Hearing aid brands are impossible to compare because the success you will have with any hearing aid is NOT determined by the brand product you choose. All hearing aid manufacturers’ websites would have you believe that their products are the “best hearing aids” on the market. If this was true, everyone that dispenses hearing aids would only use one brand because we are all desire to provide the best product for customer satisfaction.
That said, the real MEASURE of the success you will have with a hearing aid is totally dependent on the damage you have to your cochlea – the organ/structure responsible for hearing. A hearing test determines the success you will achieve with ANY hearing aid is called the “SPEECH DISCRIMINATION SCORE”. The test determines how WELL you will understand speech in complete silence with hearing aids.
Example: If you have a speech discrimination score of 85% this means that you will understand 85% of what is said to you in a quiet environment with a hearing aid, no matter what brand of hearing aid you choose and no brand of hearing aid can raise this score no matter how much money you pay for it.
Consumer Reports did a study of hearing aids in 2009 and determined that there is “no discernible difference in brands of hearing aids.” Therefore, the only real difference in hearing aid brands is how they are marketed to hearing aid dispensers (ENT’s, Audiologists, Warehouse Clubs) by the hearing aid manufacturers and by how the hearing aid dispensers market them to you, the consumer.
Therefore, the only thing that should determine what hearing aid you purchase; regardless of differences in features, benefits or cost is how well you understand speech in a variety of noise environments.
Six multi-national hearing aid manufacturing conglomerates are responsible for 90% of the worldwide production of hearing aids and they market those products under 20 different brand names.
The hearing aid dispenser (seller) you choose is the most important part of the hearing aid selection equation because this is who will be providing for your needs over the next decade so remember you are not just choosing a product.
At Value Hearing Care we believe you should choose a hearing aid that best compliments your lifestyle, your hearing AND your pocketbook.
