Anyone with tinnitus or hearing loss who is into "high-end" audio?

Yes, I suffer from tinnitus. Differs in intensity, but I still enjoy listening to music. I’ve learned to tune it out over the years. When I read this post- I started hearing the ringing, haha.


I know two people with Meniere’s, nasty stuff. One recovered with some hearing loss. The other, despite going to a specialist in Houston, has been losing some of his hearing due to the treatments. The ‘drop’ attacks are frightening from what they tell me..

I have hearing loss in both ears, no tinnitus. My ENT doctor has been monitoring it for some time and this year my hearing test indicated it was time for a hearing aid. I knew my hearing had deteriorated significantly, as I was unable to hear the true timbre of a violin, cymbals had all but disappeared from some of my favorite jazz trios, and so forth. The hearing test identifies the degree of loss by frequency. I tried a pair of high quality Widex hearing aids and the difference was nothing short of astounding. Most of the sound I had been missing is back.

The audiologist showed me a graph of my hearing loss, which begins at about 2k Hz, building to 20 dB of loss over 6k Hz (a lot), pretty similar in both ears. The hearing aid boosts the signal between 2-6k Hz, but doesn’t do much above that. There is software you can download to your Android or iPhone that has different baked in settings for normal use, music and crowds. Plus you can listen to music and create your own settings for different types of music if you choose. There are also manual volume and balance controls.

Clearly the hearing aid is an audio device that has some effect on the signal you are processing, just as your audio equipment does. But if you find you are significantly missing something in your listening by all means try a pair quality hearing aids after consulting with a good ENT or audiologist. Where I live state law gives you a trial period during which you can return the devices if you don’t like them.

I am enjoying my music so much more now that I can hear instruments and a presentation that sound more lifelike and natural. 

I developed tinnitus and loss above 12k about ten years ago and purged my system. I was diagnosed with high blood pressure (too late) and the symptoms decreased dramatically with treatment. So, I began the accumulation process all over. I focus more on music now. 

When you go to your audiologist he should check your overall hearing loss and also be able to pinpoint the frequency of the tinnitus itself. Mine is a steady signal at 3khz in the right ear.  I had hearing aid made which are programmed to play random tones in the affected ear.  The idea is that over time the tones which are repeated [3khz in my case] reduce the sensitivity of the brain to that signal.  I found that this therapy worked - to a degree.  I do not wear the aids to help with listening, merely as a therapy.  Expensive at around $5k about 8 years ago but, on balance, worth it.  I rarely use the things now unless I have been in a noisy environment and the tinnitus kicks up.  Then the therapy will help bring it back down.

I am an otolaryngologist.  Tinnitus is a very common problem and rarely serious.  We worry about one sided more than two and pulsatile tinnitus is more concerning.  The book answer is for scanning pulsatile tinnitus but my 25 years of experience (and the same for my partner) is that we find something a lot less than stated rates for the diagnosis.  A hearing test with air lines, bone lines , and word discriminations is the bare  minimum.  If it’s symmetric and word discrims ok, generally don’t work up anymore.  Pulsatile is a different can of worms.  Still usually don’t find a cause.  Put pressure on the jugular vein and see if it goes away for the person with it, if so, likely a venous hum.  Once in awhile you find aneurysm, dehiscence at skull base, or gloms tumor.  Not every year in a general,ent practice.  
I have had high freq hearing loss since grade school. Luckily not very progressive.  My hearing has probably saved me 10,000s in chasing the next best thing.  I’m happy with my Ascend’s and luxman and still, a sucker for the monster receivers I wanted and couldn’t afford as a kid.  No medications help in studies and academy does not recommend medications.  I have some people on low dose elavil and they feel it helps.   It may be so if I gave them chicklets too.