I've got hissy tinnitus and loss of high frequencies, and I've worn hearing aids for over 20 years; they've made such an improvement in everything, including listening to music. They won't bring back lost hearing, but they can manage to adjust the EQ so you get the impression of a wider range at any particular volume. It's also good that they have multiple programs for different purposes. Doesn't help my tinnitus any, but I'm used to that anyway.
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?
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@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! |
This is a great topic. Hearing loss or impairment and hearing aids are often a very overlooked and misunderstood topic as it relates to high fidelity and the audiophile experience. I have heard people say that hearing aids don’t help the hearing impaired enjoy listening to music on a stereo for various reasons. This has never made sense to me since I feel that much like room treatments.... addressing the most important piece of audio equipment, one’s ears , is of first order importance. How can anyone with hearing loss or hearing impairment evaluate any piece of audio equipment in the hifi chain without first fixing the problem of hearing well? I have hearing loss and tinnitus and wear hearing aids. I don’t know how I could ever go back to listening to my stereo system without them. It’s like not wearing your glasses and trying to see clearly.... it can’t be done. Once I saw a professional audiologist and got tested, it was identified which segment or band of the frequency spectrum I was NOT hearing well and I was able to get hearing aids adjusted to my needs. It’s a game changer. |
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