1. Masking for SRT Crosshearing suspected when SRTTE – IA ≥ Best BCNTE
In that case, present speech noise to the NTE at a level equal to SRTNTE.
If no change in SRTTE , then original SRT was correct.
If change, then use plateau method to obtain correct threshold.
Record masked SRT in audiogram. 1

2. Other speech tests
Most comfortable level (MCL): Usually around dB SL.
Instruct patient to indicate if speech is soft, too loud, most comfortable, etc. Repeat several times.
Uncomfortable level (UCL): Usually around dB HL.
Instruct patient to indicate if speech is comfortable, loud, or uncomfortably loud etc. Repeat several times.
Dynamic range: UCL-SDT: Usually around 100 dB or more. 2

3. Speech recognition scores
Used to measure recognition of speech when presented at a comfortable level.
Most popular materials:
Phonetically balanced (PB) word lists: Each phoneme appears with the same frequency it has in the normal lexicon. Example: CID W-22 word lists
Phonemically balanced word lists: Takes into account all the variations that a single phoneme can have (allophones). Example: NU-6 word lists (CVC format)
Sentence lists: Can be meaningful (CID everyday sentence list), nonsense (Synthetic sentence identification or SSI), presented in quiet or in noise (Speech perception in noise or SPIN). 3

4. Issues with speech recognition
Closed-set versus open set responses
Forced versus free response
Cross-hearing: Suspected when
PBHLTE- IA ≥ Best BCNTE
Generalization to everyday situations 4

5. Performance-intensity function
Percentage of correct identification of PB words at various levels.
For normal-hearing adults, maximum PB score (100%) is achieved at dB above the SRT.
Highest PB score: Called PBmax 5

6. Performance-Intensity functions6