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The Hearing Aid Forum has a few threads on audio and music:https://forum.hearingtracker.com/categories
I’m about 2 weeks into my first set of prescription hearing aids. They won’t work magic, some stuff will remain unintelligible, but life is better with. I’ve not attempted any critical listening, but music in general does sound fuller with them in.If half of what hearing aids do is boost frequencies to compensate for loss, it does make me wonder if replicating the hearing aid program using a graphic equalizer would do the same for music as the HA do for all other sounds of life.Hi Allan, congratulations on getting prescription HA (hearing aid), I truly hope so, you purchased BTE (behind the ear), because they lot better, when it comes to sound quality, than ITE (in the ear).But, you are not out of the woods yet, my Red Riding Hood, lol.Based on my "journey through the woods", 6 years, 4 pairs of HA, 1 clueless audiologist, 1 decent audiologist and finally, 3th brilliant audiologist, who happen to also be a music lover, I'll share my experience with you, to get you out of the woods, faster and painless.1.VOLUME; I'm sure, your audiologist put you into the booth and check your hearing.Then, he took those measurements and installed them onto your HA.In my experience, it was way too loud, way overamplified, so he lower the volume to 70%.Good audiologist knows that, clueless not so much, lol.This way, you don't have to adjust the volume, to comfortable level all the time, you put them on.2.PROGRAMS; there are 4 (AUTOMATIC, MUSIC, RESTAURANT, TV).You go into any program and you can customize them to your liking, making your own SUBPROGRAMS with equalizer, you can add or cut TREBLE and BASS, you can also rename them.When you put on your HA, it automatically goes into AUTOMATIC mode, but mine goes into custom MUSIC mode, the program my audiologist created for me, I like it that way.Why 4 programs you ask?They all sound different and you can switch them within app, on your phone.For example, if you are in the restaurant and you switch to RESTAURANT mode, it cuts all the noise around you, but not the voices of the people around your table, it's that good.My family is mostly european (Polish), Easter Sunday we sitting in the very nice restaurant and there is another european family, talking very loudly, making everybody in the restaurant uncomfortable, but me.So I'm laughing and my ex-wife and kids go, what's so funny?I go, I can't really hear the screamers, but I can perfectly hear all of you around me.To be honest, my nation can be as noisy too, so it's all good, lol.3.BLUETOOTH; works well with phone conversation, but the range is very poor, if you compare it to Airpods Pro (for example).The same, when it comes to listenning to the music from your phone.It has AMBIENT BALANCE mode, which is simular to NOISE CANCELLATION mode, but not even close, when it comes to quality.Basically, indoor listenning to the music is ok, but outdoor terrible, for walks I use my beloved Airpads Pro 2.4.DOMES or EARPIECES (same thing, different name); I came across 3 kinds (OPEN DOMES, VENTED DOMES, POWER DOMES).You have to experiment with those too, size wise.I use the POWER DOMES, because I find them the BEST!!!!!5.MAINTENANCE; very important to clean them, keep them out of wet, always check your ears, before shower.Every so often, you have to replace FILTERS or EARWAX PROTECTION (again, different name, the same thing), You'll hear the difference, with new filters, guaranteed.6.OVERALL; For 28 years, I was exposed to 3 mills, 10 autoclaves, 4 presses and 4-6 towmotors, Dante's Infero was like vacation resort, compare to my fucking job.My spine (4 disks) and hearing got damaged, I have to take painkillers.So, is my life better with HA, hell yes!!!I can enjoy my music, TV or conversation.But there are days, when I don't wear them, I want to be free of them and my audiologist says, that's normal and there is nothing wrong with that.
Hi Allan, congratulations on getting prescription HA (hearing aid), I truly hope so, you purchased BTE (behind the ear), because they lot better, when it comes to sound quality, than ITE (in the ear).But, you are not out of the woods yet, my Red Riding Hood, lol.Based on my "journey through the woods", 6 years, 4 pairs of HA, 1 clueless audiologist, 1 decent audiologist and finally, 3th brilliant audiologist, who happen to also be a music lover, I'll share my experience with you, to get you out of the woods, faster and painless.1.VOLUME; I'm sure, your audiologist put you into the booth and check your hearing.Then, he took those measurements and installed them onto your HA.In my experience, it was way too loud, way overamplified, so he lower the volume to 70%.Good audiologist knows that, clueless not so much, lol.This way, you don't have to adjust the volume, to comfortable level all the time, you put them on.2.PROGRAMS; there are 4 (AUTOMATIC, MUSIC, RESTAURANT, TV).You go into any program and you can customize them to your liking, making your own SUBPROGRAMS with equalizer, you can add or cut TREBLE and BASS, you can also rename them.When you put on your HA, it automatically goes into AUTOMATIC mode, but mine goes into custom MUSIC mode, the program my audiologist created for me, I like it that way.Why 4 programs you ask?They all sound different and you can switch them within app, on your phone.For example, if you are in the restaurant and you switch to RESTAURANT mode, it cuts all the noise around you, but not the voices of the people around your table, it's that good.My family is mostly european (Polish), Easter Sunday we sitting in the very nice restaurant and there is another european family, talking very loudly, making everybody in the restaurant uncomfortable, but me.So I'm laughing and my ex-wife and kids go, what's so funny?I go, I can't really hear the screamers, but I can perfectly hear all of you around me.To be honest, my nation can be as noisy too, so it's all good, lol.3.BLUETOOTH; works well with phone conversation, but the range is very poor, if you compare it to Airpods Pro (for example).The same, when it comes to listenning to the music from your phone.It has AMBIENT BALANCE mode, which is simular to NOISE CANCELLATION mode, but not even close, when it comes to quality.Basically, indoor listenning to the music is ok, but outdoor terrible, for walks I use my beloved Airpads Pro 2.4.DOMES or EARPIECES (same thing, different name); I came across 3 kinds (OPEN DOMES, VENTED DOMES, POWER DOMES).You have to experiment with those too, size wise.I use the POWER DOMES, because I find them the BEST!!!!!5.MAINTENANCE; very important to clean them, keep them out of wet, always check your ears, before shower.Every so often, you have to replace FILTERS or EARWAX PROTECTION (again, different name, the same thing), You'll hear the difference, with new filters, guaranteed.6.OVERALL; For 28 years, I was exposed to 3 mills, 10 autoclaves, 4 presses and 4-6 towmotors, Dante's Infero was like vacation resort, compare to my fucking job.My spine (4 disks) and hearing got damaged, I have to take painkillers.So, is my life better with HA, hell yes!!!I can enjoy my music, TV or conversation.But there are days, when I don't wear them, I want to be free of them and my audiologist says, that's normal and there is nothing wrong with that.
Thank you Mariusz! I did get a BTE Sparkey Edge AI-20. The program is set to about 80% of prescription until tomorrow when it goes full tilt. We'll see how it goes but my audiologist said she'd make any custom program I prefer my default. The first day or so at 80% was a bit overwhelming but I quickly adapted to where the world sounds wrong without them. Who knew there were so many upper harmonics to peeing in a toilet!This model includes a 3 band EQ like yours. The Starkey doesn't label programs, its thing is evaluating environments and offering 3 options in response: noise reduction, voices, and best sound (whatever that is). I have a lot more playing around to do after acclimating to 100% prescription and so far I'm satisfied with my audiologist.Blue tooth is sketchy like you describe. I'm typically listening to pod casts and such so BT music quality isn't important at this point. Honestly the feature I've come to appreciate the most is BT phone calls. That itself is a game changer from me. Of course if I wanted BT phone I could have bought Airpods an Apple watch and an iPhone 16 for far less than half what these HA cost.Far as I can tell Starkey only has open and closed domes. I have the open but told the audiologist I'd want closed for the motorcycle if the HA can replace ear plugs. That is step 5. I'm still on 1.5.In general life is better!I had a good laugh about "upper harmonics to peeing in a toilet", lol.Last summer, I came home, after annaul checkup and adjustment, got out of the car and from the huge oak tree, I have heard the birds chirping.That put big smile on my face.Allan, with POWER/CLOSE DOMES, you will get the best quality, IMHO.I remebered, it took me a while, before I finally got used to them.I used to switch from OPEN, then to VENTED, then back to POWER and they are the best for me.When it comes to size, SMALL DOMES fit my ears the best.I wish and hope, that you will get better sound out of your hearing aid overtime.I call mine "TRAMBONES", lol.The difference between VENTED and POWER DOMES, is that the VENTED have 2 extra small holes, the size of the needle, for the air to circulate.
I will do a follow up visit in a couple of weeks and I have to ask her what type of dome I have. She told me that if I wanted to try a different type of dome that I should go to her office and refit a different pair. I might seek a different Doctor which would cost some bucks. I only found one Doctor here that works with all the major brands. I wanted Oticon and she is the only one that I found so far. Her Yelp rating has some dents in it and I can see what her customers find negative. I might just grin and bear it because I am really liking this product. Hi Craig, you can purchase domes online, for your brand.This way, you don't have to pay for costly visits, every time you see the doctor or audiologist.Please, let us know, how the dome fitting went?