hearing aides

[schmart]

Do yourself a favor and stay away from those $6000 devices. Costco can do the evaluation, and priced fairly. Mine have a 3 yr warranty for $1800. Your cell phone adjusts them, and after a while its easy peasy.
You would be surprised how much noise and sounds you are missing. Don't wait too long or have the "I don't have a hearing problem" self pride to kick in.
Yes, you need a Cotsco card, and an appointment in the Hearing center.
Good luck.

I'd be careful about Costco. Several years ago they were selling re-branded Phonak aids and they WERE great. When I got mine about a year ago, there weren't any full reviews of what they are selling now. Not suggesting what they sell now are bad, but do some research on them. I went with Phonak aids as they can connect to a PC as well as cell phone via bluetooth.

The audiologist can have a HUGE difference in price. The first place wanted $10K and wouldn't work with insurance. I looked around and found another Dr who did work w/ my insurance and the negotiated price was about $3K. Admittedly, I have good insurance, because they covered a good amount of that as well.

If you get a model recommendation, don't feel bad calling around and asking their price for the same ones. This is one of the few medical areas where you can shop for price.
--Rick

 

[schmart]

Dumb question time...when shooting do you remove them, use them for ear pro or wear muffs over them?

Hearing aids do NOT attenuate sound so cannot be used for ear pro. I remove mine and use in-ear axil electronic ear pro.

 

[Dean C.]

We wear both, I buy the 3M pistons for disposables.

This is the true way, honestly hearing is a big part of why I am getting into suppressors right now, their benefit is immense

 

[BeDome]

Thanks for the reply. The main thing I was concerned about as far as compression was the rooms noise floor being at such a higher level that the frequencies that the room resonates at would be causing cancellation or a doubling effect, making it harder to mix. Or just sounding like an omni mic with a brick wall limiter on it at the extreme. In my 20's I had my hearing tested thru OSHA. And my right ear at 10k and above was exceptionally above average with my left ear being normal. I feel like I still have it due to running pink noise thru monitors and walking by them with one ear facing them, then turning around and having the other ear facing it. My right ear still sounds brighter. And 8k has and still is my pain frequency. lol. But anyway, thanks for your response. I'm sure we are boring a lot of people. lol

By turning your head, even an inch, you are using that analytical part of your brain to confirm what you "think" you hear.
You are creating a Doppler Effect, which some of us have trained our ears through experience to recognize and use.

Understanding Doppler anomalies can increase the ability to place specific auditory stimulation into a single point in a complex 3D sound space. It's completely natural and universal to all.
With training it becomes a tool.
Even at 150' away, you know instantly which of 40 or so microphones on stage needs a tweak or a burp.
It's one part of our craft!

Leaning upon Doppler and its peripheral benefits are just another advantageous tool we keep handy.


Don't worry about boring people.
Any with a propensity to be bored so easily as to stop learning have already decided to ignore posts with more than two sentences.
Forget reading a paragraph.

 

[Creedmoor]

This is the true way, honestly hearing is a big part of why I am getting into suppressors right now, their benefit is immense

I was blown out long ago, sometimes one cannot wear protection. Both of my sons at 25 & 27 have losses and tendinitis.
Like myself, I tell them to save what you can.
what.. WHAT.....

 

[Creedmoor]

I told my ex-wife that her voice wasn't musical and thats the reason I don't hear her. lol But you are right, and she is my ex wife. lol

That's Fing funny...

 

[Creedmoor]

I'd be careful about Costco. Several years ago they were selling re-branded Phonak aids and they WERE great. When I got mine about a year ago, there weren't any full reviews of what they are selling now. Not suggesting what they sell now are bad, but do some research on them. I went with Phonak aids as they can connect to a PC as well as cell phone via bluetooth.

The audiologist can have a HUGE difference in price. The first place wanted $10K and wouldn't work with insurance. I looked around and found another Dr who did work w/ my insurance and the negotiated price was about $3K. Admittedly, I have good insurance, because they covered a good amount of that as well.

If you get a model recommendation, don't feel bad calling around and asking their price for the same ones. This is one of the few medical areas where you can shop for price.
--Rick

My mom uses Costco for her hearing aids also, about a yr ago she bought new one somewhere between 5-6 grand that Bluetooth to her phone.
What the dr didn't pay attention to was she might have had a iPhone, and to her that's all it's used for, a phone.
A few weeks later she took them back and downgraded to a model that had volume knobs on each aid. She's almost 87.

 

[WanderingSol07]

I went to the Purdue University Audiology Department, West Lafayette. They have a clinic. This is where they make audiologists. When I go in I see a professor of Audiology plus at least two graduate students in Audiology. After getting my audiogram I got setup for three appointments. First was the initial contact telling me what they can do and the cost of everything. Second was the fitting and paying for half of the cost ($6,000 for my Phonaks, $300 for charger, $100 for fitting). Third was touching base to see if any adjustments were needed and paying the other half. From the fitting you get 30 day trial period, return for any reason and get all but the $100 back. I could go back anytime for any issues. Got three year warranty from Phonak plus another year from Purdue. Check with other universities, they may do the same thing.

 

[Dean C.]

I was blown out long ago, sometimes one cannot wear protection. Both of my sons at 25 & 27 have losses and tendinitis.
Like myself, I tell them to save what you can.
what.. WHAT.....

Very true, it's a big hope of mine soon all GIs will be issues electronic ears like Sordins or Peltors soon in the future.

Another concern I have is people using AirPod earphones as hearing protection, I see far too.many younger guys doing that on the clays range and I just know with each shot they are damaging their hearing

 

[loudgroove]

By turning your head, even an inch, you are using that analytical part of your brain to confirm what you "think" you hear.
You are creating a Doppler Effect, which some of us have trained our ears through experience to recognize and use.

Leaning upon Doppler and its peripheral benefits are just another advantageous tool we keep handy.


Don't worry about boring people.
Any with a propensity to be bored so easily as to stop learning have already decided to ignore posts with more than two sentences.
Forget reading a paragraph.

I forgot about the doppler effect. lol

 

[Expat]

I have been pretty lucky with my tinnitus. I usually have the summer locust buzz. Lately though, I will get like a snap and go into the irritating squeal. It usually just lasts a minute or so. I hope I am not going to change to that all the time.

 

[24Carat]

Go to the gubbermint and tell them you were in the artillery...

Or a Crew Chief on F-4 Phantom II's !! VA provided me with a pair of "Phonac Marvels" ($5000 +/-) and they are amazing. I have Tinnitus also (5000 mhz) and they are programmed to push those frequencies.

 

[BeDome]

I have been pretty lucky with my tinnitus. I usually have the summer locust buzz. Lately though, I will get like a snap and go into the irritating squeal. It usually just lasts a minute or so. I hope I am not going to change to that all the time.

I hate those random "snaps!"
It's almost like, if an exploding brain aneurism made a sound you could hear.
Thankfully mine are over in a handful of seconds.
Still haltingly disturbing when they hit.

 

[Creedmoor]

Very true, it's a big hope of mine soon all GIs will be issues electronic ears like Sordins or Peltors soon in the future.

Another concern I have is people using AirPod earphones as hearing protection, I see far too.many younger guys doing that on the clays range and I just know with each shot they are damaging their hearing

I was ruined long ago with bursts from a pig setup next to me.
Where my sons are now so much school and training is done in color like its happening live. Plus its tough to wear good hearing protection when you have to wear a PASGT helmet while being enlisted. Electronic hearing should already be built into there helmets.

 

[ditcherman]

Don't worry about boring people.
Any with a propensity to be bored so easily as to stop learning have already decided to ignore posts with more than two sentences.
Forget reading a paragraph.

I, for one, am eating it up.
Appreciate the conversation, I can use the motivation.

 

[Mongo59]

Or a Crew Chief on F-4 Phantom II's !! VA provided me with a pair of "Phonac Marvels" ($5000 +/-) and they are amazing. I have Tinnitus also (5000 mhz) and they are programmed to push those frequencies.

Man I hate that constant buzzing in my ears. Some days I feel like digging it out with a crochet hook...

 

[Mongo59]

I went to the Purdue University Audiology Department, West Lafayette. They have a clinic. This is where they make audiologists. When I go in I see a professor of Audiology plus at least two graduate students in Audiology. After getting my audiogram I got setup for three appointments. First was the initial contact telling me what they can do and the cost of everything. Second was the fitting and paying for half of the cost ($6,000 for my Phonaks, $300 for charger, $100 for fitting). Third was touching base to see if any adjustments were needed and paying the other half. From the fitting you get 30 day trial period, return for any reason and get all but the $100 back. I could go back anytime for any issues. Got three year warranty from Phonak plus another year from Purdue. Check with other universities, they may do the same thing.

OMG! Around here it would U of L and they would require you to vote for Harris or something stupid like that...

 

[Mongo59]

I was ruined long ago with bursts from a pig setup next to me.
Where my sons are now so much school and training is done in color like its happening live. Plus its tough to wear good hearing protection when you have to wear a PASGT helmet while being enlisted. Electronic hearing should already be built into there helmets.

I was the pig. High shooter but I wanted something .30cal and that was the only option at the time...

 

[Creedmoor]

I was the pig. High shooter but I wanted something .30cal and that was the only option at the time...

Gotta love The Pig, my Thing 2 will be at an Instructor school at KASOTC soon, I believe it will be for the 240 and 249 platforms.

 

[Creedmoor]

I have been pretty lucky with my tinnitus. I usually have the summer locust buzz. Lately though, I will get like a snap and go into the irritating squeal. It usually just lasts a minute or so. I hope I am not going to change to that all the time.

Mine is a non stop sound like a tv channel off the air. I can make it go away with electronic headphones, I used to wear them all day while doing industrial maintenance. Its just normal sound now.