Anyone with Hearing Aids

Lots of issues there. If your ears aren't even, then you may need much more than a balance control. Also, do you have good hearing aids or mediocre?
Finally, if you listen without hearing aids, are you alone? I can't be in the room with my dad if he is not using his hearing aids-it's blasting. With headphones, he needs less volume and has better clarity.
All ears and hearing loss are different. One guy I know has really bad hearing in one ear only. Mono listening is probably the best solution in that case.

Until I discovered I needed hearing aids, I probably went through a dozen sets of vintage speakers (vintage gear is my thing) and preamplifiers looking for the sound that I felt I was missing.

Moreover since my hearing was worse in one ear than the other, each of my systems seemed to have an annoying balance problem.

With the hearing aids (digital), correcting for a measured conversational frequency deficiency, I was immediately satisfied with all of my speakers and the balance problem disappeared. Vocals and violins suddenly became much more crisp.

Although my aids have a "music" setting, along with two other settings for conversational situations, none of these additional settings have any noticeable effect.

I get much more enjoyment listening with the hearing aids than without them.

I believe that hearing aids are just one more component in my audio system, that is, they can make listening more pleasant, but eventually I will begin wondering "what if..." I can get a better - hearing aid, or preamp or DAC or...?

Unfortunately the search for a "better" hearing aid would be cost prohibitive for me.

I much prefer using the hearing aids with speakers. Headphone listening has never excited me.

If you feel you are not enjoying your music more with your hearing aids, go back to your audiologist and explain the problem. Perhaps there is an adjustment which can be made.

Good Luck.

Treehugger....I agree. I just got my aids and the test showed that I am deficient in the highs but my middle and low hearing is pretty good ...(typical for musicians)..... My hearing aids have vented earpieces to allow the middle and low frequencies to enter without it going through the electronics of the hearing aids, and just the highs are restored. I find my stereo sounds better than I can remember it ever sounded.....singers are placed absolutely between the speakers, openness is retained, ....all good. When I use my earphones Sennheiser 650's, I feel no need for the aids....I was told thats because the drivers are so close to my eardrum.