New user - thinking of going DIY

Hi there, I’m currently trying a pair of Specsavers Advance 72 R hearing aids for the first time.

My hearing loss is fairly mild - although it was a bit of a shock when I tried the demo hearing aids in Boots … Taking them off almost felt like I suddenly had cotton wool in my ears!

Boots prices were, however, an even bigger shock! Rechargeable and BT-enabled aids seemed to start at £2000.00 and head north of that pretty fast!

So I thought I would try the Specsavers Advance HA’s. They do seem to offer better value - with the base level starting at around £900.00 and going up to just shy of £2000.00 at the top end. They are very vague about what you gain by paying an extra £500 or £1000, however. Just mumbling about ‘better audio quality’ as you go up the range. I was tempted to go ‘top of the range’, given that it was the same price as the bottom of the range with Boots - but settled for the Advance Premium (Advance 72R) at £1500.00

I’ve only had them a couple of days, and still struggle a little to justify the expense… Yes, speech is much crisper and clearer, but I’ve coped up until now - albeit my wife does tend to ‘mumble’…

The downside of the Specsavers are A: Cost and B: the fact they are locked and I therefore have to make an appointment and also fight traffic in order to have any adjustments made.

I have my eye on a pair of Phonak M70-R HA’s on an auction site. They are going for £270.00, but have no charger or receivers (or even a storage case as far as I can tell)

If I bought them, I’d be looking at the cost of a charger at around £100.00, about £30 for a couple of receivers and about £120 for a Noahlink 2 - so about £500 for the lot?

I very much like the idea of saving £1000.00 compared to the Specsavers HA’s - but we’re talking about a set of HAs that could be 5 or 6 years old? The seller says that the battery life is noticeably less than it once was if he streams BT audio all day (something I would not be doing) but that, otherwise, they do still last all day. (He also says he believes it might be possible to have the batteries replaced for circa £150.00 with someone like Boots Hearing.)

So I should be very grateful for any comments or advice. Does this sound like a good idea?

BTW I’ve already downloaded a copy of Phonak Target and it doesn’t look too frightening. FWIW I also use an auto CPAP machine and have always tinkered with it myself, using the makers software, to great advantage…

:smile:

I would look for disposable batteries HAs as you haven’t got the help of an audiologist to replace the rechargeable batteries.

These are the same technology as your ones you’re already looking at.

These are BTE Aids which can be used with slim tubes and domes.

Just an example.

You maybe okay to change the rechargeable battery yourself as some people on here, have done it but it’s a risk that it won’t work.

good point - save the price of a charger too!

see if phonak will replace the batteries? Cost?