- Authors:
-
Hilgemann,
F.
,
Jax,
P.
- Journal:
- IEEE Open Journal of Signal Processing
- Volume:
- 7
- Page(s):
- 173-184
- number:
-
- Date:
-
Feb. 2026
- ISSN:
- 2644-1322
- DOI:
- 10.1109/OJSP.2026.3656057
- Language:
- English
Abstract
The use of equalization filters to achieve acoustic transparency can improve the sound quality of hearables and hearing aids. Finite impulse response (FIR) filters guarantee stability and offer a listening impression close to the open ear, but their implementation may conflict with the resource constraints typical of hearing devices. Infinite impulse response (IIR) filters are commonly used to meet these constraints, but their design often lacks stability and performance guarantees. Therefore, we consider indirect IIR filter design methods that extend FIR filter designs with an IIR approximation step. To mitigate the performance degradation caused by the IIR approximation, we establish a formal connection between optimization variable and IIR approximation error, and propose an approximation-aware design algorithm based on the nuclear norm heuristic. The evaluation considers the design of hear-through filters using real-world measurement data. The proposed approach can reduce the time-domain mean-squared error by up to 6 dB compared to conventional methods, and shows a high robustness against between-person variance. Thus, the results offer an improvement in hearing device personalization within practical constraints.
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