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Discussing 'tinny' sound with audiologist

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I talked with an audiologist today, and something she said disturbs me.

She said almost any brand is not going to sound natural, and probably tinny sounding when first fitted. This would go away after awhile.

So, my comment was, then how do I evaluate a hearing aid if they never will sound right when first fitted? She said you can’t…you need some trust in your audiologists.

THAT puts this process completely out of my control, and I do not like it.

Further, she said trying on different HAs wasn’t going to work well, such as Costco does, because of this. In fairness, she didn’t understand Costco did that, until I explained it.

SO…truth or fiction?

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Well, she is right to a degree. Tinny and loud are two complaints that new users experience. That is why a trial period that is long enough is imperative. With a long enough trial, you and only you can determine what is best for you.

Your loss in the higher frequencies is a profound one. Your ears will hear sounds they haven’t heard in a long time. That is why there is a tinny/loud shock. It goes away as the link between ears and brain is reestablished.

I agree with the Audi and KenP. It is my experience that even switching aids within the same brand usually takes me a few days to get used to the sound. I recently switched from KS6 to Phonak Brio, and paper rustling was very noisy. Three weeks in, and I don’t even notice it any more.

That’s why you need a relatively lengthy trial period.

@jcummins said:

I talked with an audiologist today, and something she said disturbs me.

She said almost any brand HA is not going to sound natural, and probably tinny sounding when first fitted. This would go away after awhile.

So, my comment was, then how do I evaluate a hearing aid if they never will sound right when first fitted? She said you can’t…you need some trust in your audiologists.

THAT puts this process completely out of my control, and I do not like it.

Further, she said trying on different HAs wasn’t going to work well, such as Costco does, because of this. In fairness, she didn’t understand Costco did that, until I explained it.

SO…truth or fiction?

As others have said you don’t evaluate hearing aids when they are first fitted. Your brain has to learn how to deal with them and that takes time. Don’t be in a hurry. Your ears will never get better so you’ll be wearing hearing aids for a long time. That said, what kind of “control” did you expect to have with hearing aids?

In reply to @jay_man2

This is an interesting issue. I have been wearing for 23 years. My background is in music and veterinary medicine. I am 72 and have been interested in audio since I was 13. Musicians are very difficult to fit with HA. Most do trust their ears. I do not want my brain to adjust to unmusical sounds. Even with a hearing loss I can still discriminate between a musicaly accurate audio system or HA and ones that are not. There is a magazine called the Absolute Sound that goes into this subject in some detail. Each time I upgrade my HA i have been able to find an aid that is both helpful with speech recognition and helpful with speech in noise and is still not tinny. It takes a while and is not easy for me and the audiologist but it is possible. We are dealing with two technologies that are amusical in my opinion- transistors as opposed to tubes and digital sound manipulation as opposed to analog sound manipulation. Yes your brain will adjust to the tinny sounds but I would still trust my ears and keep shopping.
Hz Left Right
250 40 30
500 50 35
1K 65 55
2K 60 55
4K 65 60
8K 70 60
WR Left :65dB 80% at 95
Right SRT:45dB 80% at 90dB

In reply to @Ansextra

@Ansextra said:

As others have said you don’t evaluate hearing aids when they are first fitted. Your brain has to learn how to deal with them and that takes time. Don’t be in a hurry. Your ears will never get better so you’ll be wearing hearing aids for a long time. That said, what kind of “control” did you expect to have with hearing aids?

If that is the way it is…it will take a 30 day trial on every hearing aid to REALLY know what I’m dealing with. Costco lets you try the hearing aid…walk around the store…etc…maybe try 3 different ones, then buy one. Can’t leave the store with one unless you buy it. Go through fitting/etc/trips back and forth…THEN…do it all over again since your can’t trust your ears by just walking around the store. Otherwise, you REALLY don’t know how the other really work.

Is that the way it has to be?

“Costco won’t let you leave without buying”… do you think they are that stupid? But, they do let you return the aids anytime within 90 days for a full no question refund. Most seasoned wearers could decide by wearing aids a couple of weeks but new users deciding without trialing several aids for a minimum of 30 days are just screwing themselves

I let all new trials walk out of the door free of charge. The flex-trial mechanism we have here negates the up front portion of the process. Not everybody buys, but when they do they have enough idea to make an informed decision about how their needs are being met.

I’ve not lost a set of aids yet on this basis.

When I first got aids I just went with what was recommended, not knowing any better. That was over a decade ago, and my first experience with the audiologist and the aids, Widex Senso Diva in-the-canal aids, was a good one in retrospect.

Look at how much knowledge you have, and knowing that you can get 30, 45, up to 90 day trials, use that to your advantage and take comfort in knowing that you are in a much better place than many of us were as first timers.

In reply to @jcummins

I purchased my ha’s from the audi who works with my . She suggested my Phonak’s and I received them 2 weeks later. Once received I had 90 days to return or exchange them for a full refund. I haven’t done that since I’ve been happy with them as well as the service I’ve received. That said, the first few days I had them they made me a bit crazy hearing all the new sounds. Now I don’t hear overpowering sounds any more.

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