Guitarists with hearing aids please advise.

[RustyAxe]

Our lead guitarist is dealing with hearing aids these last few months. Last weekend he had trouble dialing in "his" tone, removed the aids, and announced "I took my hearing aids out, please tell me if I'm too loud". Imagine that! A lead guitarist actually concerned about his volume!

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by guitargabor

About 5 weeks ago I visited a hearing center and was recommended to try a pair of Widex Evoke hearing aids.They are pretty darn good and very accommodating with music and guitar playing.Their price is quite high in the $6K range.

Today I also received a pair of Philips "hear linK",supposedly the top end that Costco offers.They are very reasonable at $2500 per pair.

I am very disappointed in these Philips ones with respect to music.

My Martin has a sound like the chorus mode on acoustic amps.Other sources of music also sound very artificial.

Anyone else have this issue?

My dilemma is : are the Widex pair worth the extra $3500?

Any advice is appreciated as I am new to this game..

Thanks ,

Gabe

I've been through two sets of aids in the last 4 years. My most recent pair (2 months old) is the Widex Evoke. They are so much better for music. It's not even close. Worth the money in my opinion.

[Mr. Jelly]

I want to say that I appreciate these threads concerning hearing aids. They are educational to me as I am going to deal with this issue myself in the near future. So thanks

[marty bradbury]

Otigon Agil, got the set about 5-6 years back. It's amazing how my hearing tech could dial them in. Knowing I played the acoustic guitar she had me bring the guitar in and went to work. Expensive? Yep, Worth it? yep, I baby them to keep them going as long as possible before my next set.

[guitargabor]

Originally Posted by Mr. Paul

Aware of mixed results other acoustic guitar players have had, I was prepared to make many fine tuning trips to the audiologist when I got my ($6K) Oticons this spring. Made only one, I am 100% sold. My guitars sound great and it has helped improve my singing. I don't nod and smile blankly during conversations in crowded rooms. I understand almost all dialogue in movies. 20 Year tinnitus has improved as well.

Thanks Paul and everyone else too!

tomorrow I'll be picking up my custom ordered Widex pair.

I still have the much less expensive Costco Philips brand pair.Those were adjusted to a music program which did improve the guitar sound.They remain much inferior to the Widex ones, which seem much superior overall.

Will keep trying with the Philips ones for a couple of weeks then decide ion which ones to keep.

Gabe

[lkingston]

I have good news for you. That chorusing sound is the feedback supression mistaking the music for feedback. Hearing aid techs turn it up too much just in case it feeds back. Unless your hearing is terrible you probably can use a much less aggressive setting. I went through exactly this and dialing back the feedback supression fixed it.

[GBS]

I had then top-of-the-line Phonaks for five years. Paid for by my employers insurance. Guitar was terrible, and the certified audiologist could never get them right. After a couple of trips in for repairs a year ago, I decided it was time to get new. Since I'm now retired, it was on my dime, so went to the local Costco. They recommended Bernafon's, which they now tell me are the same as Phillips. I had to go back in four times to get things right, including taking my guitar with me. Both brands had issues with the "shimmering" sound, horrible buzzes (I thought I needed a new setup on the guitar!), etc. The current ones are now dialed in very nicely.
I liked the Phonak's much better for places like restaurants, but overall the Bernaphon's are better over a broader range of situations. The Bern's have a setting for "live music/TV" that work well for the voices on TV problem.

Note: if you have that issue, also consider getting a ZVOX soundbar - it uses the same technology to enhance voices over other sounds on tv.

[Guildman]

Good thread and at the right time for me. I'll be delving into this in the near future. I need them especially for church, restaurants, and so forth. When home, wife will just have to keep repeating herself. I won't be wearing them while playing a guitar. My hearing loss is service connected and documented so will be getting the aids thru the VA. If anyone has any experience with that I would like to hear from you.

[guitargabor]

Originally Posted by lkingston

I have good news for you. That chorusing sound is the feedback supression mistaking the music for feedback. Hearing aid techs turn it up too much just in case it feeds back. Unless your hearing is terrible you probably can use a much less aggressive setting. I went through exactly this and dialing back the feedback supression fixed it.

Thanks!

I'll relay that information to the audiology tech.

I have sixty days to return the much more expensive Widex aids.Those do sound so much better however..

Gabe

[guitargabor]

Well, Lkingston's post was very helpful.MY HAs have a new "concert" setting that sounds very decent with my guitars.

We continue to tweak the settings on the HAs.Progress is being made and maybe I can save a few thousand pesos in the process.

Gabe

[guitargabor]

Originally Posted by martingitdave

I've been through two sets of aids in the last 4 years. My most recent pair (2 months old) is the Widex Evoke. They are so much better for music. It's not even close. Worth the money in my opinion.

Thanks Dave!

I did finally settle for the Widex evoke brand.Very happy with them too..

Gabe

[martingitdave]

Originally Posted by guitargabor

Thanks Dave!



I did finally settle for the Widex evoke brand.Very happy with them too..



Gabe

Glad to hear it! Pun intended. :-)

[M Sarad]

Since I started wearing a Phonak in my left ear to cover up the constant tinnitus and 65% hearing loss,I have lost three and destroyed two.

I have chosen to go without.

My hearing has made acoustic jamming impossible if there’s more than two guitars. Currently I am in two electric bands and an acoustic duo and trio. It’s 5:00 am here in Bakersfield, and my ears are ringing terribly in an otherwise quiet house.

[wallylama]

Sorry to chime in late. I have the Starkey Halo behind the ear, iPhone compatible hearing aids. With the TruLink Hearing app I am able to adjust the sound settings to specific environments using the SoundSpace feature and then save it in TruLink Memory for future use. I've had mine about 4 years and have been very pleased with the quality of sound.

[Gitfiddlemann]

Originally Posted by guitargabor

Thanks!

About 5 weeks ago I visited a hearing center and was recommended to try a pair of Widex Evoke hearing aids.They are pretty darn good and very accommodating with music and guitar playing.Their price is quite high in the $6K range.....
I have sixty days to return the much more expensive Widex aids.Those do sound so much better however..

Gabe

Hi Gabe,
That's quite a high price to pay for something that costs a fraction of that to manufacture.
Technology has evolved quite a bit in the field of the hearing challenged, and the line between what the FDA allows to be called a hearing aid and what's not has really blurred when it comes to commercially available products. And that translates into huge price differentials.
I'm chiming in because I've been reading an excellent and fascinating book on the current science of hearing called "Volume Control", written by David Owen, a very fine writer from the New Yorker.
Volume Control
Fortunately I'm not in need of any hearing aids (yet), but if I ever do, I'll be glad to have read this book.
Since you have some time before your trial for these aids expires, you might want to check that book out. It just might save you a lot of money, and have you looking elsewhere for much less expensive, but no less effective, hearing relief, like Bose for example....