All the hearing aids I tried made my system sound like a tin can telephone. I refuse to spend 3K+ on a hearing aid that may or may not help me enjoy the system a little more. I am not afraid to use the treble control on my preamp, and at +4DB helps tremendously.
Hearing aid question
Decades ago I at least thought of myself as a bit of a "Golden Ear"; my Quad ELS/Pyramid supertweeter combo and associated electronics were a source of pride and joy. (All gone over the years, alas.) In recent years I have learned that I have essentially lost the top three octaves of my auditory frequency response, whether through natural aging or some other process I'm not sure; I also have a fair bit of tinnitus at this stage, but that has proved less of an issue in being able to enjoy music. So now I've gone from enjoying the transparent reproduction of great music to struggling to resolve the sibilants in my wife's speech. (In the overall scheme of things, the latter is arguably more important, at least in maintaining peace at home.) I still very much enjoy listening to music, but the high-end losses have somewhat diminished the joy of it.
I am of course starting to think about taking the leap into hearing aids as a genuine quality-of-life enhancement. I was wondering if anyone out there has dealt with similar issues, and perhaps formed opinions about which of the many available solutions has worked best as both a general lifestyle aid and a boost to their enjoyment of live and recorded music. Many thanks in advance.
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Eric, make an appointment with a trusted audiologist for an exam. If you ARE willing to make an investment in better hearing, you WILL be happy or you will get your money back. I got my test locally and saved money buying Widex 440 from Direct Hearing (find them online). In addition to more enjoyment of music, properly programmed, user adjustable hearing aids will improve speech intelligibility and reduce tinnitus. |
@stereo5 is more or less correct. Except for the Widex (which has its own limitations, but I might be tempted to try them eventually), aids are not designed for music. The behind the hear aids for mild to moderate loss are designed primarily to improve speech recognition by boosting sound in the 2-6 KHz range. the best ones cost around $3K each. they do help you hear the swish and clang of cymbals and so on, but it soon becomes tiresome. Hearing aids are primarily miniature equalizers (with some processing, like compression, built in.) Audiophiles migrated to extremely simple preamps decades ago, for good reasons. I have no idea why wives expect you to hear them talk from another room, in a quiet voice . Facing the listener, speaking clearly, enunciating properly, getting the listener's attention before speaking, adjusting your volume for the circumstances - I don't know why communication skills are so little taught in schools. |
You can get top level hearing aids at Costco for about $1500/pair. I just did that a few weeks ago (I used to pay about $3000 each for the same quality). I've been wearing hearing aids for over 20 years, and the improvement it has made in music listening and everything else is superb; I'd no more go without them than without my eyeglasses. I also have tinnitus, but that's not what my hearing aids are for. |
If a persons main goal is hearing music properly… Why not just use the equalization available with Roon, or some kind of Equalizer or digital processing.? If it might offend others in the house, because it has too much trouble, why not use headphones? Can’t you do more sophisticated equalization with digital signal processing then even your hearing aid ? |
I got my hearing aids through an HMO. They paid $3600 for the pair. There was an option for an improvement from Denmark for $1,800. I paid it. The hearing aids are the most important piece of my system. There was a discussion on the PS Audio chat with Paul McGowan. The hearing aids users felt pretty the same. The aids I have include four different levels of boost. I am using the weakest one. I have bought a Pass Labs XA 25 and a Denafrips DAC since being fitted. I would have no qualms about upgrading any part of my system. I know I cannot hear what younger audiophiles do, but when the alternative is silence, the decision to buy the best hearing aids available to me, was easy to make. |
+1 on Costco. I have high end Signia hearing aids. They are pretty good & MUCH better than the dull lifeless sound I hear without them. However their frequency range of any hearing aid is about 40-8khz I was looking for better alternatives for someone with hearing loss and stumbled on the ASI 3DME in-ear monitors on a a website called Grand Piano Passion AN OASIS FOR ADULT PIANO STUDENTS AND MUSICIANS WITH HEARING LOSS. They are designed for musicians, but maybe a good solution for audiophiles with hearing loss. They are analog, have 20-20KHz (although +/- not published) capability and a 7 band equalizer per channel, and are highly recommended by Grand Piano Passion as an alternative to hearing aids for music. |
The Costco Hearing Aids are refundable for months and cost around $1300. They aren’t perfect for music even with the HiFi setting . Upper frequencies get screechy. I can’t practice the piano wearing them and I choose not to use them while listening to my good system, although I leave them on for the third system which is mainly for video and background Internet Radio . Where they really help is for speech recognition and ambient clues. I have used them more for streaming lately-they aren’t as good as even Apple AirPods-but they did get noticeably better after an update last summer. You can’t lose financially with Costco, given the much lower price and the return policy. My recommendation is try them. Would 6K buds be better for music? My audiologist at the University of Chicago says no, but then most people don’t think that an expensive audio component is worth purchasing when cheaper alternatives exist. I haven’t sampled the higher priced buds and I don’t know how to go about doing that.
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I have been wearing hearing aids for a little over 4 years. My hearing changed and I updated my aids a couple of months ago. I got Phonak's top of the line hearing aids both times. The music setting gives me a more open sound than the other settings. I recommend going to an audiologist who will work with you until everything is tuned perfectly using real ear measurements. |
I'm in the same boat with many other members, having reached that stage in life where my hearing is not as good as it once was. Whether it's hearing aids or in ear monitors, one common thread always crops up. People either love the sound or they hate it. I have used IEM's for many years, and from this experience the most important take away is that proper fit of the soft ear cup in the ear canal is an absolute must for the best sound possible. It's not just how well it fills the canal opening, but also the depth it reaches within the canal. Even a slightly loose or slightly too shallow fit will dramatically change the sound characteristics of an otherwise stellar pair of IEM's. That's why good manufacturers ship their products with such a wide array of ear cups. Also be aware that all earcups are not created equal. The material they are made of has a lot to do with obtaining that all important fit. Good manufacturers usually offer optional ear cups in different materials for this reason. This is not something that many people new to IEM's understand, so keep that in mind as you read the reviews of the IEM's or hearing aids you are considering. +1signaforce. Musicians tend to be even more demanding than audiophiles when it comes to sound reproduction! I will probably try the ASI 3DME's myself. |
US Based; I’ve worn hearing aids for 40+ years, tried a few brands as well as different Audiologist. Never tried Costco, hearing aids are personal item much like most of you didn’t go to BestBuy to buy your audio equipment, I’m not sure I would do the same for hearing aids. You can request to adjust hearing aid to have different modes and I always have a mode to turn off all filters this way the hearing aid is strictly making all noises louder and not modifying/filtering the sound in any fashion. my favorite brand for quality of build and durability is Starkey. |
I too have lost high-end hearing and have been using hearing aids for about a year. I’ve spent much of that time testing listening to music with and without hearing aids using all sorts of different music. I have come to the conclusion my system and virtually all the different music I listen to sounds much better, warmer and more cohesive than when listening with the aids (which do have a music setting that has been set by an audiologist). Listening with the aids can in some cases emphasize cymbals, snares etc. but the sound is constricted, the soundstage diminished, and overall wearing so I’m not able to listen for extended periods. Just my experience but I’ve opted to listen without aids and hoping my brain makes adjustments for my new levels of hearing. So far, so good! |
After 30 years of playing in bands and going to 100 db concerts, my upper end frequencies were shot. It got to the point where conversations were muffled, and music sounded like I was listening under water. I finally broke down and begun using hearing aids. My main advice to you is to do a lot of research. Don't let people tell you that you cannot significantly improved your hearing with hearing aids. Adding EQ will do nothing if the upper end is lost. Only quality hearing aids will help you. Like anything, you get what you pay for. I chose Oticon. They are one of the industry best. Oticon offers a special program called MY MUSIC. Your audiologist programs it to your specifications. I also invested in custom ear molds, which help tremendously. Talk to a good audiologist. Don't settle for Costco (or any big box store) for such an important medical device. |
@rcm1203 If you buy them, please let me know your impressions. I plan to buy them as a birthday present for myself 😎 in early July. Wife can’t say no if it’s for my birthday… right? For those on the thread, I recommend you take the time to read the Grand Piano Passions review. |
A couple other thoughts. IMHO don’t knock Costco unless you tried them. Their testing equipment is outstanding and brand availability and pricing is unmatched. I ended up buying from an audiologist, but Costco was very good. |
This is such a great topic. I also have hearing loss at the high-end frequencies. I purchased the top-of-the line Starkey hearing aids, thinking they would make music sound fantastic once again. I was disappointed to discover they didn't. Per the audiologist, hearing aids are designed to improve hearing from other people, not music. She even setup a "music" mode, but I found it didn't work very well. As others have noticed, if you cup your hands behind your ears when you wear hearing aids, music sound significantly better. I'm not sure why this works, but it does. However, it's not practical (or comfortable) to listen to music with your hands cupped behind your ears. I wish someone would invent a device that has the same effect -- I would buy immediately. My only suggestion is to buy speakers that compensate for the sound frequencies where you have hearing deficiencies. I have hearing loss at the high frequencies, so I enjoy listening to speakers that others would consider bright (such as B&W or Paradigm). An amplifier that has a built-in equalizer might also do the trick, but I personally haven't tried that approach.
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I’ll throw in my 2 cents: The longer you go needing hearing aids, the greater the loss of hearing. Specifically, word recognition. And, once it’s gone it’s gone FOREVER. HiFi is a hobby: hearing is a gift. For those who claim their high frequency hearing is distorted with hearing aids, use the app to adjust the frequency or simply toe OUT the tweeter. And for tinnitus, cut out salt, drink more water and go to your ENT and get betahistine (not sold in the USA but can be made by a compounding pharmacy). Been there. |
Yes you need to see an audiologist and get a hearing test they can test what frequencies you have decreased my experience is high frequencies the hair cells in the cochlea decrease as we age and males tend to lose it in high frequencies that's why you can't hear her as well due to her voice being more in high frequencies. A good ear nose and throat can tell you if you have cerumen impaction too much wax build up in the ear canal.most likely age related hearing problems. And audiologist can tell you that as well. There are many options for hearing aids listen to those who have tried specific brands that like them. It's hard to turn that graphic equilizer up on the spouse.i tried it didn't turn out well. 2 types of hearing loss snhl in nerve or chl conductive in little bones in the middle ear. I have put several back in.regaurdless audiologist with hearing test in hand to a ear nose throat MD will clear it up.spent my life studying this.enjoy the music |
Headphones are at just as much a disadvantage without hearing aids as speakers are; I never knew what my headphones actually sounded like until I started using in-canal hearing aids with them. @peter_s - It would be nice if you could, but no, you cannot; this is specialty equipment. There is a reason that hearing aids cost what they do, even ones from Costco. |
I got hearing aids about 1 yr ago. Since I'm retired, my health Insurance has a deal with Tru-Hearing. The audiologist works in an ENT dr's office, and the hearing aids offered are made by Signia. My hearing loss is in the same range as yours OP. I got the RIC type which are made for TH by Signia. They are the AX series which Dr Cliff (audiologist on Youtube) considers to be among if not the best. BTW his videos were quite helpful in knowing what to look for in the process. The audiologist is the most important part of the process. They have to program for your hearing. Bottom line is that I am very pleased with the hearing aids. I now hear the highs. Yet everything about the sound is natural. I recommend these tru-hearing or the Signia AX RIC. First, a good dr/audiologist. BTW mine cost $700. The app allows me to tone down the highs or lift them up. If anything I sometimes have to tone it down of some more bright recordings and it still sound very natural. Here's Dr Cliff speaking about the newest gen IX vs AX. His other vids are very informative. BTW I found this vid AFTER i already had my Signia's
Signia IX Detailed Hearing Aid Review (youtube.com) Here's mine |
For those interested in the ASI 3DME IEM’s, attached is their response on their utilization by audiophiles. Thank you for contacting us! We also received your comments from Grand Piano Passion. We greatly appreciate your interest in 3DME and hope the information provided to me by our design engineer proves to be helpful.
As Heather Nancy indicated, the 3DME was designed primarily with the performing musician in mind, with very high fidelity audio reproduction and very wide dynamic range capability. While this dynamic range capability is greater than would be needed in a home listening environment, there is nothing that precludes the product’s use in that use scenario. As you have noted, even high quality hearing aids tend not to do well with music, as they are typically optimized for speech frequencies and characteristics, and with limited dynamic range handling. We expended considerable effort in making the ambience reproduction as natural and neutral as possible. The tiny MEMS microphones inherently have a very flat frequency response, with some low frequency rolloff and high frequency boost, which we do equalize out. But the net response through the system to the user’s eardrum is decidedly not “flat” as conventionally measured and would sound very unnatural if it were. That response needs to take into account the placement of the microphone in the earpiece and the ear, but also very significantly, the blockage of the natural ear canal resonance by the sealed earpiece. All this is not easily describable in a conventional frequency response plot. But your ears will reveal it. Tapping into the audiophile market does seem to be a natural direction: natural reproduction with the ability to compensate for individual hearing issues. In addition to loudspeaker reproduction, the excellent sound quality is also available for direct earphone listening. A cable adaptor is necessary to take the headphone or line output of a preamp into the 3.5mm Monitor In jack on the side of the unit. While there are many very high quality headphones out there, the 3DME can match up to the best of them, but with the added benefit of its sound adjustment capabilities. At present, we are still concentrating on our expanding live musician market and secondarily the concert attendee, but we would be well-advised to be looking seriously into the audiophile market. Modifications to the frequency equalization aspects could also be considered, although this would need to be balanced with the need to keep things intuitively interpretable. |
Their answer was in response to the following: For ASI, it appears the audiophile market is untapped although your product may be the best available solution. An audiophile wish list would be very high quality microphones with known frequency response curves with your electronics flattening that curve. (You may have that, but don’t publish it). Just 20-20,000 hz, without +/- on db. You should also expand the number of adjustable frequency bands, with potential slope adjustments on the bands. I believe Audiophiles would spend $K’s on such a product. |
Unfortunately, there are no audiophile hearing aids. The IEM’s, such as the ASI’s would work for voice also but are ear buds with a small belt pack so not inconspicuous. I also read that while other voices sound fine, your own voice sounds weird. Side comment, some studies have shown a link between untreated hearing loss and dementia. With dementia and untreated hearing loss in my family, my choice was easy… and my music sounds much better! |
@signaforce - yeah, maybe in the future there will be something like that. I've worn hearing aids for over 20 years now and tend to upgrade them every 4 or 5 years. They have gotten better and most have 'music' programs and very basic Bass, Mid, and Treble EQ. No, it's far from perfect but it's the best I've heard in a long time (just got new ones a couple weeks ago), and I can also use them for speech, TV, etc etc. I will be getting a pair of in-the-canal ones for use with my headphones; I've got one pair of those now, but I don't like them that much, even though the headphones still sound a lot better with them than without them. |
Yes, see an Audiologist and invest in programmable hearing aid that correct for your specific hearing loss. You can’t get this level of correction buying something off the shelf. Additionally, quality aids will have filtering programs specifically for listening to music. No hearing aid will solve your loss, but good aids can change your life…and maybe help your marriage 😆 |
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As the original poster, I've been pleased and surprised by the number of thoughtful responses--and I certainly don't want to discourage further discourse on the subject. I've learned a lot, but one obvious conclusion is that there is no single best answer, and that there is no substitute for research. It probably makes the most sense to divide the whole hearing-aid question into two parts, one dealing with basic quality of life (i.e., conversational competence and the like) and the other dealing with the experience of live and recorded music; I've made a lot of compromises regarding the latter over the past few decades, but I can still make the case that music is actually part of my "quality of life" as well. My impression is that the Costco experience, in terms of support and quality of offerings, would actually be a bit better than just saying 'Costco' might suggest. When I am in a position to do so, I will probably at least make some preliminary inquiries there. I suspect their offerings would probably be "good enough" as far as conversation and other basic functions are concerned. This discussion has provided a lot of helpful input with respect to the music question, certainly by introducing some names (e.g., Widex) that I might not otherwise have encountered during a routine search. By all means, carry on, and thanks again for all the responses so far. |
I have a similar hearing loss. Hearing is normal up to about 2 k then falls sharply after that. About 5 years ago I purchased my first set of hearing aids. My current devices are Signia AX. I have 6 hearing settings universal, noisy environment, television, recorded music, outdoor sport, and stroll.
My audiologist had tweaked the universal profile to boost upper frequencies by about 2 db to help with hearing conversations. The recorded music profile takes the 2db boost away.
If I listen to music on the universal profile highs will seem a bit bright and harsh. On the recorded music profile it clears it up immensly. After going to the hearing aids my quality of life and enjoyment of music has increased.
I have seen some people here fretting about the da converters in the hearing aids and so on. Never occurred to me to worry about that.
The cost of the hearing aids was very reasonable at about $2100 for the pair. For me this is a great investment.
Do they sound the same as my original equipment (ears) no but getting the harmonics back through the hearing aids has given me plenty of enjoyment.
Just my 2 cents worth. |
Me, too @ericrhenry5488. I’ve been an audiophile for a l-o-n-g time. I’m sure that any discussion about hearing aids would have been met with derision by the audiophile world of my youth. In fact, they were used as insult, as in, "You really need to get some hearing aids if you like that amp." It’s refreshing to see the supportive tone of this discussion. It may be that we will all rely on hearing aids at some point in our future, so it might be beneficial to learn a bit about them now. Thanks to to all that have contributed. |
I have been using hearing aids for a number of years now. The first two pairs I had were just awful! They were Costco's best and Phonak. I have Widex now and they are absolutely the best. Recommended by musicians. But you need a good audiologist who is willing to work with you. Make sure they understand that you want to listen to music, not just tweeked for voice. |
Eric . . . this is NOT a gag or a joke. For $12.98 on eBay you can buy “Earglasses” . . incredible. Sit in front of your tv or sound system. Cup your hands behind your ears . . . difference is beyond belief ! Depth and clarity are incredible improved. We should have dog ears ! Earglasses are decidedly not for public use but at home they would be amazing. Full disclosure, I do not own Earglasses but often sit with my hands cupped behind my ears . . . and envy dog hearing ! |
After a long career as a symphony trombonist and an equally long period as a recording engineer I finally realized that the high end of my hearing spectrum was less than optimal. Fortunately, I was a VET and was able to work with my VA audiology clinic to address the problem. Believe me, I was VERY reluctant to admit the problem but very glad that I did. My audiologist at the VA was one of the most cheerful persons I've ever had the pleasure of meeting ---- BUT ---- what really made me super comfortable with him was when I noticed that his tie tac was a miniature saxophone ! A fellow musician !! Surely, it turned out that he was a saxophonist and we connected immediately on what my major concerns were in regards to a musical outcome for my remediation. He delivered on every aspect of my concern. He chose "Oticon" devices [as "Timkeogh" mentioned] and made sure that if they didn't fulfill my requirements that I could return them and choose others if I wasn't satisfied with the result. Thusfar, they have far exceeded my expectations despite the fact that I HATE have anything in my ears. Earbuds are the most annoying devices I've ever experienced ! When my sax/audio-guy explained that your ears are not the part that is most required to adapt, but that your brain IS, it put me on a much more focused path towards accepting the adjustments required for a successful outcome. I realize that the 8K price of these devices might turn away a lot of folks, but if you are anywhere near being considered as an audiophile, the cost is about 1/2 the price of a good turntable, 1/4 the price of a good amplifier, 1/3 the price of a good set of earphones, 1/10 the price of a good set of interconnects, 1/20 the price of a ---------------------------- I dreaded listening for the first time to my Linkwitz Orion loudspeakers, expecting a shrill, mush-like simulation of what I knew them to be capable of producing. What happened ? It sounded the same as I remembered it many years previous ----- only Better !! I was incredulous !! The BIGgest surprise was when I finally had the nerve to play my trombone for the first time with my new "toys" in my ears. I was almost brought ti tears when I realized that there were myriads of nuances that I heard in my sound that influenced everything that I did from forming articulations to the quality of tone production. What a gift !! I cannot proselytize for any specific brand or approach to improving our hearing deficiencies but I can definitely recommend addressing the problem. It can provide so much pleasure in our listening experiences, I want to mention having seen individuals walking around the NYC Audio Show wearing leather "Hearing Muffs" ! They were the equivalent of "cupping" your ears without the inconvenience of having to actually "cup" your ears. They seemed to be very happy in their choice. I suppose if you only wore them at home -------- ?
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I had a blocked eustachian tube in one ear. Maybe from ear infection. That caused a big drop around 3-7kHz One quick test for differences in right and left ear is make the "money" gesture by rubbing your fingers together. You can move hands further away from ears and also rub harder or softer to vary the "volume". |
I have had Oticon and currently Widex (~$3K). The best pair I had were a pair of Widex top of the line $7k. They blue toothed to the phone and could be adjusted and changed with a phone app. Really handy. Lost one somewhere and had to fall back to the less expensive model. I highly recommend them for conversations and general daily use but I still like listening to my main system without them. Or have them tuned for a setting that is open but turn them down. Insurance may cover some of the cost. When I worked for a big Euro based telco they paid $2.5K. now I work for a USA company and the insurance sucks. Didnt really understand how sh!tty our insurance programs are compared to western Europe. Pathetic. +1 on all the recommendations to get hooked up with an Audiologist. If you pay some of them will come to your house and configure them for listening to your system. |
I have mild hearing loss and tried the top of the line Phonak behind the ear receiver in canal hearing aids and did not like the tin can sound when listening to music. I settled for Resound but still don't listen to music with them. Streaming Bluetooth, my $100 ear buds are much better for music than the $6800 hearing aids! I found the open ear plugs to be more natural as they let in sound in addition to what the speaker provides. It is not surprising to me that these fly weight devices can't come close to producing natural sound as they are primarily designed to improve speech recognition and while they do that fairly well the sound is to me artificial and un-analog, but in a noisy restaurant I am fine with that as I just want to follow the conversation. How sophisticated can the DAC inside these tiny things be. They are using a digital amplifier- no class A here. So it is no surprise that music sounds unnatural. I will agree that there is an emphasis on high frequencies and when I use the hearing aids I hear a lot more high frequency than without, but it is digititis on steroids. I suppose that as my hearing gets worse I may need to use hearing aids to make up for the loss. I would like to hear from anyone that is using the ASI 3DME as to the tone of the sound. |
I went to hearing aid 2 years ago. I bought the top Phonak aid. They are designed with music in mind and have an adjustable music mode. One of the main aspects of this mode is the removal of any “noise reduction” processing. This can destroy the sound stage. I have a PS Audio system which includes the flagship FR30 speakers. The aids retail for more than $7k but I will not listen to music without them. |
I researched most of the hearing aid options and landed on top level Widex ones. The Music setting is very good in the range of this genre of aids. None of this kind of aids reproduces above 4k, however. I have recently learned about a new genre of aids that that use an "earlens" surgically attached to the rim of eardrum and vibrating directly against the eardrum. They get a radio signal from a device that looks like regular hearing aid. They claim to extend the lower range and more so the upper range up to 10k with a more natural sound throughout. I am about to try them myself. The problem is that they are very expensive comparatively, although a lot of us spend more on our systems or even some components. For those both motivated enough and having the means this promises to be a superior improvement for audiophile listening along with the rest of hearing. Check out earlens.com. |
I'm on my second pair of Oticon top of the line aids. Hearing loss runs in my family. Life changing. No messing with settings. They adjust to background noise, volume at live music events. Important to note, if you've put off getting them, you will have a longer time for your brain connection to adapt. They will sound tinny so your audiologist will slowly increase the level over months. Best improvement to my system and my life. You simply can't tune your system to your hearing needs. You're kidding yourself and missing out on life if that's all you try. |
I've had ReSound unit for about five years now. I bought them from a local audiologist who did a very thorough exam process. While they improve everyday life, I don't find they are very good for music. Things just don't sound natural (as I remember them). Imaging, soundstaging.... just aren't there like I remember. I can only assume that due to the internal hocus pocus that is being done with phasing and such to make speech more ineligible, it is at a cost of messing up other things. As a lot have stated, above 2K, things go south with my hearing. One issue I had was when I play piano, there was one note that would cause the units to feedback. Never had it happen in everyday life, but when I play it does. Audiologist explanation was, the ear canal can change the shape of the frequency response of the system (makes sense since the tests are done with headphones, but that in itself is a flaw). The one thing that I wish manufacturers would do is make an option for audio minded people to have more that a 3 band graphic equalizer on them. I wish I had more control like a parametric so I could tune or shape the response to my liking, or should I say what I think sounds natural. I tried a newer improved model a couple of years ago, but I couldn't justify $5,000 for such little improvement. I'm going to do more investigating into some of the brands that were mentioned in the thread to see if I can find something better. Resound is suppose to be a top of the end brand, but no one mentioned it. One final thought which makes me think its my aids, I can listen to music with a set o JBL ear buds or AKG headphones and music sounds great. Don't notic the mid and high frequency loss, which further makes me believe the aids are not meant for music. Even then, speech ineligibility in a noisy environment is hit or miss. It is better than not having them, but far from perfect. |
Responses seem to have slowed to a stop, or at least a trickle; this is of course inevitable as the thread drops lower in the channel list, but as I said earlier, I have been pleased and grateful for the sheer volume of information here. I wanted to once again thank everyone who chimed in with their thoughts, insights and information. I intend to archive this thread for my personal reference. (Nothing fancy, just printing the full page to PDF.) Best wishes to all of you out there. |
