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Aid experience: prescription and OTC

Posted by mikemnyc @mikemnyc, Dec 28, 2023

After over 30 years using prescription aids (since my 40s), I purchased a pair of Sony OTC aids a couple of months ago. Am now wearing the Sony aids regularly, and the prescription aids only on occasion. I am VERY pleased. Here are things I like.
1. In-the-ear style. All my previous aids were behind-the-ear or receiver-in-the-ear. Sony aids are very comfortable.
2. Sound quality hearing in quiet situations.
3. Sound quality streaming music and phone calls. Not as great as decent earbuds, but much better than my prescription aids.
4. Easier and more stable connectivity to iphone.
5. iphone app is more reliable than apps for previous pairs of prescription aids. Makes sense, since Sony has vast experience in consumer audio.
6. Good all-day + battery life.
Less pleased with:
1. Performance in noisy situations. There is good directional control, but not enough gain for me when I adjust mics to block sounds from behind.
2. No on-aid controls. I actually don't see how these can be added to the current form factor. And I adjusted to not having on-aid controls pretty easily.

I can report in more detail if there's enough interest. I have been at this for many years. In any event, I recommend that people try the Sony aids.

Best,

Mike M

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ner | @ner | Jan 1 2:42pm

Thank you. My questions:

Do you have equal hearing loss in both ears? If not, how do you set the nonprescription aids to compensate for the differential in loss?

How do the prices of the instruments compare?

Is the Sony set battery-powered, not rechargeable?

Nancy

REPLY
mikemnyc | @mikemnyc | Jan 19 2:55pm

Close to equal loss in both ears. Sony setup includes what seems to be a thorough hearing test for each ear, so I assume it applies specific settings to individual ears.

I paid $1300 for the Sony CRE-E10 aids at Best Buy, with 60-day return window.

Rechargeable, with stated 26-hour battery life. I don't think they would last that long, but they eaily get me through the day. Placing aids in the rechargeable case is a little fussy -- you have to fiddle around to get them connected.

Note my comments are for the CRE-E10. Sony also sells the CRE-C10 that is a little cheaper, completely in-the-canal, replaceable battery, and more limited functionality.

Mike M

REPLY
2 replies
lynnehenry21 | @lynnehenry21 | Jan 20 10:16am
In reply to @mikemnyc "Close to equal loss in both ears. Sony setup includes what seems to be a thorough..." + (show)
@mikemnyc

Close to equal loss in both ears. Sony setup includes what seems to be a thorough hearing test for each ear, so I assume it applies specific settings to individual ears.

I paid $1300 for the Sony CRE-E10 aids at Best Buy, with 60-day return window.

Rechargeable, with stated 26-hour battery life. I don't think they would last that long, but they eaily get me through the day. Placing aids in the rechargeable case is a little fussy -- you have to fiddle around to get them connected.

Note my comments are for the CRE-E10. Sony also sells the CRE-C10 that is a little cheaper, completely in-the-canal, replaceable battery, and more limited functionality.

Mike M

Jump to this post

I lost my Phonac over the ear aid during Covid. It must have come off with the mask. I now have a Costco Phillips in the ear with batteries. I’m much happier with the molded kind and I hear better with it. Costco is very helpful and prices are lower but not cheap.

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Mentor
Julie, Volunteer Mentor | @julieo4 | Jan 21 2:31pm
In reply to @mikemnyc "Close to equal loss in both ears. Sony setup includes what seems to be a thorough..." + (show)
@mikemnyc

Close to equal loss in both ears. Sony setup includes what seems to be a thorough hearing test for each ear, so I assume it applies specific settings to individual ears.

I paid $1300 for the Sony CRE-E10 aids at Best Buy, with 60-day return window.

Rechargeable, with stated 26-hour battery life. I don't think they would last that long, but they eaily get me through the day. Placing aids in the rechargeable case is a little fussy -- you have to fiddle around to get them connected.

Note my comments are for the CRE-E10. Sony also sells the CRE-C10 that is a little cheaper, completely in-the-canal, replaceable battery, and more limited functionality.

Mike M

Jump to this post

@mikemnyc I'm curious. Please share information about the 'testing' done at Best Buy for those Sony CRE-E10 hearing aids.

The price is similar to a pair that can be purchased at Costco that are not OTC. Costco has hearing instrument specialists on staff who test in a typical sound proof testing booth. Does Best Buy have that now?

REPLY
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