ABSTRACT
This report represents the second of two providing a consumer-oriented comparison of commercially available auditory evoked potential units. The units compared here were those whose basic price was between $10,000-$30,000 ("midpriced"), and greater than $30,000 ("luxury"). The midpriced group included the Amplaid MK15, Bio-Logic Navigator and Traveler LT, Cadwell 5200A and Quantum 84, GSI-50, Nicolet CA-2000 and Compact Auditory, Nihon-Kohden Neuropak IV Mini, Madsen ERA2250, Siegen (Dantec) Neuroscope, and Tracor Nomad. The luxury units comprised the Bio-Logic Brain Atlas, Cadwell Spectrum 32 and Nicolet Pathfinder. Descriptive information and the names and addresses of users were solicited from the manufacturers for each of the above units. Questionnaires were sent to the users asking them for information on how their unit was used and to rate some of its features. The midpriced and luxury units offer more flexibility and options than less expensive (i.e., "economy") units. However, the basis for a given unit's price versus another's was not always apparent by a comparison of features or options. In general, users of the midpriced and luxury units rated the majority of their instruments' features highly. The lowest ratings were received for some aspect of the printer or print-out, and portability.
Subject(s)
Audiology/instrumentation , Evoked Potentials, Auditory , Audiology/economics , Costs and Cost AnalysisABSTRACT
As the first in a series, the present study was designed to compare and provide a consumer-oriented overview of commercially available auditory evoked potential (AEP) units with a basic price of less than $10,000 (i.e., the "economy" units). The following AEP units fell under this category: Algo-1/Algo-1PLUS, Amplaid MK-10, Nicolet Audit V, Bio-logic PASS, GSI-55, and Modular M-100. Descriptive information and the names and addresses of at least 10 users were solicited from the manufacturers for each of these units. Questionnaires were sent to the users, which asked them to provide information on how their unit was used and to rate some of its features. Results indicate that the economy units generally meet the needs and expectations of the users. They offer the advantages of being easy to use, portable, and reliable. Primary disadvantages relate to lack of flexibility, a problem that could generally be accommodated by upgrading to more sophisticated (and expensive) units.
Subject(s)
Audiometry, Evoked Response/instrumentation , Audiometry, Evoked Response/economics , Costs and Cost Analysis , Evoked Potentials, Auditory , Humans , Surveys and QuestionnairesABSTRACT
Errors on a nonsense syllable test (NST) were compared to pure-tone thresholds and ages of 109 subjects with normal or sensorineural hearing loss. A strong correlation was found between the number of NST errors and hearing loss at 2000 and 250 Hz. NST errors do not appear to be related to the age of subjects. Excellent predictive relationships were found between total NST errors and a weighted pure-tone average for slight to marked sensorineural hearing loss. Implications for counseling, site of lesion, and amplification evaluation are discussed.
