Hearing aids...

[turd]

I've worn them for years, have always used the in-the-ear type. I need some new ones and would like to know which kind you use and why. I have always thought that the behind the ear type would not be as good on the phone and/or if shooting with ear muffs on. Lots of folks wear the behind the ear type, and they seem to be less expensive than the in-the-ear type, but what about when shooting and on the phone?

Your thoughts on this would be of value. I will purchase from Costco, but I'm also not sure about the Kirkland brand. I have always used Phonak.

 

[contender85]

I wear behind the ear because that’s what was recommended by the Costco hearing aid folks, mine are Phillips brand, purchased at Costco and work perfectly for me on my iPhone, they are made to work with apple and the connects through Bluetooth and I don’t have to hold the phone to my ear as the call goes right into my hearing aids, they also make them for android devices. When I first got mine I wanted in the ear aids but the technician said not good for me, I would go to Costco and see what they have to offer you, different types of aides for different levels/types of hearing loss.
Mark

 

[hittman]

Phonak is what I’ve worn for several years. Behind the ear.
No problems on the phone.
No problems with shooting ear muffs BUT, many times I leave the hearing aids in the range bag. My shooting muffs are the electronic kind so they actually double as a hearing aid anyway.

Got a referral from my general physician to the audiology guy at the same clinic.Yes they were expensive but I’ve never had a problem with them. And for lifetime, they include semi-annual visits for ear exam and cleaning, etc. at no charge.
Oh, and I spent the extra $200 or so for rechargeable so no messing with batteries. I just plug them in when I go to bed at night. An overnight charge gets me 18 hours or more.

A couple of my uncles “cheaped out” and went to the corner “big box” hearing aid place. In reality many of those are only amplifiers but that’s another story. Anyway, relatives who went the cheap route were not happy at all.

 

[turd]

Phonak is what I've worn for several years. Behind the ear.
No problems on the phone.
No problems with shooting ear muffs BUT, many times I leave the hearing aids in the range bag. My shooting muffs are the electronic kind so they actually double as a hearing aid anyway.

Thank you, this is exactly what I wanted to know. I know the Phonaks cost more, but I refuse to cheap out on sight or hearing. I'm kind of leaning toward the behind the ear ones because the in the ear tend to cause issues with the constant contact of the plastic with the skin of my ears.

 

[hittman]

Like many these days, my hearing aids are programmed to work in conjunction with my hearing test. My aids bump up volume where I need it more ( high pitch sounds) and turn it down other areas I don’t need help with. And I have a small remote control that allows me to switch to a mode that kills most background noise. That’s helpful if you’re in a crowd of people at a wedding reception or auction or whatever it may be.

 

[turd]

I see where the new Phonaks claim to have a new chip that actively filters background noise for better hearing at restaurants, other crowded locations. Mine are somewhere near 6+ YO and I am looking forward to some new tech.

 

[Cholo]

It doesn't look like Costco sells the Phonak brand anymore.

www.costco.com/hearing-aid-center.html

 

[hittman]

Audiologist downloads my hearing test results to his PC. It looks like a bar graph. Then transfers those results to the hearing aids.

 

[turd]

Well, Costco didn't advertise them previously, but did offer them. I paid $2800 for the ones I have, which was quite a bit more than the ones Costco wants you to buy. The $2800 was about $2500 less than hearing physicians charged. I'm not married to Phonak, I know Phillips are good, some others I would consider. My BIL has Kirkland ones because they were the cheapest, he's had some issues. My MIL had Kirkland rechargeable ones that didn't last long. In the past I have gone to a physician for the testing, etc. and results were good, they just like to charge premium prices for the hearing aids.

I have worn hearing aids for more than 20 years, but they have always been in the canal or in the ear types. My big concern with the behind the ear ones is whether you can wear hearing muffs without issues and still hear voice commands at the range. Hittman, I do have a pair of electronic muffs, I have just never used them. Bought them on a major sale and then kept using the ones I have in the range bag. Time to make another change. Getting old is the hardest thing I've ever done, and I'm only 72.

 

[warren5421]

I had Kirklands for about 6 years and had no problems till they and I took a diving lesson watching grandkids. I now hav VA paid ones from OTICON using miniFit Dome ear canal, electranics behind the ear. I never had a problem yet with wearing them under a muff, bluetooth works fine.

 

[sfhogman]

I have Phonaks supplied by the VA. They're the behind the ear style, fitted to my ears. They can be manipulated from my cellphone.
Like 'em just fine!

 

[Fox Mike]

I wear Resound (behind the ear). Remove them and use electric muffs when shooting and EAR foam when lawn mowing.

 

[Dan in MI]

I have Phonaks supplied by the VA. They're the in the ear canal style, fitted to my ears. They can be manipulated from my cellphone.
Like 'em just fine!

My brother has VA supplied behind the ear and has had no issues. He just went back in a couple weeks ago as he was due for new ones. They told him to wait until April. According to the VA a new version is coming out really soon. They let the public deal with new version for 6 months and then they start using them. truth or fiction I don't know.

 

[Destry]

My brother has VA supplied behind the ear and has had no issues. He just went back in a couple weeks ago as he was due for new ones. They told him to wait until April. According to the VA a new version is coming out really soon. They let the public deal with new version for 6 months and then they start using them. truth or fiction I don't know.

I have worn Beltone behind the ear for 10+ yrs.When you noticed a dimished volume of sound and the aids are cleaned,try new receiver mic's about 140 apiece.These can be tried at your audiologist office.If that doesn't correct problem get new ones.

 

[IKE]

I'm on my 2nd set of VA supplied behind the ear Phonacks and have no problem using the phone when wearing them....I wear them to the range but take them off and put on my ear muffs prior to shooting.

 

[JBP]

Really depend on your hearing loss. If you have severe hearing loss like I have behind the ear is the best option. Can get more electronics in them then in the ear models. I don't wear them when I shoot. Wear a Razor ear muff with volume control. Phones have been a problem since they went digital. I use speakers on my landline and blue tooth on my cell.

 

[Johnnu2]

I got my first set about 10 yrs ago and paid $4,000 from the typical "audiologist". They lasted 5 yrs and then, I went to Costco and bought a $1,400 set of Kirklands. The Costco's are just as good as the more expensive ones; and at 5 yrs. old, they are still going strong. Costco gives semiannual tests and tune-ups (although I almost never go more than once ever two+ years). i have behind the ear type because they are cheaper and don't bother me. I take them off when I go to the range (I really don't care if I can't hear people talking there). Mine have BLuetooth, but I don't use it; I seldom use my flip phone and don't want to figure out how to make bluetooth work for their purpose. I do not have rechargeable because I figure if the power goes down, it would be difficult to recharge them....power almost never goes down here.
That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
J.

 

[DeletedMember275]

I have rechargeable Starkey behind the ear hearing aids from the VA that you control with an app on your phone. I can turn them off, down, up, or whatever I want to. They have different modes for different situations - a restaurant mode to drown out background noise, etc. There was a learning curve involved with them, and it was not a gentle one in my case. I've been wearing hearing aids for 20+ years, and I did not like these initially. Part of the problem was the lazy VA audiologist that wanted to take the easy way out of all situations. I had to hold her feet to the fire in a couple of instances, but she did come through. I've been wearing this set for a little over two years now, and I'm okay with them now. Re: charging and power loss. The charger (case) for mine can recharge them fully one time without power. I have only used that feature once when we were traveling. I assume that feature is standard throughout the industry for rechargeable aids.

 

[Huskerguy72]

I am 70 and have been wearing hearing aids for about 2 years now. I spent several months trying different ones and read everything I could find.

There really are not that many many manufacturers of hearing aids in the world. The difference is in the guts of the system, how many microphones, filters and basic electronics. They are not all the same.

My first stop was Miracle Ear and after about 3 months of trying different ones that got up to $10,000 or more and messing around with constant adjustments I gave them up. They are selling service, I heard that over and over. I really just wanted to get my units, get them set and go on with life, not be tied to my tech.

Second stop was a company that sells Oticon. They did some testing to confirm the testing results I already gave them and she gave me some to try. They were set and worked right away, I was comfortable. The price was less than Miracle Ear and had some service with it. Can't recall the exact number, maybe around $6,000 or less.

I attended one of those evening meals, hearing meetings where they try to sell you on their product. I felt like all they did was bash anyone who wasn't a true audiologist and those that sold anything else. Their stuff was $12,000 and I never darkened the door of his place.

I kept doing some searching and found a place called Embrace. https://embracehearing.com/ I looked at their stuff and talked to a rep several times weighing my decision. They came out with a pretty major discount and I went for it. Seems like they were a $2,500 range. They are Phonak with a slightly different number on them. They have two mics, I went with rechargeables, cleaning stuff, extra parts, pretty turn key. They had my tests and an audiologist called me and asked a lot of questions. The main things for me were I couldn't pick the soft voices of some women and I teach a lot of adult Bible Studies, I am in a church setting often with lots of people in front and behind, I hunt and shoot and there were some more variables. She set all those up in my app and downloaded the app and have been using it ever since. I can text her anytime I have a question which is very rare. Yes, it would be nice to just take them to someone and tell them to check them out and clean them. I have cleaned mine twice and it takes maybe 10 minutes. I can adjust anything myself. I have one that didn't charge on night and she suspected it was my charger so she sent a brand new one and I have never used it, the old one worked after that. No questions on supplies, I just say what I need they ship. I could try them for 45 days.

I take mine off at the range as I was told to do that. They are so sensitive they pick the sound up right through my hearing muffs. I missed bird searson but expect to hunt with them in so I can hear birds running and getting up sooner. Mine are behind the ear with various options for the ear piece. As for batteries, there are opinions both ways. If you travel you now have to take a charging station with you and don't forget it. With batteries, all you need are batteries which last longer than I expected. When we are headed out of town I have a plug in with multiple receptacles and I have my hearing aids and phone charger attached and just unplug it, throw it in a bag and I have all my rechargeables ready to go.

One note, they are not perfect, none are. They do help but will not solve all your issues, that is just the nature of them.

 

[moparclan]

My second set from the VA are the Phonak Audeo P90-RL. Behind the ear, water resistant, rechargeable and connects to my cell phone and TV through Bluetooth. I can connect to my phone when calling or receiving calls and not even have to have the phone nearby.
Lots of different modes for adjusting to different surroundings, even has a timer for length of time wearing and steps taken when wearing. 110 volt outlet or USB charging device and have a second Phonak battery charger the lasts up to four recharges before needing charging again.
I remove them while shooting and wearing sound reducing earmuffs, also wear ear plugs when mowing and using power tools. I opted for the molded ear inserts for better external noise reduction. My App also reminds me to change the wax filters when scheduled.
So much nicer the the old Phonak battery type I had originally.

 

[Joe Chartreuse]

I have a large box of useless- for my purposes- hearing aids that run from thousands of dollars all the way down to 20 dollar amplifiers. My problem is that while I have experienced loss in the humon voice range, I am hyper-sensitive in the high and low ranges. I can hear a bird call or motor kick over at great distances. If those frequencies are amplified I can experience discomfort, nausea, and dizzy spells. The so-called directionals have to be aimed in the right direction. The so called adjustable frequencies don't have enough range. The hearing aid industry is one of the biggest scams on the planet. HOWEVER: I was recently given a pair of behind-the-ear aids. Kullre HYK-V1. Some Chinese brand. They can recharge in the case without plugging in, or separately with plug. They are the first I've had that mostly work! ( I still can't separate speech in crowds). They were under $50 at Amazon. Way better than my $7,000 versions. I found a link:

https://www.amazon.com/Hearing-Seni...0AQ9UI00F&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.ADzNS9EqBb-bvbvTQ4

After I post it adds that I am an Amazon Associate.- I can't get rid of that line, but I AM NOT associated in any way with Amazon except as a customer.

 

[9x19]

Mine are Jabra rechargeable, behind the ear, but tiny. I needed help with higher frequencies, which includes most women's voices. $1600 at Costco, with a generous return policy, plus loss/theft warranty... and free cleanings every 3 months.

 

[Colonialgirl]

I got a set of Oticon recharge aids from the VA several years ago; they are behind the ear with the inserts for in the ear. They are comfortable and work good.

 

[JimC1953]

I have been wearing hearing aids since 2005. Started with behind the ear on the right side, until me left was going bad as well and added a left side.
Then upgraded twice but still behind the ear.
Next upgrade was in the ear style and I liked them but they could not be programmed for microphone focus like a behind the ear car for restaurants so that was a flaw in them, I liked the way they worked and on the phone they were easier than my behind the ear style.
I upgraded again in 2021 to an in ear that connected by bluetooth to my phone. Worked great and fit well with my shooting muffs as well as with my helmet for racing.
But I had issues with my left ear and we thought it was the aid, had it sent in to be reworked and sent the prior one in as well.
Turned out it is a problem with my left ear and the aid can't help that ear. Increasing volume simply meant that more "noise" was introduced. My new audiologist and new otolaryngologist told me it isn't the aid, I can only understand about 10% of the words on that side, which meant that I couldn't understand because of the "noise" coming from that ear.
Now I have behind the ear because there isn't a CROS style that is in the ear. The CROS system means the left aid is simply a microphone to broadcast the sound from the left side to my right ear without introducing the 'noise' from that side. They are rechargeable batteries, but because of the CROS broadcasting by bluetooth to the right all the time, and the amount of sound boost I need, I can't get more than 11 or 12 hours on a charge.
No problem with the behind the ear with my shooting muffs.

 

[turd]

A BIG thank you to all that have responded. I think I am going to try the behind the ear style. They have greater adjustability it seems and won't conflict with hearing muffs from what I am hearing. Thanks again.

 

[Jeepnik]

I'm finally going to get some. The last two years my hearing has worsened. Two bad it doesn't make the tinnitus go away. I think it actually makes it worse.

I looked into them some years back and the doc said hold off. Your hearing isn't that bad and some pretty good improvements are on the way. Different doc but she concurred with the first but says now it's time.

The ones I am looking at are programmable so it will only amplify in the frequencies I need. If that changes they can be reprogrammed free.

 

[Sam Summey]

I've worn them for years, have always used the in-the-ear type. I need some new ones and would like to know which kind you use and why. I have always thought that the behind the ear type would not be as good on the phone and/or if shooting with ear muffs on. Lots of folks wear the behind the ear type, and they seem to be less expensive than the in-the-ear type, but what about when shooting and on the phone?

Your thoughts on this would be of value. I will purchase from Costco, but I'm also not sure about the Kirkland brand. I have always used Phonak.

VA fixed me up the last time with Oticon Real 1 Minirite. I have been wearing hearing aids since 1995. These are the best ones I have ever hand. They work blue tooth with the cell phone, the TV (with a coupler box). They are rechargeable, the recharger can recharge the aids three times before it needs recharging. The aids are controlled by an app in my cell phone. They are the behind the ear type, they have more features than the inner ear type.

 

[Sam Summey]

Well, Costco didn't advertise them previously, but did offer them. I paid $2800 for the ones I have, which was quite a bit more than the ones Costco wants you to buy. The $2800 was about $2500 less than hearing physicians charged. I'm not married to Phonak, I know Phillips are good, some others I would consider. My BIL has Kirkland ones because they were the cheapest, he's had some issues. My MIL had Kirkland rechargeable ones that didn't last long. In the past I have gone to a physician for the testing, etc. and results were good, they just like to charge premium prices for the hearing aids.

Ah, the question of aids and hearing protectors. My answer, I have to wear both even though the VA audio says no. The reason I wear both is to hear the range commands. I tried Axil, the volume was limited, I couldn't hear. The VA gave me a very expensive pair of hearing protection for hearing impaired, the volume wasn't loud enough, these specialized instruments had three modes of operation that clicked or chirped for the different modes, the clicks or chirps were so soft I couldn't hear them, so I never knew which mode I was in or if I was in a mode at all. I took them back to the VA and told them to get their money back, they SUCKED! The Oticons and Peltor electronics work for me. I think the aids squeal when I use both but I can't hear the squeal.

 

[Blivit]

Late reply. I have worn Phonak from the VA for the last 15 years & very satisfied, however the VA issues top of the line models while I've heard that many independent HA dealers try hard to up-sell features which will jack the price up quickly, so beware. My original VA Audiologist advised that behind the ear packed more electronics than in-ear models, so I went that way & haven't looked back. I prefer using 312 batteries to rechargeables. Good luck.

 

[patotn]

How long do the rechargeable ones last on a charge. Mine use batteries and last 6 - 7 days if I wear them everyday. I'm probably going to have to get new ones in the future. I'm debating whether or not to get rechargeable.