Exploration of the Functional Effect of Modified Gain Precalculation on Soft Speech Intelligibility

April 21, 2026 updated by: Sebastian Griepentrog
An exploratory investigation of gain precalculation principles in CE-labelled Sonova brand hearing instruments (e.g. Phonak hearing instruments) is intended to be conducted on hearing impaired participants. These gain precalculation principles are enabled by respective hearing instrument technologies and hearing instrument algorithms. The aim of the study is to investigate and assess strength and weaknesses of these gain precalculation principles in terms of speech intelligibility to determine their application in hearing instruments (Phase of development). Objective laboratory measurements as well as subjective ratings will be carried out. This will be a controlled, single blinded and randomized active comparator clinical evaluation which will be conducted mono centric at Sonova AG Headquarter based in Stäfa.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Recruiting

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

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Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Estimated)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
16

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Contact

Study Contact

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Study Locations

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult
  • Older Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

No

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

  • Hearing impaired adult at a minimum age of 18 years
  • Good written and spoken german skills
  • Ability to fill in a questionnaire concientiously
  • Ability to produce a reliable hearing test result
  • Ability to describe listening impressions / experiences
  • Audiogram is in the fitting range of the hearing aids

Exclusion Criteria:

  • Unaidable hearing loss in one or both ears
  • Auricle deformities that prevent secure placement of the investigational device
  • Acute tinnitus in one or both ears
  • Unwillingness to test the investigational device
  • Asymmetrical hearing loss
  • Hypersensitivity or allergy against synthetic materials
  • Symptoms of vertigo or dizziness
  • Suffering from any otologic disease

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Treatment
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Crossover Assignment
  • Masking: Single

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Active Comparator: Competitor device, hearing aid with standard gain precalculation principle
Each participant will be fitted with two different pairs of hearing aids with different gain precalculation principles. Gain precalculation applies the amplification of sound signals in the hearing aid. The active comparator condition is the state of the art hearing aid gain precalculation from a competitor device.
Device: Hearing aid with gain precalculation principle 1
Each participant will be fitted with two different pairs of hearing aids with different gain precalculation principles. Gain precalculation applies the amplification of sound signals in the hearing aid. The experimental conditions vary in their parametrization to result in different degrees of added amplification.
Device: Hearing aid with gain precalculation principle 2
Each participant will be fitted with two different pairs of hearing aids with different gain precalculation principles. Gain precalculation applies the amplification of sound signals in the hearing aid. The experimental conditions vary in their parametrization to result in different degrees of added amplification.
Experimental: Hearing aid with gain precalculation principle 1
Each participant will be fitted with two different pairs of hearing aids with different gain precalculation principles. Gain precalculation applies the amplification of sound signals in the hearing aid. The experimental conditions vary in their parametrization to result in different degrees of added amplification.
Device: Competitor device, hearing aid with standard gain precalculation principle
Each participant will be fitted with two different pairs of hearing aids with different gain precalculation principles. Gain precalculation applies the amplification of sound signals in the hearing aid. The active comparator condition is the state of the art hearing aid gain precalculation from a competitor device.
Experimental: Hearing aid with gain precalculation principle 2
Each participant will be fitted with two different pairs of hearing aids with different gain precalculation principles. Gain precalculation applies the amplification of sound signals in the hearing aid. The experimental conditions vary in their parametrization to result in different degrees of added amplification.
Device: Competitor device, hearing aid with standard gain precalculation principle
Each participant will be fitted with two different pairs of hearing aids with different gain precalculation principles. Gain precalculation applies the amplification of sound signals in the hearing aid. The active comparator condition is the state of the art hearing aid gain precalculation from a competitor device.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Speech intelligibility
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Speech intelligibility in % will be assessed with a monosyllabic word recognition test for each of the interventional conditions
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Qualitative ratings on naturalness
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Sound Signals will be rated in terms of naturalness on a scale from 0 - 100 in increments of 1 for each interventional condition
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Qualitative ratings on loudness
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Sound Signals will be rated in terms of perceived loudness on a scale from 1 - 5 in increments of 1 for each interventional condition
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Qualitative ratings on own voice quality
Time Frame: From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks
Own voice will be rated in terms of perceived bothersomeness on a scale from 1 - 5 in increments of 1 for each interventional condition
From enrollment to the end of treatment at 3 weeks

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Sebastian Griepentrog

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Josephine Hollenbach, Sonova AG

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
April 20, 2026

Primary Completion (Estimated)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
May 30, 2026

Study Completion (Estimated)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
May 30, 2026

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
January 28, 2026

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
January 28, 2026

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
February 5, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
April 24, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
April 21, 2026

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
April 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

Additional Relevant MeSH Terms

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • SRF-35145

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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