11 proposed the concept of spatial masking of tinnitus the minimum masking level and desired level were achieved at a lower intensity level when using 3D maskers compared to 2D presentations of noise in tinnitus patients, suggesting the usefulness of spatial masking. For the masking of external sounds (not tinnitus), it is reported that the location of the masker in space is important 10 however, the effects of the spatial location of the masking for true tinnitus are less understood. However, they are usually delivered directly to the ears or head by earphones or headphones. These sounds may divert attention from tinnitus. TRT and numerous other tinnitus therapies have been combined with the use of sounds including white noise, music, and natural sounds 9. The latest guideline from the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery Foundation (AAO-HNSF) for tinnitus recommends a hearing aid and cognitive behavioral therapy and with sound therapy as an option 8. There has been an increase in tinnitus therapies based on hearing aids and tinnitus retraining therapy (TRT) using counselling methods and sound generators 5, 6 based on the neurophysiological model proposed by Jastreboff 7. Recent advances have suggested that plasticity in the cerebral cortex accompanying hearing loss is responsible for tinnitus 4.

Tinnitus is a common symptom, with an estimated morbidity rate Kindly check and of 5–15% in developed countries 1 and affects the quality of life in 1–3% of the total population 2, 3. Binaurally recorded sounds may be beneficial for an acoustic therapy of tinnitus. In conclusion, spatial information regarding the masking noise may play a role in reducing the perception level of simulated tinnitus. The noise presented from a distant speaker and the outside-head noise masked the simulated tinnitus in 71.1% and 77.1% of measurements at a lower intensity compared to the noise beside the ear and the inside-head noise, respectively. In other sessions, monaurally recorded noise localized within the head (inside-head noise) or binaurally recorded noise localized outside the head (outside-head noise) was separately presented from a dual-sided headphone.

White noise was presented to the right ear using a single-sided headphone or a speaker positioned on the right side at a distance of 1.8 m for masking the simulated tinnitus. The 4 kHz simulated tinnitus was induced in the right ear of healthy volunteers through an open-type earphone. We aimed to test whether a masking sound location would affect the perception level of simulated tinnitus. For masking external sounds, location of the masker in space is important however, effects of the spatial location of the masker on tinnitus are less understood. Tinnitus therapies have been combined with the use of varieties of sound/noise.

Binaural audio generator