hearing loss and amp choices

This is a great thread.  I've been thinking about starting a similar discussion.   I too have some hearing loss and tinnitus, more so on my left ear.   I use my 2 separate gain controls on my preamp to boost the left channel.   For my 5.1 HT, I crank up the center channel so I can hear the dialogs better.

I'm on the borderline in terms of needing a hearing aid, but I think I will eventually.  I'm always curious if hearing aids will or will not affect the perceived sound quality coming out of your stereo system.  There seems to be some conflicting experiences here.  

So whoever is reading this, please continue to chime in with your experience if you use hearing aids regularly for your daily routine,  do you keep them on for music or remove them?  and if you use if for music, do you find that it degrades or enhances your music listening experience?  If you find it enhances your experience, please let us know which brand/model hearing aid do you use.

Anyway, don't mean to change the subject here.  Please do help out OP on his question on Amp choices.  Thanks.

Honestly this has been the most informative thread for me ever almost here. I am near the end of litigation with work to cover hearing loss and of course in the ensuing discussions with Dr.'s et al. my info has been sold and I have been inundated with offers and appointments for hearing aids- real true info has been hard to come by such as cost of good tech, brand names to check out and etc. ; as for my listening habits for 2 channel; I just turn it up. Tho currently I just use some Harbeth 30.1's (love em) and a Nova 300 (passable) or headphones(Grado GH2). Anyway, thanks again y'all and especially curtdr for what sounds like some news I can use.

I have to agree with xcool, a great thread and informative. To the OP's original question, are high end amps a waste of money if you have hearing loss, my experience says no. I developed tinnitus in 2011 and went to an audiologist who measured my hearing. Other than the high frequency loss from old age, I have a moderate loss at lower frequencies (around the typical vocal range). Not severe enough to "require"' hearing aids but easily measurable.

Both of my 25 year old amplifiers quit last year so I made an upgrade when I purchased new this year. I could hear the difference, better detail and bass are obvious even with my somewhat defective hearing. So, for me, the extra expense was well worth it.

Jim S.

Expensive hearing aids from an audiologist are very different from cheap hearing amplifiers at Costco or wherever.

I use in-ear hearing aids for TV, music, and even headphones. Life was so vastly improved (and music started sounding so much better) when I started wearing hearing aids about 15 years ago. Glasses help the vision-challenged, hearing aids help the hearing-challenged - it's all good.... 

Not sure what you call cheap hearing amplifiers from Costco ?  Costco  ( not a member) but I am sure has varying grades. Hearing aids from audiologists have insane mark ups, sure, you get some support, but $4k to $6k for that support. The fact is, you need a good hearing test, then find a retailer or on line source to sell you your hearing aids according to the test. I am on my 3rd set now, currently Phonak Boleros, and from the first set on was astonished at what I had been missing.  If you need service you will find some so called audiologists that will not help, they have a racket going and hate to lose it. First question they ask is "Where did you buy?"   If not from them they will refuse to help, even if you are willing to pay.