OT/ remote, bluetooth, wireless, mic, headphones, Dad's hearing loss got me thinking Options

[iamchappy]

My Dad's hearing loss caused by years of flying B-29s in WW2 has had us in and
out of the hearing clinics with hearing aids that just dont work well, his latest set from
Starky labs cost around 8,000 $$$.

When asking my Dad about it the other day he said he would wear a helmet that was 5ft tall if it helped him hear better. I got thinking about all the micro technology (Mic-speaker-batteries that need replacing constantly) they try to fit into a tiny hearing aid to be discrete, and got to thinking why the Micro route when the macro route my be already there.

Musicians use wireless microphones and headsets, surely a larger size microphone and a pair of nice bud headphones with a belt worn transceiver with an equalizer with the ability to boost and suppress certain frequencies must be in the market, when your looking at 8,000 dollars worth of hearing aids that dont work well, there must be a microphone transmitting receiver - transmitter for that kind of money or less that may work for him.

Any suggestions, ideas....

[iamchappy]

Anyone like to share any knowledge you may have about this stuff..

[Heeltoe914]

I hope you find what your looking for. I am sure your dad would do about anything to hear clearly again Good Luck.

[moordi]

I know how you feel. My 92 yr. old mother is mostly fine except for her hearing. A good fitting and well designed hearing aid is a work in progress. I assume your dad has a good relationship with an ear specialist and has made numerous trips back-and-forth trying different devices and getting the fit tweaked.

So, if all that has failed and you're thinking of alternatives, you might follow up with your own train of thought and go to the source(s) for musicians. There's a company called Etymotic, for example, that has been working in this field for many years. I really don't know much about them, but am a pleased customer with some of their music player in-ear phones.

Here's a link:
http://www.etymotic.com/

[iamchappy]

Thanks, i will check it out..
I posted on this forum because i know some of our 914 brothers are into guitars and play in bands.

[Cap'n Krusty]

Several years of C130s, lotsa helicopters, heavy and largish rapid fire weapons, flightline ops, and 35+ years of cars, air tools and loud music experienced from the first few rows has left my hearing pretty devastated. I'm currently looking into hearing aids. My father has lost much of his hearing, and his father did, too, and they operated or were around loud equipment for several years. My dad hasn't been able to find a satisfactory product, and it has become a seriously aggravating problem for him (and for my mom, who has to put up with it). What I can't understand is why these things cost so much. There's a TON of people out here that use or could use them, yet they're all priced as if you were their first and only customer. Where's the Bill and Melinda Gates foundation when you need it? I hope, once they've fixed the malaria problem, maybe they can look into this.

The Cap'n. What was that? Speak up, I can't hear you ..................

[IronHillRestorations]

...the old folks home for rock stars....WHAT!??....STOP MUMBLING!!!....I don't know why EVERYONE mumbles!!!!....Doesn't anyone speak up anymore??!!!!....CAN YOU TURN UP MY VOCALS IN THE MONITOR??!!!

At least your Dad recognizes his hearing loss. Lots of Sr's don't admit to it.

I have a couple friends that use in ear monitors when they play, but they've got to be hooked up to an amplified source.

I agree the hearing loss problem is largely unaddressed, but I'm sure that's going to change. Especially with all of the mega buck stereos going in cars.