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 “The Sounds of Africa – Leopard”

The Sounds of Africa – Leopard

Leopard Communication The Leopard is the largest spotted cat in Africa, and a powerful symbol of the wild places of earth: it is solitary, beautiful, graceful, strong, agile, and cunning. Leopards are heavier and more strongly built than cheetahs, but still one third the size of lions. Their spots are dark rosettes with a hollow center, all on a tan

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Hearing Quotes and Sayings

Hearing-related quotes and phrases come in a multitude of forms, ranging from humorous and insightful to useful and intriguing. In an endeavor to gather a collection of meaningful quotes, I reached out to my colleagues and requested their contributions. While the selection presented here offers a glimpse into the world of hearing-related quotes, it is important to acknowledge that this

Featured image for “The Short Increment Sensitivity Index (SISI) – Historical Vignette in Audiology”

The Short Increment Sensitivity Index (SISI) – Historical Vignette in Audiology

This blog is another in a series of historical vignettes in audiology authored under the direction of Dr. Frank Musiek at the University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT. These provide not only an historical contribution, but relate how this information and testing continues to have application today, but one might have to use their imagination. –Wayne Staab, PhD by Frank Musiek,

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RIC Hearing Aid Acoustic Considerations

Acoustic Application for Successful Hearing Aid Acceptance and Satisfaction A successful RIC hearing aid fitting, like many hearing aid fittings, is not necessarily related to any specific fitting formula, but is based on user satisfaction – the ability to hear, understand, and wear the hearing aid comfortably, without acoustic feedback, and in the presence of noise. And, with RIC-type hearing

Featured image for “Hearing Referral Eight Red Flags”

Hearing Referral Eight Red Flags

Contraindications to Hearing Aid Use Everyone recommending and fitting hearing aids is required by law (FDA, 1977) to determine if a patient has hearing conditions that could contraindicate hearing aid use, at least at the time when the fitting of hearing aids is being discussed. If any of the 8 red flags occur, referral to a physician is mandated, preferably

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The OTC Hearing Aid Consensus Statement: An Opposing View

In August, 2018, a Consensus Paper from hearing care associations was published relative to “Regulatory Recommendations for OTC Hearing Aids: Safety & Effectiveness.”1 The organizations involved in writing this Consensus Paper consisted of the AAA (American Academy of Audiology), ASHA (American Speech, Language, Hearing Association), HIS (International Hearing Society), and ADA (Academy of Doctors of Audiology), groups that could be

Featured image for “Do Hearing Aids Meet ANSI Standards?”

Do Hearing Aids Meet ANSI Standards?

Measuring a hearing aid to ANSI (American National Standards Institute) Standards should be a first step before any programming of the hearing aid is attempted. While it is assumed that the hearing aids meet ANSI Standards, as measured and sent by the manufacturer, confirmation of the hearing aid’s basic foundation is necessary to ensure that the eventual programming of the

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Hearing Aid Sales Pushing the Big Three Fear Motivators

Hearing aid sales, along with advertising and promotion seems to have locked onto the Big Three (cognition, dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease) great fear motivators. (Not all hearing aid advertising, but a significant amount focuses on the Big Three). All three are currently promoted to result in cognition being reduced, slowed, or improved with the use of hearing aids for those

Featured image for “OTC Hearing Aids in the United States: How Did We Get Here?”

OTC Hearing Aids in the United States: How Did We Get Here?

Last month, Dr. Wayne Staab was invited to present on OTC developments in the US at the British Irish Hearing Instrument Manufacturer’s Association (BIHIMA) conference, held in Birmingham, England. With the presentation, he provided attendees at the conference a great synopsis of US government regulations relating to hearing aids from the 1970’s to today. The presentation is now available at

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Binaural Loudness Summation

The phenomenon of binaural summation is considered one of the practical advantages of hearing with two ears. Binaural loudness summation (binaural additivity) has a long history of experimentation. This includes binaural loudness, comparisons between monaural and binaural thresholds, and comparisons of suprathreshold monaural and binaural loudness functions. As early as 1929, von Békésy1 and Causse and Chavasse2, found maximum diotic