Real Ear Measurement
What Real Ear Measurement Verifies in a Hearing Aid Fitting
A real ear measurement in Walnut Creek and Brentwood, CA at Contra Costa Hearing Aid Center places a thin probe microphone just millimeters from your eardrum, so we can measure exactly what your hearing aid is delivering, not what the manufacturer's first-fit software predicts. As live speech plays, your hearing specialist 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.
The Verification Step Most Hearing Aid Fitters Skip
Real ear measurement is the published best-practice standard backed by the American Academy of Audiology, yet industry surveys put the share of providers who actually perform it at roughly 30%. Contra Costa Hearing Aid Center follows comprehensive best practices in the mold of Dr. Cliff Olson, so every hearing aid leaves our office with a probe-microphone-verified fitting. It's one of the clearest reasons our clients across Contra Costa County hear better with their devices.
Real Ear Measurement FAQs
Common questions about real ear measurement in Walnut Creek and Brentwood, CA: what it tests, how long it adds to a hearing aid appointment, why most providers 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 calculated from your hearing test.
It matters because a manufacturer's 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 or text (925) 203-9134 to book a verified fitting.
At Contra Costa Hearing Aid Center, 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 time is well spent. If a setting needs to come down because high-frequency sounds are sharp, or up because soft speech is being missed, your hearing specialist can see and hear that on the screen and adjust before you walk out. Plan on a fitting visit running roughly 60 to 90 minutes total. Call or text (925) 203-9134 to book yours.
Yes. Every hearing aid we fit 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 no matter how you came to us. Industry surveys suggest only about 30% of providers nationally perform real ear measurement; closing that gap is one of the clearest reasons clients across Walnut Creek, Brentwood, and the rest of Contra Costa County see better outcomes after a fitting with us.
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 hearing test 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 hearing specialist can see whether soft speech is too quiet, whether louder sounds 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 software.
Your 45-Day Hearing Care Journey
At Contra Costa Hearing Aid Center, better hearing is a guided 45-day journey, not a one-time sale. Every fitting follows comprehensive audiological best practices — precise testing, real-ear verification, and personalized follow-up across Walnut Creek and Brentwood. We fine-tune your devices to the way you actually live, so you keep hearing clearer, more natural sound well after your first visit.
Patient Reviews
Hear from Walnut Creek and Brentwood patients who trust our hearing specialists for expert, no-pressure care.
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Trusted by Contra Costa County patients for unhurried, specialist-led hearing care built around your life and your hearing goals.
Our Locations
Contra Costa Hearing Aid Center has two convenient Contra Costa County offices — Walnut Creek and Brentwood — with free parking and ADA-accessible facilities at both.
- Serving Contra Costa County since 2008
- Free parking at both locations
- ADA accessible at both locations
“I’ve been with Toby Hill for many years now and have always found him attentive, up to date and very personable. Highly recommend.”— Google Reviewer
Walnut Creek
Call or Text1196 Boulevard Way, Suite 1
Walnut Creek, CA 94595
| Monday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |
Brentwood
Call or Text1240 Central Boulevard, Suite A2
Brentwood, CA 94513
| Monday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Tuesday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Wednesday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Thursday | 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM |
| Friday | 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM |
| Saturday | Closed |
| Sunday | Closed |