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The impact of the microphone position on the frequency analysis of snoring sounds

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Abstract

Frequency analysis of snoring sounds has been reported as a diagnostic tool to differentiate between different sources of snoring. Several studies have been published presenting diverging results of the frequency analyses of snoring sounds. Depending on the position of the used microphones, the results of the frequency analysis of snoring sounds vary. The present study investigated the influence of different microphone positions on the outcome of the frequency analysis of snoring sounds. Nocturnal snoring was recorded simultaneously at six positions (air-coupled: 30 cm middle, 100 cm middle, 30 cm lateral to both sides of the patients’ head; body contact: neck and parasternal) in five patients. The used microphones had a flat frequency response and a similar frequency range (10/40 Hz–18 kHz). Frequency analysis was performed by fast Fourier transformation and frequency bands as well as peak intensities (Peaks 1–5) were detected. Air-coupled microphones presented a wider frequency range (60 Hz–10 kHz) compared to contact microphones. The contact microphone at cervical position presented a cut off at frequencies above 300 Hz, whereas the contact microphone at parasternal position revealed a cut off above 100 Hz. On an exemplary base, the study demonstrates that frequencies above 1,000 Hz do appear in complex snoring patterns, and it is emphasised that high frequencies are imported for the interpretation of snoring sounds with respect to the identification of the source of snoring. Contact microphones might be used in screening devices, but for a natural analysis of snoring sounds the use of air-coupled microphones is indispensable.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Walther-Rathenau-Str. 43-45, 17487, Greifswald, Germany

    Michael Herzog, Thomas Bremert, Werner Hosemann & Holger Kaftan

  2. Department of Otorhinolaryngology, Head and Neck Surgery, University of Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany

    Thomas Kühnel

  3. Section Epidemiology of Health Care and Community Health, Institute of Community Medicine, Ernst-Moritz-Arndt University, Greifswald, Germany

    Beatrice Herzog

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  1. Michael Herzog
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  2. Thomas Kühnel
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  3. Thomas Bremert
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  4. Beatrice Herzog
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  5. Werner Hosemann
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  6. Holger Kaftan
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Correspondence to Michael Herzog.

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Herzog, M., Kühnel, T., Bremert, T. et al. The impact of the microphone position on the frequency analysis of snoring sounds. Eur Arch Otorhinolaryngol 266, 1315–1322 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0858-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00405-008-0858-7

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