Analog hearing aids An analog hearing aid is an instrument in which sound signals are processed by means of conventional, analog technology, just as in record players.

What is analog signal processing?

The word analog means similar or parallel. When an acoustic signal is converted into an electronic signal in a microphone, the two signals will be analog.

The only difference is that the original signal is acoustic and the other electronic.

How does analog signal processing work?

Hearing aids comprise three main components:

A microphone, which picks up sounds from the surroundings

A signal processor, which amplifies and processes the sound signals

A receiver (loudspeaker), which reproduces the processed sound signal.

The hearing aid microphone changes sound into electrical energy. The electrical energy is modified by the amplifier and delivered to the receiver, where it is changed back into sound.

In addition to amplifying the incoming sound, analog hearing aids are also able to process the outgoing sound. One way of doing this is to amplify high-frequency sounds, which are typically difficult to hear for people with a hearing loss. Another way is to provide more amplification for soft sounds than loud sounds, so that the user benefits optimally from the limited dynamic range (the active area of hearing).

Before the sound signal is delivered to the user’s ear it is filtered, amplified and improved by the microphone and receiver.






SEE ALSO:

Digital hearing aids

Hearing aid components

Sound