4 ms·

I know if I started to lose my hearing--not all, but maybe 30-40% reduction--I'd probably be quite happy with the turning-down of all that noise I deal with dai

I know if I started to lose my hearing--not all, but maybe 30-40% reduction--I'd probably be quite happy with the turning-down of all that noise I deal with daily. I'd especially like it when spending time with my Cantonese in-laws. Shouting is the default conversational mode there.

Scoundreller 8y ago
Story time! A caucasian friend got a ride home by his Chinese friend and dad to visit them. Once the dad was out of sight, he asked his friend what he was arguing with his dad about. Chinese friend was confused about the question and didn't understand why he was asking. Then he said: "Oh, we were just talking about how nice the wedding was that we went to".
0x38B 8y ago
As far as turning down noise, I highly recommend Etymotic's ER-20xs[1]: they reduce noise by 20db, and do so more evenly than, say, earplugs. I use them every single day. When walking near roads (cars), on buses, on the subway, at concerts. It's automatic to the point that whenever something gets louder than my comfort level, I pop them in. 99% of people don't notice them, just friends and family. It's also changed my perception of noise, in that the expected noise level of the roadway is what I hear with them in, for better or for worse. In truly loud environments, such as bars, I find that I actually hear better. 1: https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/er20xs.html https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/er20xs....
- davidscolgan 8y ago
  Oh cool, thanks so much for posting this. I've just ordered a pair. I've always wanted the ability to just "turn down" the sound of everyday life. I've actually wondered if some of my social anxiety has come from hearing sounds a little more intensely than some people, since after a hearing exam I apparently have super good hearing. At times I've done audio recording without a monitor to hear my own voice. The result is me having in earbuds while speaking, and so I can't hear myself as well. I noticed that I spoke louder and more confidently. So I've wondered if wearing something like these could be an effective way to help with social anxiety? Guess we'll see. Cheers!
kbenson 8y ago
As I understand it, some of the newer (and likely more expensive) hearing aids support bluetooth, and you can change the levels and tuning from your phone. That would give you the best of both worlds, since you could give yourself good hearing for very important things (meetings, etc) or enjoyable things things that benefit from good hearing (some movies, listening to music, etc).
- skybrian 8y ago
  I've only tried one model, but I was disappointed in the sound quality for music. Hearing aid speakers apparently aren't intended to reproduce the full range of frequencies like headphones. It's probably convenient for voice calls, though.
  - kbenson 8y ago
    I think there are likely some that are okay, given my limited knowledge of the subject, which is really just from hearing Adam Savage talk on the Still Untitled podcast about the new ones he got, how his hearing loss it at a different frequency than most people, and how it used to be a big ordeal to get them tuned for specific frequencies (you had to schedule an appointment). His new ones allowed him to re-tune for different types of listening through his phone. Even if that capability doesn't specifically address the range frequency required for music listening adequately, I imagine there are specialty hearing aids (likely at a hefty price increase) that do, catering to musicians that suffer hearing loss.
    - skybrian 8y ago
      For live sound and for people who don't have too much hearing loss, the hearing aid doesn't have to reproduce all the sound. Instead it supplements what's already there. Some of the sound goes through a vent directly to your ear. A hearing aid doesn't have to reproduce deep bass notes, for example. And for a lot of live music, it's plenty loud enough and protection from (further) hearing loss would be more of an issue. The main issue I have with my hearing aid when playing music is that the feedback cancelation isn't as good as I'd like for pure, higher pitched notes. (Feedback protection is needed because sound goes out the vent as well as in and that reaches the microphone.)

Scoundreller 8y ago

Story time! A caucasian friend got a ride home by his Chinese friend and dad to visit them. Once the dad was out of sight, he asked his friend what he was arguing with his dad about. Chinese friend was confused about the question and didn't understand why he was asking. Then he said: "Oh, we were just talking about how nice the wedding was that we went to".

0x38B 8y ago

As far as turning down noise, I highly recommend Etymotic's ER-20xs[1]: they reduce noise by 20db, and do so more evenly than, say, earplugs. I use them every single day. When walking near roads (cars), on buses, on the subway, at concerts. It's automatic to the point that whenever something gets louder than my comfort level, I pop them in. 99% of people don't notice them, just friends and family. It's also changed my perception of noise, in that the expected noise level of the roadway is what I hear with them in, for better or for worse. In truly loud environments, such as bars, I find that I actually hear better. 1: https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/er20xs.html https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/hearing-protection/er20xs....

davidscolgan 8y ago
Oh cool, thanks so much for posting this. I've just ordered a pair. I've always wanted the ability to just "turn down" the sound of everyday life. I've actually wondered if some of my social anxiety has come from hearing sounds a little more intensely than some people, since after a hearing exam I apparently have super good hearing. At times I've done audio recording without a monitor to hear my own voice. The result is me having in earbuds while speaking, and so I can't hear myself as well. I noticed that I spoke louder and more confidently. So I've wondered if wearing something like these could be an effective way to help with social anxiety? Guess we'll see. Cheers!

kbenson 8y ago

As I understand it, some of the newer (and likely more expensive) hearing aids support bluetooth, and you can change the levels and tuning from your phone. That would give you the best of both worlds, since you could give yourself good hearing for very important things (meetings, etc) or enjoyable things things that benefit from good hearing (some movies, listening to music, etc).

skybrian 8y ago
I've only tried one model, but I was disappointed in the sound quality for music. Hearing aid speakers apparently aren't intended to reproduce the full range of frequencies like headphones. It's probably convenient for voice calls, though.
- kbenson 8y ago
  I think there are likely some that are okay, given my limited knowledge of the subject, which is really just from hearing Adam Savage talk on the Still Untitled podcast about the new ones he got, how his hearing loss it at a different frequency than most people, and how it used to be a big ordeal to get them tuned for specific frequencies (you had to schedule an appointment). His new ones allowed him to re-tune for different types of listening through his phone. Even if that capability doesn't specifically address the range frequency required for music listening adequately, I imagine there are specialty hearing aids (likely at a hefty price increase) that do, catering to musicians that suffer hearing loss.
  - skybrian 8y ago
    For live sound and for people who don't have too much hearing loss, the hearing aid doesn't have to reproduce all the sound. Instead it supplements what's already there. Some of the sound goes through a vent directly to your ear. A hearing aid doesn't have to reproduce deep bass notes, for example. And for a lot of live music, it's plenty loud enough and protection from (further) hearing loss would be more of an issue. The main issue I have with my hearing aid when playing music is that the feedback cancelation isn't as good as I'd like for pure, higher pitched notes. (Feedback protection is needed because sound goes out the vent as well as in and that reaches the microphone.)