Hearing aid recommendations?

[rr2030]

I have tried the in the ear canal hearing aids, hated them because they blocked too much ambient sound. Fortunately they were the newer rechargeable type and they over heated in the charger. I returned them , the second pair did the same. I went back to the over the ear hearing aids and am satisfied.

I don't see how it's possible to purchase $300 hearing aids and expect them to perform in any way other than to make everything louder. Even with a audiologist doing a gearing test, then adjusting my hearing aids to compensate, my hearing is still somewhat marginal. And as others have pointed out, tinnitus is there to stay, you can only hope your brain ignores it. The best aids won't help frequencies that are gone, nothing there to amplify.

The big down side is the expense. As electronics get smaller, and technology advances, prices usually drop. Not so with hearing aids. This is why it seams to be somewhat of a scam, expense wise, not performance wise.

 

[Dgd6mm]

If you need hearing aids don’t waste your time with those cheap ones advertised on TV! Just head over to Costco make an appt (usually a 20-30 day wait) they are great hearing aids, made by a very reputable company.
A pair will cost you $1500.00 and they fit and program them according to the frequency‘s where you hearing loss occurs and the volume, and settings can be controlled from a smart phone and they will set that up for you too.

So, I can go to Costco and get a GOOD set of hearing aids for $1500.00?

 

[Charlie-NY]

I’ve got a set of the Oticon’s, bad thing is that money could have bought Defiance, McMillan and Bartlein.

Ah-ha-ha, mine are Oticons too. Supposedly top of the line. Added to the cost of the hearing aids is the $500 I just paid for my second pair of Sordin hearing protection. I just don't want to further diminish my hearing due to all the gunfire. Sordins are worth the money IMO.

I had a battery leak in my first pair, which impaired the electronics. Sordin has a 5 yr warrantee but I had to send them back to Sordin in Sweeden. Who ever heard of that? LOL

 

[Dave Berg]

Hearing aids are probably the biggest ripoff in this country. A trip to your local hearing aid store can easily set you back $7,500. If you have a medicare advantage plan with hearing aid coverage they only contribute if you buy from them and it's not a very big contribution so you're still spending mucho dinero.

If you're VA eligible that's definitely the way to go. Good equipment and great service according to all the guys I know..

If you're not VA eligible, the house brand by Costco at $1,500 is by far the best option. It's a horrible two hour drive to Costco for me but I do it anyway. Good equipment, pretty good service, return them if you don't like them, three year warranty and they can adjust the programming remotely if necessary.

A few years ago rechargeable aids were a problem with only 8-10 hour battery life. My latest pair can go up to 18 hours and recharge in just a couple.

Nothing will restore your natural hearing and you will hear a lot of annoying stuff at first. Keep at it and you eventually mentally filter that noise out. The ability to talk to my daughters and granddaughters with my cellphone certainly makes them worthwhile.

 

[Dave Berg]

So, I can go to Costco and get a GOOD set of hearing aids for $1500.00?

Absolutely. Possibly not the very latest and greatest circuit design but that has no effect on hearing ability, mostly just a marketing twist.

I'm on my second set of Costco's in five years (the first ones still work fine but have replaceable batteries, new ones are rechargeable. They're both better than my original $7,000 Siemens.

 

[Kittitas George]

I've had Costco hearing aids for a number of years. The service is unbeatable, free and some adjustments can be made over the phone, so you don't need to drive in. A friend purchased his locally and is charged for any needed services. I recommend them, with out reservation. No hearing aid will be as good as the OEM, but it beats what ever is in second place. I believe the hearing/dementia thing mentioned above. I'd hate to miss a good deal on a rifle because of impaired hearing.

 

[Straightshooter1]

So, I can go to Costco and get a GOOD set of hearing aids for $1500.00?

The two top brands of aids are the Phonak and the Resound. I chose the Resound as they seem slightly ahead in their technology. So I currently use the Omnia over the ear rechargeable with a microphone in the receiver. Sometimes it feel like my full normal hearing has been restores, but of course, it hasn't. With the use of a TV Streamer, I listen to TV like I'm wearing high quality headphones. I can answer my phone and talk without having to hold my phone. In very noisy atmospheres, like restaurants, I connect my aid with a Mico Mic making it pleasant and easy to hear and participate in conversations. Yes, those additional devises are an additional cost, but well worth it, IMHO. My aids are a lifestyle saver.

The Costco aids I'd recommend is their Jabra brand, as it is made by Resound and is essentially the same as those branded as Resound. It's a great price at $1600, though it won't include those other devises you might want to connect to.

 

[M-61]

If you're VA eligible that's definitely the way to go. Good equipment and great service according to all the guys

Phonak from the VA
Bluetooth to my phone is indispensable.
Many options through my phone to adjust what I want to hear or what I don’t want to hear .
They’re Phonak Audeo P
I can dial out all the bad bearing noise’s in the hundreds of ceiling vents that most offices seem to have.
Only down side is battery life is about 3 days tops.
Then again I didn’t pay for the hearing aids or batteries with my cash. Which means I paid dearly.

 

[riverwolf1]

So, I can go to Costco and get a GOOD set of hearing aids for $1500.00?

Yes, My wife has a pair, as do my neighbors across the street. The neighbors took my advice and have had theirs for about a year now. Absolutely no complaints.

 

[Kittitas George]

As I said above, I recommend Costco unconditionally. I just returned from Costco, something was out of whack that was beyond my pay grade. The nice lady took my hearing aids and telephone, in 2or 3 minutes she had them reprogramed new ear 'buds' and batteries. Of course "no charge". She said she could explain how to reprogram them over the phone, to save me a 40 mile drive. But we needed some of Costco's other fine products.

 

[TIMO]

Phonak from the VA
Bluetooth to my phone is indispensable.
Many options through my phone to adjust what I want to hear or what I don’t want to hear .
They’re Phonak Audeo P
I can dial out all the bad bearing noise’s in the hundreds of ceiling vents that most offices seem to have.
Only down side is battery life is about 3 days tops.
Then again I didn’t pay for the hearing aids or batteries with my cash. Which means I paid dearly.

Right there with ya, M-61.

Tim

 

[DumpHollow]

I have tinnitus from standing watch in Naval Nuclear Plant engine rooms. That gets me 10% VA disability and new Oticons every 5years. They do mitigate the tinnitus. Once I migrated to IOS I was able to adjust the levels, which helps in public environments. They are the behind the ear type, which is a nuisance with glasses. Changing into sunglasses and back is a problem. I’m constantly knocking them off. I also don’t care for ear muffs, so for shooting and running equipment, I use earplugs anyway. Having horses and 42 acres, I spend a lot of time running equipment. I feel that they are a benefit and would wear them more if the VA would provide a noise cancelling model, but find foam earplugs are better for work and shooting. Then too, knocking one off in the barn, around a horse is sudden death for a hearing aide. The VA will replace one set in 5 years. Based on my use and experience, I would not pay for aides in the private sector.

 

[cjames]

I have tinnitus from standing watch in Naval Nuclear Plant engine rooms. That gets me 10% VA disability and new Oticons every 5years. They do mitigate the tinnitus. Once I migrated to IOS I was able to adjust the levels, which helps in public environments. They are the behind the ear type, which is a nuisance with glasses. Changing into sunglasses and back is a problem. I’m constantly knocking them off. I also don’t care for ear muffs, so for shooting and running equipment, I use earplugs anyway. Having horses and 42 acres, I spend a lot of time running equipment. I feel that they are a benefit and would wear them more if the VA would provide a noise cancelling model, but find foam earplugs are better for work and shooting. Then too, knocking one off in the barn, around a horse is sudden death for a hearing aide. The VA will replace one set in 5 years. Based on my use and experience, I would not pay for aides in the private sector.

I have EXTREME Tinnitus. I have stayed away from the VA. I have $7k set of hearing aids that don't do a thing for me. They are just high dollar blue tooth earbuds. I have been to 4 doctors specializing in Tinnitus. They have all told me the same thing. Nothing they can do besides play some tones thru my hearing aids. THe problem I have to play the tones so loud I can't concentrate on what I'm doing. My Tinnitus is so load it is louder than the conversation I am having. I can hear it over my ATV. but I don't drive it like a bat out of hell. It is total torture and never goes away.

 

[Topwater]

Just my two cents: The first set I tried were Miracle Ear. They had a 3 month refund guarantee. To qualify for the refund they had me jumping through several hoops. I finally had to return them. The ever so friendly audiologist that I bought them from wasn’t very friendly concerning a refund. I am now on my second set of Oticon hearing aids. They’re much better for me. I truly believe that a great audiologist makes all the difference. Good luck with your choice.

 

[Shooter13]

Okay, I didn't read all this, so my aids have an app and I can turn them up or DOWN as needed, if the singing in church gets to loud I turn 'em down, I can do surround sound or increase the "speech" portion of the noise we get in our ears. Mine are Oticon brand and I got the ones with rechargeable batteries, just plug them in at night and they go about 18 hours without recharge. They come out as soon as I enter the range long before I get to the line. Would I do it again? Probably because hearing is much better than not. I can also turn just one up or down. EDIT: My wife sits to my left at night so guess which one gets turned down! ;-)