PAIRED COMPARISONS BETWEEN THE CLASSIC 300 BONE-ANCHORED AND CONVENTIONAL BONE-CONDUCTION HEARING-AIDS IN TERMS OF SOUND QUALITY AND SPEECH-INTELLIGIBILITY

Fourteen experienced users of bone-anchored hearing aids conducted pai red comparisons of sound quality and speech intelligibility for 6 and 4 different stimuli respectively in the Classic 300 and a bone-conduct ion hearing aid with a steel clip. Ten paired comparisons were made fo r each stimulus. The patient selected the best hearing aid and rated t he chosen hearing aid on a scale of 'somewhat better', 'better' and 'm uch better'. The Classic 300 obtained a positive assessment in terms o f sound quality and speech intelligibility far more frequently. All th e patients chose the Classic 300 as the best hearing aid when they ass essed the sound quality of the classical music stimulus.