Hearing Aids

I've worn hearing aids for over 20 years, and had gotten used to spending $8K every 4 years or so for a new set. Last year I heard about the Costco hearing aid department, so I checked it out and got a pair of Jabra hearing aids for $1500; these are not OTC, these are prescription hearing aids, and they're like last year's top of the line, so it's not bargain basement stuff. Costco carries two other lines of hearing aids too, behind-the-ear and in-the-ear, and they're all about $1500/pair. 

I was the OP on a hearing aid forum similar to Audiogon, looking for the best HA for audiophiles. Very interesting observations. Worth the read for hearing aid users. 
https://forum.hearingtracker.com/t/audiophile-hearing-aids/98343/70

I have the Phillips from Costco and the only setting that makes music listenable is the hi Fi setting, but even that is iffy. I was at an opera recently and they were so screechy in the treble that I removed them.

I also don’t like streaming music through these buds. Very distant and muffled sounding. Any set of buds or over the ear headphones sounds infinitely better. And others around me can hear the music, even when fiddling with the dome’s position in the canal.
The Phillips app is pretty limited. Not much customizing potential.

I haven’t found Costco helpful in offering in offering alternatives. I asked repeatedly about Jabra and was told many times they don’t carry them even when I show it on the website.
I should also mention that I had to replace one for each ear due to equipment failures. No charge to me but annoying.

I bought a pair of Jabbra earbuds for around $100 just to get used to the company, and considered getting their more expensive over the counter aids that were mentioned up thread. The buds sound great; when they pair. I use an iPhone and I have to go through the pairing process every time I try use them. Sometimes it doesn’t happen. And when it does happen, you can’t tell it from the Jabbra app; it still shows them as unpaired even when music or speech is coming through. Searches have revealed this to be a common issue with Jabbra buds at all price levels of buds, so it has scared me off of the OTC Hearing Aid.

My Phillips buds are a year and a half old and I am treating this as the next big upgrade . I would be willing to shill out anywhere from 5-10 K if I thought a product was worth it but I haven’t identified one that is. I will be monitoring this thread with interest.

And speaking of hearing aids,  I have a high pitched sound in ears.  Can a hearing aid help with that?

Another thing I'd add is I don't use any kind of 'buds' (besides what goes in my bong!), but I do get custom-molds instead of using the generic domes; only cost about $60 more and well worth it. 

@mahler123 - not all Costcos are the same, as you've found out. Fortunately the one I go to has an audiologist who's been practicing for a few decades, and they've got all the lines and models that are on their website. Looks like your Costco has a dodgy hearing-aids department; if they're not carrying certain lines they should be, you might want to let Costco management know about it.