What is a significant limitation of testing in soundfield for hearing assessments?

Testing in a soundfield for hearing assessments primarily involves presenting sounds through loudspeakers rather than direct earphones, which leads to a key limitation: the lack of ear specificity. This means that the results cannot accurately determine how each ear is responding to sound stimuli. In clinical practice, knowing how each ear functions individually is crucial, especially when considering conditions such as unilateral hearing loss or asymmetrical hearing sensitivity.

In soundfield testing, sounds are emanated from a central location, causing them to be received by both ears simultaneously. This can mask the ability to assess conditions where one ear may have better or worse hearing than the other. Without this ear-specific information, it becomes challenging to develop targeted treatment strategies or interventions that might benefit the patient. Hence, the lack of ear specificity stands out as a significant limitation in soundfield testing for hearing assessments.