Introduction to Audiologic Rehabilitation

This activity is all about understanding the relationship between speech power and speech clarity. Remember from your text that the bulk of speech power comes from low frequencies. So when we say "That person's voice is loud!", we are responding predominantly to the intensity of the lower frequencies. High frequencies add some power too, but very little. We get most of the clarity information, however, from the high frequencies. If we listen to someone and decide that their speech is unclear, then somewhere in the communication path, we lost some high frequencies.

​

Below are a series of audiograms that will help demonstrate this effect. The top row begins with an audio sample that gives you equal access to both high frequencies and low frequencies. The next frame over, however, shows what speech would sound like if you were unable to hear some of the high frequencies. The third frame really reduces the high frequencies. As you play each sample, listen for changes in clarity and power.

​

The next row gradually reduces the low frequencies. Listen for changes in power and clarity.