Hearing Aids

Go to Costco's hearing aid department

Fremer reviewed these TOL Widex Hearing Aids about 4 1/2 years ago.

Interesting read.

https://www.analogplanet.com/content/two-months-widexs-moment-440-mric-r-d-hearing-aids

I’ve using a hearing aid since 2020.  My left ear was damaged by a virus, so it wasn’t just high frequencies I was missing.  It really affected my enjoyment of my system, live music, tv, plays and all conversations. Before wearing it, I got really adept at reading lips.

So, I wore a behind the ear aid until recently.  During my recent visit to my ENT and audiologist, they recommended that I get aids for both ears.  I won’t do the technology justice, but having two devices enables them to talk to one another and make adjustments on the fly for loud restaurants, high ceilings, theaters, concert halls, etc.  I tried them out for 45 days risking only a restocking fee if I walked away.

Well, I haven’t heard this well since my 30’s. I’m 65 now. Everything is crystal clear perfect.  Music details, instruments, whispers in a Broadway theater, etc., were all just perfect.

My test tracks for music were The Rover by Led Zeppelin, Aja by Steely Dan, He Loved Him Madly by Miles Davis, and Yesterday Once More, Aimee Mann’s cover of The Carpenters.  

I had been listening to these tracks for decades, and knew how they should sound.  After my audiologist loaded in my hearing test, she first customized them for speech, then music, and finally live music in a small theater on Broadway, and Madison Square Garden.  I am a happy camper.

The models I went with were Signia’s Silk Charge & Go IX. Cost was $2,000 each, with three years of support and supplies.  A bit pricey, yes, but I couldn’t be any happier.  I also have the ability to adjust volume, tone (sharp to soft), and environment (normal to noisy) on the fly.

Best part besides hearing munch better, it that you really can’t see them.

Good luck.

I currently use a pair of Oticons with 48 channels of equalization. I have had two other generations of hearing aids. These aren’t bad at all for audiophile listening. Now if you don’t know this by now, most technicians use a 6 or 8 point selection to equalize your hearing focusing on speech. If you push them a little, they help extend testing a little to help with music. Now these devices weren’t intended to be used for music and some major adjustments can overload their capabilities. Good luck with your choices.

If one were to stop and think about the possibility of hearing loss or hearing deficiencies and how much that can impact life then obviously getting a proper hearing test and professional guidance should lead to more fulfillment in all facets of life where an individual needs to hear well. School, the workplace, in the car, in the woods walking, understanding a waiter at a restaurant, hearing friends and family, etc. Having this benefit is far more impactful than listening to one’s music system and buying a specific brand or model with that particular purpose in mind. Being able to hear better is the end goal…. in all situations. I am certainly not knocking OTC solutions and DIY options but the fact remains that professional audiologists can give the best testing, accurate adjustments and overall reasonable advice much like a trained physician would do. In my case, hearing damage was done in the military by air defense artillery and field artillery rounds going off while I was too close. There is a narrow band of frequencies I don’t hear well. My hearing aids help with that band. They are not adjusted for me to hear the entire frequency range of my personal stereo setup. But they do help me hear what I am missing in that high middle to low high range. That’s how the hearing aids are adjusted to help with that dip.