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Hearing Aids

I have used hearing aids for 20 years, but primarily for understanding voices in movies and TV. I was considering selling my Merlin TSM speakers, but in the meantime, my wife and family were starting to complain about my hi fi levels. I put the aids in, and...WOW....what a difference in clarity and depth! Why the heck didn't I try this sooner? This was one reason why I decided to stick with the Merlins. Well, as luck would have it....I have lost one of my aids. They (Phonak) were going on 10 years old so maybe it’s time to upgrade those. However, my insurance plan will only pay $1200 towards new hearing aids. The Phenol, at least 10 years ago, were quite pricey. Any thoughts from this sage group?

troutbum
larsman's avatar
larsman
3,123 posts
 

@mihorn - I've worn hearing aids for over 10 years and they most certainly do help to clarify voices in a noisy room, and the technology has been continuously improving. What no hearing aid can do is restore lost high frequencies, but its EQ can simulate it. 

mihorn
907 posts
 

@ larsman    Sure. HA technology has been improved and the sound of HAs should be better. But still many people think even the best and expensive HAs sound bad in noisy back ground. It’s same to almost HA reviews (Widex, Phonak, etc.) in Ytube. For ex.) Below is few user comments of Widex Allure (current best HA?  $2k~$4k) review.  

Wande55411  9 months ago. Not impressed with these Widex. They don’t adjust in noisy restaurants and crowds.

nram1  I’m glad you mentioned the noisy restaurants and crowds. It has no use in noisy places or even in a minivan.

The electronic sounds can’t be heard well with the natural sound. We shush people in audio show rooms because the audio music can’t be heard well with people talking. We can’t hear even the loud audio sound with leaf blower sound or dog barking (natural sounds) outside.

In current sound technology, the electronic sounds can’t be heard well with the natural sound. Current audio tech sounds still tunnel sound, far away distant mid-range sound, confused, bright, veil, thin sounds, etc. HA’s tiny speakers have same sound characters. Below shows the electronic sound won’t blend well with the natural sound.  Classical - (Natural vs. Un-natural sound)

A solution for HA’s back ground noise problem is HA equips a natural sound speaker like this speaker. Alex/Wavetouch audio

larsman's avatar
larsman
3,123 posts
 

@mihorn - good points, but how easy do people with normal hearing find it to hear conversations in noisy environments? One rating restaurants often receive is the ambient noise inside, and people with all kinds of hearing, good and bad, complain about this. 

limomangus's avatar
limomangus
1,993 posts
 

No ear plugs,like no Q tips.....if you didn't use headphones for the last 10,20,30,40,50 years your hearing mine not, have gotten so bad. Children today have ear plugs,in at 4 years old....they will be deaf by time their 31.

mihorn
907 posts
 

OP    They (Phonak) were going on 10 years old so maybe it’s time to upgrade those. 

This HA (sale in Audiogon) might be a good upgrade. It’s only $150/pair now.

This HA is a solution to the HA’s background noise problem. Alex/Wavetouch audio

HA105 - Only natural sound Hearing Aid

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