Two years ago I was diagnosed with severe HF hearing loss. Having told my audiologist that I was a high-end audiophile, she prescribed the Starkey Wii hearing aids. These are (i) binaural, and (ii) programmable. I have a speech program, a music program and a "restaurant" program. I cannot speak too highly about these devices--they really work! You have true binaural hearing, the devices are essentially invisible, and the music program restores the high frequencies.
Hearing Aid Confusion
Help! I've recently started looking for a hearing aid, but I'm confused by the different information and advice that I've received from audiologists, an ENT specialist, and online literature from manufacturers. My recent audiogram has confirmed what I already knew: that I can use hearing aid help in speech recognition. But I also would like improvement, if possible, in listening to my two channel audio system. (The weakest component in my system is now me.) Some audiologists have told me that I can get a hearing aid with a music "program" that will boost my enjoyment. Others have told me that hearing aids are great for speech recognition but that I should turn the aids off (and even remove them) when listening to music. Who to believe? And if there are aids that actually help in music listening as well as speech recognition, what are the brands and models that I should explore? Any advice from audiophiles with a knowledge of hearing aids would be greatly appreciated.
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Through computer research I've learned that General Hearing makes what seems to be a less complex version of its "Musician's" hearing aid, the Simplicity. The Simplicity comes in several models, one of them being the "Hi Fi EP. " The EP seems to stand for extended battery life. The Hi Fi model comes with a volume control on both aids, but it is otherwise "pre-programed" at the factory. It cannot be programed for the individual user. It is said to have a range of 100 hz - 10khz, it is of the "open-ear" type so that the user is said to hear below 100 hz as he would without a hearing aid, and it amplifies soft sounds but not loud ones. Apparently you use the same program for speech as for music -- or, if not, the device decides (I'm not clear on this). In any case, unlike many expensive hearing aids, it does not have a program that blocks out ambient sounds in a restaurant or other noisy place. It is an off-the-rack hearing aid and does not need to be set up by an audiologist, and can be purchased online. A pair costs $999 through Walmart, Sam's, and perhaps other retailers. What do you think? |
Kusina, you might try them, but I suspect you will need the fully programmable model. Each of my ears require a different eq curve. The best audiologists have measurement capabilities inside the ear, for more accurate programming. I think in Texas the law requires a 30-day trial period, so check in your state. the eq curve for speech is not the same as the flat response you want for music, so you need an aid with multiple curves. afaik, no aid (except perhaps the Lyric) is programmable above 8 khz, that's only for the best ones. |
Any of you guys w hearing aids have any experience with this site? |
Great find there, Swampwalker. This is one reason why I love the internet. There is better than average chance that a forum will develop whereby people with similar interests can share their knowledge and experience. Some sites facilitate product development this way as a sort of open source approach. If only there was an audio site like that. Wait a minute, let me think...... All the best, Nonoise |
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