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Due to extensive hearing loss (highs are gone) I had to give in and get hearing aids...$3000 later, speech is clearer, but all music has become mainly 'noise' to me - the aids over-amplify certain instruments while under-amplifying others - making songs almost unrecognizable...If anyone out there is performing while using HA, I would appreciate any comments/suggestions. After 50+ years as a musician, this is truly frustrating...
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I don't use hearing aids but I do know that all medical technology is continuing to advance forward. And I learned a lot by skimming this article. There may even be products with AI these days. https://www.healthyhearing.com/report/53122-Hearing-aids-for-musicWhat I found interesting from this is the better ones can be programmed. If this were me I'd probably show up to my audiologist with my bass, bass amp and a portable boom box and say "Doc, this is what I want to continue doing." And then start rocking out to Tom Petty. He would either kick me out the office or say, "I got this, let's work the problem." In all manner of health care I've learned that the squeekier the wheel is, the more grease it gets  I think there is a solution out there for you . . . all the best.
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
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I have a set of noise reduction/amplification headphones. I use them when I am using power equipment such as mowers, chainsaws and weed whackers, as well as grinding and cutting metal, and while enjoying my second amendment activities.
I will often simply use them in the "off" position. However, I can have them "on" and they will amplify the outside sound.... so a squirrel rummaging in the leaves might sound like a bull crashing through the undergrowth. They shut down immediately on any sound that exceeds 85dB in a couple of milliseconds above the threshold. That can make mowing the grass with them "on" a weird experience as the threshold turns on and off. Hence the reason I run them in the off position most of the time.
Another feature is that they have bluetooth capability and can link to my phone so I can actually stream music to the cans. However, the audio quality is really not very good and therefore, since I can't stand listening to sub-par quality music.... I don't often use them to listen to music while I'm working.
My main issue with hearing is that I have attenuated high frequency response. That causes issues when I mix songs and also in hearing TV and conversation clearly in the lower level parts. When 2 characters are talking quietly in a scene.... yeah, I ain't getting that....UNLESS... I'm watching it on my phone and using my decent ear buds. Then, I get every single word and nope.... not because I have the volume gagged wide open.
Anyway.... that's my dos centavos.
Last edited by Guitarhacker; 08/13/23 04:43 AM.
You can find my music at: www.herbhartley.comAdd nothing that adds nothing to the music. You can make excuses or you can make progress but not both. The magic you are looking for is in the work you are avoiding.
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eddie1261
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The guy we need here hasn't been on the forums for a while. Scott, "Rockstar_NOT) works in auditory science in some capacity and knows a great deal about this very subject.
Wife 3.0 wore very expensive hearing aids but they were proof that "expensive" and "high quality" are not the same thing. All they did was feed back. I don't know why hearing aid manufacturers make them in a way that the signal that the batteries are running low is a high pitched tone that the hearing impaired person can't hear. Wouldn't a series of gently vibrating pulses be more effective? Or maybe have them come out of the ear and fly around like that little ball in Harry Potter.
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I've had a high frequency loss since the late 60's from mostly stupid behavior involving music and power equipment.
Over the last decade it has reached what an audiologist would term a profound loss across a lot of the spectrum. BUT ...
I have a young, smart audiologist and she was early on fascinated by my use of terminology such as EQ, compression, decibels, etc.
So together we have worked out different presets for my aids. One for general use, one for nature hikes, etc., and importantly one for mixing. Working with her and my younger wife who has amazing ears I've been able to continue and enjoy mixing ... and listening to music in general.
Soooo ... if your audiologist doesn't "get it" I'd suggest another one or if necessary buy the aids online making sure you get some that allow you to set all the parameters. My experience has been that most audiologists focus almost entirely on hearing speech well and program to reduce extraneous noises that interfere with that. But that does not enhance the music experience. IMHO it has to be custom all the way ... not just a routine of boosting your deficient ranges. And any resemblance to hearing aid technology developed over the past five years compared to older tech is coincidental.
Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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eddie1261
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So, Bud, from what you said I assume that through some phone app you can easily change the present in your hearing assistance devices to fit what you are going to be doing. Is that correct?
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So, Bud, from what you said I assume that through some phone app you can easily change the present in your hearing assistance devices to fit what you are going to be doing. Is that correct? Yep. Takes about 10s. What I cannot do is modify the presets w/o an office or on line visit to my audiologist. Not her fault but the nature of the aids. The next set I get will be a model that allows me to readily adjust the settings of presets and create my own. New world. It's all about multi-band compression and EQ. Oh, and very effective anti-feedback tech has been around for quite a while. Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Soooo ... if your audiologist doesn't "get it" I'd suggest another one
+1, squeek until you get your grease. And here is what my AI bot says about AI and hearing aids. " Yes, AI is finding its way into hearing aids. According to an article on healthyhearing.com, hearing aids with artificial intelligence (AI) can detect your environment and learn your preferences for listening. For example, when seated in a noisy restaurant with a friend or spouse, hearing aids with AI can automatically shift to provide more comfort or more clarity to help you perform your best.
Major hearing aid manufacturers have been adding AI technology to their premium hearing aid models. For example, Widex’s Moment hearing aid utilizes AI and machine learning to create hearing programs based on a wearer’s typical environments.
Starkey Livio Edge AI is the world’s first custom rechargeable hearing aid to deliver next-generation sound performance. Their technology, Edge Mode, instantaneously adjusts to help you hear in the most challenging listening situations."
https://soundcloud.com/user-646279677BiaB 2026 Windows For me there’s no better place in the band than to have one leg in the harmony world and the other in the percussive. Thank you Paul Tutmarc and Leo Fender.
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I do not have, and do not need, an audiologist-prescribed hearing aid. My right ear is still good, but my left has always had attenuated mid-range (as did my father and grandfather). I use a SONY over-the-counter 'hearing aid' from Best Buy. It has an app for my iPhone and conforms to my needs after running through the hearing test. Then I can control the volume with the app.
I use it only when mixing and transcribing music, but it definitely helps for that. I also used it when called for jury duty, in a huge courtroom with bad acoustics, a judge with a mild voice and a bad house PA, and 150 edgy people.
So the point is, there are surprisingly good solutions reasonably priced compared to $6,000 from an audiologist. Mine was $1,400.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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So the point is, there are surprisingly good solutions reasonably priced compared to $6,000 from an audiologist. Mine was $1,400.
My high end aids cost $3K (nearly the same as yours x2) and includes replacement warranty and unlimited support from my audiologist. Anybody that pays 6 grand for a pair of aids, particularly after the recent change in over the counter availability, is either grossly under informed or has a lot of cash to throw away. Most major high end brands come with a host of options many of which one may not need. Strip it down to the essentials and get them programmed with multiple presets for what you need. That's a plural you Bud
Our albums and singles are on Spotify, Apple Music, Amazon Music, YouTube Music, Pandora and more. If interested search on Janice Merritt. Thanks! Our Videos
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Having had an operation for Mastoid in my left ear due to Meningitis over ten years ago I have been left with approximately 14% hearing, all of it bass and muffled. The ear drum survived but the ear canal had to be rebuilt and a hole repaired where the infection went around and under the ear drum, this in turn attacked the small bones that create sound.
I was fitted with a hearing aid which did help a little with speech but I could never get on with it. Without realising it for quite some time I had learnt to lip read, this didn't become apparent until covid and everyone was wearing masks. I stopped using the hearing aid as I found it easier to lip read.
Music was no longer enjoyable and for years I rarely played at all. I asked about hearing aids which would work for music but my audiologist at the hospital said it was unlikely that I would get near to what I was hoping for with some form of aid. Then he suggested bone conductive headphones, but was unsure as to how effective, or even if they would be effective.
I found some online, Shokz open run pro and thought it was worth a try. They are not headphones in the traditional sense as they do not cover the ears, they sit just in front of the ears on the bony part of the skull. You still hear what is going on around you, I think they were designed for joggers. The sound is not as good as a traditional headphone but in my case is much better. They are not perfect, too much bass and they tend to make a sort of buzz inside your head. They may or may not be suitable for all with hearing loss but as they cost around £150 it might be worth giving them a try. I see that there are a lot more choices now available.
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having been on holiday i'm late replying to this thread. i'm in the UK so things might be different in the USA.
i found my recordings were getting muddy and was looking for an 'enhancer' plugin to liven up my vocals.
then i had a hearing test as my wife didn't like the tv as loud as i did. the test showed i had lost higher frequencies and hearing aids were prescribed.
the brand i got is OTICON and they have made a huge difference. the audiologist told me they were programmed to add the frequencies i had lost - in effect giving me 'normal' hearing.
i no longer want to add an enhancer to my vocals. they sound fine. how do i know my hearing is 'right' with the aids? it's the age old problem of 'is the colour red i see the same colour you see?'
all i can say is that cds played with flat eq and music streamed on smart speaker sound 'right' and so do my home recordings.
i now feel that my hearing aids are set right to give me 'normal' hearing and i wear them when i'm recording and mixing - and when i wear phones.
maybe i'm just lucky but the audiologist - free consulation and free aids on the NHS at no cost to me - and i discussed what the aids would do and they are preset - no variables. it was all very simple.
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Im 24 and just lost hearing of high to mid frequency's on my right ear about a week ago, i have trouble hearing and there is no infection or anything, wish i could have done things better and taken care of myself now i have to worry it doesn't get worse all my life, all of this while i was already going through a deep depression and chronic back pain, i know it can get better but honestly i dont see that happening. Visiting ear wax doctor makes me feel a little better, but not for a long time. It looks like i need to do it once in three -four months at least.
Last edited by danielsk; 03/30/24 06:05 AM.
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A good friend of mine Dr. Allen Craig, Audiologist at Harmony Hearing Center did my first hearing test and let me know I had lost quite a bit of the high frequency sound. Since I am a Army Vet I get my hearing aids for free but Dr. Allen sent me this video which is on You tube about a new product that has impressed him. Dr. Allen used to be our Front of house mixer and is also a musician himself. Starkey Genesis AI
BIAB 2026 Ultrapack- Fender Studio Pro 8, Windows 11, Mac Mini M4 with Logic Pro 11, Melodyne Studio, Luna Pro
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Update. I now have prescription hearing aids (Starkey also), since my hearing took a strong turn for the worse a few months ago. Things are better now with the hearing aids.
Danielsk, you should consider going to an audiologist. Good luck, and welcome to the forum.
BIAB 2026 Win Audiophile. Software: Fender Studio One 8, Swam horns, Acoustica-7, Notion 6, Song Master Pro, Win 11 Home. Hardware: Intel i9, 32 Gb; Fender Quantom HD8 & Faderport 8, Royer 121, Adam Sub8 & Neumann 120 monitors.
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Matt.
sorry to hear that mate.
i wish you the very very best.
om
Last edited by justanoldmuso; 03/28/24 05:00 PM.
my songs....mixed for good earbuds...(fyi..my vocs on all songs..) https://soundcloud.com/alfsongs(90 songs created useing bb/rb) (lots of tips of mine in pg tips forum.)
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I'll give input after Tuesday, when I get my first set ..
/getting old ain't for the faint of heart
I do not work here, but the benefits are still awesome
Make your sound your own!
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