I updated my phone to 18.1 yesterday and verified that my AirPods Pros had the latest firmware update. Did the whole hearing test and setup as a hearing aid. Gave it a quick try to verify that it worked but it was late so I deferred further testing to today.
As info, I’ve been using conventional hearing aids (Philips over the ear type) for just over a month. I’m getting fairly well used to them and how stuff sounds. My hearing loss is mild to just above 2k then drops off a cliff. Decided to try the AirPods while on a 2 mile walk with my dog. Listened to a podcast for the first portion os the walk. Kept the Airpods in transparency mode most of the time. Switched to noise cancellation mode when I went by the grounds crew mowing. On my return route I switched from the podcast to some music so I could evaluate how they sounded with more dynamic range than a podcast.
In general the AirPods did a credible job of improving my hearing. The higher frequencies were quite audible. One thing I had noticed with both the AirPods and my hearing aids was the sound of the fallen leaves. I’m really getting that rustling sound that I hadn’t heard much before. In one section, walking through the leaves was so noisy I had to switch to noise cancellation mode to properly hear the music. The AirPods seemed to have a slightly different “color” to the sound than my hearing aids but they were programmed to two different hearing tests.
In the comfort department, my hearing aids are much more comfortable than the AirPods for long term use. I use memory foam ear tips which are better than the Apple supplied ones. I can wear the hearing aids 16 hours straight and hardly notice that they are there. They also have better battery life - I can go over 24 hours before needing to recharge.
The music I listened to included Rhapsody in Blue, Scott Joplin, and The Traveling Wilburys. My wife like to play Joplin on the piano so I could compare how it sounds to her playing. All sounded much better and fuller sound than with the AirPods in normal mode. In this case noise cancellation mode was the preferred mode.
Final thoughts - I think the AirPods will be a good supplement to the hearing aids. They will be better for certain activities while the hearing aids are more general purpose. If you have some hearing loss the AirPods can be a cheaper introduction to hearing aids ($1500 at Costco vs $200 also at Costco).