1. < Hearing Loss

Can't Make Apples-to-Apples Comparisons of HAs: Recommendations?

Posted by jks7169 @jks7169, Feb 17, 2022

Hello, fellow members of the Mayo Clinic Hearing Loss Forum. I'm hoping you will share your wisdom about choosing hearing aids with me and the many others who are finding it difficult to make apples-to-apples comparisons. Unlike many other products there seem to be few (if any) sources of truly objective information about HAs from folks who are not in the business of selling them, either directly or indirectly. That's why I'm asking for recommendations from you - real-life hearing aid users. Here are the details. I'm a 74 year old male who has long suffered from very bothersome, constant, high pitched Tinnitus in both ears. A recent hearing test revealed that I'm also suffering from moderately severe hearing loss at high frequencies in both ears. This is having an increasingly negative effect on both one-on-one conversations in quiet spaces and group conversations in noisier spaces like restaurants. After doing lots of reading I'm looking for hearing aids that are excellent for all of these functions: Tinnitus management; amplification; universal Bluetooth connectivity; telecoil/Loop connectivity; management by iPhone app; and rechargeable battery life. I'm leaning toward Receiver in Canal (RIC) but would consider Behind the Ear (BTE) if there's a clear benefit. Price is less important than actual performance. So, what specific hearing aids would you recommend (and not recommend), based on your own real world experience?
Thank you!

Interested in more discussions like this? Go to the Hearing Loss Support Group.

arrowshooter | @arrowshooter | Feb 18, 2022

You are correct. Apples to apples comparisons are very difficult to impossible. AND the performance of the hearing aids will be different from individual to individual even if their audiograms are identical. So it is important to make use of the trial periods.

You have done your homework because you already know the features to look for. Happy to see you know about hearing loops. I think the t-coils are important. The BTEs are most commonly prescribed for people with your degree of hearing loss. I have used them for many years. Each time I get a new pair I have great expectations but the performance never seems to live up to the advertisement. They are hearing aids and only capable of doing a limited amount of fixing our hearing.

Most recently I tried the Oticon More and Phonak Paradise in a side-by-side trial for 3 months. I have high frequency sensorineural in the severe to profound range along with tinnitus. The Oticon More worked seamlessly connecting to all the devices and were very intuitive to manage. The Phonak Paradise had more connective features allowing them to connect to multiple devices. The Phonak enabled me to hear very slightly better. The downside of the Phonak was that they randomly dropped connections and changed programs without any input from me. Their phone app was terrible compared to the Oticon. Both hearing aids were the rechargeable but the battery life on the Oticons was about 30% longer than the Phonaks, but other were acceptable.

In the end I chose the Oticon More. The sound was more pleasant and music sounded better. I was told that the Phonaks dropping connections is a result of using Bluetooth LE (low energy). I don't believe they have the technology perfected yet. Maybe they have fixed it and maybe the next generation will be better. The phone app that I use to control the haring aids is much better with the Oticon but I hear Phonak has improved their app since I tried it a few months ago. (it needed a LOT of improvement)

Hope this helps. It is a hard choice. Your audiologist will make a recommendation based on his/her experience but be aware that all people are different and will have different results. Make sure you get a generous trial period.

And lastly since these are yours first hearing aids be prepared for a long acclimation period. Your brain has not heard many sounds for many years and may not recognize what they are when the sound is delivered by the heating aids. It can take somewhere from weeks to months for hat to happen.

REPLY
1 reply
lizzy102 | @lizzy102 | Feb 19, 2022

Right on target, arrow! I’d advise the same thing.

REPLY
Mentor
Julie, Volunteer Mentor | @julieo4 | Feb 20, 2022
In reply to @arrowshooter "You are correct. Apples to apples comparisons are very difficult to impossible. AND the performance of..." + (show)
@arrowshooter

You are correct. Apples to apples comparisons are very difficult to impossible. AND the performance of the hearing aids will be different from individual to individual even if their audiograms are identical. So it is important to make use of the trial periods.

You have done your homework because you already know the features to look for. Happy to see you know about hearing loops. I think the t-coils are important. The BTEs are most commonly prescribed for people with your degree of hearing loss. I have used them for many years. Each time I get a new pair I have great expectations but the performance never seems to live up to the advertisement. They are hearing aids and only capable of doing a limited amount of fixing our hearing.

Most recently I tried the Oticon More and Phonak Paradise in a side-by-side trial for 3 months. I have high frequency sensorineural in the severe to profound range along with tinnitus. The Oticon More worked seamlessly connecting to all the devices and were very intuitive to manage. The Phonak Paradise had more connective features allowing them to connect to multiple devices. The Phonak enabled me to hear very slightly better. The downside of the Phonak was that they randomly dropped connections and changed programs without any input from me. Their phone app was terrible compared to the Oticon. Both hearing aids were the rechargeable but the battery life on the Oticons was about 30% longer than the Phonaks, but other were acceptable.

In the end I chose the Oticon More. The sound was more pleasant and music sounded better. I was told that the Phonaks dropping connections is a result of using Bluetooth LE (low energy). I don't believe they have the technology perfected yet. Maybe they have fixed it and maybe the next generation will be better. The phone app that I use to control the haring aids is much better with the Oticon but I hear Phonak has improved their app since I tried it a few months ago. (it needed a LOT of improvement)

Hope this helps. It is a hard choice. Your audiologist will make a recommendation based on his/her experience but be aware that all people are different and will have different results. Make sure you get a generous trial period.

And lastly since these are yours first hearing aids be prepared for a long acclimation period. Your brain has not heard many sounds for many years and may not recognize what they are when the sound is delivered by the heating aids. It can take somewhere from weeks to months for hat to happen.

Jump to this post

Excellent advice. Understanding that our hearing loss is unlikely to be the exact same as someone else's is important. That comes back to the skills of the person who is fitting the hearing aids. Reality: Some 'fitters', that includes doctorate level audiologists and hearing instrument specialists at the other end, have more patience than others and are willing to take more time to counsel and experiment. That is extremely important. Also important for the person using the product to experiment and test it in every place possible and then to share those experiences with the 'fitter'.

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pbnew | @pbnew | Feb 21, 2022

The information source I use is the YouTube channel: Dr.Cliff, AuD
He has a website also. I am a big fan of Oticon for 15 years. I bought my third pair this month, the Oticon More. They are expensive but their technology is always cutting edge. I recommend listening to Dr. Cliff videos on each brand and type you are interested in. Good luck!

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jks7169 | @jks7169 | Mar 2, 2022

Many thanks to all of you., especially arrowshooter. In a happy coincidence, Consumer Reports just published a pretty thorough review of HAs and sellers, though it lacks any info on Tinnitus. You might want to check it out at https://www.consumerreports.org/cro/hearing-aids.htm. It confirms what you folks say about Oticon, but gives all of the products mediocre-to-bad reviews for hearing in specific environments like 1-on-1/noisy setting, small groups, and loud settings. It's also very positive about COSTCO- both their own Kirkland brand and the Phillips HearLink 90/30 6that they sell.
Good luck and Happy (Better?) Hearing to all of you.

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lindabro | @lindabro | Mar 28, 2022

Has anyone tried Starkey or bought from YesHearing that is based in New York?

I was pleased with the Starkey test and the fact a specialist is within 30 miles until I got the written quote that was twice the price and a change from the “brand” Livio to Evolv.

By contrast the local Phonak Paradise provider in a rural USWC area charged $6800 for two.

Found YesHearing based in NY @ $3490 buy nothing but problems with the East Coast Customer Service calling at times I specifically said not to call and then two messed-up first-time appointments as the specialist is based two driving hours away,

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hergiew | @hergiew | Mar 29, 2022

I had very good success at Costco both with the Kirkland hearing aids and the audiologist. The cost was $1,500 for a set of two. Make sure whoever sells them to you agrees to do the real ear measurement test.

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