Is a hearing aid the best possible tweak for 50+



Is a hearing aid the best possible tweak for anyone over 50?

New Digital Hearing Aids With Music Programs.

I am 55 and I have a slight hearing loss (it was first noticed when I was 50 and I had my hearing checked for free at COSTCO).

I recently purchased from COSTCO a Bernafon Chronos 9 hearing aid (Swiss manufacturer) that has a two preprogrammed MUSIC settings. This is the only new digital hearing aids that I found that have these settings.

I was skeptical thinking how can this little microphone, amp and speakers in the hearing aids work with my expensive stereo system.

However COSTCO gives a 90-day money-back guarantee so I decided to give them a try.

WOW was the result for music (typically vinyl), I heard instruments I haven't heard in years. Poor recordings suddenly sound good. Good recording suddenly sound great. All of a sudden Led Zeppelin sounded good to near great as I could now hear Jimmy Page's guitar.

For less than $3,000.00 for the hearing aids I now truly had an outstanding stereo system as follows:

Grado Statement Sonata1 Wood Body Phono Cartridge

JLTI Phono Preamp (Swiss Made and very good)

Linn LP-12 (Valhalla) with a Hadcock 242 tonearm

Sunfire Theater Grand 5 Preamp in Bypass Mode.

Modified and Upgraded Behringer DCX2496 active crossover for Emerald Physics CS2 speakers.

Sunfire Theater Grand 5 matching five channel amp (TGA-5200, 200-watts per channel) for the four channels needed for the bi-amp requirement of the Emerald Physics CS2 speakers (the amplifier’s rear output ("Voltage Source") are connected to the woofer input terminals, the amplifier’s front "Current Source" output to the speaker’s upper range input terminals.

Please note the hearing aids did little to help my overall hearing (except for music) as my hearing aid loss is only slight (I believe it is sloping down to 20 db down at 10,000 hertz). My main complaint is that I cannot hear conversations in load restaurants, movies are fine, etc. t
128x128alfa_lover
Hi Alfa_lover,

Having owned two 2000 GTVs, being an audio hobbyist, and having a hearing loss, it seems we have much in common. I first noticed a hearing problem in my late 40s when I had difficulty with female conversation in an automobile - a deadly combination of pitch of their voices and masking by road noises. I lived with the loss as it gradually increased for about ten years before being fitted with hearing aids. Here is a summary of what I've learned.

* As Buconero117 states, proper fitting by an audiologist is critical for the best results.

* Patience in selecting the best model aid and with the fitting process is essential. Several trials may be necessary.

* Don't worry about any stigma of wearing hearing aids as a music lover. The proper devices and fitting can renew your listening enjoyment. Several friends in my local audio club have remarked on their amazement with my listening acuity when we do component comparisons.

* The benefits will carry beyond music listening. Your family and friends will appreciate that you can better participate in communication with them. And you might just be surprised at the sounds of nature that have been escaping your experience.

Good luck
By "fitting process" I did not mean only the tolerance of the aid within the ear canal. Most modern digital hearing aids have adjustments with at least four parameters and each of those should be tailored to the individual. Thus the importance of a really good audiologist.
Glad to find this thread. I'm in my mid-40s and just learned (through a non-professional iPhone app of all things) that my hearing above 13kHz is terrible to nonexistent. I think I'll try getting my doctor to clean the wax first. I've never had that done.
Explains why so many bright and aggressive systems at audio shows are still highly regarded.
Costco gives a free hearing check and sells you a $3K hearing aid. They're not as dumb as they look. BTW, the hearing aid will sound better with an upgraded power cord and teflon caps.