I am 70 and recently had a hearing test which showed I have age related hearing loss - completely normal for my age - but enough to make it difficult to follow conversations on noisy environments and definitely enough to make music sound a bit flat.
I invested in hearing aids (Phonak audeo sphere - about £3000) and the difference when listening to music is amazing. All the clarity and precision I remember but had not really appreciated I had lost.
So a question to all you older audiophiles. What are the best hearing aids for listening to quality music and how do you use them? I have found the biggest improvement with over ear headphones and a dragonfly cobalt DAC. I have spent quite big money on a system I now realise I cannot fully appreciate and would be happy to invest in additional kit to make it sound great again.
Phonak have a good reputation.
Six years ago my Big Audio Purchase was a pair of Widex Moment hearing aids. Widex was heavily advertising to music lovers. (I am 69 now.) They are so natural in sound that I have to touch them to be sure I remembered to put them on. …and when I re-heard the treble coming from my speakers dome tweeters I apologized to my dog for all the noise…
I have only been using them when listening to my loudspeakers. I have been reducing my (too loud probably) headphone listening.
Look on the bright side , all the “rubbish” audiophiles talk about to describe music means so much less
You can concentrate of the music now , no snake oil cables, switches etc.
Personally I listen on headphones 100% , you may find the Cobalt (I have the old Red) a bit low key compared to some better DAC headphone amps
My main system is a Naim Uniti Atom HE with Sennheiser HD800, HifIMan Arya and Focal Clear Mg. I have yet to resort to hearing aids (aged 75)
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I have had Phonak Audeo hearing aids for nearly 20 years. They have always been very good, but the latest version I90 are excellent.