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Home > Archive > Hearing loss support > July 2005 > Hearing Aid Questions
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Hearing Aid Questions
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| Robert11 2005-07-24, 12:12 pm |
| Hello:
Am just about ready to seriously consider getting a hearing aid.
Know nothing about them.
Would like to learn a bit more before seeing an audiologist.
Are there any brands that are considered "the best" these days ?
Have some folders from: GNReSound and Oticon, but have never heard of them.
Any to probably stay away from ?
What questions that I know I'm not thinking about should I be asking ?
Thanks,
Bob
BTW: is this the most appropriate forum to be asking querstions re hearing
aids in ?
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| Bill & Debbie 2005-07-24, 12:12 pm |
| http://hohadvocates.org/
"Robert11" <rgsros@notme.com> wrote in message
news:8P2dnTsf7eseK37fRVn-tg@comcast.com...
> Hello:
>
> Am just about ready to seriously consider getting a hearing aid.
> Know nothing about them.
> Would like to learn a bit more before seeing an audiologist.
>
> Are there any brands that are considered "the best" these days ?
> Have some folders from: GNReSound and Oticon, but have never heard of
> them.
>
> Any to probably stay away from ?
>
> What questions that I know I'm not thinking about should I be asking ?
>
> Thanks,
> Bob
> BTW: is this the most appropriate forum to be asking querstions re
> hearing aids in ?
>
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| Peter Weis 2005-07-24, 12:12 pm |
| Robert11 wrote:
> Are there any brands that are considered "the best" these days ?
> Have some folders from: GNReSound and Oticon, but have never heard of them.
The hearing aid market is 90% dominated by 6 big companies who own most
brands. They are Siemens (including Rexton, A&M and many other brands),
Demant (including Oticon and Bernafon), GNReSound (including GNReSound,
Beltone and the late Danavox, Philips and Viennatone), Phonak (including
Phonak and Unitron), Starkey (including many american brands) and Widex
(who just own the Widex brand).
Apart from them there are a number of smaller players like Sonic
Innovations, Interton, Rion, Sebotec, America Hears etc sharing
approximately 10% of the world market.
I don't personally know the quality of the smaller brands. But as long
as you stay with the major companies principle brands you will ge good
quality and new technology.
Differences will be in preferred sound quality, where there are some
differences between the companies. On paper they offer similar features,
but they will be implemented in different ways. None of them can be
considered bad.
best regards
Peter
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| zafdor@yahoo.com 2005-07-24, 6:25 pm |
| The brand of hearing aid is not as important as the person who fits it.
It will also take a lot of patience on your side. Some have reported
audies who schedule 15 minute fitting sessions, and even then are
reluctant to schedule them. Take you business to an audie who is
willing to spend time with you to get them tuned right,
Think of them as a custom made suite, there are lots of good material
out there, but the taylor is the most important part.
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Check out the 16X technology at:
http://www.americahears.com/
You can pay 5 times as much for less product.
On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 11:40:49 -0400, "Robert11" <rgsros@notme.com>
wrote:
>Hello:
>
>Am just about ready to seriously consider getting a hearing aid.
>Know nothing about them.
>Would like to learn a bit more before seeing an audiologist.
>
>Are there any brands that are considered "the best" these days ?
>Have some folders from: GNReSound and Oticon, but have never heard of them.
>
>Any to probably stay away from ?
>
>What questions that I know I'm not thinking about should I be asking ?
>
>Thanks,
>Bob
>BTW: is this the most appropriate forum to be asking querstions re hearing
>aids in ?
>
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| Zaf and Steve's posts should help you (though I was surprised at the
claim on one of the links in the latter that audiologists spend an
average of five contact hours with a new aid wearer in his first year
!). Read all Steve's links and then devote your efforts to locating a
good audiologist by talking to hearing-aid wearers, organisations like
SHHH, hearing specialists and, maybe, indicating to this group where
you are located and asking for recommendations.
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| Anthony 2005-07-25, 10:15 am |
| One issue will be whether to go for aids that are right inside the ear
canal, ones that are wholly in the ear but clearly visible or ones that
are behind the ear and linked by a tube to an earmold. To some extent
your choice will be dictated by the degree of loss you have but apart
from this there are issues of functionality, comfort and appearance.
Having owned both in the ear and behind the ear I have found that the
latter are better for me, but YMMV. If you have questions either now
or after seeing your audio then come back and ask!
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