Hearing aid question
Decades ago I at least thought of myself as a bit of a "Golden Ear"; my Quad ELS/Pyramid supertweeter combo and associated electronics were a source of pride and joy. (All gone over the years, alas.) In recent years I have learned that I have essentially lost the top three octaves of my auditory frequency response, whether through natural aging or some other process I'm not sure; I also have a fair bit of tinnitus at this stage, but that has proved less of an issue in being able to enjoy music. So now I've gone from enjoying the transparent reproduction of great music to struggling to resolve the sibilants in my wife's speech. (In the overall scheme of things, the latter is arguably more important, at least in maintaining peace at home.) I still very much enjoy listening to music, but the high-end losses have somewhat diminished the joy of it.
I am of course starting to think about taking the leap into hearing aids as a genuine quality-of-life enhancement. I was wondering if anyone out there has dealt with similar issues, and perhaps formed opinions about which of the many available solutions has worked best as both a general lifestyle aid and a boost to their enjoyment of live and recorded music. Many thanks in advance.
I have been wearing hearing aids for a little over 4 years. My hearing changed and I updated my aids a couple of months ago. I got Phonak's top of the line hearing aids both times. The music setting gives me a more open sound than the other settings. I recommend going to an audiologist who will work with you until everything is tuned perfectly using real ear measurements. |
I'm in the same boat with many other members, having reached that stage in life where my hearing is not as good as it once was. Whether it's hearing aids or in ear monitors, one common thread always crops up. People either love the sound or they hate it. I have used IEM's for many years, and from this experience the most important take away is that proper fit of the soft ear cup in the ear canal is an absolute must for the best sound possible. It's not just how well it fills the canal opening, but also the depth it reaches within the canal. Even a slightly loose or slightly too shallow fit will dramatically change the sound characteristics of an otherwise stellar pair of IEM's. That's why good manufacturers ship their products with such a wide array of ear cups. Also be aware that all earcups are not created equal. The material they are made of has a lot to do with obtaining that all important fit. Good manufacturers usually offer optional ear cups in different materials for this reason. This is not something that many people new to IEM's understand, so keep that in mind as you read the reviews of the IEM's or hearing aids you are considering. +1signaforce. Musicians tend to be even more demanding than audiophiles when it comes to sound reproduction! I will probably try the ASI 3DME's myself. |
US Based; I’ve worn hearing aids for 40+ years, tried a few brands as well as different Audiologist. Never tried Costco, hearing aids are personal item much like most of you didn’t go to BestBuy to buy your audio equipment, I’m not sure I would do the same for hearing aids. You can request to adjust hearing aid to have different modes and I always have a mode to turn off all filters this way the hearing aid is strictly making all noises louder and not modifying/filtering the sound in any fashion. my favorite brand for quality of build and durability is Starkey. |
I too have lost high-end hearing and have been using hearing aids for about a year. I’ve spent much of that time testing listening to music with and without hearing aids using all sorts of different music. I have come to the conclusion my system and virtually all the different music I listen to sounds much better, warmer and more cohesive than when listening with the aids (which do have a music setting that has been set by an audiologist). Listening with the aids can in some cases emphasize cymbals, snares etc. but the sound is constricted, the soundstage diminished, and overall wearing so I’m not able to listen for extended periods. Just my experience but I’ve opted to listen without aids and hoping my brain makes adjustments for my new levels of hearing. So far, so good! |
