344 - Sound Preference: Bridging the Gap in Hearing Aid Fit and Satisfaction

Could understanding individual sound preference be the key to improving hearing aid adoption and satisfaction?

Bob Traynor, live from WSA headquarters in Copenhagen, speaks with Lise Henningsen, Head of Audiology Evidence & Validation at WSA, about the emerging concept of sound preference—and why it may be a missing piece in hearing care.

Drawing on WSA’s latest research, they discuss how patients with similar audiograms can have very different reactions to sound processing, and why traditional best practices alone don’t always lead to successful outcomes.

The conversation explores how clinicians have long observed this variability in practice, often working across multiple brands and sound philosophies to better match patient needs. Henningsen explains how sound preference—though difficult to measure—plays a meaningful role in patient experience, influencing comfort, satisfaction, and long-term device use. WSA is now working to better define and quantify sound preference through ongoing research, including controlled studies with the University of Washington and Vanderbilt University.

These efforts aim to better understand how preference affects acclimatization, mood, and overall outcomes—and how simple tools, such as short listening assessments, could help guide more personalized hearing care.

• To learn more about WSA's sound preference research and clinical implications visit: https://www.wsa.com/soundpreference/

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