What occurs when the ratio in a hearing aid is set to 10:1?

When a hearing aid has a ratio set to 10:1, it indicates an emphasis on processing sound levels, where soft sounds receive significantly more amplification in relation to higher sound levels. This means that when the device is set to this ratio, it is designed to make softer sounds more audible while maintaining the thresholds for louder sounds.

This setting leads to a decrease in amplification for medium sounds because the 10:1 ratio prioritizes gain for softer sounds, ensuring that the overall sound experience is balanced for users who may struggle with barely audible sounds. However, since medium sounds fall between soft and loud, they receive less gain under this specific ratio setup, resulting in a more pronounced effect on soft sounds but not significantly enhancing the perceived volume of medium sounds.

In contrast, options suggesting more gain to either soft or medium sounds do not accurately reflect the specific function of the 10:1 ratio; it doesn't provide uniform enhancement across sound levels but rather shifts the focus predominantly towards soft inputs. Similarly, the option indicating no gain fails to acknowledge that sound is still being processed, albeit with a focus on soft sounds over medium ones.