RECD
Pronunciation: R-E-C-D
Also written as: RECD — Real-Ear-to-Coupler Difference
Real-Ear-to-Coupler Difference; a correction factor expressing the acoustic difference between an individual's ear canal and a standard 2-cm³ coupler.
Full Definition
The Real-Ear-to-Coupler Difference (RECD) is a personalised correction factor used in hearing aid fitting to account for the difference in sound pressure level produced in an individual's ear canal compared with a standard 2-cm³ hard-walled coupler. Because ear-canal volume varies significantly—especially in children—applying an age-appropriate RECD allows clinicians to translate coupler-based hearing aid measurements into accurate real-ear estimates without requiring a cooperative patient during every verification session. RECD is expressed in decibels and is frequency-dependent. Editors should note the abbreviation is a single word 'RECD' and should not be hyphenated.
Usage
Usage note: Editors should flag 'real ear to coupler difference' (without hyphens) as non-standard; the hyphenated form 'Real-Ear-to-Coupler Difference' is correct when written out in full.
In Context
- "An individual RECD was measured and applied to the DSL fitting targets for the paediatric patient." — Paediatric hearing aid fitting report
- "Age-appropriate average RECD values were used in the absence of a measured individual RECD." — Hearing aid prescriptive fitting note