This is an article from Slate (online) magazine from a few months ago.
Title and subtitle:
Digital Hearing Aids Turn the Whole World Into a Giant MP3 File
The world has rediscovered the virtues of analog sound. Why has the hearing aid industry gone completely digital?
Link:
https://slate.com/technology/2019/09/hearing-aids-digital-analog-sound-music.html
Doing some research, I found that here on head-fi is a thread about using headphones
over hearing aids. That says to me how stultified the hearing aid technology is.
On the rest of the internet I found various mic-amp combination devices that amplify the surrounding sound. Those can be plugged into headphones and maybe hearing aids.
I read several years ago that someone(s) had designed an app that a user could test their hearing with using a cell phone and headphones? earbuds? The US govt. decided that was practicing audiology without a license. I think that app is down, but also read about that time that there are other apps for using a cell phone, a mic amp combo and wireless earbuds/headphones as an alternative to hearing aids. A major motivation is it can be done for less cost that way, and some have said they get better sound.
My gut says that with more severe hearing loss, the hearing aids will get better results. But, if/when I 'need' hearing aids I would prefer analogue, continuity, wired, over wireless,, and if there is any digital it is True Multibit.
On the one hand we have high and higher sound quality for the music listener, and on the other only a few dominant companies making hearing aids. It sounds like the later is pretty much run by people who's thinking is close to CDs/digital is perfect sound forever, and MP3 sounds the same, and all amps sound the same, and wireless is also ...etc..
The hearing aid industry is, I would guess, dealing with medical devices. That comes with a lot of regulation. (One of my best quips of recent months was,
I'm generally opposed to government regulation. .... Except when I' flying in a plane.) I'm not saying Schiit or even Sony should try to break into that industry. But, just like you can buy "reading glasses," there may be a legal way to market "better sound for all."
My sense, with slowly increasing hearing loss in the speech zones, is I still enjoy music, live, amplified recording. And, high quality sound reproduction compared to MP3 quality of worse I can hear and prefer the former. This can open up a looong discussion. Maybe it should be moved to another forum on Head-fi.