Frye FP35 Manual

A SERVICE OF

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Chapter 4 93

Automated Test Sequences

There are several different automated test sequences available with the FP35

analyzer. One test sequence of your choice is included as a standard feature

when the FP35 is ordered. The other test sequences can be added as optional

features.

The available automated test sequence include: ANSI 96, ANSI 03, IEC, JIS,

and ISI.

4.1 The ANSI Sequence

The ANSI test sequence allows you to test hearing aids according to the ANSI

S3.22 standard. You can use the ANSI test to control the quality of the hearing

aids that you dispense. Compare the manufacturer’s specifications with your

own ANSI measurements of an aid. If they do not conform within expected tol-

erances, you can contact the manufacturer.

There are two versions of the ANSI S3.22 standard on the FP35 analyzer: ANSI

96 and ANSI 03. As of the printing of this manual, ANSI 96 is the current stan-

dard to which the FDA requires hearing aid manufacturers to label their hearing

aids. ANSI 03 will eventually replace this standard, but the date of the switch-

over is not yet known.

Here are the major differences in the two versions of the standard:

• WhenyousetupanAGCaidforanANSI03testsequence,youwillstart

with its compression controls set to minimum (with the compression

knee point set as high as possible). Just before the input/output measure-

ments, the test sequence will pause to allow you to set the compression

controls of the aid to maximum (with the compression knee point set as

low as possible). In ANSI 96, AGC aids are tested with their compression

controls set to maximum for all measurements.

• Whenyouadjustthegaincontrolofthehearingaidmidwaythroughthe

ANSI 03 automated test sequence, the measured reference test gain value

needs to be within 1.5 dB of the target value. In ANSI 96, the measured

valued needs to be instead of within 1 dB of the target value.

• TheEINformulainANSI03usesa50dBSPLinputinsteadofthe60dB

SPL input used in ANSI 06. With ANSI 96, any aid with a compression

knee point below 60 dB SPL showed artificially high EIN results. This

means that ANSI 03 EIN test results should be better (lower) for AGC

aids.