I trialed hearing aids a little while ago and ended up not committing, because the sound quality was bad, wheezy and tinny, and gave me headaches. Particularly bad in noisy environments, which is where I'd most need the help. Also the app sucked, Bluetooth pairing broke all the time and the controls were just confusing.

They were Phonaks.

I guess I'm glad to hear that it's not intrinsically a hearing aid thing, and I may find a better experience with other brands.