Hearing aids

[Reezekeys]

34 minutes ago, The Real MC said:

Six hours of battery life?
The battery in the hearing aid I wear has a life of 7-8 days.

 

I know! A downside for sure but as I mentioned, Apple makes zero claims about these things being any kind of hearing aid. But even compared to other bluetooth earbuds, they are not stellar in that department. The case mitigates things a bit, you can pop them in there for a few minutes and they'll charge back up pretty quickly. The battery in the case has enough juice to charge them 3 or 4 times, I believe.

 

Apparently the H2 chip in these things is doing a whole lotta processing almost all the time, which I assume is what eats the battery life.

 

[edit - shows you what I know, every BT earbud has a charging case!]

[Pa Gherkin]

Aw hell. I had hopes for the Bossa aids. Zydecat’s post about being unable to make contact with Bossa is a real bummer. Hopefully that situation will resolve. I’ll keep my eye on this thread with fingers crossed.

[Stokely]

My mom ended up paying "mid level" (well over a thousand though) and insurance paid for quite a bit.  I can't recall the brand she got but it's REALLY and immediately helped her quality of life.  And, frankly, the QOL for anyone trying to have a conversation with her   Her aids need to be charged each night fwiw.

[Zydecat]

Update - I finally spoke with someone at Bossa Hearing.  Seem they are having some production issues, and my order should ship in a couple weeks. Here’s hoping - I’ll keep yawl updated.  

[kenheeter]

I haven't received mine yet....

[Pa Gherkin]

Zydecat, Good to hear you were able to make contact with Bossa. I’m very interested to hear your and Ken’s take on these units. Thanks for keeping us in the loop.

[Raymb1]

I've had a pair of Bernafons from Costco for about 4 years now. I lost a lot of high end hearing over the years. Very satisfied with them. Cost was about $2,600.00

[slg1013]

I've worn Oticon minis for about 6 years now; I think they were around $4000 and this was the least expensive model (had the fewest frequency bands). They took me a while to get used to and had to be adjusted multiple times before I was happy with them. That said, they've made a huge difference. I still don't hear anywhere near as well as people with no hearing loss, but I can have a normal conversation without having to say "What?" if there was any change in volume or I couldn't see the other person's lips moving. Another thing that's nice is that when I have the aids in my tinnitus is significantly reduced (which is huge). The one down side is the dependency factor. My hearing hasn't gotten significantly worse since I started wearing the aids, but my brain tells me that I can't hear anything when I don't have them in. I recommend getting a hearing test from a good audiologist because they can use the results to properly program the hearing aids. I don't have any experience with the OTC aids, but (not surprisingly) my audiologist says they will not work well for me. I do trust her, but I think she really wants me to buy another set... Anyway, hope this helps. Feel free to ask me any questions and good luck.

[Zydecat]

Pleased to report my Bossa hearing aids finally arrived.  Very professional packaging, and they appear to be well designed.  I have never used hearing aids before, so really have no basis for comparison.  Sounds like I'll need about two weeks to build up to full time use, but so far they are a definite improvement in my ability to pick out voices through background noise.  They definitely help with high frequencies, in fact they seem a bit weird as the highs seem quite exaggerated.  I'm guessing this is because I haven't been hearing the higher frequencies clearly for a long time.  Regardless, off we go into a new auditory environment.  

 

 

[mate stubb]

3 hours ago, Zydecat said:

Pleased to report my Bossa hearing aids finally arrived.  

 

Can you adjust the eq response with an app or anything?

[Coker]

Is there any distortion with the Bossas when you play the piano?

[Pa Gherkin]

Zydecat, Glad to hear that Bossa came through with the product. Being a candidate for hearing assistance after a life of rock&roll, race cars and hot rods (just ask my wife) I’ll be eagerly awaiting your review. I wish you great success with these units.

[kenheeter]

My Bossa aids arrived today. Initial impression is very good but I'll need a few days with them to be sure. Rechargeable, simple. Only control is volume and when they are removed from the charging case they automatically turn on so once I figure out the volume settings I shouldn't have to touch them other than to  wear them or put them back  in the case.  I'm listening to music in my studio now and it sounds very good, just more high end than I'm used to.  I'll report back in a week or so.

 

[RandyFF]

I imagine I have hearing loss and HEARING DAMAGE.  

 

Was in a noisy place with 2 nieces, in their 20s and 30s, everyone could hear the conversation, for me it was gobblegook.  In quieter settings I cup  my ears and say what a lot.  So mild to moderate loss

 

Damage: I’ve never heard of anyone with my problem, I suspect damage, not loss: I am always the first one that complains about the mids, I suspect 1-3khz, they’re overly emphasized with my hearing.  

 

Anyone hear about this?  Obviously My capabilities as a mastering engineer are dim.

 

The prospect of frequency correction sounds promising.

[Reezekeys]

I'm just a piano player but what you describe sounds like hyperacusis. I have a touch of that - certain frequencies are emphasized and can even be physically painful. I also have fairly pronounced tinnitus.

 

The Apple Airpods Pro have absolutely helped me conversing in louder environments, using their "transparency" mode, which uses the microphones on the buds to amplify external sounds. You can even apply some noise-cancelling (with the "reduce ambient sounds" slider) though it is not like their separate Noise Cancellation mode - that's for shutting out as much external sound as possible, something you don't want when trying to have a conversation with someone. There is also a "conversation boost" parameter which sounds to me like a slight boost around 2 - 3K (it's pretty subtle).

 

And as I mentioned in an earlier post here, you can upload data from an audiogram for setting a custom EQ curve to compensate for the frequencies you've lost. I'll guess this is the closest thing to a "hearing aid - like" feature for these. I saw a u-tube from an ENT where he tested this and found it not as accurate as what you'll get from a real hearing aid with a prescription. No surprise - these are $200, not $1500 - $5000 like genuine hearing aids. I may get to the point where I'll need to shell out the big bucks, but for now I can say these are the best $200 I've ever spent. I got to use them on two flights this past weekend, the noise cancelling is awesome!

[Zydecat]

Getting used to the Bossa hearing aids.  Bossa recommends gradually increasing the hours I wear them, and I'm finding I like them better the longer I wear them.  They include several earpiece sizes, and through trial and error I've found the smallest size works best for me - allows the earpiece to go further into my ear, greatly reducing the back ground noise and making the units much less conspicuous.  

 

I don't believe Bossa provides for eq adjustments, or maybe I simply haven't located the methodology yet.  Using the smaller earpieces has also reduced the highs, and more or less eliminated the sharp harnesses of ordinary sounds . Overall, I am quite satisfied, so far.  

[kenheeter]

Well, after a couple of days of trying with the Bossa hearing aids I have decided to send them back. They offer a lot - rechargeable, good battery life, small and easy to wear and they definitely make speech much easier to hear.  My problem is that they amplified high midrange frequencies that made them annoying to wear for any length of time.  I could definitely hear the clock ticking and any background noise  like traffic was enhanced but when I tried to play the piano with them in    I couldn't stand the way the piano sounded, so I had to remove them. There is no  adjustment for frequencies possible so I found myself constantly taking them out to  make things sound good again. So,  I'll send them  back and I think  I'll buy a set of Airpod Pro 2s and see how that works out.  It sounds like there are adjustment options that just might do the trick and I know that first and foremost the sound quality will be good.  I'll report back on the next leg of my journey.........

[Pa Gherkin]

Thanks Zydecat and Ken for your impressions of the Bossa aids. Zydecat,please keep us updated over the next couple of weeks. Sounds like you’re off to a good start.

[kenheeter]

Picked up some Airpods Pro 2nd generation last night. They look promising.

 

[Reezekeys]

Used my AP Pro 2G again on a gig last night in transparency mode. I turned the amplification down all the way and "ambient noise reduction" up to about 75%, though I'm thinking that setting might not matter while everybody's playing. IMO these things do a good job but they're not a magic bullet that's gonna cut the spl as much as foam earplugs and let you hear things clearly – however, I wasn't expecting that. Any reduction in spl is from simply having these things in your ears. The transparency feature lets you feed in the higher frequencies that any regular earplug would muffle, via the buds' mics. Turning on "adaptive" transparency supposedly engages a limiter to sounds going through the microphones that exceed 85db. Switching this feature on & off as I played with the band, I could definitely hear a difference - the audio didn't sound squashed at all, but things like cymbal crashes were reduced in volume - it wasn't a night and day difference, but every little bit helps. During the breaks I turned the amplification & "reduce ambient sounds" up, and also engaged "conversation boost" and this really helped, I could clearly hear & talk to people even when there were a lot of other people yakking away nearby. And the noise cancelling was fantastic on a recent road trip that had me flying to our gig. I know I sound like an Apple shill, but I'm very happy with this purchase. Still, I would caution anyone with hearing issues like me to not think for second they can start playing 5x / week with a loud horn band or heavy metal rock band with abandon. Hearing damage is related to your exposure time as well as the decibel level that reaches your eardrums and I believe these will help somewhat with the latter. On the road I use in-ears to protect my hearing, at home I'll use these Airpods – however the local gigs I do, while many are with drums and can get a little loud, are nothing like a typical wedding or function band with horns, multiple vocals and drums going through a PA.

[Raymb1]

On 5/25/2023 at 12:56 AM, Raymb1 said:

I've had a pair of Bernafons from Costco for about 4 years now. I lost a lot of high end hearing over the years. Very satisfied with them. Cost was about $2,600.00

Same here. The Bernafons have made a world of difference for me. I'm very satisfied with them.

[midinut]

Been wearing hearing aids for many years now. I'm a veteran and have VA Healthcare and they pay 100% of the cost. Therefore I cannot comment on the prices of hearing aids these days. I generally have an audiology appointment once a year to see if my hearing has changed. I also have tinnitus as well. I used to wear the "in-ear" hearing aids but found when I was active and sweaty, they would shut down, and sometimes even come out of my ears. Now I use the "over-the-ear" model which works better for me yet gets in the way of my glasses over my ear as well. The first difference I noticed was I could hear the crickets chirp and the cicadid's making their noises. It hadn't occured to me that I hadn't heard those noises since I was a kid. But yes, conversations are much easier - however, I sometimes talk too softly to compensate for hearing my own voice louder. As far as recording, mixing, or practicing goes, I hear things much better and wearing headphones doesn't bother me. No feedback or digital noise. Mine have an app on my phone that allows me to adjust the EQ if I want. I can set different curves for different situations and store them as presets. I realize how lucky I am to be a vet and not have having to purchase these or have insurance that covers them, but I agree wholeheartedly that one should get checked out by a certified audiologist before doing anything. I've listened to a great deal of advice form most of you on this forum about how you shouldn't go cheap on monitors, keyboards, cases, stands, and so on. I feel like you should apply the same logic to hearing aids. This is your hearing we're talking about here! 

 

I also have a set of Air Pod Pros. I use them specifically for the noise cancelling feature when I fly (or my wife is snoring...). They work very well and music sounds great on them, but I would not trust them for most hearing problems. Maybe the mild to moderate loss users would benefit but I would still talk to an audiologist!

 

On a side note, back in the days of Ensoniq, I went to Ensoniq school with Roy Elkins and Jack Hotop and seem to remember that Ensoniq was working on a  set of hearing aids that could be loaded with different curves (kind of like impulse responses). So if you wanted your ears to hear what Quincy Jones hears, you could. Herbie Hancock, Michael Jackson, Tom Scholtz, etc. as well as certain producers, engineers, and so on. What a concept! After Creative bought them up I guess that idea fell by the wayside along with a great line a keyboards and the wonderful people that made them.

[cassdad]

11 hours ago, midinut said:

Been wearing hearing aids for many years now. I'm a veteran and have VA Healthcare and they pay 100% of the cost. Therefore I cannot comment on the prices of hearing aids these days. I generally have an audiology appointment once a year to see if my hearing has changed. I also have tinnitus as well. I used to wear the "in-ear" hearing aids but found when I was active and sweaty, they would shut down, and sometimes even come out of my ears. Now I use the "over-the-ear" model which works better for me yet gets in the way of my glasses over my ear as well. The first difference I noticed was I could hear the crickets chirp and the cicadid's making their noises. It hadn't occured to me that I hadn't heard those noises since I was a kid. But yes, conversations are much easier - however, I sometimes talk too softly to compensate for hearing my own voice louder. As far as recording, mixing, or practicing goes, I hear things much better and wearing headphones doesn't bother me. No feedback or digital noise. Mine have an app on my phone that allows me to adjust the EQ if I want. I can set different curves for different situations and store them as presets. I realize how lucky I am to be a vet and not have having to purchase these or have insurance that covers them, but I agree wholeheartedly that one should get checked out by a certified audiologist before doing anything. I've listened to a great deal of advice form most of you on this forum about how you shouldn't go cheap on monitors, keyboards, cases, stands, and so on. I feel like you should apply the same logic to hearing aids. This is your hearing we're talking about here! 

 

I also have a set of Air Pod Pros. I use them specifically for the noise cancelling feature when I fly (or my wife is snoring...). They work very well and music sounds great on them, but I would not trust them for most hearing problems. Maybe the mild to moderate loss users would benefit but I would still talk to an audiologist!

 

On a side note, back in the days of Ensoniq, I went to Ensoniq school with Roy Elkins and Jack Hotop and seem to remember that Ensoniq was working on a  set of hearing aids that could be loaded with different curves (kind of like impulse responses). So if you wanted your ears to hear what Quincy Jones hears, you could. Herbie Hancock, Michael Jackson, Tom Scholtz, etc. as well as certain producers, engineers, and so on. What a concept! After Creative bought them up I guess that idea fell by the wayside along with a great line a keyboards and the wonderful people that made them.

Thank you for the info, Midinut - what brand and model do you use, please?

[midinut]

cassdad: They are made by Starkey Hearing Technologies in Eden Prairie, MN - the other numbers on the bottom of my charging case are: REF 720

and CAN ICES-3(B)/NMB-3(B)  and  5V -- 400mA. Hope that helps!

[Zydecat]

Well, as much as I like the clean design and overall functionality of the Bossa hearing aids, I'm joining Ken in returning them.  My first experience with hearing aids, and the more I wore them the more it seemed like they were just miniature amplifiers.  All sounds, including background noises, are louder, which doesn't really help my ability to hear voices in noisy settings.  Last straw was a visit to my local Mexican restaurant with hard walls and floor.  I have mine set at the lowest volume, and the background noise was actually almost painful.  I removed the Bossa's and realized they were basically just amplifying all sounds, providing volume but not clarity.  

 

Thinking I'll join midinut and see about getting proper hearing aids through the VA.  I gave it a good go, but the Bossa's simply didn't work out for me.  

[Reezekeys]

I played the San Diego Smooth Jazz Fest yesterday. Checking out some of the other bands on the bill from the side of the stage and they were LOUD - put my Airpods in, transparency mode, amplification at minimum, and the levels hitting my eardrums were reduced but the high end was there. What was more obvious was when I switched "adaptive" transparency on & off - it was very obvious. The drummer was hitting his crash cymbals with a lot of force and those were reduced significantly. I even heard a bit of pumping as the limiter did its thing. I'm not gonna claim Airpods make hanging out at a loud concert for hours without worry possible - everybody's ears are different of course. I do feel the tech Apple has in these things definitely helps and so far I'm very happy with them.

[mcgoo]

Reviving an old thread as I’ve been dealing with this lately…

 

I’ve had some kinda hearing loss most of my adult life. I’m 63 now. I finally have gotten to where I’ve admitted to myself that I need hearing aids. My bride & now adult kids are all jumping for joy that I won’t be asking “what?” every time they talk to me.

 

Fortunately, I have insurance that was good enough to bring prescription models down to about the pricing of the better OTC models. The Audiologist had worked with musicians & audio engineers before, so she was already aware of the types of needs I’d have. She recommended the Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinios. I had seen some glowing reviews about them, so I went for them. If you google phrases like “musicians and hearing aids” you’ll find a world of info & things to look for in hearing aids (like turning off compression for mixing).

 

I should have them in a week or so. ‘Looking forward to hearing what I’ve been missing & masking the nasty 6k ringing in my left ear. This thread & a couple of other ones I found on here got me started on some research that was really helpful. A YouTube page called "HearingTracker" has some great info / reviews on various models (prescription and OTC). Here are a couple of other useful links I found:

 

Free Online hearing test (without having to give up any personal info):

 

Frequency to note chart

 

greg

 

[Coker]

I look forward to your review. My older Phonaks need to be turned way down or off so as not to distort piano when I play or listen to music.  I have a setting that removes the compression that helps somewhat, but the distortion remains.  Stupid aging!

[The Real MC]

I went through trials of new hearing aids this year, including Phonak.  Expect to be disappointed.  After rejecting Phonak, Signia, and Opticon I have settled on ReSound.

[Papa.J]

I saw this article yesterday -  Apple never wants you to take AirPods out of your ears  - about Apple adding hearing-aid type functionality to their AirPods Pro 2.

 

Not sure how these would compare to some of the ridiculously expensive hearing aids available, but totally makes sense to me that you could have that type of functionality built into regular ear buds.