Anyone here use hearing aids?

[Knipper]

The reason I ask is it looks like I'm going to have to take the plunge. 26 years of making knives with all that machinery running is taking its toll.

I'm just wondering if those that have them have any tips for headphones etc., or how much better they can hear signals while wearing them..

Knipper

 

[John(Tx)]

I've also lost alot of hearing but don't use them just yet although my family will tell you that I most definately need them.....I've gotten pretty good a lip reading.

 

[Buddysox]

Hey' knipper' sorry to hear about the hearing problem. Recently I attempted to introduce a good friend to detecting. He has worn in ear units since he was a kid. When he tried to use the headphones he got a lot of screaming feedback from his aids. he then tried to just crank up the volume and wear headphones only,but he lost the midrange tones. Next time he was going to find and try a set of in ear phones like they use on the MP3 players. I would suggest taping some typical detector sounds on a small recorder and use an adaptor to run the sound thru your regular detecting headphones then take it with you when you go for the hearing aids and you can test out the aids sound. I know those things are very expensive and it wouldn't do for you to spend a lot then not be able to use them. Maybe there is a model that wont do the feedback.
GOOD LUCK!

 

[Rick(ND)]

Yes I do wear them as I have 2 of the behind the ear ones that are as power full as they make. I am total deaf in some sounds which are the high pitched one and the rest are over 85% gone so I need the loudest made. Tried many and found the Timberwolfs on my Sovereign were the loudest, but on my Explorers they were not and found the Troy Pros are the loudest and best sounds for me. Now I am sure your hearing may not be that bad so the Sun Ray Pro golds or the Gray Ghost should work out OK for you.
Now with most hearing aids with any power at all you have to take them out before you put on the headphones or there will be feed back from the hearing aids, so they have to be used without the aids. I also find on the Explorers the factory setting for variability works the best for me and if I turn them to max the high tones sound almost like a null for me as this is where I am total deaf in tones.

 

[Dan-Pa.]

Always wondered what I was missing as I have excellent tone recognition but hearing is not what it should be. Never thought about interference between aids and units and you bring up a good valid point...

 

[Knipper]

yeah, the feedback issue is what I've been worried about! Another issue is, I know the SE has a limiter built in to the audio circuit to protect the user. But so do a lot of headphones...some have a switch on or off. If you accidentally turn on the limiter to your headphones...if it has a switch to do so... the sound really gets muddy for me.

I have Grey Ghost Ultimate's, Sun-ray Pro gold, Troy Pro's and the Uniprobe headphone and pinpointer combo. Of all these, the Uniprobe has the best sound I've found so far (with the SE) hands down.

I've not heard of the Timberwolves...I might have to look into them.

Heh...I might have to have a yard sale for all the headphone units I've purchased that don't meet my hearing needs. Too bad there aren't more "try before you buy" set ups. Either the vendors won't take them back or they charge you a 15% restocking fee to send them back, plus postage. It gets expensive either way.

I wish Mfgr's would just make them as loud as they possibly can, and give you a volume control to adjust to personal comfort, and not play around with limiters or "governors" on the sound output. I'm 59 and never thought I'd need a hearing aid when I was younger, but I was obviously wrong.

Knipper

 

[Dennis 2]

I have a hearing loss in my left ear from nerve damage. Killer B's made me a custom pair of headphones a few years ago. I have a hearing aid that i can adjust the tone( cost around $2600.00), so if I wear it with the head phones I don't get feed back.A little remote that I can keep in my pocket lets me adjust it. Find out what your hearing loss is ,then see if someone can make you a set that would work for your hearing loss. It might cost a few bucks more . but you'll hear what you've been missing.
HH
Dennis 2

 

[Rick(ND)]

I also have a Uniprobe I use for my detectors i dont have a Sun Ray probe for and these are also very good headphones and a nice probe too. I find the volume is OK with them, but for the Explorer for me the Troy Pros are the loudest hands down while on the Sovereigns my Timberwolfs are the loudest for me. Now this is something I have notice is that you have to find the heaphones to match the detectors electronic to get good volume and good tones. The tones i am sure depends on the persons hearing, but volume is something many of us need that are real hard of hearing. I tried all kinds on the Explorer and some that were over $200, I even bough a amp that I was using untill I got the Troy Pros as there is no switch on them , but seperate volume controls and the volume is as good if not better than the amp I was using before.
There was a earlier set of the Troy Headphones and not the Pros that were not as nice and the volume was the others, but the Pros is the ones i use.