Comparison of the effectiveness of Polish speech masking with PSTS, ISTS signals and babble noise

The aim was to check the effectiveness of Polish speech masking with speech-like signals PSTS (Polish Speech Test Signal), ISTS (International Speech Test Signal) and babble noise. The PSTS and ISTS were primary informational maskers; the babble noise was a primary energy-based masker. The ISTS reflects a female speaker for six different languages. The PSTS was constructed in the same manner as ISTS but the language material was exclusively Polish. We assumed that PSTS and babble noise would mask Polish speech better than ISTS, because they contain specific Polish language phonemes. The listeners were presented with one-syllable words in the presence of ISTS, PSTS and babble noise. Signal- to-Noise ratios at which the listener correctly repeated 50% of the verbal material were determined. On this basis, the effectiveness of masking Polish speech by PSTS, ISTS and babble noise was compared. The research hypothesis was confirmed for babble noise.