Interesting topic for us music fans growing older and informative contributions from the members in this thread.
a) my eyesight war corrected/improved by lasering the lenses and now beeing in the 80ies still dont need glasses except for reading tiny characters
b) due to a hearing loss of 40% in the right ear some 15 years ago I was forced to do something against that and had to have an appointment with an audiologist. He suggested hearing aids after a series of tests.
At that time after several sessions with different brands we found out that the Siemens model fitted best in sound. It was this model with the little 'button' batteries running for about 2 weeks and then you had to replace them. You could select treble and bass and the level of sound with a little controller device on your pockets.
I had no problems to hear stereo with or without headphones.
After 6 years Siemens gave up the production and the following up brand was SIGNIA Model: Pure charge & Go 7x. (there are different brands available in Germany- We tested also WIDEX). The 2 behind-the ear devices are navigated with the cellphone via app & bluetooth and have 5 different programs.
Universal / Music & CD-Music/ Loude surrounding (restaurants a.o.)/ big Rooms with echoes/ walking in nature /Silent surrounding.
During the night I take them off for recharging in a little device. Full loaded they work between 12 and 14 hours and the diminuishing power is announced by a signal.
Costs are around β¬uro 6.000 for both. Insurance pays 50% & the rest is myself.
2 times a year I go to the audiologist for costfree inspection and cleaning
Weekly I clean both ears with lukewarm water in the shower using a little pipette
All I can say today for me when listening to vinyls or CD or TV there are no limitations compared to the years before my loss on the right ear. The system boostes up the higher frequencies which everyone of us looses with age more or less.
Best listening result is with some of my high-end headphones. My test CD is the track "Snowfall" by Manhattan Transfer arranged by Many Albam. There you have everything as voices, strings in background, big band sound.
I'm a big band fan as well as west coast jazz & hard bop & cool jazz
The decision to get these hearing aids is one of the best experiences in my life.