For the millions of people with hearing loss, digital technology offers the promise of improved listening with the help of hearing aids. Digital techniques have the potential to do some things better than conventional analog methods, and may some day give hearing aid users advantages they do not have now. However, in reality, there is misunderstanding about digital technology, in particular, the differences between digital and analog techniques, and between fully digital hearing and digital hearing aid components.
Digital technology can tailor the various listening environment needs of hearing aid users.
It can process sounds that reduce background noise, improve the clarity of speech, and control unwanted loudness. Most hearing aids now use a combination of the digital and analog methods for best results. In the future, digital techniques may allow more precise adjustments to improve further the clarity of speech. A person wearing a hearing aid is faced with many different listening situations. Manual adjustments of the volume control or other controls on conventional hearing aids may be necessary before a person can hear well when moving from one listening environment to another.