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Any Audiophiles Here Have Experience with Hearing Aids?

About 10 years ago, I was diagnosed with Meniere's Disease, a pretty unpleasant inner ear problem that is characterized by horrible, but luckily sporadic extreme vertigo, tinnitus, and low frequency hearing loss.  Dormant for about 6 years, it has come back in the last couple of years with a vengeance, with a lot of low frequency loss and overall difficulty hearing in the affected ear.  It generally affects only one ear, in this case my left ear.  It does not always lead to deafness, but definite hearing impairment.  I used to be able to really discern the difference between various cables and components, even if subtle.  Now, with my low frequency hearing loss and age-related high frequency hearing loss, I'm not sure that I can discern crap.  Music still sounds good, but one of my friends was over listening to various music and could instantly say that "this sounded flat" or the "soundstage had no depth," etc.  I could hear no difference at all.   My doctor is recommending a hearing aid.  Which brings me to the question:  does anyone here have experience with using a hearing aid, and how does a hearing aid affect your listening to music?  Does it restore some of your ability to recognize subtleties in the music?  Does it distort the music? What is a good hearing aid that will not distort the music?
moto_man

Showing 6 responses by moto_man

moto_man OP
385 posts
 
I made the rookie error in thinking that I was the first person to post about this problem.  There are indeed several threads that discuss the problems/benefits of certain hearing aids.  High end Opticon seems to be the type of choice.  I'll be interested to hear how it affects the music.  I guess the way I figure it, if there is an equalization curve that boosts the low and high end in line with my deficit, maybe something will be better than nothing and I can go back to blowing $$$ on even better equipment, LOL!

@blueranger, you are likely referring to the OTO trials.  They are still ongoing, but the Phase II trials in the US did not demonstrate any statistically significant improvements.  The Phase II in Europe did and the company is doing a Phase III trial in . . . Europe, what a surprise. Meniere's is a crappy disease, but I have read that there are a lot of people that have it significantly worse than I do, and there are significantly worse health problems to have, so that is some consolation.  

I've also found that with the right strain of medical marijuana, all my music sounds excellent -- even my early 1970's Led Zeppelin bootlegs! And its a lot cheaper than a hearing aid or new speakers, LOL!
moto_man OP
385 posts
 
@skywachr, the tinnitus is always there, but sometimes I just don't notice it.  It's the vertigo attacks that are the real problem.  First, I feel lightheaded -- slightly dizzy.  Then, my eyes start flicking back and forth (nystagmus), then I can't walk and must lie down, after which I puke for an hour or so until I can fall asleep.  Although salt, wine, alcohol and caffeine are known triggers, there has never been any consistency.  My doc analogizes it to juggling 5 balls.  All good.  Through a 6th ball in there and the balls drop.  That 6th ball could be anything, which is why it is a bitch to figure out what to avoid.
moto_man OP
385 posts
 
@skywachr, really? I thought that the vertigo was the defining symptom of Meniere's, along with telltale low frequency hearing loss and tinnitus.  I wonder if you may have something else (hopefully).  Without the vertigo attacks, I would just forget about the low frequency loss and the tinnitus, although I understand that some folks have tinnitus so bad that they have trouble falling asleep, which would really suck!
moto_man OP
385 posts
 

@secretguy , doing well.  No vertigo attacks since December 2023, but the tinnitus is still there, just not particularly loud.  a 2 or 3 and when I am not thinking about it, I really don't notice it.  The low frequency loss is still there as is the high frequency loss, but the system sounds great, and I suppose that I have adjusted to the way I hear things.  I'm sure it was sharper when I was younger but it's not bad now.  I'm not ready for hearing aids yet, as I can hear the TV and people pretty well, so I'll see.  But on the positive, I feel like my system is fantastic, so whether it is fantastic or because of my hearing it sounds fantastic, I am pretty happy!

moto_man OP
385 posts
 

@2psyop, thanks for the response.  I have to admit that it seems counterintuitive that hearing aids would make a system actually sound better, given that there is no way that that little miniaturized amplifier could have anywhere near the fidelity of a high end system.  I would think that the little amplifier in the hearing aids would actually introduce a lot of distortion in what one would hear as far as music goes.  in addition, it seems light one is introducing a little amplifier that will introduce distortion throughout the frequency range, and cut down on intangibles like soundstage, etc.  On the other hand, I can imagine that if the hearing aid just boosts the missing or reduced frequencies in order to correct the frequency response of one's ear, I suppose that it is enhancing frequencies that one would otherwise not hear and therefore, perhaps the distortion effect may not be as significant.  How has it affected your tinnitus?

moto_man OP
385 posts
 

@2psyop, I just had my audiogram yesterday and although my hearing has stabilized since last year, I am down 70 dB below 125 hz, which my ENT categorized as moderate to severe hearing loss and although I have no problem with recognizing speech, he said that a hearing aid, properly calibrated, will boost the low end and the high end.  I will try one out and see what happens.  I'll probably go for the Widex, which seems to be a popular choice for us aging audiophiles!

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