I have been using hearing aids for over 3 years now. I am half deaf and half blind as I approach 66 years old. 45 years of noise exposure (used protection as much as possible) and an avid audiophile for almost 50 years. I have just went thru a situation where my tinnitus has seemed to cause a distortion at higher frequencies (like a radio station slightly off station) which my hearing aids amplify. My audiologist is very patient with me as I carried a chart the last visit of frequencies for various instruments to show where I was having problems when listening. Higher notes on violin, female voices, and cymbals as they get louder begin to distort. I am down 40 db. after 4000hz. My aids are Phonak brand about 6 grand 3 years ago and have a music setting. All the limiters must be set to off and compression etc. If set by the computer for your audiogram they are unlistenable as too much gain. Tinny with water from the faucet sounding like Niagra falls type of thing going on so we dialed back the area of compensation by 4 db and raised the lower bass/midrange some so now its enjoyable to listen to music again as I was ready to list my gear for sale. Hearing aids were designed for hearing voices. They are coming out with new models and soon you will be able to sit in your chair and make adjustments with your phone aka equalizer at the ready. Hearing aids cannot make you magically hear what is lost forever at least my hearing is fine up too 2000hz for the bass and male voices. Good luck to all you guys approaching the "Golden Years" and young guys protect what you have now. Its the ringing that never stops where I and millions suffer with every minute of the day. We want to put a man on Mars but I say what about taking some of the technology/money and help people suffering now. I do find that a more transparent speaker helps me along with gear. Using Focal Kanta 2s with Bel Canto amps,dac, and transport. Best wishes to all that are hearing impaired but I have no one else to blame but me. I wish that correcting hearing would be as simple as correcting eye sight. Just hand me my reading glasses and I see clearly but hearing is another game. Please use caution with that volume knob when listening. Peace to all
hearing loss and speaker selection
So being 75 I've got hearing that ranges between 80hz and 9,000hz. So should I give a rat's patoot about a speaker's ability to reproduce frequencies below and above this range since I can't hear them? Obviously, I'm gonna shoot for those that handle the mids the best. Now I know the proof is in the pudding so that why we listen to speakers and pick the ones that we like best. But for the sake of discussion has there been any double-blind test or any test for that matter that supports the notion that unheard sound affects the sound you can hear through your speakers. Or should speaker manufacturers make a senior version of their speaker for us elderly folks. he says tongue in cheek.
I understand hearing aids can restore some additional high frequencies, but I wonder if they can be tailored to replicate a tube sound over SS equipment or vis versa. Headphones aside is there some other specialized device(s) a hearing impaired person can use beyond a hearing aid that can maximize or enhance the listening pleasure? I know there are many prior posts on hearing loss but I could find none that addressed increasing the listener's frequency range or for that matter clarity. Some older posts did address clarity say go for speakers with the best clarity.
Have fun you can't take it with you.