Marius Ursache

One year ago I went diving and had a bit of sinus inflammation… which resulted in barotrauma and hearing loss in my right year. 60db for everything in my right ear. Irreversible. Music listening suddenly became frustrating AF. Here are my perspectives: 1. My ENT doctor told me to get used to it. Commercial hearing aids are not meant for music (they go to 8,000Hz, some to 10,000Hz, but are optimized for the human voice and hearing sounds in the environment-not for music). 2. I tried some expensive hearing aids ($2,000 one). They bring clarity in human voices and I can hear some high frequencies better but lower/mid frequencies sound worse (think a cheap store earbud). Listening to music through those sucks. 3. One essential suggestion from an audiologist: use in-ear monitors, this way the high frequencies have to travel less to the eardrum then inner ear. 4. Someone suggested in-ear monitors with very high quality drivers able to output amplified high frequencies without distorting, PLUS a hardware stereo EQ with the ability to boost high frequencies 60db or more. 5. Alternatively a stereo plugin that takes everything above 10,000Hz and shifts it an octave lower will make inaudible frequencies perceivable again! Let me know if you have thoughts on the above. it’s 2023. I refuse to “get used to it” and miss the joy of listening to music when there is so much technology around that’s supposed to make our lives better, not just flood us with cute cat pics.