I know there are a lot of WebSites that let you test your Hearing.

Is there any Free Programs for Windows DeskTop PCs?

I thought I had one Years ago?

 

I find it a little hard to trust a software or a website that claims to test your hearing without also having properly calibrated hardware being part of the test.

 

I find it a little hard to trust a software or a website that claims to test your hearing without also having properly calibrated hardware being part of the test.

I think “poorly calibrated” is extremely generous. “Utterly random” is probably more to the point.

 

Last year I had a hearing test administered by the VA (Veterans Administration) here in the US. Unlike years ago a hearing test today consist of much more then sitting in a booth and raising left or right hands. A great deal more is involved including picking out key words in phrases played. I now have a really nice set of hearing aids using rechargeable batteries and Bluetooth paired with my phone.

No way would I place stock in an app to duplicate a hearing test.

Ron

 

Sounds like more of a marketing tool than a serious diagnostic test.

 

Really, it smells like a scheme to deliver malware of some kind: "Click here to get your free hearing test."

 

Click here for free stuff.

Ron

MOD NOTE: Link removed.

 

Aw C'mon it was humorous and not harmful.

Ron

 

There are many hearing aid stores in my city and most do a proper test for free.
Each ear is separately tested for frequency response sensitivity using a sinewave or a warbling tone, speech understanding and speech in noise at different noise levels.

 

There are several ways to test hearing. The most basic test is headphone and frequency/volume test. The better additional test is a word comprehension test. Not sure what CostCo uses but they are free and they have good prices on REAL hearing aides that actually work. Do your homework and talk to users. As I have to remind my wife "they are hearing aides, not hearing fixers"!

 

The unfortunate reality is that while good hearing aid devices will allow hearing what most people are saying in the majority of conditions, there are still quite a few RUDE-DUDE folks who will neither speak up nor stop mumbling. Given that this trait is noticed by many others, it is apparent that it is not an equipment deficiency but rather a moral deficiency on the part of the few.. Hearing loss is one of the few invisible handicaps around..And probably the most ignored. Even the certified stupid folks are accomodated more.

 

I notice that many people today end every spoken sentence with a growl or whisper like they have run out of breath.
The automatic gain control and noise cancelling on my hearing aids help reduce those speaking problems.
My hearing loss is about -53dB at 8kHz which is normal for my age (78).
My Phonak hearing aids have speakers-in-molds-in-ears and produce a normal sounding response like when I was young.

 

I notice that many people today end every spoken sentence with a growl or whisper like they have run out of breath.
The automatic gain control and noise cancelling on my hearing aids help reduce those speaking problems.
My hearing loss is about -53dB at 8kHz which is normal for my age (78).
My Phonak hearing aids have speakers-in-molds-in-ears and produce a normal sounding response like when I was young.

I attribute that fading out, for those folks who I deal with, to poor speaking habits and lack of consideration, because they are also quite able to speak at a constant level when they are demanding to be heard. I do understand that it takes a small bit of additional effort, and I am well aware that laziness is a hard addiction to overcome.
I did take two public speaking courses during college and that has stayed with me, so I do have a benefit there. But those in defined leadership positions should know better.

My hearing loss is a bit worse than yours, but with some quite good and darn expensive aids I can do very well with most folks in conversation. So the fact that a few present problems tends to say that it is them that are the problem. This is especially obvious in group conversations and discussions.

And certainly the Costco hearing-aid product, which I used for several years, is quite good. I was talked into another brand from another source by family members. The new devices are certainly very good quality, and the new facility is certainly very well equipped, and the personnel are very attentive.
Unfortunately these new devices do not seem to have any volume leveling capability, although I requested such with a detailed technical description of what I wanted, which was the ability to boost the amplitude of softer sound without having a fixed gain setting. I have no idea as to how to request that function other than what I have already requested.

 

I have severe hearing loss in both ears, -60dB above 1500Hz in one ear and -80dB above 1000Hz in the other.
I have been treated with radiation for a condition called vestibular schwannoma which is a noncancerous tumor on the vestibular nerve.

My Phonak hearing aids compensate for my hearing loss and I can continue to enjoy life as normal as possible. I am an active musician playing classical guitar, jazz guitar, and bass in a band. I was particularly concerned with maintaining audio clarity while playing classical guitar. The Phonak brand excelled in this capacity. My current pair of hearing aids is just 1 month old and they live up to all expectations. It has four audio situations and will automatically select the best setting for that situation.

 

 

The VA gave me Phonak and since these are my first hearing aids I have nothing to compare them to. I like them is all I can say about them. I also have no clue what my loss level is, beats me? I like the rechargeable feature and love the Bluetooth feature. I turn 74 come February and have only had hearing aids for about 8 months so still learning about them.

Anyway back on topic. I am not trusting any online or phone app as to an accurate hearing test.

Ron

 

Oticon and Phonak are 2 of the best options (not cheap) and are Bluetooth compatible with most cellphones. Not just the phone but also the apps on your smartphone. My wife doesn’t like playing the radio in the car so I just use my iPhone to listen to Spotify music on my hearing aides while traveling. And I can turn it up as loud as I care to.

 

The VA gave me Phonak and since these are my first hearing aids I have nothing to compare them to. I like them is all I can say about them. I also have no clue what my loss level is, beats me? I like the rechargeable feature and love the Bluetooth feature. I turn 74 come February and have only had hearing aids for about 8 months so still learning about them.

Anyway back on topic. I am not trusting any online or phone app as to an accurate hearing test.

Ron

Your audiologist would have done a frequency scan of your hearing in order to dispense the hearing aid. Next time you visit them ask for a copy of your audiogram.

Have you been using your hearing aids all the time when awake? I hope you are. I takes a while to get back to being accustomed to what "normal" hearing feels like, such as water from the faucet, raindrops on the car roof, and rustling of potato chips bags.

My previous Phonak did not have Bluetooth. Now I can listen to my music, podcasts, YouTube, and zoom on my iPad without having to use headphones.
I can now hear my iPhone ring even when I don't have it on me.

Mine came with a wireless mic which I have not yet picked up. My wife is dying to get it so that she can summons me from whatever part of my man cave I am hiding.

 

Also, my Oticons have a “music program” option that enhances the upper frequencies and gives some of the best performance possible. Absolutely amazing. There are also phone apps that can give you control of your hearing aides settings.

 

You could test your hearing at home if you have a transmitter capable of outputting the frequency of interest paired with a receiver which can measure its amplitude in a reliable way. If you can hear the output at the same time as the receiver and do the calculations correctly, it stands to reason you can hear that frequency. A tuning fork is a primitive example. The frequency is standardized and the amplitude can be calculated with some basic physics when the fork is struck.