Is There Any Difference Between Hearing Aid Manufacturers?

When it comes to choosing your hearing aids for the first time, or when you wish to upgrade them, it’s natural to want to know which hearing aids are best.

Just like any other purchase, you want to make sure they will deliver the sound quality you need and be reliable, but you’ll also have a list of other wants and needs that are personal to you.

It’s like deciding where to retire — you will have a list of everything that matters, and this list will influence your final decision.

What climate would you like to live in?

Do you need to be near the grandchildren?

What’s the cost of living there?

I’ve spent many years working as an audiologist in the medical system, as well as with both veterans and active-duty military, so I’ve seen hearing aids help each type of hearing loss in different ways.

A lot of my patients ask me for recommendations, but there truly is no single “best” hearing aid. You have many excellent options that you get to choose from.

Just as every hearing loss is unique, every hearing aid needs to particularly meet the needs of that person.

Rather than limit you to one manufacturer, I’ll lay out what matters below to help you narrow down your choice.

Hearing Aid Manufacturers

Just like trying to choose where to retire, your choice of hearing aid manufacturer will be finalized based on how well one of their models meets your needs and wants.

I partner with all the top manufacturers: Widex, Unitron, Starkey, Sonic, Siemens, Rexton, ReSound, Phonak, Oticon, and Signia. While I work primarily with ReSound, no one manufacturer is better than another.

I like working with ReSound in part because of their warranty, return policy, A+ BBB rating, and customer support, and my patients have great things to say about the sound quality in their devices.

All major manufacturers offer similar options as far as hearing aids are concerned. What makes one manufacturer better than another is the warranty they offer on their products and their customer service.

In my opinion, the most important aspect in hearing aid satisfaction is not the device you choose but the provider who programs the devices and provides service on the hearing aids, so when it comes to hearing aids, I focus on your unique lifestyle and circumstances before I recommend one hearing aid over another.

I want you to have hearing aids that best meet your needs and that can provide you with the best level of hearing both immediately and long term.

Choosing A Hearing Aid Checklist

Use this helpful checklist when you’re researching different hearing aid manufacturers to help you narrow down your choices.

• In the ear, above the ear, behind the ear, or in the canal? – You might have a strong preference regarding how visible your hearing aid is or how it feels in or on your ear.
• Analog or digital – Analog hearing aids are cheaper but not as common, and it might be harder to clarify certain sounds. Digital hearing aids are easier to adjust in different settings.
• Additional options – Such as telecoil, noise reduction, directional microphones, rechargeable batteries, plug in audio output, remote controls.
• Budget – I work with any budget to ensure you get the hearing help you need.
• Sound quality – Will the model work for your level of hearing loss? Will it process the sounds you are likely to have around you every day at home or at work?
• Lifestyle – Is the device easy to wear and maintain with your sedentary or active lifestyle? If you are often outdoors playing sports or doing anything that might build up sweat in and around your ear, you’ll need a hearing aid that won’t be affected by that.
• Controls – You might have dexterity problems that require you to use a phone app to adjust your hearing aid rather than fiddle with controls on the hearing aid itself.

Here at Big Thicket Hearing Aids & Audiology, I offer a wide range of hearing aid styles and packages, so I can help you to find the right hearing aids to suit your hearing needs, personal circumstances, lifestyle, and budget.

The First Step In Choosing Hearing Aids

The first step is diagnosing your hearing loss to see exactly what’s causing it and decide how to treat it. If you live in Hardin County, schedule a hearing test today.

Once I know what hearing treatment you need, I can answer any questions you have about it. If you need hearing aids, I’ll recommend certain types based on your needs and personal preferences and my expertise.

Call us with any questions. No matter what your question is about hearing loss or hearing treatment, I’m here to help.