Have just finished trialing four different hearing aids (Resound Linx Quatro, Phonak Audeo Marvel 70, Widex Evoke, and Oticon Opn S 1) for my moderate to profound hearing loss in one ear. Curious if anyone has knowledge of what a reasonable price would be for the Oticon Opn S 1 miniRITE R. With 1 year of service by the Audiologist and their facility (real ear measurements, hearing aid configuration, wax filters, etc.), and the standard 3 year warranty by Oticon, they are asking $2600 with no willingness to negotiate on price or warranty length by the manufacturer. They said I could pay $90 for each additional year of warranty from the manufacturer up to a total of 5 years of warranty. This will be my first hearing aid so this is a new process for me. Wondering what the forum members think of this price.
Is this the price per aid? So in total you’ll shell out 5k$?
In Holland the low price range per aid would be 1700€. So for two ears that would make 3400€, converted that would be 3800$.
IF you like audiologist and facility, $2600 is a pretty reasonable price in my mind. If you’re convinced you’ll keep the aid for 5 years, $90 a year isn’t a bad price to pay for extending the warranty (assuming it doesn’t also come with a deductible) One thing to consider if you’re only getting one aid is that a lot of the advanced features on modern hearing aids require two aids to have full benefit. You might do just as well with a Opn S 2 or 3. If you don’t like the audiologist, you can probably beat the price, but it likely won’t be as convenient.
I bought my OPN-S1Rs at a higher bundled price, and I think $2600 each is a good deal and in range with a non-bundled deal, especially if you live in a large metro area.
I ordered Oticon OPN 1 S and the price was $5850 for a pair - 3 year warranty and unlimited service during HA’s lifetime. I think $2600 is very good.
I agree with MDB, that $2600 is very reasonable for one Oticon Opn S in the US with REM and one year of service if you like the audiologist. The extended warranty price may be reasonable; you need to read the details of coverage and deductible. A hearing aid is likely to need service in five years, if you don’t lose or replace it first, but you may come out ahead with the hearing aid by self-insuring (meaning: pay for repairs as needed). If you never buy any extended warranties for any products, you almost certainly will come out way ahead financially overall. Most extended warranties are not good buys. (As one example of how to read the policy: what happens if you lose the aid next week? Are you out the $360?)
/Ahem, Markismus, we’re envious, but those Netherlands prices are not realistic for an Oticon Opn S here in the US./
Did this audi let you trial four different hearing aid models without charge? If so that’s a service worth several hundred dollars right there. I’d stick with her or him and not go price-shopping.
The way I read the warranty was that he gets 3 years factory warranty at no cost and that he could pay $90 to extend it to 4 years or $180 to extend it to 5 years. In the example you gave of losing the aid, most? (certainly a lot) of hearing aids come with a loss or damage warranty. This would be another thing that would be good to clarify.
The extra $90 per year is for the additional years past the standard 3 year warranty. Not sure if it will cover loss, but will confirm. If it covers loss, probably a no brainer to get it.
Yes, there has been no fee for me to trail all four hearing aids (up to 60 days for each). The audiologist I have been working with has been awesome, and I planned on buying from her since the first fitting. Just wanted to get some feedback on pricing since there are so many different prices for hearing aids being mentioned online (both in forums and on websites) and I have no experience with this process. Knowing that this audiologist is so accommodating and professional, I’d be happy to pay more than average for a hearing aid from her, since a main part of the purchase is the service you are getting, and I clearly have found a top notch audiologist. I’ll post a more thorough review of all four models I tried later, but here is a snippet of my experience with each:
- Resound Linx Quatro - feedback issues, static at times, bluetooth issues such as quality of phones calls, disconnecting, etc.
- Phonak Audeo Marvel 70 - Bluetooth issues, iphone app issues.
- Widex Evoke 440 - Squeak noise would appear for no reason on occasion. bluetooth issues.
- Oticon OPN S 1 - Electronic “flutter” sounds for no reason on occasion. Minor app issues.
I may try the OPN S 2 before making my final decision (yes, they are willing to let me continue trying out more hearing aids if I want). The difference maker being do I want a rechargeable device (that I will have to bring in every couple of years to have the lithium battery replaced when it stops holding a charge, at a nominal fee after warranty is up), or go for the OPN S 2 with less “features” that I may not need (lessaggressive noise cancellation than the OPN S 1), but has the disposable 312 batteries (which has a moving part, the battery door, which may end up breaking).
Thanks for everyone’s feedback. It has been very helpful!
Are you effing crazy? Click the link and read
There are Costco’s in my area but I am not a member. Even if their Philips brand hearing aids are re-branded Oticon OPN S, I would still prefer to go with Oticon’s model for two main reasons:
- More confidence in Oticon’s feature completeness and future firmware upgrades to address issues or enhance\add features by the manufacturer.
- More comfortable with the level of service and experience of the doctoral-level audiologists at a location that only deals with hearing loss / hearing aids. I doubt I would get the same level of personal care from a Costco.
I totally agree, @Maniersman . Paying a little more to get the product and service satisfaction you want is often worth the price.
To each of us his or her own preferences.
We don’t have the prices on the Philips/Opn S yet. But I expect that the Costco price is going to be a lot less than $5200 (not just a little).
Yep, less than half the price at $2500 for a pair of Philips.
Philips hearing aids at Costco - Price Starting at $1,249.99 EACH.
My COSTCO Rep is a Doctor and their service has been splendid.
Glad that many folks on this board like to go to Costco, but as @PVC said, “to each his own.” It really doesn’t matter where people choose to go or what they choose to pay, because quality and service are subjective measures, and everyone will have their own thoughts about which providers meet those standards. Thanks.
Yeah I know. That was the ($1249.99 EACH) part of my post. Sometimes my posts are directed to more than one person.
You are all so lucky. I was offered OPN 1 RTEs at $12,666 a pair (that’s about US$9000) here in New Zealand. The OPN S are now available but my audiologist said that they are ‘considerably more expensive’.
I ended up buying the OPN 1’s in the UK at £2375 a pair, that was such an amazing price it would have been worth me flying right around the world to get them. Luckily I travel to Europe every 2nd month for business. All of the audiologists supplying Oticon in New Zealand refused to fit them as they had not sold them to me at the outrageous mark-up price. I had to find an independent audiologist.
your observations for Resound (Linx 3D and Quattro 9) and Opn (1, not S) are similar to mine.
I prefer the Resound sound and frequency response better it feels slightly more natural and there is less to almost no machine noise floor whereas Opn 1 has a really irritating noise floor. I am not sure if that’s the same as what you describe as “electronic flutter sound.”
I am trying Opn S1 soon.
Problem with Resound Quattro is it’s too big, so I’m waiting for the thinner profile 312 battery version to come out and will upgrade. Currently using 3D Linx.
Resound also has serious bluetooth connectivity problems - spending money on it certainly NOT for it to be a bluetooth tool but just for the hearing augmentation.
You trialed 4 types and NOW you want to make a decision on price?
Based on other comments the price sounds reasonable, but you should have a consideration for the valuable time, patient education, courtesy and patience that has already been extended to you. Just my humble opinion.