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To: TNoldman
I have severe high-frequency hearing loss and severe tinnitus (60 years of playing rock-n-roll). I tried the cheap (<$300) "amplifier" type hearing aids, they're worthless.

Went to a pro audiologist, got tested, 40-60dB loss above 2KHz, no wonder I couldn't understand speech or hear birds chirp, and everything was muddy.

I got the high-end Oticon DSP-based hearing aids, expensive ($3000 each side). Audiologist programmed them for three modes: 1) normal indoor/outdoor everyday use, 2) speech in very noisy environment, 3) music listening. Highly adjustable, can be programmed using my smartphone, can act as in-ear monitors.

The first two DSP modes provide noise and echo cancellation as well as boosting high frequencies. It's like having my hearing back again, but the DSP causes artifacts when listening to music.

The third "music" mode boosts high-frequencies without the smart noise-cancellation, to provide minimal distortion of things like piano and plucked strings (I'm a guitarist). Not as good for speech but music sounds great.

Those hearing aids have changed my life. Recommended highly. Expensive, yes, but worth every penny.

33 posted on 06/03/2023 9:21:40 PM PDT by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: dayglored; TNoldman

I should also mention that the high-end Oticons also have built-in rechargeable batteries instead of replaceable ones. Come with a custom charger. Much better than dealing with replaceable batteries.


34 posted on 06/03/2023 9:24:02 PM PDT by dayglored (Strange Women Lying In Ponds Distributing Swords! Arthur Pendragon in 2024)
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To: dayglored

They make the tinnitus less pronounced? I’ve got tinnitus and some hearing loss...but I don’t know what I am missing if my wife doesn’t ask “Can you hear that bird?”.


58 posted on 06/04/2023 6:18:57 AM PDT by comps4spice (Show me the incentives and I'll show you the outcomes --Charlie Munger)
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