Modified binaural pitch-matching test for the assessment of diplacusis

Diplacusis is defined as the phenomenon of hearing the same tone at different pitches in the two ears. Although binaural pitch-matching using method-of-adjustment has been employed in most studies, it is sometimes hard for subjects with impaired hearing to judge 'equal pitch' as one frequency. To resolve this problem, a modified pitch-matching test, in which the relation of pitch sensation between the two ears was assessed as a matched frequency 'range' using the randomized maximum likelihood sequential procedure, was developed. Eight subjects with unilaterally impaired hearing, as well as eight normal subjects, were examined to evaluate this new test procedure. In the present method, matched frequency is assessed as a frequency range, in which subjects cannot judge whether the pitch of the signal in one ear is higher or lower than that in the opposite ear. This method appeared to be useful for assessing the characteristics of diplacusis in subjects with impaired hearing as well as in normal subjects.