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Hearing Aid Feedback While Using Headphones - Eliminated

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Edited

For a long time (years), I’ve been having feedback (squealing) from my when wearing headphones. As a musician, headphones are important because HA’s cannot provide the widest possible frequency response. However, wearing headphones with HAs can cause feedback. Or so I thought…

It turns out that much (virtually all) of the feedback was caused by my closed-back headphones. Buying Sennheiser HD650, open-back headphones solved the feedback problem. Besides having a great sound overall, feedback is eliminated under virtually all conditions.

I was so happy with the HD650’s on my digital piano that I bought a second pair for my music workstation.

Are they perfect? Not quite. First, they require at least a small headphone amplifier ($40-$70 on Amazon). Second and most importantly, they are expensive. At $400, they are not as expensive as the really high-end headphones, but still not cheap.

If you are having feedback problems when wearing headphones and HA’s, try a pair of Sennheiser HD650’s.

Regards,

Dan.

P.s. My audi was so impressed that she immediately looked them up on Amazon. She said that she had other patients who had the same problem and would tell them about this option.

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Edited

I think with such stuff that it’s useful to mention whether the cups are on-ear or over-the-ear.

I’ve worn Microsoft Surface Headphones with soft, well-fitting over-the-ear silicone cups (as well as 1990’s wired Sony MDR-V600 over-the-ear headphones). I wear an occlusive fit with ReSound feedback control always run after each fitting adjustment. The Microsoft headphones are noise-cancelling for external sound. I always listen at a moderate volume - never very loud so the volume level of listening could be a factor. But I’ve never noticed any feedback. The only time I have a feedback problem with my HA’s themselves (because the feedback control normally is minimal because of the occlusive fit) is upon inserting or removing my HA’s, when the receiver openings are close to my ear lobe and there is a very open path between receivers and HA mics.

Jim, these are over-ear cans.
Funny, I’ve had the older generation of the 500 series( HD 595), and never even thought about upgrading.
The 500 series runs a lot less $$$ the the 650’s, and you don’t really need an amp to drive them as they’re rated at 50 ohms.
Here’s a link to the HD 599.10
Scroll down, and you can see the lower priced models.
They are all over ear, and sound great.
I do own a pair of the bluetooth wireless Momentum 2’s for home theater, and laptop listening.

Edited
@dan_public said:

Sennheiser HD650’s.

I’m using el-cheapo Sennheiser HDR 120s and have had no problem with three pairs for the last 4 years. E Bay (replacement) ear cushions have been the only maintenance. The original NiMH batteries have never been replaced. They’re in use daily.

Hi. A lot of this depends on your ’s, the fit, and the headphones. And, of course, what you are using them for.

My first HA’s were Oticons, which didn’t seem to have feedback. My Widex 440’s had major feedback until my audi adjusted them. There was still some feedback, but it was better. I don’t believe that the Widex 440’s have any feedback cancelling feature. Or at least my audi never mentioned it.

Even after the adjustment and with the HA’s set to the “Music” setting, my Sony mdr CD950 headphones had lots of feedback unless they were positioned perfectly. My Beyerdynamic DT 770 Pro headphones were better, but still had to be positioned carefully. My Bose QuietComfort 35 noise cancelling, wireless headphones squeal pretty badly even now, after HA adjustment.

Note that all of these headphones are very good quality. It’s the just the combo of headphones plus HA on the music setting that causes squealing.

In comparison, my Sennheiser HD650’s are essentially perfect. No feedback regardless of how careful I am with positioning or what program the HA is set to.

The HD650’s are 300 ohms and typically require a headphone amp. My headphone amps are Mackie HM-4’s. They provide enough power, are inexpensive at $40, and are good enough for my needs. That said, you could easily spend over $400 for a top quality headphone amp. I may have to go that route in the future.

Regards,

Dan.

In reply to @darthvagrant

I guess I’m a headphone junkie too, but with a more modest budget. I’ve used the wireless Sennheiser HDR 120’s (both the earlier over-the-ear and the newer on-the-ear) and I have some pricier PSB over the ear headphones. In fact, headphones is the reason I still use style aids. I’ve been lucky and had very few problems with feedback.

Most of my headphones have required cushion replacements, the PSBs also needed a new headband and the wireless needed new batteries and potentiometer cleaning.

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