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Just picked up my first pair of hearing aids from Costco. Wondering how people in this forum who have hearing aids deal with them along with headphones and related hearing issues.
Windows 11, Intel Core i5-8600T 2.3Ghz, 16 gig ram, BIAB 2025 MegaPak, SampleTank 4, Keystation49 Kybd, Neewer NW-800 mic
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I have Starkey prescription hearing aids. I have to remove one when I perform. Otherwise, I hear a raspiness from my horns (that isn't really my sound) and I do not hear how I sound in the hall. One in, one out works best. I generally remove the one on the side where the drummer is.
I can wear both the hearing aides when I check mixes by wearing headphones.
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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In my case my hearing aids have no place in any of my music making. They are great for social events and business meetings, but when playing they just mess with all the frequencies. I can't trust them to provide me feedback on how I am sounding. Maybe just me.
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Nope, you're right Dan! Me too! I only use my "aids" in a social settings, watching TV via their bluetooth or in my dog training classes...never when doing my music. I perform regularly in nursing homes doing one of five different shows. Sometimes, depending on the venue, I'll use IEM's but mostly just relay on my 2 Evolve 30M speakers. I find the Evolves, with their speakers up high and sitting a few feet away, provide me with all the sound I need. I suppose it all depends on the severity of the hearing loss and the frequencies affected.
Jeff
Last edited by MountainSide; 04/25/25 06:38 AM.
Win11, Intel i7 7700K 4.2Ghz, 32Gb RAM, 2x1Tb HD, 500Gb NVMe, BIAB/RB 2026, MOTU 828MK3 audio, MOTU Midi Express, Yamaha Montage 7, DX7II, TX802, Motif XS Rack, Roland Fantom XR Rack, Oberheim Matrix 1000, VoiceLive3 Extreme, Kontakt 6, SampleTank 4.3
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Not a performer, but I haven't been using them at my DAW, just regular headphones. But I'm thinking maybe the basic hearing loss isn't compensated by the volume of the headphones and I"m not hearing the mix properly.
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You should be able to listen to a final mix using your hearing aides and make a determination how much they affect you. Make a mix with and then again without the hearing aides. Are they different?
If you are like most men and have reduced high frequency hearing, you might find others think your mix is too harsh because you added highs so it sounds right to you. Your mix might need bass because you hear more of it when mixing. Things like that.
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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Thanks friends, very helpful
Windows 11, Intel Core i5-8600T 2.3Ghz, 16 gig ram, BIAB 2025 MegaPak, SampleTank 4, Keystation49 Kybd, Neewer NW-800 mic
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When I got my hearing aids it was a revelation. I have lost top frequencies and when I listened to my mixes with the hearing aids I realised that the 'exciter' i was using wasn't necessary. As far as I can tell my aids simply put back the frequencies I was missing and made it easy to have confidence in the mix.
however, i have just been fitted with new ones and these use an in-ear mould not simpy a tube and dome. downside is my voice when talking sounds bassy and when singing the sound is so bass heavy and loud i hold back on vocals. imagine the sound you get when you put your fingers in your ears. weirdly, snacking while watching tv is now a no-no - the chewing sound drowns the tv!
iwhen i go to church i leave them out so i can join in with the hymns. so now for recording vocals whereas i used to leave the old ones in, i now take the aids out. then for mixing put them back in.
and if i get persuaded to perform a karaoke number i'll take them out and then put them back so i can folllow conversation. it's the moulds not hearing aids in general that are the 'problem' but its a well know issue.
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There's a company down in Baton Rouge called HEARS PLUGINS. They have come out with a plugin that you place at your master track. There is an audiology-type hearing test that you go through that determines your hearing deficiency and makes up for it while you record and mix. Once you're ready to do a mixdown you bypass HEARS and record your mix track and you're much better off. Friends of mine use and swear by it—not expensive either.
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I have a severe/profound loss and have worn aids for 15 years. My audiologist and I have designed several presets that allow me to enjoy our hiking/biking nature experiences and also enable me to mix and enjoy our near constant listening to music. She’s thrilled to work with someone who understands eq and compression. Also I have high end aids and tight fitting custom silicon ear molds. And I have my Apple Watch set to alert me when any ambient noise exceeds 80db. While I appreciate the new OTC aids I highly recommend a knowledgeable and patient audiologist for those with severe to profound losses. One who cares about YOUR audio world. My aids and the customized presets have changed my
life. I’ll be 80 soon could not imagine not having this technology. YMMV, FWIW, etc.
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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I have moderate hearing loss in my right ear and do have an BTE hearing aid prescribed for me, free on the NHS here, there are a number of private companies here too, with over-inflated prices, no doubt to pay for all the advertising etc. I got this on Aliexpress a few weeks ago, you can't program them but nevertheless I find them pretty good and are not as visible as the BTE one, I am really impressed with them and are rechargable. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005006352703420.html?spm=a2g0o.order_list.order_list_main.29.1b4e1802piDpEJ
Last edited by musiclover; 04/26/25 04:04 AM.
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Friends, this has been a really good dialog, and I thank everyone for their personal story and feedback..most appreciated!
Windows 11, Intel Core i5-8600T 2.3Ghz, 16 gig ram, BIAB 2025 MegaPak, SampleTank 4, Keystation49 Kybd, Neewer NW-800 mic
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This is even harder than a discussion about general mixing techniques, because of the unique situation of everyone using hearing aides.
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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I'm not a wearer of hearing aids. I can hear fairly well but I do have constant tinnitus and a noticeable attinuation of the higher frequencies. Mostly from my abuse of my .357 magnum pistol without proper hearing protection and the volume knob on my amplifier with full knowledge and consent, in various bands in the past.
My biggest problem is understanding audio from movies and some speech under certain circumstances. Those highs are missing.
One of my concerns is when mixing that I'm treating the high end of the mix incorrectly.
I'm going to look at that Hear plug in. It's similar, I suppose, in nature, apparently, to the ARC room correction software that "listens to the room" and adjusts the speaker output accordingly to allow you to hear the mix with accuracy.
I have ARC but haven't taken the time to run it on the Kill Branch room. I need to get off my lazy butt and make it happen.
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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I’ve just started looking for my first pair, and honestly I’m a little confused by all the options out there. I also realized that it’s not just about the hearing aids themselves — you really need to have some hearing aid supplies on hand in case something gets lost, damaged, or stops working unexpectedly. For those of you with experience, what would you recommend keeping with you at all times to stay prepared?
Last edited by danielsk; 09/21/25 11:50 AM.
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I have hearing loss in the higher end and I do have hearing aids which I do not use when mixing. I also have Sonar works that is calibrated to my AKG K240 Studio Headphones as well as the IK Multimedia ARC software for my monitors. There is a new software that I am looking into called HEARS Perfection from Brainworkx. From what I have read about it, is it performs a hearing test on you and determines what frequency's it need to adjust on your master bus to compensate for your hearing loss. You can check it out here HEARS Perfection or on Plugin Boutique and others.
BIAB 2026 Ultrapack- Fender Studio Pro 8, Windows 11, Mac Mini M4 with Logic Pro 11, Melodyne Studio, Luna Pro
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