Live Speech Mapping

Live speech mapping is a hearing aid verification technique that allows our audiologists to measure how speech is being amplified while you're wearing your hearing aids.

During the process, a small probe microphone is positioned in your ear canal alongside your hearing aid. As speech is presented, the system measures the sound reaching your ear and displays the results on a screen.

This allows us to see how your hearing aids amplify speech across different frequencies and to make programming adjustments based on your individual hearing needs.

Your hearing aids are initially programmed based on your hearing evaluation, but those settings are only the starting point.

Every ear is different. The size and shape of your ear canal can affect how sound is amplified to your eardrum, which means the same hearing aid settings can perform differently from one person to another.

Live speech mapping gives us objective information about what your hearing aids are actually delivering in your ears.

It helps us evaluate:

Instead of relying solely on the hearing aid manufacturer's initial settings, we can measure performance and fine-tune your devices to your hearing.

For three generations, Apex Audiology has helped people hear and communicate more effectively. While hearing technology has evolved, our approach remains the same:

Live speech mapping doesn't replace a professional hearing evaluation. It builds on what we've already learned about your hearing.

Your hearing test shows us the type, degree, and pattern of your hearing loss. We use those results to program your hearing aids and establish appropriate fitting targets.

Live speech mapping then allows us to evaluate how those settings are performing in your ears when speech is presented.

Numbers don't tell us everything about how you're experiencing your hearing aids.

Live speech mapping provides our audiologists with objective measurements, while your feedback tells us how the devices sound and how you hear in everyday situations.

We use both when fine-tuning your hearing aids:

Together, this gives us a more complete picture than relying on programming software or your initial impression alone.

Your first hearing aid settings aren't necessarily your final settings.

Once you begin wearing your devices during conversations, at work, in restaurants, and in other everyday environments, you may discover situations where additional adjustments could help.

That's why hearing aid follow-up is an important part of our care at Apex Audiology. We can continue to evaluate your experience and adjust your hearing aids as your needs change.

Live speech mapping is performed as part of your hearing aid fitting or verification process and gives our audiologists real-time information about how your devices are performing.

One of the useful aspects of live speech mapping is that you can see the results along with us.

As speech is presented, the visual display shows how your hearing aids are responding across different frequencies. Our audiologist can explain what we're seeing, what adjustments we're making, and why.

This makes you an active part of the fitting process rather than simply having your hearing aids programmed behind the scenes.

When appropriate, we may also use the voice of a spouse, family member, or another person you regularly communicate with as part of the process. This can provide an additional real-world speech signal while we evaluate your hearing aids.

Live speech mapping can be useful at different points in your hearing aid care, not just when you receive a new pair of devices.

Our audiologists may use it:

Whether you're being fitted with new hearing aids or need help improving the performance of your current devices, we can determine whether live speech mapping would be useful as part of your care.

Technology alone doesn't determine how well a hearing aid fits your needs. At Apex Audiology, live speech mapping fits into a broader hearing aid care process:

This approach allows us to combine professional expertise, objective measurements, and your feedback throughout your hearing aid care.