What are best hearing aids for a Violinist?
David R asked:
I do play violin in an orchestra. I have difficulties to understand what the conductor say due to hi freq hearing loss. Any recommendations for choosing the proper hearing aid (experience with brand and model)?
hearing aids
I do play violin in an orchestra. I have difficulties to understand what the conductor say due to hi freq hearing loss. Any recommendations for choosing the proper hearing aid (experience with brand and model)?
hearing aids
May 29th, 2009 at 11:10 am
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I am a music teacher and I have a few students with hearing diifficulties, both use some sort of supplemental device. One has a cochlear implant, which is not your issue, I assume and she uses a small battery powered amp and I wear a cordless mic. The other might be more appropriate. He uses an FM transmitter that sends the signal directly to his hearing aids. I usually wear the mic/ transmitter (which is quite small and your conductor would likely not mind wearing at all) but when he plays trumpet I sometimes put the mic on the music stand (it has a little clip) so he can hear himself play a bit better.
I am no audiologist (but I play one on TV…lol) but having had experience in working with these students in a music classroom I have some understanding of the ways technology can help the hearing impared appreciate music better. The FM transmitter has a line input that I will use to plug him in directly to a audio source (such as a CD player, computer, etc.) that will let him hear better. The transmitter can be switched to receive only the line input, line input plus mic, or mic only. Likewise, his hearing aids can be switched between FM only, FM plus built-in mics, and built-in mics only. The aids are the behind-the-ear type.
BTW, I have been trying to get his parents to buy a Yamaha Silent Brass system for his trumpet. It has a mic/ mute that can be plugged directly into his FM. He used mine a few times and said he can hear himself much better than with just the ear-mics or FM mic alone. You might be able to set up a similar system with your violin, although being the resonating body of the instrument is so close to your ear/ head, you probablky can hear yourself reasonably well. I think the FM transmitter for the conductor could help you a lot, so long as you can keep your mic from your hearing aid on so you can still hear yourself play. The conductor could either wear the mic (which I can’t imagine him/ her having an issue with… you could always pull ADA laws out if you wanna play hardball) or clip it in the conductor’s stand.
I don’t know the exact model of the hearing aid used at my school, but it seems a little old, and below I linked what seems to be the same thing but newer. Some have bluetooth connectivity as well.
Good luck, and feel free to drop me a line if you have questions!
June 1st, 2009 at 12:44 am
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My brother is a singer and choir director, and he has some hearing loss. When he told his audiologist that he worked with music, she recommended the “open ear” style. It doesn’t block the ear canal, so you continue to hear ambient noise; it fits behind the ear, and has a filament with a perforated cone that fits in the ear.
June 1st, 2009 at 7:32 pm
Kansieo.com
it depends on your hearing loss. Some kinds of loss work better with different kinds of hearing aids. My boyfriend is a deaf music ed major (plays trombone) and he wears phonak perseo hearing aids. I wear a GN Resound aid. We both love ours…so it depends. Talk with your audiologist and they will help you figure out the best aid that meets both your hearing and monetary needs.
June 2nd, 2009 at 10:29 am
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HIGH POWER BTE HEARING AID CA 14 $289.00
Used for moderate to severe hearing loss, push-pull output stage, output-limiting AGC O, low tone filter control, telephone coil. Powerful wide frequency range hearing aid with with adjustable threshold level AGC, deep low frequency tone control and induction pick-up telecoil. They are completed by the sound-conducting horn, which protects microphonic entrance of hearing aid from the wind. Construction of the CA 14 Automatic HIGH POWER HEARING AID (picture) 1. Earhook 2. Microphone Inlet 3. Volume Control 4. O-T-M Switch (Hearing Aid OFF/Telecoil ON/Microphone ON ) 5. +Signed Battery Holder 6. Hinged Lid covering controls AO – Output-limiting AGC H – Bass-cut control Hearing Aid Includes 2 rechargeable batteries and battery charger. Hearing aids available in five colours : dark-brown, brown, light brown, beige, grey. Warranty of Hearing Aid – 12 months. Performance Characteristics of Hearing Aid
hope this is perfect hearing aid for you