How does a high kneepoint affect gain on soft sounds?

A high knee point in a hearing aid refers to the level at which the compression begins to take effect. When the knee point is high, it means that the hearing aid does not provide additional gain to quiet or soft sounds until they reach that elevated threshold.

As a result, for softer sounds that fall below this knee point, there is less gain available, which can lead to decreased amplification of those quiet sounds. This can result in difficulty hearing softer speech or environmental sounds since the hearing aid is not enhancing them as effectively until they surpass the high knee point. Thus, the relationship is that a high knee point decreases the gain applied to soft sounds, making it harder for users to perceive those sounds clearly.

In contrast, if the knee point were lower, more soft sounds could be amplified effectively, leading to improved overall sound quality for the user. Therefore, understanding how knee points interact with sound levels is crucial for optimal hearing aid fitting and performance.