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As We Get Older - Hearing Aids for High End Audio/Concerts & Home Theatre

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#1 ·
The past five years, as I have slowed down, I have been going to lots of concerts at more "audiophile" settings with easy parking - primarily the Mesa Arts Center, Phoenix Musical Instrument Museum, and even some at a great local nonprofit jazz club The Nash. Jazz whether with or without vocals has been my very favorite music. Now I think I know why!!!!

I have known that I've had high frequency hearing loss for some time (I'm 65). Using a test disc, I can hear a 6 kHz test tone but 8 kHz although I can hear it’s much less in volume! And nothing beyond! At concerts, I too often have difficulty understanding the words! Very frustrating at times! I love fewer instruments with voices because I hear and understand the words better. Also, most days listening to music or watching tv/movies in my home theatre, I get some mild headaches, and also some tinnitus (not bells ringing, but a light to moderate whoosing sound of air that I am used to from a psychological standpoint doesn't really bother me).

I did some web sleuthing and came up with some interesting tidbits:

https://sanfranciscoaudiophilesocie...nd-the-audiophiles-hearing-by-larry-deniston/ (article has link to click with detailed written presentation from some San Francisco audiologists)

https://www.stereophile.com/content/hearing-aids-4

http://forums.stevehoffman.tv/threads/audiophile-hearing-loss-and-hearing-aids.638583/

https://forum.hearingtracker.com/t/hearing-aids-for-audiophile/5872

https://www.psaudio.com/askpaul/hearing-aids-and-high-end-audio/

So I decided to see an ENT doctor to have my ears cleaned (its been about 2 years since last done, a good idea periodically for audiophiles) and see their Audiologist for a hearing test & audiogram, which I did Tuesday this week. Turns out I have mild to moderate high frequency hearing loss. Keep in mind doctors and their equipment only measure to 8k and hearing aids are designed and speced only to 8k (not the full 20k of potential human hearing).

The ENT doctor told me that given my audiophile tendencies, whether a hearing aid would be a positive worthwhile improvement for me might well be subjective, and that I should meet with the Audiologist and she could provide me demo hearing aids at no cost to try.

I immediately thereafter met with the Audiologist (as opposed to a tech you probably get at Costco and some other places, an Audiologist has a Ph.D., and my Audiologist has been one for 17 years). I explained my audiophile needs and concerns in detail and my questions re whether hearing aids might help with my headaches, tinnitus, difficulty understanding some singing words primarily at live concerts, etc. She felt that hearing aids would be of help. In view of my subjective needs and hearing loss, she programmed and provided a pair of Phonak Audeo B-R hearing aids for me to try, with follow up in two weeks. She explained that she programmed them for me as a hearing aid beginner and would make some changes when she sees me again in two weeks.

https://www.phonak.com/us/en/hearing-aids/phonak-audeo-b.html

Note that my Medicare will not cover the cost of hearing aids. An out-of-pocket "audiophile" expense!

My initial "observations" over using them to watch some tv shows so far, listen to 2 channel music, and attend one live concert last night - Rodney Crowell and what a concert! - are as follows:

Watching tv: Commercials are no longer way louder than the tv program, sound level is about the same! The same volume on my surround processor seems somewhat "easier"/less fatiguing? (sort of a guess as to how to describe). Other than commercials, would this be a reason to get hearing aids - questionable at this short time of use.

Listening to two channel music: Nice improvement, like moving up to a better, smoother, better high end response DAC. E.G., I can now discern brush strokes like on cymbals better than in years! Music and vocals show the better DAC improvement. A given volume level is "easier"/less fatiguing than before (when it didn't seem fatiguing at all before). So far for my two channel music alone I want the hearing aids!

Rodney Crowell concert last night: Rodney was accompanied by two othe outstanding performers, with Rodney singing alone except on a few songs.
I found the instruments to sound more vibrant, dynamic and 3D than I am used to. I could hear guitar plucks and the like more clear and better than ever. But most significant, I understood every single word, whether just Rodney singing, or all three singing! My brain didn't have to work trying to understand words sung. I didn't give up trying to understand the words. This single improvement was revelatory! And frankly, I couldn't have anticipated this "wordy" improvement, it was so "out of wordy/worldy" for me.

Now I get why jazz and vocal jazz has been my favorite music these past years. Aside from the fact that I love jazz, jazz without singing has no words to try to understand, and jazz with singing is often (not always) easier to understand words than say hard rock with more instruments and louder music!

I am so far reasonably impressed!

What about you? How old are you? Do you listen to much two channel music in your audio or home theatre system? Do you attend many live concerts and if so, in more "audiophile" settings as opposed to overly loud and boisterous rock concerts? Have you tested your high frequency hearing loss?

Following is an easy test for high frequency hearing loss to "see" if perhaps you might want to see an Audiologist (and also get your ears cleaned say every 6 months to year by an ENT doctor):

http://www.noiseaddicts.com/2009/03/can-you-hear-this-hearing-test/
 
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#105 ·
I am doing great and hopefully will have a clear bill of heatlh, from my ruptured appendix, in a few days, then in a few weeks have the appendix removed laparoscopically. Meanwhile, been on one oral and different IV antiobiotics at outpatient hospital daily, and this will hopefully be done in a few days.
But an interesting effect of all this is that a few months ago when I had my hearing tested, test tones 8 kHz not near as loud as 6 kHz, and I couldn't hear
10 kHz or above at all. Now, I can hear 8 kHz pretty clearly, and 10 kHz not bad, nothing above. As I mentioned previously in this thread, now in looking back symptomwise I think my appendix actually ruptured some months ago, and it "sounds" like this may have negatively impacted my hearing. I was concerned about one IV antibiotic I had for like 5 days which could impact hearing - but no longer, my hearing without hearing aids seems really good now (at least compared to the past few months before this ruptured appendix antibiotic regimen). The last hearing aids I demod, Oticon OPN, didn't seem to do much for me. But who knows what did what for me given the appendix issues! When I am fully recovered I will have my hearing retested and then continue the quest of what my hearing loss is and to extent any hearing aids will improve it sufficiently to be worth my $$. So far, I really like the Phonak, but again, given what I've been going through, I need to fully recover and then start the process over!
 
#106 ·
Update: I'm more than 6 weeks out from my IV antiobiotics for my ruptured appendix, IVs started Dec 20 and ended Jan 10! Subjectively my hearing now seems the best I can ever remember, at live concerts and for two channel and movies/tv in my theater. Not just in terms of frequency, but also re dynamic range, gunshots, explosions, etc. Unquestionably my illness had negatively affected my hearing for sometime.

My repeat abdominal CT scan will be start of March, then see surgeon and hopefully schedule laparoscopic surgery to remove appendix. Then once I recover I'll follow up and get my hearing retested. Will be interesting to compare with my prior hearing test some months ago when led to me demoing hearing aids!
 
#107 ·
CT scan clear, full bill of health, appendix with tiny hole looks normal and don't require surgery to remove. YEA!

What's really intriquing is after being on antibiotics awhile, my hearing cleared up and got better. No question about it. I play test tones from a hi rez 2XHD demo disc. Last few months of last year, without hearing aids I couldn't hear 10 kHz and maybe 50% 8 kHz at best. Now, I can hear up to 12.5 kHz though it may be reduced some. Though with the Theta Casablanca IV-A with Dirac room correction my best recently was 10 kHz, now with Trinnov Altitude 32 just installed and superior room correction, etc I can hear 12.5 kHz! I am going to see my Audiologist and get my hearing retested in a few weeks and I anticipate that my hearing is much improved and really doubt hearing aids will give me benefit now - whereas last November, I demod Phonak hearing aids and at that time I could hear the difference both with music in my theatre and at live concerts locally.
 
#108 ·
Glad to hear the good news on your health. Keep us posted.
 
#109 ·
@Steve Bruzonsky - Thanks so much for putting this thread together and reporting all your observations! I stumbled on this thread and am fascinated! I have moderate hearing loss, particularly in my right ear. I've never tried a hearing aid of any kind. My family has been slightly nudging me to do something about my hearing. I can hear them fine most of the time. I explain its best not to try talking to me from another room!

Anyway, I had always thought that a hearing aid, even very high end ones, would help me hear speech better, but assumed it would make the sound a bit "tinny" and sound like it was "amplified" and or in a tunnel. From what you describe you get a full bandwidth improvement that is significantly better than without them? Wow I would never have imagined that!

Some questions please:

1. You seem to have tried various ones and reported good results with several. Strictly for music and movie listening (we have to have our priorities, right?!), and putting price completely aside, do you prefer the Phoank or the ReSound?

2. Do you think its necessary to spend some time in beginner mode or should I request they go straight to full spectrum?

3. What advice do you have for finding the best/right audiologist in my area that is going to understand my needs as an audiophile? I assume I won't find that listed in anyone's online bio. So I could easily wind up making an appointment only to meet the audiologist and realize they don't "get it" for what I'm trying to accomplish and then its a wasted appointment and $.

4. Did you ever mange to try the new Phoank Marvel and if so what were your impressions? Do you think it is worth me seeking those out from the start, again, putting cost aside? If I can't find the Marvel, how can I be sure I am getting Autosense 2.0?

Thanks again. I'm finally motivated to get a hearing aid. Even if I just keep it in the armrest in my theater. :D (just kidding, kinda)
 
#110 ·
@Steve Bruzonsky - Thanks so much for putting this thread together and reporting all your observations! I stumbled on this thread and am fascinated! I have moderate hearing loss, particularly in my right ear. I've never tried a hearing aid of any kind. My family has been slightly nudging me to do something about my hearing. I can hear them fine most of the time. I explain its best not to try talking to me from another room!

Anyway, I had always thought that a hearing aid, even very high end ones, would help me hear speech better, but assumed it would make the sound a bit "tinny" and sound like it was "amplified" and or in a tunnel. From what you describe you get a full bandwidth improvement that is significantly better than without them? Wow I would never have imagined that!

Some questions please:

1. You seem to have tried various ones and reported good results with several. Strictly for music and movie listening (we have to have our priorities, right?!), and putting price completely aside, do you prefer the Phoank or the ReSound?

Answer: I preferred the Phonak easily. But again, now I know I was sick at the time, not hearing well at all I think compared to now, and whatever hearing issue I have or had may be different than yours.

2. Do you think its necessary to spend some time in beginner mode or should I request they go straight to full spectrum?

Answer: My Audiologist set the Phonaks to a beginner mode for two weeks for me to get used to them, then I came back and she set them to full correction, which didn't bother me a bit.

3. What advice do you have for finding the best/right audiologist in my area that is going to understand my needs as an audiophile? I assume I won't find that listed in anyone's online bio. So I could easily wind up making an appointment only to meet the audiologist and realize they don't "get it" for what I'm trying to accomplish and then its a wasted appointment and $.

Answer: I got lucky! No idea! However, Google "San Francisco (or Bay Area) Audio Society" and you will find info on a presentation last year by an audiophile Audiologist and take a vacation. HA!

4. Did you ever mange to try the new Phoank Marvel and if so what were your impressions? Do you think it is worth me seeking those out from the start, again, putting cost aside? If I can't find the Marvel, how can I be sure I am getting Autosense 2.0?

Answer: I was going to get the Marvel, but then my appendix burst and I discovered after weeks of IV antibiotics that my hearing is much better now. The model I demod has Autosense 2.0. The brand new Marvel has Autosense 3.0.

Thanks again. I'm finally motivated to get a hearing aid. Even if I just keep it in the armrest in my theater. :D (just kidding, kinda)
In about two weeks my hearing is being retested. Stay tuned! Meanwhile, with my new Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP play some test tones via ROON, I can hear 12.5 kHz now. Apparently the superior optimization/room correction gives me higher hearing. HA! With my prior SSP via ROON I could hear recently 10 kHz. The next test tone is at 16 kHz can't hear that. So I have sincere doubts that hearing aids, even the best, will do anything for me at this point - I am lucky I can hear better again and that I fully recovered instead of dieing at age 65 from a burst appendix!
 
#116 ·
#117 ·
My Audiologist office repeated my hearing test today - now that I am fully recovered from my ruptured appendix and my immunity is back up to normal. I swear I hear better these days than the last few months of last year when I demod hearing aids back when my appendix was bothering me although I didn't realize it for some time! And with my old Theta Casablanca IV-A SSP I could only hear test tone 8 kHz roughly about half of 6 kHz and I couldn't hear 10 kHz, yet after getting out of hospital and being on IV antibiotics for several weeks and recovering I could hear up to and including 10 kHz pretty good - and with new Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP I can even hear pretty good a 12.5 kHz test tones. Yet hearing tests measure to 8 kHz. And my hearing test today came out about the same just a tad different than my one last November. So I have an appointment with the Audiologist April 11th and will then demo the new model Phonak Marvel hearing aids. Should be interesting.
 
#118 · (Edited)
My Audiologist has recommended a unilateral aid (often called a hearing instrument nowadays) due to a rather unusual hearing loss following injury related to a ruptured tire. It has been over two years since the injury. The tinnitus has resolved but I am left with a significant mid-frequency loss on top of the not uncommon high frequency loss for a male my age (66). She is recommending the Oticon S1 and I am hoping it helps and also does not do anything negative to my 2 Channel and home theatre enjoyment. It does look like there is lots of adjustment possible. I am actually looking forward to see what it can do for me.

Poking around the internet I found another interesting and helpful website from the UK - https://musicandhearingaids.org. It is an ongoing research project into the complex relationship of music listening and hearing impairment/hearing aids. There are some excellent links and downloads available in the resources section that I thought some of you may be interested in. I did share this site with my audiologist who will also be checking it out.

I am due to start my trial period next week and will advise in a few weeks how it is going.

Regards,

Wayne
 
#119 · (Edited)
Interesting thread, my wife keeps pushing me to get my hearing checked, I'm 45 and all the hearing tests online I've ever taken I can clearly hear to 11k and even up to 14k sometimes. Depends on the online test which obviously is not 100% accurate. My wife thinks I'm going deaf but realistically she mumbles to much. After reading this thread and now understanding hearing aids are going to hit 6-8Khz which I hear fine on I think she'll be disappointed.

I know I can't hear as well as I did as a teen but can still hear fairly high freq sounds when listening to music. My only potential issue is multiple people talking or someone talking with a lot of background noise I'll hear small detail in the background noise over the person talking.
 
#120 ·
My only potential issue is multiple people talking or someone talking with a lot of background noise I'll hear small detail in the background noise over the person talking.
Yes - this is where I had issues and my first Phonak hearing aid demo really helped on this among other things.

Just saw my Audiologist this AM and have the new Phonak Marvel rechargeable hearing aids on demo for 2 weeks. Whether they are helpful and worth the expense to me is to be determined! I'll update of course.
 
#121 ·
When I visited an audiologist 6 years ago he recommended a set of HAs that cost over $5000. That is obscene. My house is a 20 year old fifth wheel RV that is fabulous. It cost me $4200. How come HAs cost so much? A cell phone is about 100 times more complex and they cost 1/10th the price. Makes no sense to me.
 
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#123 ·
I forgot to mention earlier how very informative and useful this thread is. It really helped get me motivated to seek help for my impairment. The fact that my wife is a retired audiologist also had more than a little to do with it. :)

Thanks, Steve, for setting up this thread!

Wayne
 
#124 ·
You are most welcome.

So for less than a day I've been demoing the new Phonak Marvel hearing aids.
n my Lexus ES350, on playing some jazz Acoustic Alchemy, I could hear more highs with cymbals than without the Marvel HAs. I can also connect Marvel HAs directly via bluetooth to my iPhone, which for phone calls is nice (and you can just talk, phone can be across room but Marvel HAs will pick up your talking and bluetooth to the iPhone!), but for music sounds way better and "full bodied" having music on via Lexus audio system.

Playing some jazz in my dedicated home theatre, there definitely is a bit more 3D or roundness to the presentation, sometimes a bit fuller midrange, although the volume level seems pretty much the same Marvel HAs or not. What I am really trying to listen for is whether the Marvel HAs result in any negatives, such as decreased dynamics like on drums or cymbals or loud bass; also whether any sonic improvement is worth the hassle of paying for and wearing the hearing aids in the first place, at least to me personally and subjectively.

tonight is Spyro Gyra live at the Phoenix Musical Instrument Museum. Should be interesting.
 
#125 ·
Spyro Gyra live tonight! Frankly, I preferred NOT wearing the Marvel HAs. Overall I felt perhaps the HAs may just have restricted sonics and dynamics a bit, at least on several of their songs which got really bangin' away!

In my theater, listening to music, perhaps it sounded a bit better today - but I don't know if enough better to pay for and wear the hearing aids.

I suspect that although my other week hearing test came back similar to my hearing test last November, that my physical woes leading to ruptured appendix Dec 20th may have had something to do with the positives I then experienced with Phonak HAs at that time. However, during that same time, I demod two other HAs brands and felt they did little to nothing for music and live concerts for me.

I will continue to demo for the rest of the month.
 
#126 ·
Hey Steve,

I saw in your prior post you mentioned how hearing aids reduced your Tinnitus - did this hold up over time?

I do have high frequency hearing loss and developed Tinnitus about five years ago (initiated from using some crappy headphones at work). On some days, my Tinnitus is so loud I can easily hear it in the shower. On other days, it's so quiet it's hard to hear. Unfortunately, I have more loud days than quiet and that's gotten worse over time. My hearing hasn't changed and the doctor I went to (Pawel Jastreboff) actually tested my hair cells and said I shouldn't experience anymore hearing loss for another 10-15 years (I'm almost 47) as they show strong resiliency based on testing. I've done TRT for my Tinnitus and it's helped me to habituate to some degree, but those loud Tinnitus days are sometimes are annoying still. He did say a hearing aid would likely help reduce the Tinnitus as "restoring" those high frequency signals will in essence make the brain turn down the gain reducing the buzzing noise. As we know, hearing loss is the usual reason for Tinnitus.

I did try a low quality hearing aid (about 2K) from a different place once and the sound quality was beyond terrible. Everything sounded like a digital synthesizer or C-3PO. However, the better hearing aids run from 5-7K from what I am told. At some point down the road this is probably inevitable for me. Conversationally, I hear fine but some movies the dialogue can be a little hard to hear as I have to turn up the volume, but then turn it back down in a louder scene. My audio set-up has been Audyssey pro-cal'd by Chad B and switching to ribbon based tweeters helped a lot.
 
#128 ·
I saw in your prior post you mentioned how hearing aids reduced your Tinnitus - did this hold up over time?
It has for me.

The reasons are well understood; when the missing freq are replaced by the HA's, the brain produces less of them.

It sounds like your bad experience may have been due to bad programming.

If it is a quality, issue, I'm happy with my Rextons from Costco ($2800/pr).
 
#127 ·
Seemed that my tinnitus has been way better since I completed several weeks of IV antibiotics after my ruptured appendix last Dec 20th. And I just started the new HA demo a few days ago but can't say tinnitus is much of any issue anymore regardless of HAs.
 
#130 ·
Late last night with the Phonak HAs I was listening to "Chillin" (Carmell Jones/Joe Pass) (High Definition Tape Transfers) and "4 Wheel Drive" (Nils Landgren/Michael Wollney/Lars Danielsson/Wolfgang Haffner) (ACT Music). Although everything sounded great naked (that is, no HAs), sonics were better with the HAs. Treble, cymbals, fullness simply seemed a bit more real with the HAs. Dynamics weren't lost one iota, and there is some really good dynamic drumming. The Spyro Gyro concert the other night I pretty much preferred no HAs overall, but in my theater the HAs were nice last night! I'll continue demoing the HAs and I can see there are times I do not prefer them and times that I do!
 
#133 · (Edited)
Tonight Christian McBride Big Band Concert at Mesa Arts Center. My impression was similar to last week's Spyro Gyro concert, preferred going "naked" without HAs, only one one song did I seem to hear highs that I missed without the HAs on.

Tonight. listening to Art Pepper "Gettin Together" and Chet Baker & Art Pepper "Playboys" (High Definition Tape Transfers). With my Trinnov Altitude 32 SSP ROON Ready via ethernet playing in Auro-3D at a nice level approximating live (as best one can without blowing out tweeters. HA!) I've gotta say that the HAs offer no benefit. Sound is maybe a tad different HAs vs "naked" in the HAs tend to "enclose" one in a bit like headphones, whereas "naked" is simply somewhat more open, at least that's how I perceive it in general. Keep in mind that although the HAs v "naked" have an approximate matched level, when you deal with EQ there is no perfect matching, and one might prefer how one sounds over the other at a given system volume and if one varies the volume that preference might disappear.

I just put on "Chillin" again. "Somewhere Over The Rainbow". Interesting. I am hearing the cymbal metal that last Nov (prior to my appendix rupture and IV antibiotics course) that I could only hear using the HAs. Now, I am perceiving on this song no difference tonality, I am heaing the cymbals "naked" without HAs in fully glory. But it does sound different with the HAs vs "naked". It is like being more enclosed, with soundstage less wide and instruments more on top of each other. Definitely no longer prefer the HAs on this jazz. I think its taken me time for my ear - brain to understand what I am hearing and what sounds better or more "normal"?

On the other hand, playing "So What?" a Miles Davis tune from Yuko Mabuchi Plays Miles Davis, the highs and cymbal metal seem more pronounced and clear with the HAs, but now I'm thinkin' that the spacing of the sounds that I'm hearing with the HAs engaged is simply more "together" and "enclosed" and thus the higher sounds seem to get more emphasis - whether one likes one or the other better may simply be subjective preference.
My subjective impression is Yuko's piano seems a bit lighter compared to the highs with HAs on - so I just raised the volume a tad and listened without HAs and presto, I seem to have the benefit of the "naked" spacing with "clearer" highs!

My HA evaluation continues for at least the next week including a few concerts.
 
#134 · (Edited)
Im an audiophile, wearing hearing aids

Just some tips.

Get molded custome ear pieces.

Plug ALL vent tubes with a small dab of silicon. Or you will have zero bass. The bass should Thump, like the movies, if not something is wrong


Self program your aids. Audiologists will never get it right, and they give every excuse to not update the firmware.

Audiologists get the acoustic part spot on, But severely lack in the software setup and screw everything else.

Yiu should be able to hear everything and everyone. If not, your audiologist messed up.

Sent from my Pixel XL using Tapatalk
 
#135 ·
kthejoker20,

Many interesting points, but I don't believe low freq loss is common.

My low freq is fine, though I did try custom molds to eliminate feedback.

I returned them; I couldn't get used to the feeling that there were big lumps in my ear, plus they were unsightly.
 
#136 ·
So in this HA demo I've been to a number of concerts: Spyro Gyra; Christian McBride Big Band; Salt River Brass; and Mike Vax Ron Romm. I've also watched tv/movies and listened to lots of music in my dedicated audiophile home theatre. Bottom line is that yea, unless the HAs really provide benefit pain in butt to wear them poking in your ears (HA!) but more significantly, they haven't improved my sonics. Sound is a bit different with HAs in at least at times. With HAs in the instruments and vocals are maybe squeezed some - still sound great - but a different sound. Until I trained my ear/brain, it was easy to think with HAs in that highs like cymbals were clearer - they weren't, they were simply moved more to the forefront as the image was squeezed some. When something sounds different even a bit its easy to think maybe it sounds better. At first in this demo I thought music in my theatre sounded better - but after listening a bit, I realized the squeeze effect and that e.g. trumpets sound more real and better not "squeezed" in a bit with other instruments but allowed to bloom in more air around them!

What's interesting is that when I first demod HAs last Nov-Dec before my appendix rupture diagnosis and IV antibiotic treatment, the first demo of Phonaks I felt helped me, but the next two demos of Resound and Oticon I felt did nothing for me - much like my current demo of the latest Phonak Marvel model.

Also funny is my first Phonak HAs demo found benefits in noisy restaurants and places. But my current demo doesn't seem to offer hardly any change in such places.

Anyway, the demo HAs are going back and I won't even miss them. This is good. But this doesn't change the fact that as we get older, HAs may well benefit some of us. But at least in my case with "only" mild to moderate hearing loss I have painstakingly determined that HAs at this point in my life offer me no benefit.

I can only surmise that either I am crazy, or that my health is much inproved now after ruptured appendix and weeks of IV antibiotics that even though my current hearing test hasn't changed much from the one last November, that my brain interpretation and functioning and compensation has changed quite positively.
 
#137 ·
Before I took back the Phonak Marvel HAs the other day, I went through each instrumental track of a great hi-rez demo disc with HAs in and out:

https://www.hdtracks.com/audiophile-hi-res-system-test

I heard everything fine without the HAs! NICE! I think I am feeling so much better now than those last few months of 2018; and I have become a better listener and perhaps retrained my brain to pay more attention to sounds like higher frequency instruments than before. And I can even hear some at 12.5 kHz test tone. I noticed that at 10 kHz test tone that it actually seemed louder without the HAs!

I discussed this with my Audiologist. My theory is:

1. I am CRAZY!
2. Even though my recent hearing test is similar to before, I am much healthier now and my ear/brain is processing so much better; and I have trained myself to better discern higher frequencies and placement of sounds than before.
3. #2 but I am still CRAZY!

My Audiologist was simply being nice to me and said she thought #2 was applicable.

Now at 66, I will see the ENT Dr Gonzalez once annually to have my ears cleaned, and see my Audiologist Lainie Hales, Au.D., both at Valley ENT in Mesa also annually to get my hearing retested. I highly recommend both of them! What's really nice is Dr. Hales has recognized all along that I am OCD on this audiophile stuff and she was very interested in all of my feedback on demoing the hearing aids and actually happy for me that my hearing/interpretation of what I hear has so remarkably improved since the last few months of 2018.

And keep in mind I am not TOTALLY CRAZY! The last few months of 2018, without HAs I could only half hear a 8 kHz test tone and nothing at 10 kHz and with HAs I could hear 8 kHz more fully and even 10 kHz maybe at half, nothing beyond. Now without HAs I can hear 8 kHz and 10 kHz clearly and even hear 12.5 kHz partially!

ANd I am so enjoying my recent change of SSPs from Theta Casablanca IVA SSP (had the Theta with upgrades since 1997) to Trinnov Altitude 32, the latter ROON Ready (ethernet) and using Auro-3D (playing stereo using entire multi-channel audio system) I am listening at closer to real concert levels and it sounds so much better than ever that I am having a hard time leaving my audiophile home theatre where I am listening and listening to so much music!
 

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#146 ·
And I can even hear some at 12.5 kHz test tone. I noticed that at 10 kHz test tone that it actually seemed louder without the HAs!



Now at 66, I will see the ENT Dr Gonzalez once annually to have my ears cleaned, and see my Audiologist Lainie Hales, Au.D., both at Valley ENT in Mesa also annually to get my hearing retested. I highly recommend both of them! What's really nice is Dr. Hales has recognized all along that I am OCD on this audiophile stuff and she was very interested in all of my feedback on demoing the hearing aids and actually happy for me that my hearing/interpretation of what I hear has so remarkably improved since the last few months of 2018.

And keep in mind I am not TOTALLY CRAZY! The last few months of 2018, without HAs I could only half hear a 8 kHz test tone and nothing at 10 kHz and with HAs I could hear 8 kHz more fully and even 10 kHz maybe at half, nothing beyond. Now without HAs I can hear 8 kHz and 10 kHz clearly and even hear 12.5 kHz partially!
Just hearing the tones does not tell the full story. It's important to know how much loss there is at each levels. I don't think hearing aids will help with 12k loss or maybe even the 10kHz loss either. I could hear out to 17kHz the last time I checked but it seems to be worse on some days.
 
#138 ·
Really want to read thru this when I get a chance. Posting just to remind me. Looks like valuable information to be had.
 
#142 ·
I've been following this forum hoping for new insight on the latest HA. I currently have the Starkey CIC which I got at a supposed discount for over $7000. I know I was getting ripped off but you hands are tied and audiologist corner the market much like dentists do with their vastly overpriced crowns where they have a tech who didn't even go to college do most of the work and then they come in for 5-10 minutes play around and go to another room and then bill you $1500. Much like the assembly line cattle-call you get for cataract surgery by ophthalmologists. They work on you for 5 minutes and move to the next patient and continue to do so for a morning where they bill over $30K for a few hours work. No wonderful the system is broken and we pay more then anyone else yet our outcomes pale compared to many other countries overall and I am a physician by the way. That said, getting back to the Starkey, I notice periodic distortion on the mid to upper registers of the keyboard when I listen to Bach's WTC, but overall they sound fine. I still have difficulty distinguishing specific voices in crowds which is a problem with virtually all HA.
 
#156 ·
#160 ·
Hi
thank for your thread. I am 63 years and a kind OCD guy with sound. I suffer of tinnitus since 30 years, a gunshot accident. I have a dip hole at 4K FR. Since 2 years, now it is my old age that worsen my hearing losses. I resist to get aids because I was sure that I would never enjoy anymore to listen music. I invested 10K$ in a 5.1 system and countless hours with REW in DIY room treatment. Sice first week of February I noticed another loss in my left ear at 4 an 5K fr. The "s" and "see" sound are shifting to my right ear since then. A sound stage shifting strong enough to remove (destroy) all pleasure to listen my system. I shut it downed. I was too proud toaccept the fact that I am old and need help.
Last Monday I went to my audioprothesist and I am trying Widex Moment. After, 2 days, yesterday I tested with a cd of music. It was not perfect but I see light at the end of the tunnel. My audioprotheset said to me that it will take a while and many trial and error test befor to get it right but she is confident to succeed and I am too.
I will report mmore later.
But here is my message: do not give up hope if you have earing lost, I think it is possble to maybe continue to enjoy our system.
 
#163 ·
I am really glad to "hear" this, especially since I started this thread but after recovering from appendicitis it turned out I did not require hearing aids (at least for now)!
 
#162 ·
FargateOne,

There's also a good chance that the aids will improve your tinnitus; mine was greatly reduced.

It would be so great but I read a lot and it seems that 60% have this result. But I keep hope because the correction of my earing loss is only at 70% for the beginning. Finger cross. If it happens I will cry.
 
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