[Extended high-frequency audiometry--reproducibility of two type of earphones]

Abstract

Auditory thresholds in the frequency range of 0.5-6 kHz and in the extended high-frequency range (8-16 kHz, according to ISO 389-5) were measured for one ear of 139 otologically healthy persons (77 females, 62 males, mean age 25 years, range 12-54 years) using insert earphones ER-2 of Etymotic Research and circumaural earphones HDA 200 of Sennheiser. For each subject, two measures of the thresholds were obtained for both types of transducers during the same test session. Repeatability was significantly worse in the 8-16 kHz region (repeated thresholds were within +/- 5 dB for 90% of the thresholds of each frequency and within +/- 10 dB for 98%), compared to that in the 0.5-6 kHz region (+/- 5 dB for 97%, +/- 10 dB for 100%), as determined by paired t-test and Wilcoxon signed rank test. Repeatability was similar for both transducer types.