.

References

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Additional Files

Published

2013-12-15

How to Cite

Oetting, D., Ewert, S. D., Hohmann, V., & Appell, J.-E. (2013). Model-based loudness compensation for broad- and narrow-band signals. Proceedings of the International Symposium on Auditory and Audiological Research, 4, 365–372. Retrieved from https://proceedings.isaar.eu/index.php/isaarproc/article/view/2013-41

Issue

Section

2013/7. Hearing loss assessment and characterization