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Hearing Aid Confusion

Help! I've recently started looking for a hearing aid, but I'm confused by the different information and advice that I've received from audiologists, an ENT specialist, and online literature from manufacturers. My recent audiogram has confirmed what I already knew: that I can use hearing aid help in speech recognition. But I also would like improvement, if possible, in listening to my two channel audio system. (The weakest component in my system is now me.) Some audiologists have told me that I can get a hearing aid with a music "program" that will boost my enjoyment. Others have told me that hearing aids are great for speech recognition but that I should turn the aids off (and even remove them) when listening to music. Who to believe? And if there are aids that actually help in music listening as well as speech recognition, what are the brands and models that I should explore? Any advice from audiophiles with a knowledge of hearing aids would be greatly appreciated.
kusina
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Any of you guys w hearing aids have any experience with this site?
nonoise's avatar
nonoise
10,825 posts
 
Great find there, Swampwalker.

This is one reason why I love the internet. There is better than average chance that a forum will develop whereby people with similar interests can share their knowledge and experience.

Some sites facilitate product development this way as a sort of open source approach.

If only there was an audio site like that. Wait a minute, let me think......

All the best,
Nonoise
swampwalker's avatar
swampwalker
5,138 posts
 
Nonoise- Thx. My wife thinks that the internet is the root of all evil. Go figure.
dollysowner
47 posts
 
I completely agree with Lloydc. It is for this reason that I am so high on the Starkey Wii. Your audiologist will program in the precise eq curves needed for your specific hearing loss. Each ear is programmed separately (it is actually done wirelessly, and you can see the actual eq curves on the audiologist's computer, which is really cool). The Starkey not only allows three separate programs, but also allows for five separate volume levels, all adjusted by means of either little switches on the hearing aids themselves or a pocket-sized remote control. While its frequency response is limited to about 8k, frequencies above 8k are transposed down to an audible range, so it actually tricks you into believing you are hearing an even greater frequency range than you actually are. Additionally, because they function in a truly binaural fashion (the two hearing aids actually talk to each other), you have the same degree of imagining that you would have with your ears themselves.

Note that I have no financial interest whatever in Starkey. All I can tell you is that these hearing aids are the equal of the finest high-end audio equipment you will ever purchase, and will enable you to appreciate what you were missing by virtue of your hearing loss. They are very expensive in absolute terms, but when you consider the amount of technology which is packed into these things, you can appreciate what you are getting in return.

Good luck.
jcharvet
46 posts
 
The question asked by the original poster is addressed to audiophiles. The chances of finding an audiophile in the other forum suggested in this thread is most likely slim.
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