Very high SNRs can reduce rather than improve word recognition accuracy

Evidence

Recall that under difficult listening conditions, a 1 dB improvement in the SNR can result in an increase in intelligibility of between 7% and 19%. Due to the deficits associated with sensorineural hearing loss and the large potential benefits of a higher SNR, improving the SNR for listeners with hearing loss has been a focus of modern hearing aids. A variety of techniques are used to improve the SNR, with common ones being directional microphones and noise reduction algorithms. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1734 (#qualifies, via linked claim)

Word recognition scores are also fairly predictable based on the audiogram for patients with sensorineural hearing loss of cochlear origin. Yet, a patient with a retrocochlear hearing loss might present with poorer than expected word recognition scores. This finding might be a result of aging, but it may also reflect retrocochlear pathology. Further evidence of retrocochlear pathology can be evident in word recognition measures as a function of the stimulus level. As with the psychometric function, there should be an increasing relationship between presentation level and word recognition scores. In some cases of retrocochlear disorder, however, word recognition decreases with increasing intensity, a phenomenon called rollover. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1757 (#expands, via linked claim)

Categorization

• corroborated: 2 independent passages support this claim
• XREF: connects to: The range of SNRs contributing to speech intelligibility is wider than SII standards assume; Word recognition that declines with louder speech signals retrocochlear pathology. — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1757; A 1 dB SNR improvement boosts intelligibility by 7 to 19 percent — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1734 (+1 more)

Related

• Word recognition that declines with louder speech signals retrocochlear pathology. (similarity 0.90)
• A 1 dB SNR improvement boosts intelligibility by 7 to 19 percent (similarity 0.88)
• Absence of loudness recruitment signals retrocochlear rather than cochlear pathology (similarity 0.86)
• A 1 dB SNR improvement raises speech intelligibility by 7 to 19 percent. (similarity 0.83)
• Very high speech levels can reduce word recognition scores. (similarity 0.82)
• Detectable changes in speech SNR correspond to roughly 26 percent changes in word intelligibility (similarity 0.82)
• A meaningful speech-in-noise benefit requires at least 6 dB of SNR improvement (similarity 0.80)
• Equal SNR reductions hurt words and sentences alike in noise. (similarity 0.80)
• The range of SNRs contributing to speech intelligibility is wider than SII standards assume (similarity 0.80)
• Improving the SNR by reducing noise helps speech more than raising the target. (similarity 0.80)
• Speech intelligibility saturates beyond certain signal-to-noise ratio bounds. (similarity 0.79)
• Linguistic context lets listeners understand speech at lower acoustic intelligibility (similarity 0.79)
• Hearing aids must preserve adequate signal-to-noise ratio across varied scenarios (similarity 0.79)
• A 3-dB reduction in signal-to-noise ratio lowers intelligibility by 12% (similarity 0.79)
• Pure level changes are rated as valuable as SNR changes despite not aiding intelligibility (similarity 0.79)

Broader Connections

• A 1 dB SNR improvement boosts intelligibility by 7 to 19 percent #qualifies (0.78) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1734
• Word recognition that declines with louder speech signals retrocochlear pathology. #expands (0.75) — Jennifer Lentz, Psychoacoustics- Perception of Normal…, 1757