Insert earphones for speech recognition testing

Performance-intensity functions for PB word lists were run on 19 normal-hearing subjects and 15 subjects with sensorineural hearing losses. Comparisons were made between standard supra-aural earphones (TDH-49P) and insert phones (ER-3A). Results showed that, at least for the higher sensation levels where word recognition tests are usually performed, the phones may be used interchangeably. Using insert earphones for word recognition tests can have several beneficial effects with respect to cross hearing and masking.