Wayne Staab

Dr. Staab is an internationally recognized authority in hearing aids. As President of Dr. Wayne J. Staab and Associates, he is engaged in consulting, research, development, manufacturing, education, and marketing projects related to hearing. His professional career has included University teaching, hearing clinic work, hearing aid company management and sales, and extensive work with engineering in developing and bringing new technology and products to the discipline of hearing. This varied background allows him to couple manufacturing and business with the science of acoustics to bring innovative developments and insights to our discipline. Dr. Staab has authored numerous books, chapters, and articles related to hearing aids and their fitting, and is an internationally-requested presenter. He is a past President and past Executive Director of the American Auditory Society and a retired Fellow of the International Collegium of Rehabilitative Audiology. Interests engaged in outside of the above include: fishing, hunting, hiking, mountain biking, golf, travel, tennis, softball, lecturing, sporting clays, 4-wheeling, archery, swimming, guitar, computers, and photography. These are great topics of discussion away from business.

Featured image for “Sound Branding”

Sound Branding

Last week’s post chronicled the story of Harley-Davidson, the motorcycle manufacturer, attempting to get a federal trademark on what many call the unique sound of a Harley (motorcycle). After years and tens of thousands of dollars fighting comments from other motorcycle companies, and no end in sight to the litigation, Harley voluntarily withdrew their sound branding trademark application. This HHTM

HOG’s Sweet Sound

Sometimes late at night, accountant Laura Weiner thunders through the New River Tunnel in Fort Lauderdale, revving her Harley’s engine. ”I love that sound,” she says1. It is what many call the the HOG’s sweet sound. But, this sound is not a squeal, and this HOG is not for eating. And, evidently, many other motorcycle riders like the sound.

Featured image for “Ear Impression Terms – Part 2”

Ear Impression Terms – Part 2

Terminology associated with ear impression material is sometimes confusing to those who take ear impressions on a routine basis. This post continues the discussion on ear impression terms from a previous post. Compression Set This is the amount of permanent deformation resulting when a material is compressed to a specific deformation for a specified time and temperature. This test

Featured image for “Ear Impression Terminology”

Ear Impression Terminology

Ear impression material has been developed to provide certain characteristics to enable it to provide as accurate a representation of the concha and/or ear canal as possible. This means that it should flow properly, provide an accurate image of what it comes in contact with, set up properly without distortion, remove without distortion or breakage, maintain its shape during storing

Featured image for “Some Personal Words About Earl Harford”

Some Personal Words About Earl Harford

By James Curran Recent generations of audiologists may have heard Earl Harford’s name from their teachers or run across one of his many publications and writings during their student years. But only those of us who were there from the early days really know who he was and what he meant to our profession. Earl Harford

Featured image for “Ear Impression History – The Slow Death of Powder and Liquid”

Ear Impression History – The Slow Death of Powder and Liquid

Logic would suggest that with the advantages of silicone ear impression material, that the transition from ethyl methacrylate to silicone would have occurred fairly rapidly. Not so, as ear impression history shows. In essence, the 1970s was the main transition period, but it started in the 1960s, and continued well into the mid 2000s. 1970s – A Period in

Featured image for “Instant Earmolds From Impressions”

Instant Earmolds From Impressions

The desire to use the ear impression as the final earmold was an early objective of some earmold impression providers. For hearing aid dispensers, to be able to provide instant earmolds from impressions would certainly circumvent many of the problems they encountered with delays in delivery, remakes, distant service calls, cost, etc. Early instant earmolds from impression materials fell

Featured image for “Ethyl Methacrylate to Silicone Ear Impressions”

Ethyl Methacrylate to Silicone Ear Impressions

Ear impression material is basically a compound (substance formed from two or more elements) with polymer, or a blend of polymers, as the fundamental component in determining the impression material properties. Affecting the polymer makeup are the type of molecular forces that are applied. Monomers (one part) are the building blocks that when bonded together (Figure 1), create the more

Featured image for “Ear Impression Materials – Ethyl Methacrylate to Silicone”

Ear Impression Materials – Ethyl Methacrylate to Silicone

The history of ear impression materials has not been systematically traced, even though what have been described as “custom” earmolds have been reported to at least 18851, implying that some kind of ear impression served as a model. The first report identifying an impression material for the ear (wax) was by Hawksley in 1890. The Hawksley reference, and a previous post, have

Featured image for “Bill Rintelmann (1930-2016)”

Bill Rintelmann (1930-2016)

Those in the discipline of hearing, and many individuals, are saddened to hear that one of the pioneers in our field, William “Bill” Rintelmann, passed away on August 21, 2016 at his home in Carefree, AZ. His exemplary academic career in audiology started with his graduation from Arizona State College, followed by M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Indiana University. Bill