Real Ear Measurement in Lawrenceville, GA

A premium hearing aid can still underperform when it is not verified in the ear. The technology matters, but the hearing aid fitting determines whether important speech sounds are actually reaching the eardrum at useful and comfortable levels.

At Hearing Aid Factory Outlet in Lawrenceville, we use Real Ear Measurement, also called REM, with our Signia Unity 5 real-ear measurement system to measure what a hearing aid is delivering inside the individual patient’s ear canal. This replaces guesswork with objective information and gives us a more accurate starting point for clarity, comfort, and long-term success.

What is Real Ear Measurement?

During REM, a soft, very thin probe tube is placed carefully in the ear canal near the eardrum. The hearing aid is then positioned in the ear as it would be worn normally. Calibrated speech-like sounds are presented through a speaker while the probe microphone measures the sound reaching the eardrum.

The measured response is compared with an established prescriptive target based on the patient’s hearing evaluation. We can then adjust the hearing aid while seeing how each change affects soft, average, and louder speech.

The procedure is usually comfortable and takes only part of the fitting appointment. Most patients barely notice the probe tube.

Gwen’s sound-treated booth is unusually spacious, allowing both the patient and the hearing specialist to be inside together during testing and fitting. That makes it easier to communicate clearly, observe the patient’s responses, explain each step in real time, and help older adults or anxious patients feel more comfortable than they might in a small single-person booth.

The hearing aid is only half the solution

Starkey, Signia, Phonak, and other leading manufacturers build sophisticated hearing aids with advanced speech processing, directional microphones, noise-management systems, and highly capable fitting software. But even excellent technology can underperform when it is left at a predicted first fit or adjusted only according to how it sounds in a quiet office.

The manufacturer builds the hearing aid. The fitting professional determines how accurately that technology is matched to the person wearing it. Real Ear Measurement connects those two parts by showing what the device is actually delivering inside the ear—not merely what the software predicts it should deliver.

That helps explain why two people can purchase the same hearing aid model and report very different results. Ear-canal size, dome fit, earmold venting, receiver strength, insertion depth, hearing-loss pattern, and programming choices can all change the final sound at the eardrum.

Why manufacturer first-fit settings are not the finish line

Hearing aid fitting software uses the audiogram, fitting formula, device model, receiver, dome or earmold, and other information to calculate a starting point. That first fit is valuable, but it remains a prediction based partly on averages.

Every ear canal has its own acoustic shape. A setting that looks correct on the computer screen may leave important speech sounds too soft, make certain frequencies overly sharp, or provide more output than the patient can comfortably tolerate.

REM lets us measure those differences rather than guessing. The goal is not simply to make everything louder. The goal is to make speech accessible while keeping louder sounds controlled and comfortable.

How Starkey, Signia, and Phonak fit into the process

Each manufacturer provides professional fitting tools, but the underlying principle remains the same: sophisticated software works best when its predictions are checked against the response inside the patient’s ear.

Starkey

Starkey has developed fitting integrations designed to communicate with compatible Real Ear Measurement equipment and support more efficient target matching. That can streamline the professional workflow, but the value still comes from measuring the aided response in the individual ear and making clinical adjustments based on that result.

Phonak

Phonak Target includes TargetMatch, a guided verification workflow that supports probe-tube placement, real-ear measurements, and automatic matching to selected fitting targets when used with compatible REM equipment. It is a strong example of a manufacturer recognizing that accurate verification belongs inside the fitting process—not after it.

Signia

Signia’s fitting approach begins with the hearing test, device selection, acoustic coupling, and professional fine-tuning. Signia also explains that in-ear output measurements may be used to confirm that the amplification provided is appropriate for the hearing loss. This is especially important because the physical fit and unique ear anatomy influence what reaches the eardrum.

These tools are not reasons to choose a hearing aid by brand name alone. They are reasons to expect a professional fitting process that uses the manufacturer’s software and then verifies the real-world result.

What REM can reveal

Real Ear Measurement can identify problems that may not be obvious from patient reaction alone:

• Under-amplified speech: Important consonants may remain too soft even though voices sound louder overall.
• Excessive high-frequency output: Dishes, paper, or certain voices may sound sharp or piercing.
• Too much or too little low-frequency sound: Voices may sound boomy, hollow, weak, or unnatural.
• Differences between ears: One hearing aid may be meeting the target while the other is not.
• Effects of domes and earmolds: Venting, leakage, insertion depth, and coupling can materially change the measured response.
• Changes after repair or replacement: A repaired device, new receiver, new earmold, or different dome may require renewed verification.

Why REM can make a fitting feel like night and day

Many patients arrive saying, “I can hear people talking, but I still cannot understand the words.” Often the hearing aids are providing volume without enough access to the softer speech details that carry clarity—sounds such as s, f, th, and sh.

When those frequencies are under-amplified, a person may hear the voice but miss the word. When they are over-amplified, speech may become sharp and tiring. A verified fitting can correct those mismatches. For some patients, the improvement in clarity, balance, and comfort can feel dramatic.

Results still depend on the type and degree of hearing loss, word-recognition ability, cognition, distance, and background noise. REM cannot restore normal hearing or guarantee perfect understanding. What it can do is help ensure the hearing aids are not leaving useful performance on the table because of an inaccurate fitting.

What happens during a Real Ear Measurement appointment?

1. We review your hearing and real-world complaints

We begin with the hearing test and the situations that matter most—family conversations, church, restaurants, meetings, television, the car, or work.

2. We inspect the ears and physical fit

The ear canals are checked, and the fit of the hearing aids, domes, receivers, or earmolds is reviewed. Physical fit affects comfort, retention, feedback, and the sound response.

3. We place the probe tube

A small, flexible tube is positioned carefully near the eardrum. The hearing aid is then placed into the ear alongside it.

4. We measure soft, average, and louder speech

Calibrated speech-like signals are presented through a speaker. The system shows how much sound is reaching the eardrum across the frequency range.

5. We adjust and remeasure

Gain, frequency response, and output are adjusted while we watch the measured response move toward the selected targets. Patient comfort and experience remain part of every decision.

6. We build the follow-up plan

Verification creates a strong starting point. We then review use, care, charging, phone connectivity, realistic expectations, and the specific environments to test before the next visit.

Who should ask for Real Ear Measurement?

• Anyone receiving new hearing aids
• Anyone who hears sound but still misses words
• Anyone whose hearing aids seem overly sharp, weak, boomy, or unbalanced
• Experienced users who have never had their fitting verified
• People who purchased hearing aids elsewhere and are disappointed with the result
• Anyone changing receivers, domes, earmolds, or hearing aid styles
• Patients whose hearing has changed or whose devices no longer perform as expected

Can we verify hearing aids purchased somewhere else?

In many cases, yes. Existing hearing aids may be evaluated and reprogrammed depending on the brand, model, condition, software access, and compatibility. We first inspect the devices, review the hearing test, and determine whether the technology is appropriate for the current hearing loss.

Sometimes the problem is programming. Sometimes it is wax, a weak receiver, a poor physical fit, an incorrect dome, damaged microphones, or technology that is no longer suitable. REM is most valuable when it is part of a complete troubleshooting process rather than used in isolation.

Learn more about hearing aid programming, reprogramming existing hearing aids, and hearing aid repair.

REM and hearing in background noise

Real Ear Measurement does not directly simulate every restaurant or crowded room, and it cannot eliminate background noise. What it can do is make sure the hearing aid is delivering an appropriate speech signal before advanced directional and noise-management features are asked to do their job.

If the basic fitting is inaccurate, premium noise-management features may never reach their full potential. We may also use speech-in-noise testing to measure how much separation between speech and noise a patient needs and then use that result when discussing technology and realistic expectations.

Why follow-up care still matters

A target match is not the end of the relationship. Hearing aids are worn in changing real-world environments, not only in a quiet office. Patients may prefer small adjustments after trying the devices with family, in restaurants, while driving, or at church.

The strongest fitting combines objective verification with careful listening to the patient. REM tells us what the hearing aid is delivering. Your daily experience tells us how that fitting is working in your life. Both matter.

Frequently asked questions

Is Real Ear Measurement painful?

No. The probe tube is soft and very small. Most patients tolerate it easily and barely notice it.

How long does REM take?

The measurement itself generally takes only part of the fitting appointment. Additional time is used for programming, physical-fit checks, counseling, device orientation, and questions.

Do premium hearing aids still need REM?

Yes. Advanced technology does not remove individual differences in ear anatomy or guarantee that a predicted first fit is accurate at the eardrum.

Does REM work with rechargeable hearing aids?

Yes. REM can be used with many rechargeable and battery-powered hearing aids.

Does REM work with custom or invisible hearing aids?

It can be used with many hearing aid styles, although probe placement and the exact procedure may vary with the device and ear anatomy.

Will one REM appointment eliminate every future adjustment?

No. REM creates a verified starting point. Hearing changes, physical-fit changes, repairs, new listening needs, and patient preferences may still lead to future adjustments.

What should I bring?

Bring your hearing aids, charger or batteries, accessories, smartphone, and any recent hearing test. Also bring a list of the situations where the devices help and where they still fall short.

Real Ear Measurement in Lawrenceville and Gwinnett County

Hearing Aid Factory Outlet provides Real Ear Measurement and precision hearing aid fittings at our Lawrenceville location inside Sugarloaf Mills. We serve patients from Lawrenceville, Duluth, Suwanee, Buford, Snellville, Loganville, Lilburn, Norcross, and throughout Gwinnett County and Metro Atlanta.

Your fitting is led by Gwen Cantrell, BC-HIS, a nationally board-certified hearing instrument specialist who has been appointed twice by Georgia governors to hearing-care regulatory boards. Our practice combines careful evaluation, multiple leading hearing aid brands, professional fitting equipment, objective verification, and continuing follow-up care.

Schedule a precision hearing aid fitting

If your hearing aids have never felt clear, comfortable, or properly balanced, the problem may not be the technology alone. The fitting deserves a closer look.

Schedule a hearing aid fitting or Real Ear Measurement appointment, or call (404) 786-6416. We are located at 5900 Sugarloaf Parkway in Lawrenceville and are open seven days a week.

Manufacturer information reviewed: Phonak Target and TargetMatch, Starkey REM Target Match, and Signia hearing aid fitting guidance.