Unwanted sounds generated with test tone presentation can spoil extended high-frequency audiometry

Unwanted sounds from a commercially available audiometer were evaluated in terms of their effects on extended high-frequency (EHF) audiometry. Although the manufacturer reported that the audiometer conformed to relevant International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards, the audiograms obtained using the audiometer were erroneous because the subjects had responded falsely to noise generated with the test tone presentation before detecting the test tone. Analyses of acoustic and electric output signals revealed that the audiometer generated most of the unwanted sounds, not the earphones that were used. Based on the measurement results, clinical implications of the measurement results are discussed for conducting more reliable EHF audiometry.