Audiophile Hearing Aids

astrotoy

VIP/Donor
May 24, 2010
1,547
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SF Bay Area
After having a decline in my hearing for the past several years (started about 6 years ago when I turned 70), I have tried to find hearing aids that were of audiophile quality. My first two sets, from Costco and then from Oticon, were better than no hearing aid, but were tuned for improving speech and not hearing. Then, a few months ago, an old long time audiophile friend (we actually went to kindergarten together 70 years ago), who had similar problems, told me about a hearing aid he had read about in Michael Fremer's Analogue Planet (which I normally don't see). It was in an article from October 2020.

https://www.analogplanet.com/content...d-hearing-aids

He had gotten a pair after trying a half dozen different hearing aids over the years and was super happy with the results. He even told me about a hearing aid dealer in San Diego who had established a group of audiologists around the country who would fit the hearing aids and buying through his company, there was a signficant discount in the price. I called up and was referred to a local audiologist who fitted me with the hearing aids. Normal price was $6000 for a pair, and the discounted price was $4600. (I also have medicare supplemental insurance that paid an additional $1500 - Medicare itself doesn't pay for hearing aids). Here is the dealer, Ziphearing in San Diego. I did the transaction with them on the phone and went to their recommended audiologist who was about 8 miles from my home. He treated me like any other patient, even though I was getting discount. Ziphearing handled the payment and submitted the insurance information - I got a check a few weeks later from my insurance company for the amount they covered
.
https://www.ziphearing.com/

As per my friend's recommendation as well as Fremer's, I have been using the Pure Sound Mode, which is superior to the Music Mode. I was also fitted with a rubberized cover (not sure what to call it) that is shaped like miniature dome of a mosque that fits into my left ear canal. It has small slits in it which allows some air and makes the sound more natural than my earlier covers. My right ear (which is my better ear for hearing) has an umbrella shaped cover that fits in the ear canale.

What a wonderful difference in my hearing of music. If you are having hearing problems with music, I would highly recommend it. Widex - Moment 440 mric-r-d hearing aids. There is a 45 day free trial, and if you don't like them you can return them and get your money back. This is a really big improvement in my hearing and appreciation of music. For speech, you can easily change the settings with an app on your iphone. My audiologist helped me set up the app and the settings. The Widex has a charger where you put the hearing aids over night to recharge. I normally put the hearing aids on first thing in the morning and keep them on until I go to bed. Not having batteries to change is another benefit. There is a guarantee included that covers losing your hearing aids for a period of time - but I don't remember the details.

Larry
 

Addicted to hifi

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Sep 8, 2020
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Australia
After having a decline in my hearing for the past several years (started about 6 years ago when I turned 70), I have tried to find hearing aids that were of audiophile quality. My first two sets, from Costco and then from Oticon, were better than no hearing aid, but were tuned for improving speech and not hearing. Then, a few months ago, an old long time audiophile friend (we actually went to kindergarten together 70 years ago), who had similar problems, told me about a hearing aid he had read about in Michael Fremer's Analogue Planet (which I normally don't see). It was in an article from October 2020.

https://www.analogplanet.com/content...d-hearing-aids

He had gotten a pair after trying a half dozen different hearing aids over the years and was super happy with the results. He even told me about a hearing aid dealer in San Diego who had established a group of audiologists around the country who would fit the hearing aids and buying through his company, there was a signficant discount in the price. I called up and was referred to a local audiologist who fitted me with the hearing aids. Normal price was $6000 for a pair, and the discounted price was $4600. (I also have medicare supplemental insurance that paid an additional $1500 - Medicare itself doesn't pay for hearing aids). Here is the dealer, Ziphearing in San Diego. I did the transaction with them on the phone and went to their recommended audiologist who was about 8 miles from my home. He treated me like any other patient, even though I was getting discount. Ziphearing handled the payment and submitted the insurance information - I got a check a few weeks later from my insurance company for the amount they covered
.
https://www.ziphearing.com/

As per my friend's recommendation as well as Fremer's, I have been using the Pure Sound Mode, which is superior to the Music Mode. I was also fitted with a rubberized cover (not sure what to call it) that is shaped like miniature dome of a mosque that fits into my left ear canal. It has small slits in it which allows some air and makes the sound more natural than my earlier covers. My right ear (which is my better ear for hearing) has an umbrella shaped cover that fits in the ear canale.

What a wonderful difference in my hearing of music. If you are having hearing problems with music, I would highly recommend it. Widex - Moment 440 mric-r-d hearing aids. There is a 45 day free trial, and if you don't like them you can return them and get your money back. This is a really big improvement in my hearing and appreciation of music. For speech, you can easily change the settings with an app on your iphone. My audiologist helped me set up the app and the settings. The Widex has a charger where you put the hearing aids over night to recharge. I normally put the hearing aids on first thing in the morning and keep them on until I go to bed. Not having batteries to change is another benefit. There is a guarantee included that covers losing your hearing aids for a period of time - but I don't remember the details.

Larry
Great stuff and very interesting.it’s amazing.
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
Very interesting indeed Larry.

I did a quick search out of curiosity and I found retail price of $3499 per pair. Are yours different than these

 
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Audire

VIP/Donor
Jan 18, 2019
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I like lower prices for sure. But the Hearing aids themselves are only the beginning. Widex has a lot of accessories. These will add up quickly.

Widex Accessories
 

Steve Williams

Site Founder, Site Owner, Administrator
I like lower prices for sure. But the Hearing aids themselves are only the beginning. Widex has a lot of accessories. These will add up quickly.

Widex Accessories
Not from what I found. I checked prices on amazon and they are all inexpensive. IMO what Larry is getting for the extra money is the services of an audiologist who can program these for Larry's hearing loss. What I found was the bare price of a pair of these
 
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Audire

VIP/Donor
Jan 18, 2019
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FL Panhandle
Not from what I found. I checked prices on amazon and they are all inexpensive. IMO what Larry is getting for the extra money is the services of an audiologist who can program these for Larry's hearing loss. What I found was the bare price of a pair of these

Thanks for this additional information. I plan on getting a set and could just see the price going up, up up with all the accessories. I didn't know the accessories were on Amazon ... Thanks again.
 

rubinken

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2020
119
71
95
73
Olympia, WA, USA
Following as a71-yr old with hearing aids. I wish that there was a device to offset/recreate my high frequency hearing loss. Obviously, the WIDEX do not have that ability.
 

rubinken

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2020
119
71
95
73
Olympia, WA, USA
I know, sadly. Eventually science will be able to offset frequency loss, but not now. Heck, we can replace hearts these days!
 

rubinken

Well-Known Member
Jan 15, 2020
119
71
95
73
Olympia, WA, USA
I'm considering the Widex Moment's. I currently wear a pair of Resound hearing aids.
1) Anyone using the Widex app with a Samsung S10e phone? Any issues?
2) How effective is the Widex phone app? It only has 2.7 stars on android Google Play.
3) What other hearing aids do you recommend with the objective of clarifying one-to-one conversations & hi-fi resolution?
4) If purchased, do you find the optional COM-DEX helpful/necessary?
5) What other info can you share that I would find helpful as I consider buying these?
Appreciatively,
Ken
 

Dimfer

Member Sponsor
May 8, 2010
621
181
1,605
Canada
I am using Widex Moments
1. not a Samsung user but it works with my Pixel 6 Pro, I’ve also used it with an iPhone. I was told the only phone that it does not work with is the Huawei
2. The app is not perfect, but it works. it would occasionally unpair, not sure if it’s the app or my phone as it never happened with the iPhone

I tried Phonak for a month, found it tinny and not natural sounding when listening to music. Widex is much better.

I would occasionally come to work without my hearing aids, esp when I expect to do a lot of physical stuff outdoor, or when I expect to spend a lot of hours in our noisy sheet metal shop. I can still get by without asking “what” when having conversation with men, but my wife said I am worse now without my hearing aid.

I finally decided to get a pair last year after consulting with an audiologist who told me that living with hearing loss also affect the way your brain convert what you hear to a brain signal, and once you lose that, it is not coming back.. very similar to dementia. she said I am no longer 100% in that regard, but still ok.
 

MRubey

VIP/Donor
Mar 20, 2022
102
102
95
65
San Antonio Texas
I also have a pair of Widex Moments. I am very happy with them. I bought them over other choices specifically because they are the hearing aide most commonly used by music industry pros.
Im fortunate in that I don’t yet need them when listening to music. I do need them for meetings. I’m a hospice nurse and need to be able to hear accurately. They have a party setting that helps isolate one voice in a crowd. Very helpful. They are also very small. People don’t see them for the most part.
Highly recommended.
 

firedog

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2011
25
3
908
A lot of users like Widex for music.
But there is no one best aid/company for everyone. You may have to try several models till you are happy. The audiologist also makes a difference. If you can find one that has experience working with musicians or audiophiles that can help.

I have one of the better Phonak models and am very happy with it. I hear instruments like cymbals much better with them on, and I don't have to turn up the volume as loud to feel like I'm hearing what I need to.

However they can't totally give you back what's gone. One, they are designed for speech, and don't help out with frequencies above 8000 or 10000 hz. Of course few older people with hearing issues can hear much above 10000 or possibly 12000 hz anyway. Fortunately, most musical info is below those frequencies.
 

Lxgreen

Well-Known Member
Jul 27, 2020
82
93
85
Westlake Village, CA, USA
I would highl recommend getting custom molds for you ear piece. I recently had these made and it really makes a noticeable improvement. I would also recommend seeing an audiologist that specializes in musicians and audiophiles. If you live anywhere near the LA area you should see Dr Julie Glick of Musicians Hearing Solutions. I recentry went to her after seeing her interviewed by Steve Gutenberg on his YouTube channel. She really understands audiophile needs and made some great adjustments to my aids and recommended the custom molds.
 
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Zuman

Active Member
Feb 25, 2023
82
103
33
71
I turned 71 today and got fitted for hearing aids yesterday.
I was surprised that the audiologist spent well over an hour testing me. I'm good to about 4kHz, then the fall-off is a consistent downward curve.
I got the Widex Moment 440s (which I had requested as my 30-day trial pair) and the audiologist and a tech spent about 45 minutes setting them up. I go back in three weeks for a follow-up.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that my hifi system sounds very different with the hearing aids in. It certainly sounds brighter, which shouldn't come as a surprise, but it also sounds "thinner." The bass is there (I can hear it on music where quite low solo bass notes are clearly present), but it doesn't seem to form the rich, foundational underlayer I'm used to. The EQ on the Widex phone app is pretty broad-brush, and I'm not expecting miracles from it.
My system doesn't have any EQ, though I'm sure that my components, cables, room, and even music library contribute to a pseudo EQ. I might try to see what effect Dirac has on what I hear (I have an unused miniDSP in my closet). I've also thought about trying to shore-up my degraded HF hearing with something like Schiit's Loki Max EQ and continue to listen without my hearing aids in. Of course, that only works for when I'm listening alone.
I suppose that I should see how my perception adjusts over the next couple of weeks...
 

firedog

Well-Known Member
Mar 21, 2011
25
3
908
I turned 71 today and got fitted for hearing aids yesterday.
I was surprised that the audiologist spent well over an hour testing me. I'm good to about 4kHz, then the fall-off is a consistent downward curve.
I got the Widex Moment 440s (which I had requested as my 30-day trial pair) and the audiologist and a tech spent about 45 minutes setting them up. I go back in three weeks for a follow-up.
I suppose I shouldn't be surprised that my hifi system sounds very different with the hearing aids in. It certainly sounds brighter, which shouldn't come as a surprise, but it also sounds "thinner." The bass is there (I can hear it on music where quite low solo bass notes are clearly present), but it doesn't seem to form the rich, foundational underlayer I'm used to. The EQ on the Widex phone app is pretty broad-brush, and I'm not expecting miracles from it.
My system doesn't have any EQ, though I'm sure that my components, cables, room, and even music library contribute to a pseudo EQ. I might try to see what effect Dirac has on what I hear (I have an unused miniDSP in my closet). I've also thought about trying to shore-up my degraded HF hearing with something like Schiit's Loki Max EQ and continue to listen without my hearing aids in. Of course, that only works for when I'm listening alone.
I suppose that I should see how my perception adjusts over the next couple of weeks...
It may take time to them setup how you like them and also to get them setup for music.
Can you adjust the programming in your model? Music sounds best if you reduce the processing as much as possible, for instance reducing the attempt of the aid to adjust the sound focus, add noise reduction, and adjust dynamic range.
All of that helps with speech, but can be detrimental to music listening.
 

2fastdriving

Active Member
Jan 19, 2023
58
132
33
54
I am curious if anyone had tinnitus and improved it with a hearing aid. Please tell us your experience as it relates to tinnitus.

I am going to an audiologist soon. I know I have some hearing loss, but it's the tinnitus which REALLY bothers me personally. Mine is off the charts bad.
 

Kjetil

Well-Known Member
Oct 28, 2022
196
258
70
58
Hamar, Norway
I have tinitus. A broadband hiss from say 5 kHz and up. I also have a hearing loss. I'm ok at -20dB to 500 Hn, and then it drops 30 dB in the decade up to 5 kHz. Full stop at 11 kHz now. I'm 58. Why all this trouble? Work, rock'n'roll, symphonic bands (I played the alto sax in my youth), and genetics. I've always had a pretty low pain treshold.

The first aid my audiologist tried on me (two and a half years ago) was the Widex Moment. No go. The first day passing swallows made them clip. We switched to Phonak Audéo Paradise. I'm very pleased with them. Easy to use (they have an eq only music program for instance) and maintain. Discrete. They sound good too. Of course there's a lack of bass when they play Spotify from my iPhone, but they sound better than a pair of Airpods Pro and they also do the job inside my Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic cans.

As for the tinnitus: The ampification of the sounds in my tinnitus area helps. But what helps me the most is not to think about it. A mental masking.
 
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John T

Well-Known Member
Feb 15, 2022
1,032
1,607
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I have tinitus. A broadband hiss from say 5 kHz and up. I also have a hearing loss. I'm ok at -20dB to 500 Hn, and then it drops 30 dB in the decade up to 5 kHz. Full stop at 11 kHz now. I'm 58. Why all this trouble? Work, rock'n'roll, symphonic bands (I played the alto sax in my youth), and genetics. I've always had a pretty low pain treshold.

The first aid my audiologist tried on me (two and a half years ago) was the Widex Moment. No go. The first day passing swallows made them clip. We switched to Phonak Audéo Paradise. I'm very pleased with them. Easy to use (they have an eq only music program for instance) and maintain. Discrete. They sound good too. Of course there's a lack of bass when they play Spotify from my iPhone, but they sound better than a pair of Airpods Pro and they also do the job inside my Sennheiser and Beyerdynamic cans.

As for the tinnitus: The ampification of the sounds in my tinnitus area helps. But what helps me the most is not to think about it. A mental masking.
Have you come up with anything that has worked or has helped with the tinnitus? I'm tempted to do try Ear Candling. For me also Rock and Roll/Military...I too do the mental masking, however I still know it is present...
 

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