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1. Hearing Amplifiers – Not a Substitute for Digital Hearing Aids
Consumers are bombarded with
advertisements for hearing amplifiers in
newspapers, magazines, mail and on internet.
The ads promise great hearing at a cost
sometimes as low as $19.95!
These inexpensive hearing amplifiers are, for
the most part, fairly rudimentary devices. Their
primary purpose is to receive sound through
their microphones and amplify it through
relatively simple circuitry.
They are not designed to replace the sophistication and performance of digital hearing
aids. There is a great deal of functionality in hearing aids such as noise suppression,
feedback avoidance, and wind reduction, to name a few, which are not addressed with
hearing amplifiers.
While these types of amplifiers may be readily available for order on the internet, from
newspapers and from direct mail notifications, as well for purchase at discount retail
stores such as Wal- Mart, they do not represent the reproduction of sound found in
hearing aids. Hearing aid devices are designed to be individually fit for a patient’s
hearing loss and listening environment. They are custom fit based on a patient’s hearing
evaluation. Buyer beware. You are not comparing apples to apples. It is more akin to
comparing apples to lemons and one should not spend good money after bad.
It is very important to understand that, unlike hearing aids, these devices are NOT
regulated by the FDA and are NOT true hearing devices.
The purpose of a hearing amplifier is very simply to make sounds louder. But we all
know that most times louder is not better; louder is not clearer. Often times simply
“louder” is not only insufficient amplification but also is uncomfortable amplification.
Hearing amplifiers are mass produced hardware that do not have individually
programmed features. Hearing aids come standard with sound limiters and filters that
prevent further hearing damage. The cheap devices come with a pre-set range of
volume and have the potential to damage your hearing!
The objective of a hearing instrument fitting is to find the appropriate acoustic gain at
the necessary frequency response to afford a patient the most effective and comfortable
amplification of sound. The most critical part of dispensing amplification devices is the
audiologist who is programming and fitting the products. Even a basic hearing aid will
deliver a healthier and more natural listening experience. It is worth the investment!