Using Hearing Aids for Music: A UK Survey of Challenges and Strategies

Abstract

Hearing aids, which are primarily designed to improve the intelligibility of speech, can negatively affect the perception and enjoyment of music. This large-scale survey study, conducted between 2016 and 2018, explored hearing aid use and preference behavior in both recorded and live music listening settings, aiming to understand the challenges and strategies used by listeners to improve their experiences, and how these may be affected by level of hearing loss (HL). One thousand five hundred and seven hearing aid users (mean age = 60 years) completed an online survey about their music listening behavior and use of hearing aids. Results showed that whilst hearing aids support engagement in music listening, they also present many issues and overall helpfulness is mixed. The most commonly reported issue was distortion and poor sound quality, particularly in loud or live contexts. The most frequently reported strategy for reducing distortion was to remove hearing aids altogether. Only a third of the sample reported using a music program and effectiveness was mixed, suggesting that manufacturer music programs do not currently provide significant benefits for music listening, and further research into the use, uptake and efficacy of music programs is needed. We call for further research into signal processing strategies for music especially for high sound levels such as live music or concert settings. The positive impact of mindsets supporting proactive behaviors, perseverance, adaptation, and experimentation with different technologies, genres, and listening environments was highlighted, strengthening the evidence base for audiologists to provide music listening guidance in the clinic.

Keywords: audiology; hearing aids; hearing loss; live music; music listening; technology.

Figure 1.

Prevalence of Hearing Loss Level for Each Measure: Audiometric Data Hd (N = 131); Memory of Reported Audiological Category, Hm (N = 1,425); and Subjective/Experiential/Speech Descriptor, Hs (N = 1,425).

Figure 2.

Level of Agreement with Musical Engagement Items for Each Hearing Loss Level (N = 1,425, Mild n = 313, Moderate n = 593, Severe n = 484, Profound n = 35, **p < .001, *p < .05). Items: Importance of Music, Frequency of Listening, Preference for self-chosen Music, Size of Music collection, Encouraging Others to Listen to Music, Talking with Others About Preferred Music.

Figure 3.

Predicted Probabilities of Self-Reported Helpfulness Ratings for All Items for Each Category of Hearing Loss.

Figure 4.

Predicted Probabilities of Self-Reported Helpfulness Ratings for Each Listening Setting.

Figure 5.

Predicted Probabilities of Experiencing Difficulties for All Items for Each Category of Hearing Loss.

Figure 6.

Predicted Probabilities of Experiencing Difficulties for Each Listening Setting.

Figure 7.

Predicted Probabilities of Experiencing Difficulties as a Function of Age.

Figure 8.

Predicted Probabilities of Strategy Use for All Items for Each Category of Hearing Loss.

Figure 9.

Predicted Probabilities of Strategy Use for All Items as a Function of (A) age and (B) Musical Training.

Figure 10.

Predicted Probabilities of Strategies Use for Each Music Setting.

Figure 11.

How Often Discussing Music With an Audiologist Improved Music Listening Experiences (N = 749).