Real Ear Measurement
What Real Ear Measurement Verifies in a Hearing Aid Fitting
A real ear measurement in Naples, FL at Advanced Hearing Technology places a thin probe microphone just millimeters from your eardrum, so we can hear exactly what your hearing aid is delivering rather than what the manufacturer's first-fit software predicts. As live speech plays, your Doctor of Audiology compares the sound reaching your ear canal against the NAL or DSL prescription target for your hearing loss and fine-tunes the device in real time until the fit matches the science.
Dr. Timothy C. Dunnigan, Au.D.
Founder & Audiologist
The Verification Step Most Hearing Aid Fitters Skip
Real ear measurement is the published best-practice standard from the American Academy of Audiology and ASHA, yet industry surveys put the share of fitters who actually perform it at roughly 30%. Our Doctor of Audiology built a career in clinics where verification was non-negotiable, and it remains the standard for our whole clinical team. Every hearing aid leaves Advanced Hearing Technology with that same probe-microphone-verified fitting, tuned to your ears in Naples and Bonita Springs.
Real Ear Measurement FAQs
Common questions about real ear measurement in Naples and Bonita Springs, including what it tests, how long it adds to a hearing aid appointment, why most clinics skip it, and what verified speech mapping actually changes.
Real ear measurement (REM), sometimes called probe microphone measurement or live speech mapping, is the only direct way to know how much sound is actually reaching your eardrum once a hearing aid is in place. A soft silicone probe rests in the ear canal while live speech plays through the device, and software compares the result against the prescription target curve calculated from your audiogram.
It matters because manufacturers' first-fit software is a starting point, not the answer. Two people with the same hearing loss can need very different adjustments based on ear canal shape and resonance. Without verification, you're trusting an estimate. With REM, you're listening to a hearing aid tuned to your ear, not someone else's. Call (239) 948-3434 to book a verified fitting.
At Advanced Hearing Technology, real ear measurement is built into every hearing aid fitting and follow-up, not billed as an upcharge. The verification step itself takes roughly 10 to 15 minutes per ear on top of the initial programming, plus a short conversation about what you're hearing during the test.
That window is well spent. If a setting needs to come down because high-frequency consonants are sharp, or up because soft speech is being missed, your Doctor of Audiology can see and hear that on the screen and adjust before you walk out. Plan on a fitting visit at our office running roughly 60 to 90 minutes total. Call (239) 948-3434 to book yours.
Yes, every hearing aid fit at Advanced Hearing Technology includes real ear measurement verification at the initial appointment and any time the prescription is materially changed. We don't treat REM as a premium add-on or a separate billing line. It is simply how a hearing aid fitting should be done.
That standard holds regardless of how you came to us. Every patient who walks in for a Doctor-of-Audiology fitting gets the same Naples hearing aid verification. Industry surveys suggest only about 30% of fitters nationally perform real ear measurement; closing that gap is one of the clearest reasons patients see better outcomes after a fitting at our office.
A standard fitting typically stops where the manufacturer's first-fit software stops: the hearing aid is programmed to a generic target based on your audiogram and handed to you. It may sound fine in the office, but there's no measurement of what's actually reaching your eardrum once the device is seated in your ear canal.
A verified hearing aid fitting with real ear measurement closes that gap. With a probe microphone in place, your Doctor of Audiology can see whether soft speech is too quiet, whether consonants are clipping, and whether feedback margins are safe, then adjust accordingly. The result is a device tuned to your ear, your hearing loss, and your real-world listening, not an averaged estimate from a piece of software.
30-Day Hearing Aid Trial Period
Every set of hearing aids fitted at Advanced Hearing Technology in Naples or Bonita Springs comes with a 30-day trial period. Wear your devices where life actually happens — at work, around the dinner table, and out across Southwest Florida. Real-world listening is the only test that counts. If they aren't the right fit within 30 days, bring them back so we can adjust them, exchange them for a different model, or explore another option together.
Patient Reviews
Hear from Naples and Bonita Springs patients who trust Advanced Hearing Technology for unhurried, individualized hearing care.
Reconnect With the Sounds You Love — Book Your Visit
Trusted by Naples and Bonita Springs patients for unhurried, audiologist-led hearing care built around your life and your hearing goals.
Serving Naples & Bonita Springs
Our Locations
Advanced Hearing Technology serves Southwest Florida from two offices, on Pine Ridge Road in Naples and in The Fountains Professional Park in Bonita Springs.
- Naples: (239) 434-7000
- Bonita Springs: (239) 948-3434
- advancedhearingtechnology@gmail.com
- Serving Southwest Florida since 1997
- Doctor of Audiology on staff
- Manufacturer-independent hearing care
“I've been going here for years and always feel heard, not rushed. They explain every option in plain language and never push a sale. It's the kind of care you wish every doctor's office had.”A Naples Patient
3431 Pine Ridge Rd #102
Naples, FL 34109
| Monday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Friday | Closed |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
3350 Woods Edge Cir Ste 101
Bonita Springs, FL 34134
| Monday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM - 5:00 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |