Comparison of preferred frequency gain settings obtained with category rating and modified simplex procedure

We examined the relations between the preferred frequency gain settings obtained from the modified simplex procedure and those that were rated highest during category rating at three speech and noise levels (speech and noise levels at 60/65, 63/63, 65/60, all in dBA). During category rating, subjects rated short discourse passages on a 7-point scale using clarity and noise interference as criteria. Clarity was used as criterion in the modified simplex procedure. Results indicated that most subjects gave the same high rating to two or more frequency gain settings during category rating. Such settings varied across subjects and test conditions. The preferred frequency gain settings selected with the modified simplex procedure matched closely those rated highest in clarify and lowest in noise interference. This suggests that the modified simplex procedure may be used to determine preferred frequency gain setting on a hearing aid.