Modelling the speech reception threshold in non-stationary noise in hearing-impaired listeners as a function of level

The extended speech intelligibility index (ESII) model (Rhebergen et al, 2006) forms an upgrade to the conventional speech intelligibility index model. For normal-hearing listeners the ESII model is able to predict the speech reception threshold (SRT) in both stationary and non-stationary noise maskers. In this paper, a first attempt is made to evaluate the ESII with SRT data obtained by de Laat and Plomp (1983), and Versfeld and Dreschler (2002) of hearing-impaired listeners in stationary, 10-Hz interrupted, and non-stationary speech-shaped noise measured at different noise levels. The results show that the ESII model is able to describe the SRT in different non-stationary noises for normal-hearing listeners at different noise levels reasonably well. However, the ESII model is less successful in the case of predicting the SRT in non-stationary noise for hearing-impaired subjects. As long as the present audibility models cannot describe the auditory processing in a listener with cochlear hearing loss accurately, it is difficult to distinguish between raised SRTs due to supra-threshold deficits or factors such as cognition, age, and language skills.