I have a fairly severe high frequency hearing loss. A recent rough test
showed a gently sloping loss to 10-20db down at 1000cps. Then it falls off
a cliff to 70-80dbs down from 1500cps on.  This type of loss is difficult
to fit. I am currently using some old siemens behind the ear aids which
keep me roughly functional, but leave a lot to be desired.

Recently I had an opportunity to test the Widex Q8 behind the ear aids for
several weeks. These have four independent programs which are intended to
be customized for different hearing situations and can be reprogramed. I
found them to be a definite improvement over my current aids and was about
to go ahead with them until another local outfit advertised a free trial of
another programmable system called ReSound.

Unfortunately I was only able to try the ReSound aids in their office for
about 30 minutes and I couldn't compare them 'head to head' with the Widex.
Nevertheless, it did appear to me that they were superior and I was
impressed by what I was able to read about the theory behind them which I
will give in a separate posting. They also carry the Widex aids and had one
patient (presumably wealthy) who decided to go ahead and get the ReSound
even though he had purchased the Widex only 6 months ago.

The problem is that the ReSound aids are about twice as expensive as the
Widex and other programmable aids. I could take a trip to Europe on the
difference!  Being a lover of bargains and hating to spend money, I am
having a hard time persuading myself to go with the ReSounds. I would
appreciate any opinions on this and other hearing aids and projections
about when and if I might see improvements in technology that aren't quite
so expensive.