Question

When fitting binaurally, you can generally expect:

A. to need 3-5 dB less gain
B. better localization ability
C. better aided discrimination
D. all of the above

Answer 1

When fitting binaurally, one can expect benefits including needing less gain, improved sound localization, and enhanced discrimination of sounds.

Step-by-step explanation:

When fitting binaurally, you can generally expect to need 3-5 dB less gain, better localization ability, and better aided discrimination. This is due to the interaural intensity difference cue, which is used to aid sound localization in the horizontal plane. It compares the relative loudness of sounds at the two ears, as the ear closer to the sound source will hear a slightly more intense sound, aiding in better localization. Binaural hearing aids take advantage of both interaural level differences and interaural timing differences, the latter referring to the slight difference in time it takes for a sound to reach each ear.