SACRAMENTO'S DISCOUNT HEARING CENTER
Latest Technology
We have highlighted some, but certainly not all, of the latest technology in the hearing aid industry. Our hearing aid dispenser will discuss your hearing technology options, taking into consideration your communication needs, hearing pattern, budget and cosmetic preferences.
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Connectivity to TV, cell phones, iPods,
computers.
More and more hearing aid manufacturers are
providing hearing aids that provide a clearer and more convenient
connection to external electronic sound sources such as TVs, phones,
cell phones, iPods, computers, stereos, etc. This is typically achieved
by using a small device that hangs around the hearing aid wearer's neck
that acts as a wireless interface between the hearing aids and the
electronic sound input. Cellphone calls can be routed through this
device and to the hearing aids using wireless Bluetooth technology,
making cell phone conversations hands free and much clearer. TV sound
(or any other audio signal) can be input directly to the hearing aids
aids via the device, giving the wearer much clearer and effortless sound
reception. Some interface devices, like Phonak's iCom, also accept an
FM receiver allowing access to conversation being sent via a remote
microphone and transmitter.
'Open Fit' receiver in the ear technology.
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Open
fit hearing aids have been around for at least 6 years now, so they are
not exactly emerging technology, but there continues to be significant
developments worth mentioning. 'Open fit' technology refers to hearing
aids that do not plug up the ear canal. Typically they are a
behind-the-ear style hearing aid - often quite small in size - that have
a thin tube or wire that disappears into the ear canal to deliver the
sound. At the end of the tube or wire is a small soft rubber dome that
helps to keep it in the ear canal. This dome does not stop the natural
flow of air and sound going in and out of the ear, and so the wearer
receives a mix of 'natural' sound and amplified sound. Many
manufacturers now make open fit hearing aids that place the receiver
(speaker) in the ear canal, bypassing the problem of forcing sound
through a thin sound tube. Receiver in the ear hearing aids tend to
output a wider bandwidth (think more notes on a piano), are slightly
more discrete because the thin sound tube is replaced by a thinner wire,
and have a smoother sound response because sound is not being forced
through a narrow sound tube. Some hearing aids, such as the Phonak Audeo
YES and Siemens Pure, allow different power receivers to be used,
giving the wearer the flexibility to simply change the receivers if
their hearing changes significantly, rather than buying new hearing
aids.
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Open fit in the ear – Remote Microphone
Technology.
Most open fit hearing aids place the
hearing aid behind the ear and have a thin tube or wire extending into
the ear canal to deliver sound. Resound has recently come out with an
open fit hearing aid, called the be, that keeps all parts within the
bowl of the ear, with nothing going behind the ear. Most of the hearing
aid sits in the ear canal with large air channels around it to keep it
'open', and a small wire curls up in the bowl of the ear into the top
part called the helix. The protected placement of the microphone greatly
reduces wind noise compared to other styles of hearing aids. Be by
Resound is appropriate for mild to moderate hearing loss.
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Frequency Compression
Hearing aids have limited ability to give people useful
amplification of very high frequency (think 'high pitch') sounds, due to
technical limitations and the typical user's poor high frequency
hearing. For most people this means that very high frequency sounds are
simply not heard, no matter what hearing aid they buy. This is
unfortunate because these very high frequency sounds can play a
significant role in hearing speech sounds like "s" and "sh". Phonak
recently has included a feature, called SoundRecover, in some of their
hearing aids that moves these inaudible very high frequency sounds into
lower frequency regions where people typically have better hearing. This
allows the user make use of speech information in these high frequency
regions that otherwise would have been lost. Frequency compression is an
exciting area of research, and many Phonak hearing aid wearers using
SoundRecover say it's the feature they love the most. Phonak Audeo YES,
Naida and Exelia ART hearing aid models all have SoundRecover.
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Testimonials
Thank you for taking the time to explain what you were recommending and why. I have worn hearing aids for over 20 years, and no one has taken the time like you did. Your explanations were very clear and I had a good experience from start to finish.
- R.B.
I was very surprised and happy to save over $1200 on my Phonak hearing aid compared to what I was quoted by other hearing aid providers - thank you for offering the newest technology at such reasonable prices!
- K.B.
Over the years, I have purchased 3 sets of hearing aids from you. I always receive great service, friendly and very professional treatment and low prices! I love my hearing aids! I'm telling all my friends and family about you.
- I.J.
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