Individual Listener Preference for Strength of Single-Microphone Noise-Reduction; Trade-off Between Noise Tolerance...

Area of Science:

• Audiology
• Signal Processing
• Psychoacoustics

Background:

• Individual preferences for noise-reduction (NR) strength vary significantly.
• This variation is hypothesized to stem from a trade-off between tolerance for background noise and sensitivity to signal distortions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To visualize and analyze the individual trade-off between noise attenuation and signal quality in noise-reduction.
• To understand how background noise and signal distortion independently and jointly affect listener preference for NR settings.

Main Methods:

• Dutch sentences in stationary background noise were processed using a novel NR algorithm to isolate noise attenuation and signal distortion effects.
• Stimuli included varying levels of background noise, signal distortion, or both, presented in pairwise comparisons.
• The Bradley-Terry-Luce choice model was used to quantify individual preferences among twelve listeners with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Main Results:

• A consistent trade-off between noise attenuation and signal quality was observed and visualized across all participants.
• Individual preferences for NR strength were unique but showed similar magnitudes for the impact of distortion and noise effects.
• The strength of preference for realistic NR settings was found to be approximately ten times smaller than for isolated noise or distortion effects.

Conclusions:

• Signal distortions are as critical as background noise in determining the preferred NR strength for individuals.
• Listeners exhibit distinct sensitivities to both background noise and signal distortions, leading to personalized NR strength preferences.
• This study provides a unique method for capturing and understanding individual differences in NR preference, crucial for optimizing hearing aid technology.