[Elecraft] Tinnitus and the K3 RX EQ and Related Variables

[Jim Brown]

On 3/28/2019 1:37 AM, David Wilcox via Elecraft wrote:
> Locally our Sams Club has decent prices and now Costco is in town too.

I investigated this when my XYL wanted (and needed) aids. Costco has a 
great reputation for first class aids at half the cost of the same stuff 
from private audiologists. I went with her for her exams and fittings, 
and also had my own hearing checked. I'm a retired audio professional, 
Fellow of the Audio Engineering Society and emeritus member of the 
Acoustical Society of America, so I have strong background in these 
issues. I was VERY impressed with everything they did for her and for 
me, and a year later, she's still a very happy camper.

At 77 years old, I've got significant high frequency hearing loss, but 
my needs are different from hers, and I haven't yet decided that I need 
aids. When I do, I'll go to Costco.

In the short term, I've used this product from a first rate company in 
Chicago whose engineers were active in our AES section. They are a good 
solution for moderate, age-related loss of high frequency hearing, and 
at moderate cost. Their response is tailored for that, and there are two 
gain settings -- about 15 dB and about 25 dB. I use them on the lower 
setting when I'm going to be in an acoustic setting listening to a 
speaker that I'm interested in, and where the PA is not great. They are 
NOT a good solution for the tinnitus issues of original poster in this 
thread.

https://www.etymotic.com/consumer/personal-sound-amplifiers/bean-qsa.html

For those with modest hearing loss, RXEQ can be adjusted with lots of 
cut in the lower octave bands and boost in the higher octave bands. 
Whether this is enough will depend on our own hearing loss. My friend 
K6DGW, who has a lot of hearing loss, says it helps him.

73, Jim K9YC