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Do you love listening to music, whether at a concert or with your headphones? If you’re a music fan, and are always plugged in, there are a few things you need to know about hearing aids and head phones.
Headphones and Hearing Aids
For music lovers with hearing loss, finding a way to enjoy music can be a challenge. Even a good quality pair of headphones can’t amplify the sounds you’re missing, and finding headphones that fit over hearing aids can be a struggle. And for anyone struggling with tinnitus, it can be even more difficult to enjoy music. Just like earbuds, headphones have to fit properly to provide high quality sound. Wearing hearing aids can make it difficult to find headphones that fit well. If you have headphones that can’t fit snuggly over your hearing aids, or sit too close to the hearing aid microphones, your hearing devices may not be able to pick up on all the sounds coming from your headphones, and might even create a lot of feedback rather than helping you hear the music.
If you have behind-the-ear (BTE) or receiver-in-canal (RIC) devices, your headphone options will be limited. Since both these models house parts of the hearing aid behind the ear, they can interfere with the fit of your headphones, causing poor sound quality, or even feedback. Hearing aids that work well will headphones are ones that are housed within the ear, like in-the-ear (ITE) or in-the-canal (ITC) devices that don’t have any components outside the ear. Headphones that sit over the ear often work well for hearing aid wearers, but some on the ear headphones may also work.
Hearing Aid Options for Music Listening
If you have hearing loss and want the best music listening experience, you have another option. Hearing aids of today are highly sophisticated devices that have some pretty amazing programs and features. One of the latest advancements in hearing technology is incredible connectivity features, which allow you to connect your hearing aids directly to your smartphone, computer, or any other Bluetooth enabled device. You can stream music and audio right to your devices without worrying about headphones. You’ll have the best in sound quality, and will not need to carry heavy headphones to enjoy your music.
Using Bluetooth hearing aid technology to listen to music can also enhance the sound quality. While headphones work great for those without hearing loss, anyone struggling to hear knows that it can be difficult to hear certain sounds, no matter the quality of the headphones. Hearing aids, on the other hand, will amplify sounds in the ranges you struggle to hear, and you’ll experience a richer sound quality.
Preventing Hearing Loss
If you love listening to music, and wear headphones at the gym, on the commute to work, or when you’re out walking the dog, it’s important that you listen with care. It’s easy to reach for the volume control to block out background sounds, or hear better. But turning up the volume can have some serious consequences for your ears. Audiologists recommend that you never listen to music at more than 60% of the volume so that you don’t damage your ears with very loud sounds. And it’s a good idea to take a break every hour so that your ears have a chance to rest. This is the 60/60 rule, and whether you’re listening with headphones or streaming directly to your devices, this rule of thumb will protect your ears and prevent further hearing loss.
Another way to prevent hearing loss when listening to music is to invest in a pair of noise cancelling headphones. These will block those annoying background sounds, and you won’t be tempted to turn up the volume to dangerously loud levels.
New Leaf Hearing Clinic
If you have hearing loss and want to explore your hearing aid options, come to New Leaf Hearing Clinic. We have a wide selection of hearing devices that were designed for music listening, with the ultimate in connectivity features. Whether you want a BTE device, or a nearly invisible ITC hearing aid, you’ll be able to stream music, audio, phone calls, radio programs, or even driving directions right to your ears. Visit us to see what all the buzz is about.