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Easily the best and most significant sonic tweak one could ever make!

Well hearing aids of course (if you need them and many don’t realize they do). I was diagnosed with asymmetrical hearing loss in my right ear over a year ago at only age 52. Entirely in the upper frequency. (As hearing loss per my ENT is almost always symmetrical, the protocol for this unusual diagnosis is a MRI brain scan to rule out a tumor; thank God everything was normal there).

Anyway, while expensive (partially covered by Insurance in most plans in the States), the different listening to music is in absolute terms startling. The proverbial veil is wayyyyy lifted particularly on lyrics but really the whole presentation is improved from the midrange thru to the top registers.

Keep this in mind before upgrading your electronics or speakers and perhaps instead upgrade the most critical precision instrument....your ears! I share this and if it helps one member on here, well that would be really great.
aj523
hickamore
667 posts
 
Loudspeakers transduce electrical energy back to acoustic where the long transduction chain began. Now the HA pick up the sound waves in the air, transduce to electrical, amplify, then retransduce to acoustical. If the loudspeakers are outputting average SPL of 70db, then the HA will give you up around 90. Or so I understand. Of course HA are supposed to do more than amplify, and IMO, they do, though I can't say how. Maybe someone can clarify the mechanics and audionics here.  
jmh128's avatar
jmh128
16 posts
 
I blow my nose before serious listening. Clears my ears and everything seems clearer. No kidding!
wallyaudio's avatar
wallyaudio
16 posts
 
Hearing aid user since 2007.  Third set, Oticon OPN-1 which was their top of the line 3 years ago.  Bluetooth, all the bells and whistles plus custom molds.  The Oticon have tinnitus compensation which does offset that annoying ‘whistle’ but doesn’t make it disappear.  I’m 69.

How did I know something was an issue?  Besides my wife complaining I discovered that the music I listened to was becoming more distorted.  My system at the time was 70s vintage McIntosh with JBL 4311’s.  I honestly thought something was failing.  I borrowed a friends receiver and heard the same kind of distortion.  Eventually I saw an ENT whose practice had an audiologist and that helped get my issue under control.

Yep, I hate the cost of those things.  For my second set I tried Costco but you are at the mercy of their fitter who may or may not be an accredited audiologist.  They offer a no questions asked refund if you’re not happy, I wasn’t and I had no difficulty getting my money back.

if you can find an audiologist who has worked with musicians that’s a plus.  
You can expect a lifespan of 5 to 7 years for a set of HA’s.   Like everything else older designs lose manufacturers support.  So far no issues with Oticon.
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asvjerry's avatar
asvjerry
4,667 posts
 
The bulk of my hearing loss was mid-range; bass and lower highs still 'there' even @ 69.  Conversations, individual and group, subject to misunderstandings and misinterpretations.

Certified audiologist, had worked with musicians.

Phonex Audeo' works for me.  Mid-range back in all its' glories. *S*
Phone calls direct to ears; anything Bluetoothed as well.
So much for headphones..

Funny thing, though....my eq settings for mids are untouched from 'before', relatively 'flat'....

*L*  I learned to trust my DSP, I guess. ;)
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