Quite a few of the Massive have hearing issues, who’d have thought? So I thought my first impressions might be of interest.
I am 66. My hearing has been dodgey for I reckon 10 years, poor for 5 and this year, having to rely on subtitles on the TV permanently I felt it was time to do something about it. The diagnosis: ok in low to mid-range and moderate to severe loss in the upper register. The line falls off a cliff as the frequency increases. I also have tinnitus- a high pitcheed eeeeeee prominent during silences and exacerbated by stress.
On Tuesday I had them fitted and set for me -after a weekend ogf Jason Isbell then Nathaniel Rateliff and the Nightsweats, proving I am nothing if not recalcitrant.
I went to Costco for mine, and no, I didn’t have to buy a pallet of them. Costco are the biggest suppliers in America and have all the lastest technology. A guy I know with serious hearing issues reckoned he saved thousands going there. That was good enough for me. As the picture shows these puyppies from Phillips were recommended. Phillips is a new entrant with the aids being produced for them by an established player Danish company Demant. These aids are only available through Costco. They cost me $A2000 with $A800 back on my health insurance. I think I have 6 months where I can take them back and get a full refund, they have a full 3 year warranty and if you lose them they will give you a new set -once.
My concern was music, so these were recommended. You still get sound coming in the ear “around” the speaker in the ear canal. Also, there is a setting for hi-fi on the phone app. Others probably have that too.
So on to the experience. Perhaps it is because I use in-ear buds for swimming but I had no problems with them sitting in the ear and the control unit behind the ear is not intrusive at all. My main issue was taking spectacles on and off and not hooking the aids at the same time. Glasses can generate an amplified knock so I am cmore areful now.
Your own voice is initially loud. However, start talking and you will notice that you hear your voice. It is just that you get used to it. I adjusted very quickly to the amplified sound. I went for a walk and noticed the sound of my own footsteps and birds, birds everywhere!
Onto music. My fear was that the sound would be very metallic. Not so! What I most noticed was the sound of snare drums and cymbals. After a solid session of jazz trumpet, the treble got a bit wearing but overall everything sounded far more alive and I could hear a lot more vocals. I have reset all amp controls to neutral, less treble, and more bass, and will adjust after I am more used to them.
The remote control includes various settings -general, hi fi, conversation in noisy environment, and noise for those working in noisy environment so a bit like a noise cancelling headphone I guess.I think htere is another setting ofr driving in noisy cars/trucks too.You can adjust the volume and there is an equaliser- bass, mid and treble. I didn’t notice much change with the tone controls and turning them volume up created an overload. But turning them down was highly effective. I need to do a bit more experimenting with the tone controls.
You can hear people calling you on the phone which is pretty effective and when I play clips on my phone they go through the aids too. I tried playing some streamed music but it sounded poor and dropped out a bit. Bluetooth connectivity can be an issue with aids generally. Apparently the ones I have don’t like Android phones.
TV -much better but it still can’t fix mumbling. Listening to Mrs Wells? As I said to her, just because I can hear you better doesn’t mean I am listening. That went down as well as you’d expect.
The tinnitus seems to be better. Partly because it doesn’t cut in as I hear more stuff. I think there is a masking sound in the background like distant running water. Perhaps that is my imagination- I will ask about it at the follow-up appointment in a fortnight.
Conclusion – should have got them years ago.
Onya mate. I don’t need these yet (AFAIK), but I know who to call when I do.
Nice use of the lingo Mike.
I’m pleased for you. Hope they improve the quality of life. Sounds like they already have.
I’m glad to hear they’re such a boon.
Good for you Junior, glad they’re working out for you.
Mrs. Paws started wearing hearing aids last year. She can Bluetooth audio books on them, which means there are times when she can’t hear a word I’m saying (must be lovely for her). On the whole she really rates them, although after five years or so of being able to mutter things under my breath I now have to be careful of what I’m saying.
Meanwhile, here’s an inconclusive article from yesterday’s newspaper about hearing loss, hearing aids and dementia-
https://www.theguardian.com/society/2023/apr/13/hearing-aids-could-help-cut-the-risk-of-dementia-study-finds
Good to hear they’re helping, Junior!
Pardon?
Having reread my post, it is clear the hearing aids haven’t improved my proof reading.
I don’t think any of us were expecting miracles 😁
Quite!
I didn’t like to say anything in case you heard me…🤔
I wish you well with your hearing aids JW. You might recall my description of my own recent acquisition of hearing aids (your Jeff Beck/tinnitus post 23rd March). My audiologist made me aware of the potentially slightly disconcerting changes I might experience (the voice, footsteps, my clothes ‘rustling’) and assured me that my brain would adjust. This is basically what has happened. One of the strangest experiences was on the first day when I got to my front door and thought I heard the sound of my neighbour shovelling gravel in his driveway. On entering my house, I realised it was the sound of me breathing through my nose. I became aware of another change the first time I met a group of friends. One of them said I was speaking more softly than usual. I realised that this was because of the new way I was hearing my voice inside my head. I still sometimes have to make myself speak louder. All in all, it’s been 6 months now and I reckon that my brain has pretty well adjusted to my in-ear aids.
Thanks, yes your anecdote prompted me to share my experience.
I got mine just before lockdown from the wonderful NHS.
Free test, free hearing aids and even free batteries.
They didnt complain when I lost them on the train.
I don’t wear them as much as I should but they really do make a difference. Good luck.
(my wife, 6 years younger than me, has just been told she has cataracts. Wonderful this growing old, isnt it?. Still, better than the alternative).
Glaucoma?
Free. From what I gather your NHS is either excellent or totally fucked.
Considering the resources it’s given and the demands upon it, it’s remarkably good.
It’s a strange situation in that our public would be completely outraged if it was done away with, but as with all public services, though they don’t want to actually pay for it through taxation, they expect it to be excellent.
Took delivery of my new hearing aids on Friday, moulded to my lugholes they fit perfectly. I’ve had the weekend to try them out and bluetoothing them to my tablet means I can control the volume much easier. I tried them out at a woodwind concert yesterday muting them and unmuting them. On mute the flute was all but inaudible
Unlike my previous ones I can keep them in all day and forget I’ve got them in. I’d only used my previous ones at concerts or the cinema but I was told I needed to keep them in all the time (obviously taking them out at night and for showering etc) to train the brain to adapt to the sound from them.
Very happy and thank you NHS.
I’m booked in for wax removal on the 24th of this month with an audiology test to follow a fortnight later. I know my hearing is compromised, it will be interesting and helpful to find out to what extent. I guess hearing aids will be a part of my future.
Wax removal has made a huge difference to my wife and my son, who used to get raisin sized lumps hoovered out. Fortunately, he seems to have grown out of it.
I’ve had my ears hoovered out a couple of times before but some years ago and they feel like they need a rinse. I’m not kidding myself though at seventy my hearing is not going to be tip top so I’m going to find out exactly how diminished it’s become and take it from there.