Real Ear Attenuation Measurements of Ear Protectors Using Ear Phones: I at Threshold

Abstract

It is well known that the real ear attenuation of the hearing/ear protectors (ear plug/insert type) are measured using free-field audiometric measures. The difference in the free-field thresholds for narrow band noises at different central frequencies, measured with  and  without the hearing protector in the  external auditory meatus of both the ears together, is considered as  the real ear  attenua- tion provided by those ear protectors. This attenuation, thus measured,  deter- mines the attenuation characteristic of the ear protectors used.