Mr David McMaster, a Hearing Australia Centre manager with hearing loss, is the first person in the world to be fitted with the revolutionary National Acoustic Laboratories NAL-NL3 hearing aid fitting formula.
“The sound was immediately comfortable,” he said. “I’m noticing better awareness of people talking to me – I’m catching what’s being said straight away.
“Speech is clear and crisp and at a really good volume. I’m looking forward to trying my hearing aids in a variety of situations.”
The Hearing Australia audiologist who fitted the hearing aid to McMaster, Ms Alexandra Goddard, was also impressed.
“Using NAL-NL3 was exciting,” she told Hearing Practitioner Australia.
“I was really impressed that I didn’t have to make any ‘tweaks’ to the hearing aid settings following the match to target. The client immediately found the sound comfortable and clear.”
Australians with hearing loss are already benefitting from the new generation hearing aid fitting prescription, NAL-NL3, after Hearing Australia’s world-first use of it during fitting of GN hearing aids.
GN announced on 12 March that its new fitting software containing NAL-NL3 – ReSound Smart Fit 2.3.1 and Beltone Solus Max 2.3.1 – would be released in Australia to the general hearing care market in April 2026. GN’s Hearing Australia Fitware 2.3.1 launched earlier in March 2026.
The solution is now rolling out across the globe.
Developed in Australia by the National Acoustic Laboratories (NAL), the research division of Hearing Australia, NAL-NL3 designed for evidence-based, precise fittings. It is the first new hearing aid fitting formula in 15 years and features a suite of prescriptions, rather than the existing one size fits all solution.
The fitting system ensures hearing aid settings are tailored to an individual’s hearing needs and allows audiologists to personalise hearing aid fittings more precisely.
NAL-NL3 will become the new international standard for fitting hearing aids, licensed to more than 90% of the global hearing aid manufacturer market.
Hearing Australia research reveals 82% of Australians admit that large gatherings are more difficult for people with hearing loss.1 The NAL-NL3 Fitting System was designed to help people hear speech more clearly in noisy situations while maintaining listening comfort.2
More than 22 million hearing aids are sold globally each year.3 The new solution builds on NAL-NL2, the most widely used hearing aid fitting prescription globally. NAL-NL3 represents the latest advancement in hearing aid prescriptions developed by NAL over the past 50 years.
A more personalised approach
The NAL-NL3 Fitting System introduces a modern modular system, enabling clinicians to better address the diverse needs of people with hearing difficulties. Dr Brent Edwards, NAL director, said the modular design allowed the system to evolve to help address unmet hearing needs.
“We’re moving away from a one-size-fits-all prescription to a system that can continue to grow and adapt over time,” he said. “The NAL-NL3 Fitting System allows clinicians to better tailor hearing solutions to individual listening needs and real-world situations.”
Innovation driven by Australian hearing research and expertise
NAL-NL3 represents years of rigorous research combined with deep clinical insight.
“The close partnership with Hearing Australia’s clinicians has been central to the development of NAL-NL3,” Dr Edwards said in a media release on 23 March 2026.
“The global launch reinforces NAL’s reputation for producing high-quality, evidence-based solutions trusted by clinicians and hearing aid manufacturers around the world.”
Mr Kim Terrell, Hearing Australia managing director, said the organisation was proud to be the first hearing provider in the world to use NAL-NL3.
“This collaboration with NAL reflects our shared commitment to clinical excellence and delivering better outcomes for the people we support every day,” he said.
“Hearing aid technology is evolving constantly and NAL-NL3 is a game changer for people with hearing loss. I encourage anyone experiencing hearing difficulty to take the first step and book an appointment with Hearing Australia. My hearing device has been life changing for me.”
References:
- Nationally representative online survey of n=1,022 Australian adults conducted by Lightspeed on behalf of Hearing Australia. The survey was conducted from 20 October to 24 October 2025.
- Kitterick, P. T., Zakis, J. A., Kwok, C., Croteau, M., Monaghan, J. M., Mishra, D., Gavrilis, J., et al. A New Approach to Hearing Aid Gain Prescription for Listening in Noise: The NAL-NL3 Comfort In Noise Module. [Unpublished manuscript].
- The Hearing Review, The European Hearing Instrument Manufacturers Association
More reading
GN to launch world first hearing aid software featuring NAL-NL3 fitting formula
Groundbreaking NAL-NL3 fitting formula reveals new ways of fitting hearing aids
The new NAL-NL3 hearing aid fitting formula: An evolution and a revolution
