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Dual purpose hearing aids?


jwhittin

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I'm getting to the point where I need hearing aids. Are there any hearing aids that could also be used as hearing protection at the range? Or can the typically hearing protection devices also serve as every day hearing aids?

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Probably depends on how hard of hearing you are  ...

 

I'm Very Hard of Hearing, and use hearing aids in both ears - I wear them under my ear muffs

and they shut down with gun shot and provide some level of protection, but my local audiologist

would NOT commit to how many dB of protection they offer.

 

So, I wear them under muffs - allows me to hear range commands, and helps protect hearing

a little bit.

 

Be great if another BE member had some definitive thinking on this subject, though - I've been

wondering the same thing for years    :) 

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I have been looking for something that would do double duty as everyday hearing aids, and range hearing protection as well.  As with most compromises, I don't think there is anything that does a great job of both.  

 

I think part of the problem is GOOD hearing aids cost a lot more than most shooters would spend, and most hearing aids have not been designed for maximum protection.  Anyone wearing a premium hearing aid would probably object to the total sealing required for hearing protection, because it is uncomfortable.  

 

This is what I have found to be closest so far:  http://www.gsmoutdoors.com/shopping/Silencer-in-the-Ear-PAIR-P1032.aspx

 

I bought a set of those at Cabela's, and they work OK.  However, I do get some distortion at high volume level settings, as well as some hissing that isn't there.  At the range, they do a decent job of reducing muzzle noise, but not as good as my Howard Leight electronic muffs.  

 

If anyone knows how these work, I would appreciate their comments:  http://www.espamerica.com/

 

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I wear everyday hearing aids and have the electronic plugs for shooting. First, my regular aids are Phonak high end ones that have all kinds of both manual and automatic programing. They are now 4 years old so I expect the newer ones are even more spectacular. Initial cost $5800.

 

I use Soundgear hearing protection aids outdoors. I think they are Starkey products. Starkey is a well respected US manufacturer of regular hearing aids.They are completely inadequate for shooting indoors. Outdoors they work great and eliminate the hot muffs in summer and interference with cold weather gear in winter. I love the plugs for outdoor matches and practice.

 

All that said...the protective plugs do provide protection and adjustable amplification of sound. They have no serious programing for different situations like hearing someone across the table from you at a restaurant. They simply are not adequate everyday hearing aids. The list price for my protective aids was around $1100 but they can be found discounted frequently. I spent less than $800. They work great for outdoor shooting, not even barely for indoor shooting, and terrible for everyday use. As an example, I put on a Led Zeppelin song in my truck with the protective aids in use. They effectively cut out the drums and made a mess of the music. Made it into a rapid fire stop and go chaos.

 

I would not plan on finding an acceptable dual purpose hearing solution. By the time I finish shooting I can not wait to get my regular hearing aids back in my ear. The regular ones make eveything natural sounding. The protective ones work for protection but give sound some sometimes strange tones and undesirable effects. Don't try LZ with them.

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@Brooke:

 

You DO KNOW I have to find a LZ recording to listen to with my Walker's Silencers now, right?  :lol:  

 

Thanks for your insight.  I really need hearing aids, and have been resisting because of the terrible sound quality and distortion.  Good to know there are better alternatives for everyday use.  

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16 hours ago, Hi-Power Jack said:

I just got excellent hearing aids for $1,600 each - digital - volume control    :wub:

 

Best I can tell that's $3200. I'm sure you can get excellent hearing aids for that. I chose to go with top end automation. It is not necessary just better. My choice.

 

I believe you will agree that they do not act as shooting ear plugs. Those attempt to reduce noises at a certain level. Usually around 85 dbA. How good are they? Well they clearly are not adequate for indoor ranges...at mine are not. They are super outdoors.. They are inadequate as every day hearing aids though.

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My wife wears in ear hearing aids. She can mute them and they turn into basically an ear plug. 

 

I have programmable electronic in ear protection from ear inc.  They're basically a hearing aid. Each band can be programmed to your hearing loss. 

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I'm very interested in this thread. I'm in the same boat years of shooting and working around turbo machinery I'm almost deaf. I can't hear certain ranges a whistle is inaudible. I struggle hearing the start timers with certain sounds.  What aids did you get HiPower Jack?

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

FWTW I have a severe high freq loss and Phonak behind the ear hearing aids.  I found that I had a problem at times hearing the start tone with amplified Walker and Sordin muffs and had to use my Phonaks inside the muffs and still have problems with the timer.  I discusssed with my audiologist my problem and asked him to look over info I had printed for a couple of the available in-ear hearing aids, made for shooting.  He came back to me and said that he would match the price, ~2000, and give me something more programmable and have the same protection.   In addition, he said I could try them for 30 days and make my decision.  He had them made with a large blob (full shell) - not invisible - without the vent hole, as I told him,  I was interested only only in using them at the range.  They are digital, therefore, able to be programmed to my particular hearing loss and able to be adjusted to suit my tastes as I prefer.  The way I understand it, they shut down instantly to noise above a certain level.  These work fine for me, allowing me to converse with others normally, shoot, hear most hits at steel challenge, and generally let me operate, hearing the timer, and not worrying about protection.  Brand is Unitron, but I don't know the model.  

 

There are a couple of downsides. Without the vent holes, they sound like plain earplugs, with no ambient background noise, when not on.  Without the vent holes, if driving to or from the range, where there are hills, ears will not equalize the pressure and ears need clearing - not a problem at the range, even all day.  Since they are not the high end model, some advance features are not in mine - like wind noise elimination etc.  My regular Phonaks, have some of these features and don't notice them in day to day use, but do notice the lack thereof, when wearing these.  These are NOT usable by themselves at an indoor range.  Not any different than plain low tech ear plugs, even when turned off indoors.  When at an indoor range, my normal muffs without any aids are by far the best for me.  Thinning of the wallet hurt bad.....

 

 

 

 

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