Many people tell us the same thing.
“I hear pretty well in quiet. It’s restaurants and family gatherings that are a problem.”
A regular hearing test in quiet doesn’t always explain why that happens. That’s where a special test called QuickSIN comes in.
QuickSIN helps us measure how well you understand speech in the presence of background noise, just like in real life.
What Is The QuickSIN Test?
QuickSIN stands for Quick Speech in Noise.
Instead of testing your hearing in a perfectly quiet room only, QuickSIN measures how well you understand sentences when there’s talking in the background.
It tells us your signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) loss. In simple terms, that means:
How much louder does the voice you’re trying to listen to need to be compared to the background noise for you to follow the conversation comfortably?
Two people can have the same “regular” hearing test results and very different QuickSIN results. That’s why this test is so important.
What Happens During The QuickSIN Test?
The test is quick, gentle, and painless. Here’s what you can expect:
- We set the volume to a comfortable level
The test is played through headphones or a speaker at a level that’s “loud, but not uncomfortable” for you. - You’ll hear a woman’s voice with background chatter
We often explain it like this:
“Imagine you’re at a party. You’ll hear a woman talking while other voices are murmuring in the background.” - You repeat what you hear
The woman will say short sentences. Your job is to repeat as much of each sentence as you can, even if you only catch one or two words. Guessing is allowed and encouraged. - The noise gets gradually harder
At first, the woman’s voice is much louder than the background noise, so it feels easy.
With each new sentence, the background talkers get louder and louder. This makes it gradually more challenging, just like moving from a quiet corner of a room to the middle of a busy table. - We score the keywords you repeat
Each sentence has a few “key words.” We keep track of how many of those words you repeat correctly. That lets us calculate your SNR loss.
The whole thing only takes a couple of minutes.
What Do The QuickSIN Results Mean?
Your result is given in dB SNR loss. Again, that simply means how much louder the speech needs to be compared to the background noise for you to understand it well.
Here’s a simple way to look at it:
- 0–3 dB – Normal or near-normal in noise
You hear in noise as well as most people with normal hearing. You may even do a little better than average in some situations. - 3–7 dB – Mild difficulty in noise
You may manage fairly well, but busy restaurants, big family dinners, or loud group conversations take more effort. You might feel tired after social events. - 7–15 dB – Moderate difficulty in noise
You likely struggle in many noisy places. You might avoid certain situations or feel like you’re “nodding along” without fully following the conversation. Hearing aids with directional microphones and special settings can make a real difference. - More than 15 dB – Severe difficulty in noise
You need the maximum help we can give you. This might include advanced hearing aid features, remote microphones, or other assistive listening devices.
Remember, this isn’t about passing or failing. It’s about understanding what you’re dealing with so we can match the right solutions to your real-world listening needs.
How Does QuickSIN Help With Hearing Aid Choices?
QuickSIN is more than just a “nice extra” test. It directly helps us:
- Choose the right technology level
If your noise sensitivity is mild, a simpler setup may be enough. If it’s moderate or severe, we’ll likely recommend hearing aids with stronger noise-management, directional microphones, or accessories. - Fine-tune your hearing aids
We can compare your QuickSIN results with and without hearing aids, or in different settings, to see how much benefit you’re really getting. - Set realistic expectations
No hearing aid can completely remove all background noise. QuickSIN helps us explain what you can expect in restaurants, family gatherings, or group conversations so you’re not surprised or disappointed. - Decide when extra tools may help
For larger SNR losses, we might recommend add-ons such as a small microphone placed near the person you want to hear, or other assistive listening devices.
Why This Test Matters To You
If you’ve ever thought:
- “My test says my hearing isn’t that bad, but I still can’t hear people in noise.”
- “I wear hearing aids, but restaurants are still tough.”
QuickSIN helps connect the dots.
It bridges the gap between what we see on paper and what we feel in our everyday lives. That means better recommendations, more personalized solutions, and a clearer understanding of why some listening situations feel so hard.
If you’d like to have your hearing tested in noise, just let us know at your next appointment, and we’ll walk you through the QuickSIN step by step 🧡
