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.

Hearing Aids and Further Hearing Loss? Part II

Do Hearing Aids Cause Further Hearing Loss? Last week’s post opened the discussion as to whether hearing aids cause further hearing loss. The issue centers around the concept of threshold shift (or what might more commonly be called changes in hearing sensitivity). More specifically, do powerful hearing aids, or any hearing aids for that matter, potentially lead to further

Hearing Aids and Further Loss?

Does Using Hearing Aids Lead to Further Hearing Loss? – Part I I was asked recently by friend and colleague, Dr. David Preves, if I had any information about whether hearing aids caused further hearing loss. I recall this was a topic in 1974-75 during comments by HAIC (Hearing Aid Industry Conference – now Hearing Industries Association) to an Advisory

Tympanostomy Tubes

New Information About Tympanostomy Tubes By Tom Parker Ear tubes – also known as tympanostomy tubes or grommets – have long been a common solution to chronic ear problems in children. In fact, myringotomy with tube insertion is the most commonly performed outpatient surgery on children in the United States (more than 670,000 undergo the procedure every year). The function

Hearing Aid Distribution Thoughts

The Future – Marketing Factors The previous multi-part series on Wayne’s World looked at past and existing hearing aid distribution systems. This presentation is intended to look forward into hearing aid distribution in the future, but not with specific directions or suggestions. Instead, it is more of a “yellow light, ” cautioning that there are marketing factors that should be

Open Tube Real-Ear Gain Response

Check and Double Check – Open Tube, Part 2 Dilemma – Gain vs. Acoustic Feedback A previous posting presented a hearing aid fitting dilemma – one that is not generally discussed. One side presented information on a closed fit RIC showing that as the insertion depth increased, so did the high-frequency amplification – an expected advantage based on Boyle’s Law (Staab).

RIC IG Closed Tip Responses

Check and Double Check – Closed Fit, Part 1 In a previous blog I provided the graph in Figure 1 of an RIC (receiver-in-the-canal) hearing aid fitted with a closed coupler, showing that greater sound pressure resulted, especially in the high frequencies, as the fitting tip was inserted more deeply into the ear canal. These were RIC IG (insertion gain) measurements.

HA Distribution VII – PSAP, ALD, or Hearing Aid?

PSAP, Assistive Listening Device, or Hearing Aid? To many people, any differentiation between these terms is confusing. Some contend that if it amplifies and looks like a hearing aid, it is a hearing aid. If that is the case, what is the difference between a Pocket Talker and a body hearing aid? They both amplify and look like body hearing

HA Distribution VI – Role for PSAPs?

Is There a Role for PSAPs? The National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Diseases estimates that approximately 36 million Americans have a hearing loss of sufficient magnitude to warrant hearing aid use. But, only about 20% of them have purchased–but are not necessarily using–hearing aids. This disappointing market penetration rate has remained essentially stagnant for the past 30 years

Hearing Aid Distribution – V – PSAPs

Part V of this series on hearing aid distribution, or what might also be called service delivery paradigms, focuses on PSAPs. We have already seen from previous articles in this series that much has been suggested beyond the traditional audiology/hearing aid specialist/otolaryngology office sales from various hearing aid manufacturers. Major competition now comes from storefront hearing aid sales, networks, and

Hearing Aid Distribution – IV

Hearing aid distribution channels have undergone multiple changes throughout the years. This series provides information about some of the significant events that have altered how hearing aids are provided to consumers. All the posts in this series: Hearing Aid Distribution I, II, III, and now IV, take the reader through an historical journey of different approaches that have been suggested