Hearing aids

Looks like I need some new ones. Any advice please on the best aids - stalking and picking up - allowing wildlife sounds and not wind noise? Any ones to avoid? NHS or private purchase? Currently have NHS ones for three years but there must be better ones?
Thanks
Stick with NHS unless you have money to burn - private ones have all the same issues, so it depends on the extent of your hearing loss. Better to invest in really good electronic ear protection. A wide brimmed hat cuts down wind noise hugely, when wearing hearing aids.
 
Been wearing Oticon CROS hearing aids the past several years. No complaints other than wind noise when it's blowing hard (which because they are CROS variants is quite annoying, but unavoidable).

I wear Sordin/MSA or Peltor ComTac 5 headmuffs when hunting or shooting, so it's like wearing hearing aids, but with sound protection added.
I second the MSA ones, particularly for stalking or sitting out -keep your ears warm too. They do however enable you to hear all the noise you make, which is surprisingly a lot.
 
I have tried both - private ones and NHS ones. the difference is clear to my ears, the NHS ones work well in simple conditions to boost sound. Private expensive ones £4500 in the case of the ones I tried, were far far better in complex sound conditions. They were also more comfortable to wear. I would love the private ones but cannot afford them.
 
Can’t comment at all on your NHS system, but I’ve been wearing them for 8 years now. Like anything digital, they make great strides on almost a yearly basis,

My first set were little more than amplifiers. Second set were Bluetooth enabled and linked to my phone. They had several settings, including one for quiet time when it would play an “anti-tinnitus white noise” that would significantly calm my tinnitus. The set I’m on now not only do everything the older ones did, but they have a human vocal sound program that causes S/F/Th to be easily separated (tends to add a very slight lisp to S). Also, the new one are capable of being linked to a TV so you can watch without the entire neighborhood knowing what channel you are watching.

However, the key to getting a good set is having a good audiologist that can notm9nky get a good test, but can also interpret correctly. If that happens they can tailor the frequencies and dB limits just for you, and you can come back for fine tuning.

I have extensive military caused hearing loss and the Veterans Affairs audiologist didn’t just run the tone/push button test, but also did a pronounced word test (you hear a word and then repeat back - which I did quite poorly at). Now mine are set to auto block anything above 100 dB, and amplify some frequencies, and down play others (for example, urine into a toilet, or running water into a tub, the original factory setting made that frequency as loud as a bomb).
 
Up date to my previous, I have my new ones fitted the technology is fantastic,it seems my right ear has suffered a catastrophic sound loss so adjusting for speech is not straightforward but adjustments improve a lot on the old NHS issue. Directional settings, boost, Bluetooth, TV connection to my ears, personal mic to a person I am talking to,(yet to be set up beyond me) adjustments from my phone, expensive YES’ the amount of sound I am hearing now is amazing. I would add that not every one’s situation can expect the same result?
Two weeks time for a progress check.

BC.
 
No but I may end up with them ....
I seen an article about these. Saying for the money they were on par with the NHS models..... for 150 quid im assuming it would be worth a go....
Im dubious about articles like this....pushing for a product from so called buyer ..
But as is say above....maybe worth a punt before going down private thousands route

Paul
 
No but I may end up with them ....
I seen an article about these. Saying for the money they were on par with the NHS models..... for 150 quid im assuming it would be worth a go....
Im dubious about articles like this....pushing for a product from so called buyer ..
But as is say above....maybe worth a punt before going down private thousands route

Paul
Have you tried the NHS ones and don’t like them?
I have NHS and seem to be able to hear everything except what I want to hear when in a room with more than one voice.
Suppose it’s got to do with the direction the noise is coming from. If someone is directly in front of you and someone’s talking at the side of you, the sound on the side will take priority?
Ken.
 
I started shooting at 11 in the Cadets, followed by 24 years in the Mob. I unsurprisingly have tinnitus, it’s alsways there but on the days it decides the ramp up the volume it’s difficult for me to have a conversation with any background noise.
I’ll try to get an NHS appt through the GP’s surgery. Spec savers in my experience are poor with their bread and butter services (your experience may vary). I’n not be confident that I’d get the best available for my problem.

I’ll try in the new year and see what happens 👍

trickie
 
NHS ones for me. Aren’t perfect but they’ve made a huge difference to my life. I was told not to wear them when I’m shooting, so I don’t. I don’t need them when I’m shooting as I wear peltor electronics muffs, which let me hear what I need to hear and cancel out the damaging noises
 
NHS ones for me. Aren’t perfect but they’ve made a huge difference to my life. I was told not to wear them when I’m shooting, so I don’t. I don’t need them when I’m shooting as I wear peltor electronics muffs, which let me hear what I need to hear and cancel out the damaging noises
That’s very helpful.
I have been wearing the Peltor Sport with gel muffs (much more effective than the foam ones they arrive in, and cheap direct from China).

Hopefully they will have an impact on days where my tinnitus is at it worst (today 😵‍💫).

John
 
That’s very helpful.
I have been wearing the Peltor Sport with gel muffs (much more effective than the foam ones they arrive in, and cheap direct from China).

Hopefully they will have an impact on days where my tinnitus is at it worst (today 😵‍💫).

John

Need to look into gel ones, didn’t know they were a thing
 
I started shooting at 11 in the Cadets, followed by 24 years in the Mob. I unsurprisingly have tinnitus, it’s alsways there but on the days it decides the ramp up the volume it’s difficult for me to have a conversation with any background noise.
I’ll try to get an NHS appt through the GP’s surgery. Spec savers in my experience are poor with their bread and butter services (your experience may vary). I’n not be confident that I’d get the best available for my problem.

I’ll try in the new year and see what happens 👍

trickie
Much the best way to go. Spec savers play on ignorance and are just out to sell, NHS aids suit the vast majority of needs.
 
Need to look into gel ones, didn’t know they were a thing
Rangers,
I picked mime up from Alibaba, 3 of us chipped in and iirc the were about £16, then
I think it was these (everything changes so fast on these sites it is hard to be sure.)

It looks like 2 is the minimum order now

 
Rangers,
I picked mime up from Alibaba, 3 of us chipped in and iirc the were about £16, then
I think it was these (everything changes so fast on these sites it is hard to be sure.)

It looks like 2 is the minimum order now


Thanks Trickie
 
Back
Top