Can We Re-visit Hearing Aids?

[groovemastergreg]

on the hearing aids themselves. Easily and quickly done on the fly in less than a second or two. And almost invisible to people around you; looks like you're scratching your ear. Also, whenever I have mentioned to someone that I was wearing them, they always tell me they had absolutely no idea. Even when I point them out most people have trouble seeing them. However, I have realized one real downside this past year or so; wearing a mask along with your glasses and your hearing aids can be a real disaster as everything can get tangled up. I'm mean how much space do we have behind out ears!!! And if anyone here wears an erring as well....you just might end up electrocuting yourself.

Then toss a face mask for covid into the mix and you've got a real cluster around each ear!

 

[David M Scott]

My wife has a higher-pitched, lighter voice,too. When strangers call, they often ask, “Is your Daddy home?” She answers, “No, but I’ll let you talk to my husband,”

Funny !

 

[groovemastergreg]

I am 51 and am approaching the hearing aid stage pretty rapidly. When I was a kid, I used to practice with a pair of gunshot headphones that worked great. Once I started gigging full time around 20-21 years of age, I just never gave the loud noise much thought. I'd say around 30 or so is when I started wearing earplugs. Even still at 51 my hearing has gotten pretty bad. I have tinnitus that rings constantly and at this point, I'm pretty used to it. For my gigs these days I have a pair of Shure SE 315's going through a ROLLs as my monitor and it has pretty much saved my gigging career. I wouldn't dream of doing a gig without some sort of protection now.

I have had a State job for 22 years now and my insurance is pretty good. I'd say within the next 5-8 years I will probably be looking at hearing aids.

I have a cochlear implant in one ear (fantastic hearing) and a hearing aid in the other. Although I've been drumming since age 10, marching bands, bar bands, etc, my docs were convinced and still are that what I have is not music related loss. I have been diagnosed with Auto Immune Ear Disease (AIED), very similar to Ménière's disease without the balance issues. Google it.

From my audiograms, both of which are completely different and one of which mimics a malignant brain tumor, docs and audiologists all over the country have made this proclamation. That it was not noise but disease induced loss.

My loss was unusual. I awoke one fine day in July, 1999 with half the hearing in my right ear gone. It gradually came back, after much steroids and all kinds of testing and MRI's and lab tests, etc. Four years later, the left ear joined, but not as severe as the right ear. Basically, in 1999, 2003, 2007 and 2011 (every 4 years like a clock), I would have a hearing loss attack, lose more hearing, gain most but not all back, rinse and repeat. I got my HA's early on in this disease because using them keeps the audio nerve active, important if CI surgery might be in your future.

The absolute worst thing someone who needs HAs can do is go without them. All sorts of psych issues have been attributed to losing your hearing.

I got my CI 8 years ago. Wonderful hearing immediately but took awhile to adjust to music. I'm a lawyer and tried a jury trial 6 months after implantation, so they work pretty good hearing wise.

Here's why I posted in response to you: You will find if you get hearing aids, whilst they are on, they block tinnitus. Same with the CI. I only hear it when I go to bed wo my aids on. Also, sounds like you might wanna see an audiologist and have your hearing tested if you think you'll be needing them.

Unfortunately, my hearing issues with my HA ear preclude the use of more inexpensive HA's such as the ones Costco sells. I have a friend with less severe loss and he's used them for a decade and is very happy. I prefer seeing a real audiologist and being able to try different HA's to find the latest that is right for me.

None of my aids or CI is adjustable by me as I'd like it to be. On both HA and CI, I can change programs and volume. That's it. I know one of my docs had WideX HA's and he could set the volume and programs for whatever setting he was in, then gps on his phone would auto adjust his HA's. Pretty cool. Every environment has different issues.

I played e drums throughout the last 23 years of this beast disease. I finally cranked up the REAL drums a few months ago and bought a set of hearing protection headphones that also broadcast music. I use a small mixer and mic the guitar amps and run a line in from keys and vocals and now, I can play REAL drums again with others.

I'm an old member of DCI forum and Dunnett's forum who basically stopped drum forum going about 2009, when my hearing got so bad I could not understand music with hearing aids. Those days are gone...

 

[David M Scott]

I have a cochlear implant in one ear (fantastic hearing) and a hearing aid in the other. Although I've been drumming since age 10, marching bands, bar bands, etc, my docs were convinced and still are that what I have is not music related loss. I have been diagnosed with Auto Immune Ear Disease (AIED), very similar to Ménière's disease without the balance issues. Google it.

From my audiograms, both of which are completely different and one of which mimics a malignant brain tumor, docs and audiologists all over the country have made this proclamation. That it was not noise but disease induced loss.

I got my CI 8 years ago. Wonderful hearing immediately but took awhile to adjust to music. I'm a lawyer and tried a jury trial 6 months after implantation, so they work pretty good hearing wise.

Here's why I posted in response to you: You will find if you get hearing aids, whilst they are on, they block tinnitus. Same with the CI. I only hear it when I go to bed wo my aids on. Also, sounds like you might wanna see an audiologist and have your hearing tested if you think you'll be needing them.

Unfortunately, my hearing issues with my HA ear preclude the use of more inexpensive HA's such as the ones Costco sells. I have a friend with less severe loss and he's used them for a decade and is very happy. I prefer seeing a real audiologist and being able to try different HA's to find the latest that is right for me.

None of my aids or CI is adjustable by me as I'd like it to be. On both HA and CI, I can change programs and volume. That's it. I know one of my docs had WideX HA's and he could set the volume and programs for whatever setting he was in, then gps on his phone would auto adjust his HA's. Pretty cool. Every environment has different issues.

I played e drums throughout the last 23 years of this beast disease. I finally cranked up the REAL drums a few months ago and bought a set of hearing protection headphones that also broadcast music. I use a small mixer and mic the guitar amps and run a line in from keys and vocals and now, I can play REAL drums again with others.

I'm an old member of DCI forum and Dunnett's forum who basically stopped drum forum going about 2009, when my hearing got so bad I could not understand music with hearing aids. Those days are gone...

Hearing aids are so neat today compared with years past especially when Bluetooth compatible.

 

[hawker]

Then toss a face mask for covid into the mix and you've got a real cluster around each ear!

Yes....and I've nearly hung myself a couple of times!

 

[hawker]

Hearing aids are so neat today compared with years past especially when Bluetooth compatible.

Very helpful information thanks! I've happy to hear that you've found a work-around on stage...with some effort.

 

[hawker]

I started to wear ear in protection in ' 66 when the amps got big

I was in High School playing drums in '66. You were one smart cookie and apparently immune to being made fun of. I'm impressed.

 

[hawker]

I started wearing hearing aids close to 15 years ago. And am an avid supporter of Costco and the hearing aid centers. I believe they have revolutionized that industry that has always consisted of nearly entirely small boutique type shops - which there's nothing wrong with, it's an excellent model for quality service. It is also about the most expensive business model to base an industry on. So while there are some compromises, Costco's establishing in-house hearing centers and using their ability to mass purchase and pass on the resultant savings resulted in my first Costco receiver-in-ear aids costing $3400 a pair (rather than the then typical $6500), the next improved pair costing less than $2500, and I believe this most recent, even more greatly improved pair costing $1800 (maybe less, I can't remember).

Hawker - your need to use them while playing is perplexing - as yes, the common practice is not to. Though for many years, I never wore my aids while mixing or editing or working with music in front of speakers. The earlier models - even just a few years ago - simply sounded to horrible in the top end. They were slow electronically - so that the processing created a small delay that just smeared that heck out of transients. Plus they simply didn't sound all that good - to listen to music through them via bluetooth was akin to a bad 60's transistor radio. Thin, brittle, lacking in any lows, but also harsh and scratchy in the high end.

But my newer Kirkland 9's are absurdly better harmonically than my former 6's. I actually can listen to music through them via bluetooth - is it really really great? No, but it is listenable. But as aids in front of speakers - they are world's better. SO between my top end just getting worse without them - I'm finding I use them most of the time now in front of speakers.

For the longest time - I just sort of knew the translation I had to make when not wearing them - so I didn't overly boost the highs on everything while mixing. But as my hearing continues to digress - many of the highs are down where there's nothing to translate - they're just not there, or not enough for me to hear without the aids.

One note though - if you try them while playing - I would suggest just like I do in front of speakers - always switch to a "music" program that included no compression. This gives you the baseline frequency correction without the aids always trying to push it further with compression. So using a "music" program plus turning them down to no louder than required for you to get by. That's what I would try anyway.

Dcrigger, sorry I just realized I never responded to you here. The reason I would like to wear the hearing aids on the band stand is because a) I can't hear the leader count off the title of the tune and his count off. (b) I can't always hear the acoustic piano and/some of the horns who play out front. c. It would be nice to hear the cymbals as the rest of the band hears them...including the accuracy of the volume level. However....since Covid I have only had one gig, I didn't wear them and still don't know how that's going to work. But thanks for your input!

 

[Demonslayer]

I bought these last Saturday at the local gun shop. I stopped there on the way over to a rehearsal with an old friend's band. As you can imagine, they're for use in the shooting range (you can see the ratings at the bottom of the package, but the website says NRR is 22. They're pretty snug (borderline tight), and there's a learning curve to adjusting, but they were very effective in managing the racket.

After the previous rehearsal with this band, I had a terrible headache, and my right ear was mad at me for three days straight. After 30+yrs of playing with several high-energy bands, I had already begun to (begrudgingly) accept the ringing. However, this was a whole new level of discomfort and pain, and I was determined NOT going to go through it again. I bought Vic Firth's basic filters online but felt they were not enough protection. Thank God I remembered the local gun shop and got these in the nick of time.

These bad boys belong in the rig now. Where I go, they go. End of story.

 

[jmcohen]

If you are reading this thread and are on the fence about whether or not to get your hearing tested, the exam is FREE if you are a Costco member. It was a comprehensive examination and you will walk out with a chart specifying your degree of hearing loss and in which frequencies. You can take that to another audiologist or buy hearing aids at Costco. In my case, I was not (yet) a candidate for hearing aids.

 

[CSR]

I bought these last Saturday at the local gun shop. I stopped there on the way over to a rehearsal with an old friend's band. As you can imagine, they're for use in the shooting range (you can see the ratings at the bottom of the package, but the website says NRR is 22. They're pretty snug (borderline tight), and there's a learning curve to adjusting, but they were very effective in managing the racket.

After the previous rehearsal with this band, I had a terrible headache, and my right ear was mad at me for three days straight. After 30+yrs of playing with several high-energy bands, I had already begun to (begrudgingly) accept the ringing. However, this was a whole new level of discomfort and pain, and I was determined NOT going to go through it again. I bought Vic Firth's basic filters online but felt they were not enough protection. Thank God I remembered the local gun shop and got these in the nick of time.

These bad boys belong in the rig now. Where I go, they go. End of story.

I bought gun range headphones that have an NRR of 22, but they also have microphones that pick up and amplify lower decibel sounds up to a safe limit. That way, I can hear the bandleader change tunes from the set list or make changes on the fly, but my hearing is protected.

I don’t wear them. Why? The cymbal sound is a “wa-wa-wa” oscillation that is very distracting. Apparently, the cymbal sound rises to the electronic ceiling and then decreases, only to rise again. Great idea, but unless I can solve the problem, unworkable for me.

So, it’s back to hearing aids on the band stand, and living with 104 dB at the high hat.

 

[SY-ya-nara]

If you are reading this thread and are on the fence about whether or not to get your hearing tested, the exam is FREE if you are a Costco member. It was a comprehensive examination and you will walk out with a chart specifying your degree of hearing loss and in which frequencies. You can take that to another audiologist or buy hearing aids at Costco. In my case, I was not (yet) a candidate for hearing aids.

I’m pretty sure virtually any audiologist will give a free hearing exam so you don’t need to buy Costco membership. Edit to add: Finding a professional that has worked with musicians is very beneficial. We use our ears in a unique way.

 

[jmcohen]

I’m pretty sure virtually any audiologist will give a free hearing exam so you don’t need to buy Costco membership.

I was merely pointing out that Costco exams are free and without obligation.

 

[jmcohen]

I’m pretty sure virtually any audiologist will give a free hearing exam so you don’t need to buy Costco membership. Edit to add: Finding a professional that has worked with musicians is very beneficial. We use our ears in a unique way.

I am merely pointing out that, if you are a Costco member, the exam is free and without obligation.