Dear all
Anyone here have experience purchasing a pair of hearing aids?
Yes I am looking for one for myself as I beginning to have hearing difficulties with High pitch frequencies. I was told its better to start using it now as it will be harder to get use to it as years goes by.
I have tried the middle range by Simens and Banform both The Receiver in Cannal and Behind The Ear type. I m looking for a pair which give less static and not too expensive to discard in case its like the pair of bifocal glasses which I have made but did not like using it.
Appreciate your comments or share with me via my email limfreda@gmail.com
Thank you
Dear Freda,
Welcome to the family of “Hearing Aids”. Glad you come forward to check around. I have gone thru this exercise 3 years ago. After struggling for a year of getting use to it, now I cannot leave home with it :).
I am using Beltone. I find the price is reasonable. The after sale service is superior. The person that fix it is excellent. I am happy to take you there for a free trial at your convenient time.
Let’s get in touch.
PeggyY
Hi Peggy – thank you for sharing and certainly will be in touch with you after my trip. Meanwhile Merry Christmas to everyone here at SHC……….[image=IMG_1567.JPG]
Hi Peggy,
Luckily, I dont have to use hearing aids. Although I have been exposed to heavy machinery with high decibles for the last 35 years, more than 300 visits in my lifetime, with no less than 1 hour each time, I have an interest in hearing aids. My friends use hearing aids; they buy a new pair each time, and then lose it after a month. They are so small, that they can drop on the floor and get swept away. Also, they get hidden under the pillow and misplaced at common areas.
What I wanted to say was some one year ago, I met an Indonesian friend. He carried around a device which looks like a voice recorder. The ear piece is connected to this device by a thin cable. I thot this was something novel.
Hearing aids are so expensive. It would be nice members share their hearing experiences.
Terence Seah
Terrence
Ah……..you are probably much younger than me, do share after 6 years, if your hearing is still good.
Waaaaaa, if your friends are using the premium type and buy again after One month, I reali reali have to take note. I flip my hair often and put my glasses on and off thousand times a day, this will certainly lip the hearing aids off in no time!!
Thanks Terrence for your sharing.
typo should read flip the hearing aids……
James Lim is a mariner on our mariners network. He has this to share:
“Recently on a visit to China, I researched and tried out several types of hearing aids for my personal use as I`m one of those unfortunate ones born with hearing issues – my mother`s side of the family mostly have similar problems.
I found that the Chinese manufacturers have made tremendous advances technologically in their new hearing aids (both analogue and digital types). I purchased 1 pair of each type and they work wonderfully so far. The costs are about 25 % of those I previously paid in Singapore and manufactured by an ang moh company.”
In response to queries on our Mariners Network, James has provided additional information on how he got his hearing aids:
His first step was to get his ears tested to get an audiogram. James got his tested for $25 at the Singapore Occupational Health Services Pte Ltd, 16 Ayer Rajah Crescent, #04-02 Tempco Technominium S118543.
He then sent the audiogram to several Chinese hearing aids companies and got several quotations. They varied widely in terms of capabilities, specifications and prices.
While on a trip to Shenzhen, he contacted Walcom (turns out to be a big instrument company) and learned that:
a. The old fashion analogue types of hearing aids were just audio magnifying glass amplifying everything within hearing distance of the mic so it could be very disturbing. The new ones are fitted with electronic suppression programs to almost eliminate unnecessary noise.
b. The digital versions are even better, the manufacturer actually program the hearing aids according to the person’s audiogram thus correcting only those deficient frequencies and bring them back to normal level. However the setback it seems with these devices is the limit of up to about 80 dB/Hz.
James’ total hearing loss “is about 48 % with his right ear exceeding 80 dB/Hz but since its quite inexpensive, I went ahead and ask them to program a pair to the maximum for those high freq`y 4 – 8 kHz loss. They work for me.”
James’ set is the Completely in the Canal (CIC) type which is much better than the Behind the Ear (BTE) type. The disadvantage of BTE is that it’s not water resistant. You need to remove them when you are in the rain or about to take a shower. “So I suggest you go for CIC if your budget allows.” James bought an Analogue CIC (Model CIC-10 10A) for US$200 and a Digital CIC (Model MY U+ 10A) for US$250. He says that the BTE is about US$150 per unit. (Note that BTEs in Singapore sell for as much as $2,000). You need to add shipment cost (probably about US$50 per package) to Singapore. Note that James took delivery of his sets at Walcom’s Shenzhen office. He had to allow 3 extra days for the manufacturer to program the Digital CIC.
I hope that the above article written by James Lim will be helpful here.
Note: I have NO VESTED INTERESTS whatsoever in this.
All The Best,
Ivan Lim
Dear Ivan
Really grateful – lucky I didn’t hv the money to pay the12K set, I was smitten by a premium pair which sounds so natural. Thought a premium brand has the capacity to fine tune better but now with James’ sharing it seems like different devices has its limit.
I have to thank you first for your post above and will follow up with more sharing once I back.
How about we “jio” James to cycle on our next SHC ride?
Once again Tor Chay Ivan,
May you have a very blessed Christmas plus a Prosperous New Year.
Hi Peggy Yap and all failily members of the “Hearing Aids” club. I am Roland Leow and had been wearing a pair of Siemen’s BTE aids for the past 10 years. I came across your post last year and got some new info. Recently my right ear piece suddenly “konked out”. Seems liked its not working out already although I’ve tried changing the battery. And Peggy can you or any other member have any suggestion for repair to advise please send your post. Thank you very much.
I understand that Usually Siemens retail in Singapore dun repair their hearing aids if it more than 3 years. Most of the time they will ask u to upgrade a new one i was told.
Good luck in getting a new pair….