XPost: comp.misc   
   From: despen@verizon.net   
      
   The Real Bev  writes:   
      
   > FWIW, the $2K ones aren't necessarily good either.   
      
   Some are even more.  Mine were.   
      
   > My mom had hers adjusted repeatedly, but they never got it right.  All   
   > she wanted was to be able to understand the women on TV, but the   
   > adjustments to improve higher voices also heightened annoying   
   > higher-frequency sounds.  That was in 2005, maybe the tech is better   
   > now.  Equalizers have been around for quite a while, though.   
      
   Hearing aids don't just pump up the volume on frequencies you can't   
   hear.  I'm not an expert, but I do know it takes time to adjust to   
   hearing aids, so I assume there is frequency shifting going on.  More   
   than that, the hearing aid "knows" what kind of sound situation you are   
   in.  Mine reports things like:   
      
     listening to music   
     driving   
     crowded room   
     TV   
      
   So, they are pretty far from an equalizer.   
      
   > I don't think the fact that they're made from a mold of the person's   
   > ear canal is important.  I asked my ENT guy about using hers if I ever   
   > needed them, and he said Fine, just have them adjusted for you.  Not   
   > much hope, but it won't cost $2K/ear to try!   
      
   One of the harder parts about wearing them is the discomfort after   
   wearing them for hours.  If they sell models with generic shape   
   give them a try.  What do you have to loose?   
      
   Hearing aids are much cheaper if you get one with the battery behind   
   the ear and a little wire and plug.   
      
   --   
   Dan Espen   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)