Sex differences in acceptable noise levels

Listener's sex was investigated as a possible explanation for individual variability in previously reported measures of acceptable noise levels (ANL) by comparing ANLs from young normal hearing males and females (25 each). Acceptable noise levels (ANL) were assessed by having each subject indicate the maximum amount of background noise they were willing to put up with while following the words of a story presented at a comfortable listening level. ANLs were calculated based on the individual's most comfortable level and the average accepted background noise. All testing was administered within a sound field with the story and background noise coming from the same speaker, located at 0 degree azimuth. MCLs, average background noise levels and ANLs were compared between the males and females. A significant difference was found between the MCLs and average acceptable background noise levels of males versus females. However, no difference was found in the ANLs of males and females. Male subjects had a higher intensity MCL and accepted a higher intensity of background noise than the females. Results indicate that even though males preferred a higher intensity MCL and would accept a higher intensity of background noise, males and females preferred to listen to speech at similar signal-to-noise ratios. Great individual variability is present within the results of this study and previous studies, however those variations cannot be explained based on the sex of listener.