Frequency Lowering

Frequency Lowering is an algorithm that improves the audibility of high-frequency sounds while preserving sound quality, thereby improving speech understanding. The algorithm replicates in real time inaudible, high-frequency, speech information to a lower frequency region where it will be audible. Frequency Lowering is designed to benefit patients with steeply-sloping, moderate to severe, high-frequency hearing loss. Frequency Lowering can be enabled/disabled per program.

 

For live voice validation instructions, click here. See Troubleshooting for assistance with solving patient issues regarding Frequency Lowering (e.g., /s/ sounds, lisping, etc.).

 

Enabling/Disabling Automatically, Source and Target Regions, Bandwidth, and GainEnabling/Disabling Automatically, Source and Target Regions, Bandwidth, and Gain

 

If the patient's audiogram meets the audiometric criteria for frequency lowering and Best Fit All Programs is applied, Frequency Lowering is automatically enabled for all programs except Disabled and Music. If the patient's audiogram doesn't meet the audiometric criteria, Frequency Lowering is automatically disabled for all programs. However, Frequency Lowering can be enabled manually. If Frequency Lowering is enabled, a green/yellow shaded region displays on all fitting graphs except Tinnitus. The green shaded region represents the Source Region, which is the range where high-frequency sounds are identified. The yellow shaded region represents the Target Region where the range in the identified high-frequency sounds are replicated.

 

If Frequency Lowering is enabled by default, the Source and Target Regions, Frequency Lowering Bandwidth, and Frequency Lowering Gain settings are set based on the patient's hearing loss. Frequency Lowering Bandwidth is a multi-parameter adjustment that affects both the Source and Target Regions. Seven settings are available, ranging from Minimum to Maximum. A more aggressive Frequency Lowering Bandwidth can be achieved by moving the control toward Maximum. Frequency Lowering Gain can be adjusted from -5 to 5 dB in 1 dB increments.

 

Speech in Loud Noise, Spatial Adaptation, and Frequency LoweringSpeech in Loud Noise, Spatial Adaptation, and Frequency Lowering

 

Speech in Loud Noise and Spatial Adaptation can be used together, but neither can be enabled simultaneously with Frequency Lowering. If one feature is already enabled and the other is enabled, a message will be displayed to select the desired feature. If Frequency Lowering was previously enabled and is then disabled on all devices in the fitting, Spatial Adaptation is automatically enabled.

  1. Connect and select the desired hearing aid(s) to adjust via Connect.
  2. Click Connect.
  3. Click Frequency Lowering from the Left Navigation Menu.
    Tip:  The bold green curve on the fitting graph represents the high-frequency speech output. To display the high-frequency speech input, which is represented in a thin green curve, click the checkbox Display High-Frequency Speech Input.
    Note:  Regardless of the graphical view currently selected, Real Ear Response output and High-Frequency Speech Input always displays on the fitting graph while on this screen.

  4. Click on the specific program to adjust if applicable, or click to adjust all programs simultaneously.

    Note:  If one-way program linking is enabled , only gain and output adjustments made to *Personal will be applied simultaneously to all one-way linked programs. Custom programs created in the My Starkey mobile application can be adjusted during a live fitting. See Adjusting Custom Programs During a Live Fitting for more information.
    Note:  This feature is not available for Music or tinnitus stimulus only enabled programs.

  5. Pro Fit automatically defaults to a binaural view if applicable. To adjust only the right or left hearing aid, click Select Right Only or Select Left Only.

    Note:  If fitting CROS/BiCROS devices, only the receiver aid can be adjusted; therefore, the side cannot be selected.
  6. Click the On or Off radio button to enable or disable Frequency Lowering.
    Note:  If Off is selected, a message to match the frequency response to targets displays and the Frequency Lowering Bandwidth and Gain fields are disabled.
    Note:  If viewing binaurally, both hearing aids will be enabled or disabled based on the selection. To enable or disable the right or left hearing aid only, click Select Right Only or Select Left Only and then click On or Off.
  7. Click on the radio button representing the desired Frequency Lowering Bandwidth setting.
    Note:  The Source (green) and Target (yellow) Regions expand or contract based on the setting selected.
  8. Drag the slider bars Adjust gain all right Adjust gain all left to increase or decrease the Frequency Lowering Gain per ear side or click or to increase or decrease binaurally.

QuickTIP