Adaptive directional microphones automatically vary the direction of maximum amplification or rejection (to reduce an interfering directional sound source). The direction of amplification or rejection is varied by the hearing aid processor. The processor attempts to provide maximum amplification in the direction of the desired speech signal source or rejection in the direction of the interfering signal source. Unless the user manually temporarily switches to a "restaurant program, forward only mode" adaptive directional microphones frequently amplify the speech of other talkers in a cocktail party type environments, such as restaurants or coffee shops. The presence of multiple speech signals makes it difficult for the processor to correctly select the desired speech signal. Another disadvantage is that some noises often contain characteristics similar to speech, making it difficult for the hearing aid processor to distinguish the speech from the noise. Despite the disadvantages, adaptive directional microphones can provide improved speech recognition in noise