Candace Alper - creator of Name That Tune CDs did a great segment in Ottawa on The A-Channel where she talks about the importance of hearing protection for kids. Check out her blog posting or view have a look at the video below. The kid earmuffs are a fun way to get your child aware of the importance of hearing protection from a young age. And they look great. The muffs are available on our webstore - www.soundgoods.ca
Monday, June 6, 2011
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
Solving Common Hearing Aid Problems
Some common complaints about hearing aids have persisted for years: difficulty hearing on the phone, listening to television and, most commonly, difficulty hearing in crowds (e.g. restaurants). Some products have recently emerged that go a long way towards solving these problems. By using wireless Bluetooth ® technology, we can create a direct (but wireless!) link between the phone, the TV or any other audio source and the hearing instruments.
The hearing aids work with a companion device (called a Streamer) which is worn around the neck. The Streamer then communicates wirelessly with other devices such as your home phone, television or a small wireless microphone which can be worn by a spouse/companion.
Home Phone: A small box attached to the phone line. When the phone rings, a signal is sent to the hearing aids via the Streamer. The user answers the phone by pressing a button on the Streamer. The user receives the caller’s voice in both ears – and doesn’t even have to get up to answer the phone (which makes this perfect for those with mobility problems). The hearing aids become a wireless headset.
TV: A small box is attached to the television. The user can then push a button on the Streamer and have the TV signal streamed wirelessly directly to the hearing instruments. The user controls the volume of the TV personally via the Streamer, meaning that the volume for the rest of the family can remain at a level which suits them.
Crowds: Demanding listening situations (e.g. restaurants) often make communication impossible for hearing aid users. A discreet Bluetooth microphone is worn by the user’s conversation partner. The microphone picks up the partner’s voice, filtering out surrounding noise, and transmits it directly to the Streamer. This can dramatically improve performance in situations where conversation was difficult or even impossible.
While the thought of using these types of technology might be intimidating for some, they are actually quite simple to use. Hearing aids are not perfect, but we can solve some of the issues using some modern solutions.
The hearing aids work with a companion device (called a Streamer) which is worn around the neck. The Streamer then communicates wirelessly with other devices such as your home phone, television or a small wireless microphone which can be worn by a spouse/companion.
Home Phone: A small box attached to the phone line. When the phone rings, a signal is sent to the hearing aids via the Streamer. The user answers the phone by pressing a button on the Streamer. The user receives the caller’s voice in both ears – and doesn’t even have to get up to answer the phone (which makes this perfect for those with mobility problems). The hearing aids become a wireless headset.
TV: A small box is attached to the television. The user can then push a button on the Streamer and have the TV signal streamed wirelessly directly to the hearing instruments. The user controls the volume of the TV personally via the Streamer, meaning that the volume for the rest of the family can remain at a level which suits them.
Crowds: Demanding listening situations (e.g. restaurants) often make communication impossible for hearing aid users. A discreet Bluetooth microphone is worn by the user’s conversation partner. The microphone picks up the partner’s voice, filtering out surrounding noise, and transmits it directly to the Streamer. This can dramatically improve performance in situations where conversation was difficult or even impossible.
While the thought of using these types of technology might be intimidating for some, they are actually quite simple to use. Hearing aids are not perfect, but we can solve some of the issues using some modern solutions.
Monday, January 10, 2011
Westone 3 earphones
This is a bit late - especially considering the hightly touted Westone 4 (4 driver!!) universal fit earphones were just announced at CES (http://www.westonemusicproducts.com/music-products/pro-audio/custom-fit-pro-audio-0) but this is a good descriptive YouTube video about the well-reviewed Westone 3. Still available at the HEARstore (www.hearstore.ca)
Do I really need 2 hearing aids??
This is a question that comes up at nearly every hearing aid evaluation appointment in our office. While there are definite situations where a single hearing aid (monaural fitting) will be recommended – the vast majority of people with hearing loss in both ears will benefit from amplification in both ears (binaural fitting). We have two ears for some very good reasons: there are levels of the auditory system which receive information from both ears and provide our brains with valuable information. Here are some of the proven reasons why two ears are better than one.
• Significantly better understanding of speech. Research shows that people wearing two hearing aids routinely understand speech significantly better than people wearing one hearing aid.
• Much better understanding in background noise (e.g.groups/crowds) - see the figure at the top of this post to see how much better 2 hearing aids perform compared to one.
• Better ability to tell where sounds are coming from (better localization)
• Better and more natural sound quality.
• Keeps both ears active resulting in potentially less hearing deterioration ( the auditory deprivation effect or ‘use it or lose it’)
• Hearing is less tiring and listening more pleasant.
• Binaural hearing results in a feeling of balanced reception of sound whereas monaural hearing creates an unusual feeling of sounds being heard in one ear.
• Reduced feedback and whistling. Allows for lower volume control settings which reduces the chances of hearing aid feedback.
Research clearly shows that consumers prefer and are more satisfied with two hearing aids compared to one. Just as you use both eyes to see clearly, you need two ears to hear clearly. While there are certainly situations where one hearing aid will be recommended, the vast majority of people will benefit greatly by wearing hearing aids in each ear.
• Significantly better understanding of speech. Research shows that people wearing two hearing aids routinely understand speech significantly better than people wearing one hearing aid.
• Much better understanding in background noise (e.g.groups/crowds) - see the figure at the top of this post to see how much better 2 hearing aids perform compared to one.
• Better ability to tell where sounds are coming from (better localization)
• Better and more natural sound quality.
• Keeps both ears active resulting in potentially less hearing deterioration ( the auditory deprivation effect or ‘use it or lose it’)
• Hearing is less tiring and listening more pleasant.
• Binaural hearing results in a feeling of balanced reception of sound whereas monaural hearing creates an unusual feeling of sounds being heard in one ear.
• Reduced feedback and whistling. Allows for lower volume control settings which reduces the chances of hearing aid feedback.
Research clearly shows that consumers prefer and are more satisfied with two hearing aids compared to one. Just as you use both eyes to see clearly, you need two ears to hear clearly. While there are certainly situations where one hearing aid will be recommended, the vast majority of people will benefit greatly by wearing hearing aids in each ear.
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