Hearing aids (not defenders)

polranny

Well-Known Member
Any advice please on these, especially on how well they deal with the wind noise when out stalking?
Many thanks
 
I have a newer pair from the NHS made by Oticon. They are the behind the ear type and have volume controls which helps in different situations. They are an improvement on the older ones I had but can still be a bit of a problem with wind noise. They also tend to pick up sounds behind you better than sounds in front of you.
 
Have a pair that connect to an app on my phone via bluetooth and there is a wind noise reduction function seem to work well wear them when stalking without a problem.
 
I went for my hearing test last week (NHS) incidently my grandson (7) was born with hearing issues, his dad said, he will go with me to explain the short comings I've been experiencing for years' Well the difference, now is so much better as my son in law just asked about unwonted sounds and noise, it would seem that the aids I am wearing are fitted with the electronics and only required activating! FFS Also I can now, switch on the D Loop in shops and or garages to buy petrol/diesel and not say WHAT' to the cashier?
Also another setting now activated, will soften the noise in garden center cafe's for example, allowing normal conversations when in company. Stalking yesterday and could clearly hear and see a wren going about its business.
I have been offered an upgrade for both aids,bluetooth was mentioned so will compare the results after they arrive through the post,this will save time on waiting for a face to face appointment.
Mine are PHONAK Aids, I hope, I do not' experience 3' above.

BC.
 
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I went for my hearing test last week (NHS) incidently my grandson (7) was born with hearing issues, his dad said, he will go with me to explain the short comings I've been experiencing for years' Well the difference, now is so much better as my son in law just asked about unwonted sounds and noise, it would seem that the aids I am wearing are fitted with the electronics and only required activating! FFS Also I can now, switch on the D Loop in shops and or garages to buy petrol/diesel and not say WHAT' to the cashier?
Also another setting now activated, will soften the noise in garden center cafe's for example, allowing normal conversations when in company. Stalking yesterday and could clearly hear and see a wren going about its business.
I have been offered an upgrade for both aids,bluetooth was mentioned so will compare the results after they arrive through the post,this will save time on waiting for a face to face appointment.
Mine are PHONAK Aids, I hope, I do not' experience 3' above.

BC.
MORNING BC (sorry for shouting:lol:), were your Phonak Aids provided by the NHS?
My less than efficient Signia aids were NHS provided by Specsavers and really are not very good!!
 
My father has recently started wearing hearing aids. He takes them off when driving because the road noise is distracting. He has no issue with wind though.

A revelation to the extent he is selling all his very high end hi-fi because he has realised he can’t hear the difference in quality and when using the hearing aids he is relying on the digital sound that can’t pick up the quality either. More money to spend on shooting I suppose 🤣
 
Hmmmm. I have two but when out shooting be it with shotgun or rifle I wear a lightweight pair of electronic ear defenders which are great - I can hear pals at 50 yards and suffer no ill effects if I fire a shot whereas before tinnitus was a regular occurrence.
As an aside on my last NHS renewal of the hearing aids 6 months ago I mentioned to the audiologist that Mrs FB had bushwhacked me a few weeks before with a surprise appointment at a private hearing clinic. He was very interested in the detail and asked me several questions including if Mrs FB had been asked to talk to me in her usual voice (not something I am terribly familiar with) and walk out of the room and into the next room whilst all the while talking to me. I replied that she had and I was very impressed with how clear her speech was. He then asked if the clinic chappie had stayed in my room or gone with her - I responded the latter and he smiled then asked me if he had had a pen in his shirt pocket at the time to which I said he had. Wait for it chaps……. He then advised me that the “pen” was actually a microphone bluetoothed to the aids in my ear so the marvellous clarity of Mrs FB‘s voice from the next room was because she was speaking into his microphone a few feet from the guy! He then went on to explain that I had likely been “tested” by an unqualified salesman; there is no regulator for these sorts of “clinics” and they are regarded by his profession as the double glazing salesmen of the hearing world! The “marvellous” aids were just north of £5,000 and the new NHS pair I got come in at about £3,800 But of course are free or if you lose or break one £50 to replace. Sure, they don’t bluetooth to my phone but I have excellent buds that do. Sooo be warned!
🦊🦊
 
I'm on about the third pair of NHS oticons. They would have been £1500 each when I first got them, I've lost several. Don't know what these latest ones cost.
 
Thank you all for your comments.

I‘ve had a look at the Boots and Specsavers prices and they seem very different for what appears to be the same product, nearly £1000 difference for the a pair of the most expensive ones. Does anyone know if this is just a marketing difference or is it about the quality of after sales care, or ???

Thanks again.
 
Thank you all for your comments.

I‘ve had a look at the Boots and Specsavers prices and they seem very different for what appears to be the same product, nearly £1000 difference for the a pair of the most expensive ones. Does anyone know if this is just a marketing difference or is it about the quality of after sales care, or ???

Thanks again.
I am a hearing aids wearer for most of my life. Best solution for wind noise is either wear ear defenders - not comfortable for very long periods - or wear a buff that you pull up over the aids and ears whilst stalking. Maintains most of your hearing, good for concealment, cosy and cuts out the wind noise. I do wish the PPE manufacturers would produce hearing aid friendly muffs but I suppose there’s not the volume to warrant it. I warn my guides, before we set out, not to try whispering to me - pointless - I lip read instead. I’m thinking of running courses for deerstalking through the medium of mime…😳😏
 
MORNING BC (sorry for shouting:lol:), were your Phonak Aids provided by the NHS?
My less than efficient Signia aids were NHS provided by Specsavers and really are not very good!!
I got NHS Phonak from Notts NHS and was very happy with them. I moved to Lincs and wanted them tweeked. Lincs use Specsavers who said they couldn't tweek the Phonaks and gave me Signia which were awful. I looked up the model on Google, found the model was discontinued in 2014 and were also on sale on eBay for £50 each! I took them back the same day and retrieved the Phonaks they had taken from me. I'd like to know how much Specsavers were charging the NHS for the old stock Signia and also wondered if they were going to recycle the Phonaks for their private customers.
 
I wear behind the ear aids. I was advised by the Deaf Shop lady to not wear them hunting ( we don't have moderators here in OZ) but to wear electronic ear muffs. They certainly work well but cause a bit of jaw ache after a couple hours.
Grant.
 
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