Speech perception with cochlear implants as measured using a roving-level adaptive test method.

Aims: This paper uses a new method of speech testing where the hearing aid or cochlear implant (CI) users are tested in a more realistic listening situation.

Methods: Groups of 11 subjects matched for performance with 5 different CI systems, for a total of 55 subjects, were tested with an adaptive test regime where the presentation level of the speech signal roved by ±10 or ±15 dB.

Results: Speech reception thresholds varied widely between -4.8 and 17.3 dB with the ±15 dB roving condition being more difficult than the ±10 dB roving condition. We also found significant differences in speech reception threshold between groups using different devices.

Conclusion: The test method used in our study, which attempts to test CI users in a more realistic listening situation, is sensitive to the effects of various subject-specific and technical parameters on everyday speech perception with CIs.