Resound Hearing aids (and others)
|> I have a fairly severe high frequency hearing loss. A recent rough test
|> showed a gently sloping loss to 10-20db down at 1000cps. Then it falls off
|> a cliff to 70-80dbs down from 1500cps on. This type of loss is difficult
|> to fit. I am currently using some old siemens behind the ear aids which
|> keep me roughly functional, but leave a lot to be desired.
|>
|> Recently I had an opportunity to test the Widex Q8 behind the ear aids for
|> several weeks. These have four independent programs which are intended to
|> be customized for different hearing situations and can be reprogramed. I
|> found them to be a definite improvement over my current aids and was about
|> to go ahead with them until another local outfit advertised a free trial of
|> another programmable system called ReSound.
|>
|> Unfortunately I was only able to try the ReSound aids in their office for
|> about 30 minutes and I couldn't compare them 'head to head' with the Widex.
|> Nevertheless, it did appear to me that they were superior and I was
|> impressed by what I was able to read about the theory behind them which I
|> will give in a separate posting. They also carry the Widex aids and had one
|> patient (presumably wealthy) who decided to go ahead and get the ReSound
|> even though he had purchased the Widex only 6 months ago.
|>
|> The problem is that the ReSound aids are about twice as expensive as the
|> Widex and other programmable aids. I could take a trip to Europe on the
|> difference! Being a lover of bargains and hating to spend money, I am
|> having a hard time persuading myself to go with the ReSounds. I would
|> appreciate any opinions on this and other hearing aids and projections
|> about when and if I might see improvements in technology that aren't quite
|> so expensive.
|>
|>
Your hearing curve sounds a lot like mine (thanks, Uncle Sam!). I've been
wearing Miracle Ear c{*filter*}aids for about 5 months now and I find them to be
acceptable. They are molded to the shape of your ear canal, and tuned to
your hearing curve. They are comfortable to wear and almost invisible, if
you're worried about that (although if you're currently wearing behind the
ear models, that's not an issue). The cost: I paid $1200 each for mine,
through the Miracle Ear counter at Sears. I've heard that there is a
substantial discount for senior citizens, but I haven't researched that, because
I'm not a senior citizen, yet!
Give them a try; you might be pleasantly surprised!
--
Alan Hepburn "A man doesn't know what he knows
National Semiconductor until he knows what he doesn't know."
Santa Clara, Ca
