Hearing aids often worsen rather than improve sound localization.

Evidence

Adding to the problem is that hearing aids, even when they provide linear amplification, distort the natural relationships between ITD and ILD. They do not compensate for the spectral changes imposed by the pinnae, and microphone location can even remove pinnae effects altogether. Most do not amplify sounds above 6 kHz, where pinna cues are most available. As a result, hearing aids do not typically improve sound localization and often make sound localization worse (cf. Akeroyd, 2014). — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1707

Categorization

• XREF: Connects to the earlier chapter material on ITD/ILD and pinna cues for localization; a binaural deficit these devices silently fail to correct.
• QUESTION: Which specific hearing-aid features (microphone placement, compression of ITD cues) most actively corrupt ITD versus ILD cues?
• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1707