Elite Hearing Centers - Good? Bad? Any reviews

Audiologists and Hearing Aid Dispensers
#1

I have an appointment with my audi the end of this month, wanting new hearing aids. I’m pretty convinced I want Phonak Lumity.

Meanwhile, Elite Hearing Centers runs a 3-page ad for Lumity with a 30-day free trial.

So I wonder:

Is this company any good?

Are the prices better?

Is service after the sale a priority?

Any other comments, good or bad?

Thanks,
Bob

#2

I doubt the prices will be any better, a three page ad is expensive and someone has to pay for it. If they have a “factory specialist” there for the promotion, there could be some pressure selling involved.

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#3

Thanks.

That makes a lot of sense.

Bob

#4

Suggest you check ziphearing (online) for prices and their recommended audiologists in your area. Then you will have something to compare to after your appointment with Elite. You can call ZipHearing and ask for information with no high pressure sales pitch from them.

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#5

Thanks.

I went to ZipHearing, and found the price for the Phonaks.

There was a place to search for a local provider, but they wanted my phone number. Like many of us, I have a problem with phones, as I can’t read the lips of the person on the other side of the line.

What cruel person selling hearing aids wants to make you talk on the phone? :wink: I know, the website designer can hear and doesn’t know what we go through every day.

I clicked the chat button, but nothing happened. Perhaps the webmaster ignores Firefox, so I’ll try Edge later, but I wanted to thank you first.

My audi is a proffered provider for my insurance, so I get $2K off the price of a pair, so now I have a reference.

Thanks again,
Bob

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#6

That’s quite a savings! Good. Hard to imagine that you’re going to find a better price. So no worries!

Still: liking a certain brand due to internet research doesn’t always translate to your personal experience. More: there can be a problem with going in with high expectations and looking for confirmation of those expectations. Then, down the road, reality sets in. Of course the Lumity have a great reputation and may well be the cat’s meow for you! I hope so.

I try to go into a trial period with no expectations. Harder to do than it sounds.

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#7

You might try chat again or just give them your phone number. When they call, ask them to text you or you can text the number that calls. After the initial call, most of my communication with Zip was with text. Others here also recommend TruHearing, but I don’t have any experience with them.

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#8

Thanks. Good idea.

I’ll wait until Monday. They might be off for the weekend

Bob

#9

I understand the Phonaks work better in noisy situations and allow me to focus on the person in front of me, while the Oticon’s I’m using now are more wide angle.

My audi gives me a trial period so I should have time to adjust.

I especially need Android support, and the Oticans really only work with iPhones. The app on Android is a volume control and nothing else, and that combination phone call interface and/or external mic is lame. In a couple of months, the rechargeable battery won’t hold a charge all day, and instead of replacing a battery, they want to sell me an entire new clip.

With all the research I’ve done, and for the amount of hearing loss I have, the Phonaks seem to be my best bet. But as you and others pointed out, I won’t know until I try them.

Bob