Buzz with music (playing, not listening)

Hearing Aids
#1

Is physical buzzing playing instruments normal? Is related to sound pressure being higher or is aid not fitting well (it pokes at the intertragic notch) or…?
Instrumental playing sounds very strange in general too. Don’t have followup for a month but trial is only 45days…

BTW, wearing a HA has completely blown my mind, super friggin amazing! I’ve been crying listening to music. For the first time in my life, I can get an immersive experience, like hearing the world through fancy sound system.

UPDATE: the BUZZING actually happens with other things when volume gets to 70dBA ish and above; i tested with a sound meter.

#2

No, buzzing is not “normal” ,although all kinds of distortion and artifacts are common until a musician’s HA’s are properly set up.
It looks like you play piano. This matters a bit, because if you play violin, for example, the instrument is close to the HAs and more likely to cause them to distort by overpowering the receivers.

somewhere on this site is a very good pdf that details the steps needed to be taken to set up a good musician program for HAs. I’ve asked for this to be pinned so its easily found, but to no avail. Hopefully someone will come along shortly with that info.

#3

Have your audiologist check out these sites.

https://grandpianopassion.com/category/hearing-music/

https://musicandhearingaids.org/

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#4

@PianoJoy , what brand and model of HAs do you have? It could be that the volume of the piano is overloading the input stage of the HAs. If that’s the case then your HAs are amplifying a signal that is distorted right from the start. Definitely make an appointment to see your audi ASAP.

But in the meantime, before you play your piano, try placing three or four strips of scotch tape, one over the other, on the top of your HAs. That will cover the HAs’ microphones and decrease the signal going into your HAs.

If this fixes the problem then you might have to use a different brand and model of HAs that has more input headroom. Your audi won’t be able to make an adjustment to your current HAs to fix the problem if the problem is insufficient input headroom.

I have been under the impression that all the HA manufacturers have increased their input headroom in the past few years, but maybe not.

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#5

Hmm, yes, the strange sounding is probably the setup but buzzing…

I already asked that all options and all extra tech be disabled (or not even built in) but maybe there’s more tweaking or something missed.

I play the violin too, but haven’t tried yet; only test piano and cello so far.

#6

Own 4 CIC (more of a ITC/CIC cross?).

It happens when I play normal bass or louder mid range on grand. On cello, I’m not even trying but bowed C string…

Ok, I have project to adhere tiny tape…

#7

The main setting that causes music, especially singing, to sound strange is the feedback suppression setting.
A HA’s feedback suppression system hears a musical note and thinks that the note is your HA feeding back. It tries to interrupt the feedback that it thinks it’s hearing by modulating the note. That makes music sound weird.

I’d say ask your audi to set up a dedicated music performance program and, only in that one program, reduce the feedback suppression to the minimum amount of feedback suppression necessary to avoid having your hearing aids feed back.

Please note that, if this is what is going on, it can be fixed, or at least minimized, by adjustments by your audi. But if I’m right about what’s causing the buzzing, that is a separate problem, and your audi probably won’t be able to fix it. You’ll need to get HAs made by a different manufacturer, like Widex or Oticon, that will accept louder sounds without feeding back.

Also I looked at your audiogram and your hearing loss is not that bad. Maybe just remove your hearing aids when you play.

#8

Correction: I meant to say that you might have to get HAs from Widex or Oticon that will accept louder sounds without DISTORTING. That’s an important difference.

#9

Ok, so the BUZZING actually happens with other things when volume gets to 70dBA ish and above (not everything, and more and more the louder it is). I just tested with a sound meter. I just live a very quiet life right now so didn’t happen until I tried playing my instruments.

#10

I’ve had artifacts, but not buzzing, when my aids aren’t in the music program. Of course I can’t say what’s going on. But buzzing may be something other than an artefact from a poorly set up program. Does it occur in every program? In both aids (i,e, maybe only one is malfunctioning)? You write that it starts above a certain decible level. Can you test another pair of the same make to see if this happens with them as well?

#11

It’s too small to put tape on mic. I can put on battery door vertically or horizontally (I did and it changed nothing) but that doesn’t really cover the mic (I assume the round thing on the top right) as it’s on lower surface.
2023-01-07

I only have the default program, which should be something similar to music program.

Even the start-up tune that the HA plays causes buzzing…

#12

I think if you hear the buzzing you’re talking about when the HAs play the start-up tone then something is wrong with either the HAs themselves or with the programming. I’d say make an appointment with your audi immediately. If this problem isn’t fixed then your trial is essentially worthless. The buzzing you’re describing is NOT normal.

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#13

:sob:

Less than a week and I’m completely unable to wear it now. My ear is extremely painful and throbs all day; pain and pressure progressively got worse and worse.

Over a month to see audiologist…

#14

@PianoJoy, if you can stand to wear the HAs for even a short time each day your ears may gradually get used to the HAs and the pain may gradually reduce and eventually stop.
If your audi will not see you until your trial is nearly complete, I think you should call the audi and insist that the trial period be extended for a few weeks after the visit with the audi, assuming the audi can fix the buzzing.