Anyone try the cheap digital hearing aids that are advertised in many current magazines including the Rifleman? I am looking for something that would help with watching TV but want to avoid paying thousands.
Thanks

They generally suck. The closed captioning is a better alternative. Of course if you watch THE VIEW where all the ladies talk over each other it is useless. You probably don"t watch the show though. LOL

If it’s just for TV look for a set of RF headphones, the blooteef lag, RF is better

https://www.crutchfield.com/S-...FEAAYAiAAEgKbT_D_BwE

The hearing aid market is definitely improving now that the FDA has loosened the rules for sales.

You unlikely to find something worthwhile for short dollars though.

RMD

Don't waste your money. A decent pair of Seimens digitals costs about 2500 bucks. Many insurance plans have a "Tru-Heaaring" option, that enables you to get them free, or at a substantial price cut. Go thru the process, then spend a few weeks learning to use them.

Costco also has bargain prices on quality units.

Failing that, many hearing aid stores sell remote headsets for tv viewing.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
Costco also has bargain prices on quality units.

I have a pair of Costco hearing aids. I was told that Siemens supplies Costco with their hearing aids.

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
Don't waste your money. A decent pair of Seimens digitals costs about 2500 bucks. Many insurance plans have a "Tru-Heaaring" option, that enables you to get them free, or at a substantial price cut. Go thru the process, then spend a few weeks learning to use them.

Costco also has bargain prices on quality units.

Failing that, many hearing aid stores sell remote headsets for tv viewing.

I got mine from Costco. Had been using miracle ear brand for 3-4 years. Went in to have them tuned up (long anger loaded incident) and decided to look elsewhere. Remembered that Costco had them, went there, bought a set on the spot. Miracle Ear wanted $11,000 for top of the line. Got Costco top of the line for about $3K. They now have aids in quite a price range, one set was $1660 the last time I was in there. And they do cleaning and routine maintenance for free. I had heard that I could get a free set from the VA but when I checked into it, it seemed like a lot of crap to deal with, not to mention about 150 mile round trip to the VA.

I like the features on mine. 3 programs to suit environment, remote control for program selection, volume control.

I might be inclined to try a pair of Eargos. That's about as "cheap" as I'd be likely to go.

I've a referral to an audiologist. When I go, I'll ask him/her about them.

another vote for Costco.

My first set of hearing aids at Cleveland Clinic, top of line $7K good service but I paid for it.

My second set of hearing aids at Costco $1.7k not top of the line but work just as good as the $$ ones. 3 years with Costco aids no failure, free cleanings, free retest hearing and adjustments.

My parents always told me you get what you pay for. I’ve found it mostly true. My wife has hearing loss and I’ve found that hearing loss is a matter of volume at every frequency. Her loss is from lower medium sound to upper medium sounds. She can hear low pitched sounds just fine and high pitched sounds are pretty decent. Most of those cheap units give you a cookie cuttter equalization that fits some “average” hearing loss pattern. If your hearing loss matches the frequencies that are being boosted, great. Otherwise not so much. Turning the volume up on high end sounds would just make everything sound tinny to her, not good. Also think in terms of how words sound. Just the word “Medicare” has high and low sounds to it, it’s not a single frequency. If you don’t hear the low frequencies so we’ll, but hear the hig frequencies, that word spoken may not sound the same to you as it does to someone else. The expensive hearing aids will come with someone who adjusts and “fits” the equalization to fit your hearing loss. It’d be like paying for a pair of shoes that fit the average guy when you have size 13 paddles for feet. Maybe not a savings.

"Get what you pay for" is SOMETIMES true. There really are only a handful of manufacturers. Places like Miracle Ear and Audibel simple re-brand instruments produced by others, and mark them up significantly. It's a rip-off. My first units cost 8k, and I later priced them elsewhere for 3k. Choose wisely, Grasshopper.

Costco.

Evaluation / hearing test is free.

Idaho Elk Hunter:
Do give your VA a call and set up an appointment.
They furnish the best. Mine issued me the Phonak
brand. (Start on the outside at $10,000) They issue the module you plug into your TV (Blue tooth)so you set your hearing aids for the TV.
The TV can be set at it's lowest yet you can set your Phonak higher without changing the sound from the TV speakers for another listener.
I'd asked my tech (When I was brand new) "Comparing a Ford to a Caddie__what are these?" She said, "Mercedes"
I tried the ones that fit in the ear and didn't like them. (Felt them in there constantly) The ones where the unit sets behind the ear I found the best. Some folks seem to like the others.
Stay safe
Poli Viejo

Yup, Costco is a good choice. Have had mine for about two and a half years. Went to Costco yesterday and they did a little service work (new "domes" and replaced the part that goes from the device into your ear. That was under warranty.

After three years you can have them reconditioned at the factory for $135 and you get another one year warranty.

Mine are made by Resound. I think I paid $1,600 for them.

The previous pair was around $4,000 (not from Costco).

quote:

Originally posted by Russ59:

quote:

Originally posted by Fredward:
Costco also has bargain prices on quality units.

I have a pair of Costco hearing aids. I was told that Siemens supplies Costco with their hearing aids.

Definitely go with Costco. Very reasonable price and worked well. Got them for my Mom.

quote:

Originally posted by Horn:
Idaho Elk Hunter:
Do give your VA a call and set up an appointment.
They furnish the best. Mine issued me the Phonak
brand. (Start on the outside at $10,000) They issue the module you plug into your TV (Blue tooth)so you set your hearing aids for the TV.
The TV can be set at it's lowest yet you can set your Phonak higher without changing the sound from the TV speakers for another listener.
I'd asked my tech (When I was brand new) "Comparing a Ford to a Caddie__what are these?" She said, "Mercedes"
I tried the ones that fit in the ear and didn't like them. (Felt them in there constantly) The ones where the unit sets behind the ear I found the best. Some folks seem to like the others.
Stay safe
Poli Viejo

Appreciate the tip, but I already have Phonak aids. From Costco. When I originally went there I told them I wanted the best they had. Phonak for, as I recall, about $3K. Among other things, Costco is only about 10 minutes from home, VA is well over an hour.

My first set from Costco had a problem, and they promptly replaced them at no cost. Periodically, I go in and get them cleaned, tested and adjusted, at no cost.

The lady there told me the name of the Costco house brand aids, but I don't remember. She also said that they were equally as good as Phonak. ???

I recently see TV ads for aids at $599. No idea how good/bad they may be.

Kind of like those miracle vision enhancing glasses being advertised on TV.

Wallyworld had/has them form 15 bucks. Bought a pair, pure crap.

If any of you guys are vets I urge you to go to the VA. If you have a problem with driving contact your local VA office. They can help with transportation. That is my part time job.

When you're fitted for hearing aids by a professional, they give you a hearing test to determine which particular frequencies you're not hearing properly. They take that information & fine tune the hearing aid to amplify those frequencies up to "normal" level.

Cheap hearing aids amplify all sound. Not just the frequencies that you have trouble hearing. You still have the same hearing deficiency, only everything is louder.

I bought a pair of these for my mom and they help her a lot. Yep, like the above post, they are cheap and amplify all sound.


https://smile.amazon.com/gp/pr...02_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I understand people wanting to save money, but I think cheap glasses and hearing aids aren't the place to do it. Those are your connection to the outside world that you use every dang day of your life. No point in buying anything but the cheapest rifle scopes, binoculars, stereo equipment, etc if you are going to put that precious image or sound through Chinese junk at the end.