Event:

A psychoacoustic procedure designed for the precise assessment of perceptional threshold (T-level) in cochlear implant users is presented. The impact of this procedure on speech perception was investigated. The impact of different fitting conditions was measured by means of categorical loudness scaling (CLS) and speech perception tests in quiet and noise. Average sound-field thresholds obtained by CLS were lowest in condition using the new procedure yielding a larger dynamic range with significantly higher speech scores in quiet compared to those with a subject’s commonly used program. The precise determination of T-levels by means of the proposed procedure improved performance in several speech recognition tasks. Compared to the default behavioural setting, T-level increased on median by 9 CU. Average speech reception threshold in noise for soft speech levels (50 dB sound pressure level) decreased by 1 dB.