The hearing complaints in patients with King-Kopetzky syndrome were studied by use of the open-ended hearing problem questionnaire. The main findings are that complaints were commonly focused on the categories of 'live speech' and 'electronic speech' difficulties in patients with King-Kopetzky syndrome, particularly the auditory difficulties of speech in noise and group conversation. However, they reported problems with warning signals significantly less frequently than a control 'audiological rehabilitation' group and the patients studied by Barcham and Stephens (1980). In addition, main psychological problems were related to anxiety (e.g. irritability, nervousness and moodiness) in patients with King-Kopetzky syndrome. The open-ended hearing problem questionnaire appears to be a useful tool that can be used to high-light the speech hearing disability encountered by patients with King-Kopetzky syndrome.