Central masking effects on spondee threshold as a function of masker sensation level and masker sound pressure level.

Thirteen subjects with normal hearing and thirteen with sensorineural hearing loss were tested with spondaic words to determine their spondee thresholds in the presence of several levels of contralateral noise. Results indicate that the threshold shift ascribed to central masking is a function of the sensation level of the noise. Recommendations for clinical application are made.