Hearing Amplifiers

SXMGirl · ‎07-07-2010

Has anyone purchased a hearing amplifier rather than a regular hearing aid? If so, can you tell me your experiences with them and if you then decided to go with a regular hearing aid? Thanks.

The next time that I hear salt and ice together, it better be in a margarita!

Nightowlz · ‎03-11-2010

I will wait for some replies too. My MIL needs something. Every time you say something she says what or huh.

She will be 91 Weds.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

Not me, but my husband has. It took me a while to convince him that he had a hearing problem.

I finally bought him hearing amplifiers and he loved them. They came in a package of two. One of the two had a wire disconnect and I had to send them ( both, even tho only one was broken) back under warranty.

The company sent him a new pair. Then the same thing happened with the aid for the opposite ear. The company would not honor the warranty the second time, even though it was for a different aid for the other ear. He was disappointed and we were out of $750. The aids were only a few months old. The brand was Lucid. I would not recommend them. They work well, but don't last.

He decided to get " real" hearing aids. The company had three different models that fit into the ear canal and he opted for the best. They cost $6800 for the pair. He has been wearing them since last spring.

This past week, I found out that he ordered a pair of amplifiers and has been wearing them instead of the real super expensive hearing aids. When I asked him why, he said he could hear better with them. Go figure.. His new pair came from Hearing Hero ( on line) and he paid $249 for a pair. He said that they have been the most helpful so far.

patbz · ‎03-10-2010

There have recently been many t.v. ads for inexpensive hearing devices. There really should be no reason why they are super expensive. The technology is everywhere; DH got wireless ear buds(similar to iPod version which my son has) and they were about $40. The knockoff sound was better than original, according to my son. These buds must use technology similar to hearing devices.

Q-Checker · ‎05-09-2010

Hearing amplifiers work for a limited range of hearing-impairments, which does not include the more severe losses. They also cannot be calibrated for an individual hearing profile. In a nutshell, the most cost-conscious and high quality hearing aids, tailored to an individaul loss, are usually available at Costco, where the profit margin is more compatible with the average consumer and the technicians do not receive a commission. Ideally, one should be tested by someone with a Certificate of Clinical Competence from the American-Speech-Language- Hearing Association, but this is not always possible for many people. Serious Googling and other reserach on this topic, along with competent individual testing, is recommended before purchasing any type of device. Caveat: Individual personal ratings are not necessarily helpful unless one knows what kind of loss/diagnosis the user has. It is especially important to do your homework and to get appropriate care for a hearing loss as research shows some correlation between hearin loss and cognitive decline.

Carmie · ‎10-25-2010

@Q-Checker My DH was seen by an audiologist who ran him through hours of tests before he recommended a hearing aid for him and which specific type he should have and this was not at COSTCO, but through his doctor.

I find It sad that my DH likes his $249 unit better and I am a bit angry. We spent a lot of money for nothing. His $249 model has just about the same features as his expensive aids.

If anyone wants to I try them out first before spending a lot of money, I encourage them to do so.

I come from a family of hearing impaired people. I grew up in a household with seven people. Only three of us had normal hearing. My mother could hear some things , but she was legally deaf and was born that way. Hearing aids couldn't help her much.

My older sister is completely deaf in one ear. She was born without that bone in her ear that looks like a stirrup. She has had surgeries where they implanted a prosthetic bone, but it didn't help. No hearing aid will help her.

My father and brother could hear if you scream or the sound is loud. My father. (deceased now) denied he couldn't hear and my brother is the same way. I think a hearing device could help them, but it's not an option. Too proud to wear one.

If you have lost your hearing through age, but can hear loud sounds, amplifiers are a good choice.

It doesn't hurt to try them. My DH has a fancy calibrated heating aid that he can personalize on his phone and he prefers the amplifiers.

They are also less expensive and within the reach of many, where a hearing aid may not be.