An improved analog-to-digital converter device suitable for use in digital hearing
aids, and methods for operating such a device are disclosed. Aspects of the present
invention may provide a full 16-18 bits (96-108 dB) of dynamic range in a digital
hearing aid circuit using 14-bit analog-to-digital converters typically available
for hearing aid use. An embodiment of the present invention may use two analog-to-digital
converters that are clocked by the same sampling trigger. One of the converters
may be preceded by an amplifier having, for example, 24 dB of gain, while the other
converter may be preceded by an amplifier having 0 dB of gain. The output of the
first converter or the output of the second converter may be used, or a combination
of the two outputs may be used to produce audio for the hearing aid user, depending
upon input signal level.