#16

Hi, I don’t know how good the NHS is in Wales but in Doncaster I get good service from the hearing clinic.
About a year back they upgraded to Phonak Auto range which retails at about £1700 a pair under the bolero name. They do use the venture platform which at the time was considered very good as do all new introductions.
I have the older nathos type which suit me fine and busy as they are at the clinic they gave me a separate programe to hear the car engine better.
If you can tolerate the waiting times I would try the NHS. Expect to get ear moulds with bte and not anything less visible.
Do some research on here including terminology, but accept that you must be prepared to persevere
with your aids no matter what the brand.
You will have to go back to NHS for adjustments as they are locked to their system.
You get free batteries and other spares, if you buy streaming devices they will add them to your aids.
Good luck!

#17

REM = Real ear measurement. Without getting into technicalities, ensures your hearing aids are supplying the prescribed output, to suit your hearing loss.

#18

Hi Paul,

Like the contributor above, I would recommend you use a provider that offers Real Ear Measurements. This is the only tool that will varify the hearing aids are actually doing what they are supposed to do. Have a look at Dr Cliff on youtube. He has an excellent video on this. I would recommend looking at an independent provider rather than a high street chain. The chains will normally only offer products from a couple of manufacturers. In addition, you are likely to get a higher level of care from an independent as they rely very heavily on personal recommendations as they don’t have the big marketting budgets of the chains. Having looked online, Hearing Aid Solutions in Cardiff might be a good place to start.

#19

thanks matthew I may do this…

#20

Hi Paul, not sure if he’s near enough but look up um bongo on this forum. he’s a major contributor as a pro and if you check his cv you’ll see he is very clever.
I don’t think I can give his practice name on here.
Mike

1 Like
#21

I feel sure he’s in Cardiff. If you want further info from him you would need to send um bongo a private message.

1 Like
#22

@paul3 my friend has just got Oticon OPN 2 on the NHS which are made for iPhone (Bluetooth). NHS aids are very good now.

1 Like
#23

Before my friend got upgraded to Oticon OPN 2, he had the Phonak Nathos Auto RIC Aids with domes. Not everyone will get ear moulds or BTE aids.

1 Like
#24

https://celtichearing.com Camarthan and Swansea

1 Like
#25

Sorry correction. https://celtichearing.com Swansea and Camarthen

#26

OK didnt know that. But you still have to get GP to refer you I guess and theres possibly a bit wait?

#27

ok. im in newport so possibly a bit far to swansea…

#28

Yes my friend waited 19 months roughly to get these new Oticon aids. It’s a loooonnng wait!

#29

wow 19 months that is a bit much

#30

Walked past Amplifon shop the other day. See they do free test, trial, interest free credit etc.
What are amplifon like?

#31

I tried Amplifon aids on a trial, I personally didn’t like the sound I heard from them. That said, the sound you hear is a very individual thing. Just because I didn’t like that sound doesn’t mean you won’t. You either like it or you don’t.

#32

Well got Amplifon on trial. Confused though.

They don’t really tell you the differences. One pair is £2400 the other £1600 but they are telling me the £2400 are way better.

Is this true? Now I want decent ones but £800 is £800

#34

Not liking the way they sell these aids. Both specsavers and amplifon the same…

They show you the basic model then theres the premium, super duper, then supreme. Then they imply its ok but you really need the supreme one.

I can understand if its got features like bluetooth etc but theres also a massive price difference. £1600-£2400 for amplifon.

They just seem to imply the more expensive one is better??? Is this true or they just trying to get the most out of me they can?

#35

If you haven’t already, I suggest getting some basics through these two sources

best practices summarised by dr cliff

And they have article about listening in noise, also recommended to read.

Both sources have youtube channel if you like that media instead.

In short - tech level of aid you need depends on your lifestyle and environments you’re in, and your brain’s ability to decipher the information from the sounds it gets. Namely, if your WRS is low, no money will make the difference. If your SNR is high, even highest level won’t do it, maybe mics can help a bit, but it still depends on that number. (you don’t need that number to know your brain is useless in noise, we mostly know that, it’s just more convenient for fitter to see black on white, and also for you to see if your needs go above what any aid can provide, they’re currently on roughly 4-6 db so if you need 10, you can see why aids alone just won’t work with you)

In quiet, low level and flagship perform the same. Assuming they’re both properly fitted (using REM based speech mapping).

However, any background noise makes it harder, for aids and your brain, if your SNR is high. Mind you, high is everything above 4 db. 10 is insanely high :wink:

Level up of difficulty is when bg noise isn’t noise but voices, eg restaurants, where there’s speech babble.

If you need mic, then it might be an option to take lowest tech plus mic, if highest tech alone isn’t working for you anyway. But it depends also what other perks you want from aid.

So, which tech level, tell us your numbers and your usual environment. If you don’t know numbers, then fitter doesn’t follow best practices, so, it’s very questionable on what they’re making their claim about which tech is beneficial to you, and what else they won’t do properly. In short, not worth spending the money there.

For anyone in the USA I’d say, go to costco.
KS9 if you like that color of sound are superb aids, top level, 1500 a pair if I remember correctly.
But I think they have cheaper decent options as well. People here mostly write about KS9 (phonak marvel).

Ah, uk? I think there’s costco there as well?

1 Like
#36

Pretty sure the KS9 is Costco’s least expensive hearing aid at $1500 a pair. Rexton has a pair that are rechargeable for less than $2000 and the rest of Costco’s aids are in the $2800 to $3000 range (in US)