Hearing aid suppliers

avud · 22-11-2023 2:15pm #1

I've seen a specialist regarding hearing loss caused by tinnitus and been told a hearing aid would be recommended for me. I've never used an aid before and looking for recommended suppliers in the meath, dublin area. I've my audiology test results to show any technician.

brokenbad · 22-11-2023 2:20pm

What level of hearing loss have you got - mild, moderate or severe?

My advice is not to spend a fortune on your first set of aids - i know people who have forked out €3-4k on aids and threw them aside after a few weeks.

I suffer from tinnitus myself and have moderate hearing loss - my first set of aids cost me €295 from this website 2 years ago and i haven't looked back since

hearing aids ireland - Elite Hear

cobham · 22-11-2023 2:33pm

Certainly go for somewhere that let's you have a trial run, I think most places do that. You might find a hearing aid is not for you. I would go for a basic one from Specsavers without the bells and whistles of charging station/no battery, wifi/app connection and see how you get on.

brokenbad · 23-11-2023 10:31am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121400239#Comment_121400239

I would be wary of Specsavers - they always do the "hard sell" and can be quite insistent on providing the most expensive set of aids. It's the same method they use when selling prescription glasses - as my mother found out to her expense when they overwhelmed her with their sales pitch...

avud · 23-11-2023 10:56am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121403769#Comment_121403769

I spoke with a person who did the hearing test while at the consultant, he was affiliated with boots, not implying they are inferior but I like to check alternative options also

cobham · 23-11-2023 5:25pm

Specsavers do a range of products. Someone told me that the actual amplification aspect is fairly similar and the higher prices are for fancy features that you may or may not appreciate. For example the hearing aid can be bluetooth enabled so you can make/take phone calls or listen to podcasts. I had one for a few weeks but returned it and got the basic version instead that needs to have batteries. Some people might find the battery change fiddley and a nuisance and prefer to use a charging station. I was used to battery and felt I did not need another bit of tech clutter.

looksee · 23-11-2023 6:45pm

I have Specsavers and I am not impressed, I am looking at going back to the independent that I got my first lot from; pay more and get something decent. I am fed up sitting in rooms full of people and not able to hear them. I prefer the chargeable aids, hate the battery debris and fiddling about. I am not sure how the tinnitus thing works, I wear aids and still have tinnitus.

avud · 23-11-2023 8:01pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121406556#Comment_121406556

I'm aware there's no cure for tinnitus, it's the hearing loss that I have from having tinnitus that requires me to need a hearing aid. I struggle in crowds and in one to one conversations where there's background noise.

miafricker · 28-11-2023 10:55pm

Another vote for Specsavers. When you finally make a purchase, please make sure you buy extra batteries and hearing aid domes. You don't want to run out of battery when you need it the most, right? Same with the domes and other accessories, better to have some somewhere at home and change them from time to time.

IrishHomer · 02-12-2023 9:46am

I a identical to the op.

I tested several companies and I even went to three ENTs

I shopped around getting multiple opinions and prices in advance.

I found several companies to be chancers such as Specsavers, Blackberry hearing, hidden hearing.

I finally went with Boots and saved€400 on a Phonak single aid.

Their aftercare is excellent unlimited aftercare and replacment accessories for four years the length of the guarante on the hearing aid.

cobham · 02-12-2023 4:45pm

I have had hearing aids from Specsavers and each time was given a set of vouchers for free batteries.

cnoc · 02-12-2023 5:03pm

Can I adjust the clarity in BTE hearing Aids?

cobham · 02-12-2023 6:23pm

Not with mine, there is some rocker switch with adjustment for sound. Perhaps with a fancier model synced to an App?

Treatystone · 03-01-2024 3:12pm

Hi There, How much did your hearing aids cost. I am due for a renewal set of aids. I currently have Oticon from Hidden Hearing which cost €4,000. Can listen to radio, Podcast nd take calls. I don’t mind not having these features if a new set at reasonable cost. Heard Phonac are good. Appreciate your advice

CylonXIII · 03-01-2024 3:20pm

I'd recommend Blackberry Hearing myself but that's just from experience dealing with them due to an elderly relative having their aids, can't fault them for service and they always seek to have someone on the phone if there's any questions

Lefty2Guns · 03-01-2024 3:37pm

I suffer from hearing loss in both ears but can get by although sometimes drive my wife mad by asking her to repeat herself.

Regarding my job, I'll have to invest in a set of hearing aids as I have moved position and company and will be involved in more round the table meetings and not TEAMs calls.

My question is, do hearing aids change the sound that you hear i.e. if listening to music is this different if listening with aids?

If this is the wrong place to ask appologies.

Treatystone · 03-01-2024 4:13pm

Hearing Aids make the sound crystal clear, However it may depend on the type of aid you purchase and the functionality the have to offer.

I never wanted hearing aids and my wife talked me into getting them. They are like gold, can’t do without them now. Highly recommend if you are having hearing loss problems

looksee · 03-01-2024 4:29pm

If they are properly adjusted (which is why online purchases are not the best idea, it can take several adjustments over a few months to get them right, mostly because your brain has to adjust to them) they will improve hearing music, certainly over managing without them.

Lefty2Guns · 03-01-2024 5:24pm

Thanks, any suggestions as to where is best to go?

I went to Specsavers last year and they did not offer any sort of trial.

CylonXIII · 03-01-2024 5:29pm

Blackberry Hearing offered a week's trial when we got them, not sure if that's on offer now but worth a go?

Andrea B. · 21-01-2024 8:40am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121400186#Comment_121400186

Hi. Very interested in your endorsement.

Have started my research as it has become a problem.

You say " your first set of aids" from this crowd.

How has the progression been since then? Have you changed type and supplier?

Thanks

cobham · 21-01-2024 4:03pm

Bit late reading this thread.... I had basic hearing aid from Specsavers that got lost when tangled with facemask during covid. I replaced it with fancy model that had bluetooth/ rechargeable battery etc. But I returned same and went back to a basic one. I thought there was a 30 day trial offered by Specsavers?

brokenbad · 22-01-2024 1:13pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/121646726#Comment_121646726

I am still using the same aids over 2 years later. I only use them primarily in work (particularly for meetings) and i never wear them at home or out and about.

cobham · 22-01-2024 3:52pm

Brokenbad, you are advised to wear them at least 5 hrs a day as your brain will get used to new sound input. But guess I am guilty as well... I have two the same for one deaf ear and try to keep one on me or in car when leave house, easy to forget.

Treatystone · 28-01-2024 12:32pm

Anyone else on this board purchase hearing aids from Elite Hearing for €295 ? Need to purchase a new set of aids and doing some costing for alternatives.

Toolerc · 06-08-2024 2:03pm

just found out today that i may need some so doing research - great thread to get involved on thanks.

1- are there different aids depending on the type of loss (high freq loss in both ears for me)

2- mild - moderate - not sure how to answer this but the graph says a '20' is average and my high end is 60.

3 - work with people in meetings so lots of cross talk and different acoustics in rooms. lots of calls of teams/zoom. any guidance as to what actually is critical to have for this type of environment?

4- bluetooth - how important is this - surely any aid will get you back to a reasonaable level like before so dont need to connect to TV or phone etc.

5 - can you use apple earpods for example if you have an invisible in canal aid? or should i be lookin gto buy into over the head earphones like Beats or whatever.

6 - what was the one thing you didnt know before you started wearing that you wish you were told?

thanks

Lefty2Guns · 07-08-2024 8:15am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122470120#Comment_122470120

I went to Hidden Hearing and done a trial run with the hearing aids on offer. I can't hear high frequency's. I didn't realise on what I was missing out on in terms of sounds associated with high frequency and even basic communication. I've yet to commit to a set yet due to the financial side of things. The latest and greatest on offer are 6500.

I'm aiming to purchase them by the end of the month. I too work in an industry where I have to attend high level meetings so communication is key.

TomOnBoard · 07-08-2024 12:28pm

Have you trialled elsewhere?

If not, you really, really should…

Lefty2Guns · 07-08-2024 1:33pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122474160#Comment_122474160

No. I went to Specsavers and they wouldn't let me trial what they had.

Any suggestions on where else to go?

cobham · 07-08-2024 4:11pm

I had a fancy hearing aid from specsavers but returned it to get a more basic model… for smaller price. Maybe you have to purchase a HA first?

TomOnBoard · 07-08-2024 4:15pm

Check with other Hearing Aid suppliers in your area to establish whether they will provide a trial. There's no point in my going into that, as I don't know what part of the country you're in.

Sadly, SS seem to operate on the basis of hooking the punter up by charging full price up front and then allowing a money back return of HAs if dissatisfied within X (90? Or 120?) days. I suppose they could argue that is in reality a 90 or 120 day trial that operates on the basis of the punter paying a deposit of 100% of the final cost.

The HA industry supplies retailers with dedicated Trial units that can be configured by the audiologist to 'expire' within a pre-set number of days. They don't do a Mission Impossible self-destruction; rather they start beeping at an increasing rate once the trial is over. I know Phonak have such Trial models as have Signia and I'm sure others also.

Bottom line is that you are advised to absolutely exhaust all trialling avenues before putting €6,500 in the HH till! Look at SS and Boots publicly available price lists and you'll see a massively lower price for equivalent HAs in both those retailers.

Hearing aid suppliers

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