Product: Audien ATOM PRO 2 Wireless Rechargeable OTC Hearing Aid
Model: Atom Pro 2
Condition: New
The Atom Pro 2 has all the amazing features of the Atom 2 and more
It’s packed with background noise cancellation so you hear what matters most
And it’s 15% smaller than the Atom 2, making it so comfortable you’ll forget you’re wearing it, and so invisible others will too
- Includes a new 2-in-1 UV cleaning & charging case, that kills 99.9% of bacteria while charging
With 4 different hearing modes, you can find the perfect setting for your individual needs
The all-new A2 chip provides crystal clear sound, and advanced background noise cancellation to ensure that you can hear what matters most
Experience life without any ringing, clicking or sounds in your ears
@jmhsrv I misread the price as $18.99 and thought, “What the heck; I’ll see if this gets my spouse to shut up about something something, whatever she says about my listening…” But at about 10x what my sleepy brain thought? TBNT
Probably a good price point for “off the rack” hearing aids but not sure if I would purchase these as my first hearing aids.
Have bought several pairs at Costco and their price point-1,599 for a new pair I just got about a month ago. Would cost probably 4 to 5k at a hearing establishment and their hearing assessment of me (comparing it to my previous test), free cleaning, 3 year warranty (135 per hearing aid to extent it when needed) and one time free replacement if one is lost during the warranty period can’t be beat.
If you had something to compare these to or use them as a backup pair might be a good purchase.
@Felton10 The awesome part of stuff like this though is that even just using the noise canceling technology is vastly more acceptable as a hearing aid which is viewed as a medical device rather than airpods. As a teacher, being able to use something like this would do wonders for helping me stay regulated throughout the craziness of teaching daily.
@Felton10
Ditto on the Costco source. I just took mine in a month short of the three-year mark when they started having issues staying charged. They fully rebuilt them, put new batteries in and gave me a new charger base… all as part of the warranty. Having them be Bluetooth capable (for mre) is a mixed blessing as sometimes I’m not prepared for them to start playing audio when I turn on a different BT speaker, but overall I really like these. They were able to retune them to account for some additional loss on the right side when I got the new ones back.
@chienfou Actually think when they “repair” them they just send you new ones. Best thing is that when the warranty runs out you can wait until it breaks and then reinstate the warranty as it doesn’t have to be continuous.
@famegirl3001 And you joined Meh just after this product launched here, you have made several pro-product posts and responses, complete with grammatical and spelling errors, you even liked your own attempt at a burn on my post (ew). You’re a shill, this product you are shilling for has an 18% “hate” rate on Amazon, and there is nothing you can do or say about either.
And you must be blind…Clearly you can’t read the repeated issues some of these have had over time (I am presuming quality control issues since some people have had no issues with them). I really liked the review that showed the pics where they caught on fire in his locker.
If they croak in 90 days meh has our back. If they croak after that the warranty the manufacturer has may not be honored since they didn’t sell them (not to mention all the complaints about customer service). There is certainly a time and place for these presuming if they croak they do it in 90 days but it’s a lot of money to spend for something that has the kind of negative reviews they have. Hopefully people buying these here will be in the “lucky” group and they will not have issues.
@famegirl3001@Jonas4321@Kidsandliz we are working directly with Audien on this offer and the 1-year warranty will be supported. They will take back any customer returns within our standard 30-day window. After that, Audien warranty takes effect.
@famegirl3001@Jonas4321@troy Thank you for posting the details of the warranty. That is good to know. And it makes it safer to buy based on why people are negatively reviewing it. Thus if you are unlucky enough to get a “bad” one (rather than one of the “good” ones) you have recourse for 12 months instead of 90 days. Maybe in the future mention any warranty thing in the description that isn’t “standard” meh 90 day warranty?
This is a killer deal. I’ve been eyeing a pair of these for a while, I’m a teacher with sensory issues so something like this would be allowed when earbuds are not. But, I’m a teacher … so I don’t get paid for 2 months. So if you guys run these again, can you wait till Lee September?
@therealjrn nope! I budget my 10 months of pay over 12 months so I can enjoy the summer with my children. It just means that we minimize our expenses during the summer months so things like a random $200 purchase just does not make sense right now. The trade off is worth it though, time with my kids is priceless.
@raptorgorawr You might do better with earplugs that don’t drop highs too much, especially if you don’t actually have hearing loss. Noise cancellation isn’t likely to do much with kids’ voices… That’s signal.
@raptorgorawr@therealjrn When I taught had a choice to get my income over 12 mo or over 9 months. I chose over 12.
@therealjrn and teachers get paid poorly enough that the side benefits of school holidays off and summers off to be with their family is what keeps some in the profession - despite the other frustrations they need to deal with, poor pay being just one of them. Helicopter parents, spoiled parents and kids, politicians and their rules that affect their jobs (some of which make no sense) spending hours of their own time unpaid grading papers, teaching prep (my mom taught morning and afternoon kindergarten so 64 kids and daily and on weekends she was doing work and roping us into helping her so it got done sooner - she worked far more than 40 hours a week and since teachers are salaried they get no overtime), etc… For many they love the job and do it despite the pay. Perhaps you could approach your employer and ask to be paid 10/12th of what you are being paid now so you can have your summers off? Just sayin’
@brainmist I’m one of those lucky people that can hear electricity, the pencil scratching paper across the room, etc so ANC does wonders for removing all those extra sounds so I can focus on students better but we can’t wear headphones so my good ANC headphones do me no good at work.
@Kidsandliz most districts in NC stopped offering the 12 option so it’s up to each teacher to save or not save for summer. I save enough for all the bills but not for extras, and yeah, NC teacher pay sucks, my SIL makes double what I make teaching in NY.
@brainmist@raptorgorawr For most of my life I have heard electricity, etc. too. It is only after decades of playing the carillon (cast bells in a tower, usually 4 octaves with both keyboard of “bars” and pedals sort of like an organ has where a several ton bell is loud) I have finally lost enough of that really high frequency hearing that means going into stores and walking right back out due to the high pitched, set your teeth on edge squeal is a thing of the past.
@raptorgorawr Have you tried using passive flat(ter) attenuation earplugs? I have a few friends with extreme difficulty ignoring low level background sounds, and have had a couple say they did with these:Loop earplugs
@therealjrn Until you have heard what @raptorgorawr and I hear you have no idea what you are taking about. In my case it seemed like it came from florescent lights, TV’s, etc. It is a sound that just plain sets your teeth on edge. My mom didn’t understand why I didn’t want to go into certain stores and since she didn’t hear what I heard she didn’t understand. I had a hearing test as a kid because of this and tests one and a half standard deviations above ‘average’/‘normal’ with much higher high frequency hearing than most people.
@brainmist@raptorgorawr Yes I grew up by a carillon and learned to play it. Played it through college, was in the Netherlands (the home of these along with Flemish Belgium) for a while taking lessons and playing market day recitals. Years ago I played at the Peace Tower by Niagara Falls when someone was on vacation so I covered for him. For decades I played christmas eve services. As a 20 something though we’d do incredibly stupid things like stand inside the 12 ton low G bell at University of Michigan while someone played that key. We’d put our fingers in our ears (likely not enough protection) and feel our bones vibrate from the sound.
The practice instrument had metal xylophone bars which were pretty shrill that when we’d press the key down with the side of our hand would cause a hammer to hit the sound bar. I am sure that didn’t do my hearing much good either.
@Kidsandliz@raptorgorawr Yeah, musicians routinely experience hearing loss (hence in-ear monitors). On the plus, lower frequencies are less harmful to hearing, so maybe that wasn’t completely terrible? Maybe?
Is this a hearing aid or a hearing amplifier? It seems like this is just the latter.
A hearing aid is programmable and can adjust individual frequencies for each user. A hearing amplifier just makes things louder overall, regardless of “noise cancellation” or not.
@haydesigner I see the infomercials for this type of product all the time, comparing them to $5k hearing aids, and claiming they aren’t just amplifiers, and at the price point they’re selling for (even NOT on Meh) I’m inclined to disagree with that assertion. There’s no way even a $300 pair is a hearing aid in the same way a $5,000 pair is. I’m sure these are great if you just wanna hear the TV better without turning it up, but they’re likely not a replacement for proper prescription hearing aids. (I also think those are ridiculously expensive.)
@haydesigner This is a hearing aid. They can’t legally claim otherwise if it’s not. It does allow for some adjustment. If they were behind the ear, I’d be tempted… But ITC means occlusion, and pass.
@haydesigner@Jonas4321 lol, with OTC hearing aids? There’s likely a lot of vigilance by the bigger manufacturers, and quick whistleblowing to the FDA, which can fine them.
But these are FDA-registered as hearing aids. They meet the minimum requirements.
These play to some pretty grim reviews on Amazon. How long can they be used and still be able to return for a Refund? I notice they are not selling like hot cakes ( sold 2 sets after about 1/2 hour, both in Minnesota)
I’m sure it’s not Audien’s fault, but these things are one of the most common subjects in the garbage spam emails I get, right up there with “Elon’s Watt Saver” and the Trump bobbleheads…
@famegirl3001 eh… look at some of the comments here, some of the reviews… there are reasons for the 10x price difference. A lot of these cheap ones (some reviews claim also these specific ones are, but notably no actual product descriptions explain the difference or clarify which is offered) are just basic amplifiers - in fairness, that’s all some people need - but the more complex ones (not necessarily more expensive, but often) are highly customizable and can amplify only the frequencies that are missing in your specific hearing, and can pair with phones and whatnot to provide further customization like listening zones for specific situations (in front of you in a crowded restaurant, say) and filtered audio via Bluetooth so that music also sounds right again. There’s more benefits than just the immediately obvious in the nicer ones.
Now, if you don’t have $3k conveniently to spend, these are a lot more palatable, even if you can get insurance or an HSA or something to help. But if you’re able to afford the real ones, I’d look carefully.
@jsfs well I can’t loose on $189 haHa! Even if they’re not quality I can use that 3k extra cash for our sun to help them buy a home! Lol doctors charge arm and leg
@jsfs a REAL user comparison to the $3k unit would be worth gold.
If I wasn’t getting hearing surgery in a month, I’d absolutely jump on these and then on a $3k costco pair and compare.
Is there going to be an improvement going from a $200 unit to a $3k unit? Nothing I have seen/read over the years is assuring me of anything more than ‘possibly’, at best, but guaranteed it won’t be anywhere near 15 times…
@jsfs You are conversing with a shill for this product. famegirl3001 joined just this morning and is shilling this product. They did not spend $3K and won’t be using savings to help their “sun” with a home purchase.
@famegirl3001 And then when they catch on fire like one review said along with photos of that, or all they do is squeal or break after a short period of time like a bunch of reviews say happens, but that happens past meh’s 90 day warranty and you discover they won’t honor their life time warranty (never mind all the complaints about the company’s customer service) because you bought it here… your “sun” will be asking you over and over “can you hear me now?”.
Hey @famegirl3001 I see you haven’t bought these yet so your “sun” can buy his house. Have a bit of a truth problem do you? Your son is going to hate you now.
From the profile at 7:45am CT: famegirl3001 joined us 8 hours ago. famegirl3001 is an unknowable enigma having placed 0 orders
What is your commission for the sales numbers here? Are you the owner of the company that makes this? Or are you just someone’s experiment with AI(in which case this is a big fail?
@Kidsandliz if famegirl3001 is an AI, it is the very best I have ever seen! It acts exactly like a human shill from an Asian Country Not To Be Named would, complete with misspellings, broken English, untruths and lame attempts at self-boosting. OpenAI better watch out - this one sounds more real than ChatGPT!
@Jonas4321@Kidsandliz But what purpose would shilling do? Doesn’t meh generally get products offloaded to them cheaply, then resell? As in, Audien would have already made whatever money?
@brainmist@Kidsandliz fair point, I don’t know. Since these are already being sold on Amazon, perhaps an overall boost to their sales would help? Maybe to help Meh sales? But if you are positing that famegirl3001 is a real consumer and not someone merely here promoting this product, I cannot find my way to an agreement.
@Jonas4321@Kidsandliz I agree there’s more than a bit suspect about the account, I just can’t imagine the reason.
Edit: read @Troy’s comment below: “we are working directly with Audien on this offer and the 1-year warranty will be supported. They will take back any customer returns within our standard 30-day window.”
Found a decent run down of these. They seem very basic, but could help; just amplifying is a step up. Too bad they’re not behind the ear: more universal fit, far less occlusion.
Here is another detailed review of this hearing aid. It’s not the worst out there (although near the bottom), and considering the price there is no way we can expect it to be the best. Reading that evaluation it may or may not meet your needs (they graph out what it does well or not so well).
@Kidsandliz yeah, that output graph is helpful. Word they’re go with so much low frequency amplification, and no ability to adjust it; the majority of hearing losses are higher frequency.
So just so I am clear, if these aren’t quite strong enough for my dad does your return policy mean due to hygiene they could not be returned for a full refund?
@najara we are working directly with Audien on this offer and the 1-year warranty will be supported. They will take back any customer returns within our standard 30-day window.
Very tempting, but I have become leery of investing too much in products that go on clearance for reasons that aren’t stated, especially if there are many reports of poor customer service. Now that $5 price point, that makes me pull the trigger just for fun. If it’s a disappointment, it was still worth it for the fun of it. If this one was a disappointment it would be more painful.
Can I git a wut wut? Naw, so tell it to the ASL hand cuh I ain’t hearin’ this overpriced by $180 earbud tryna identify as a whole ass hearin’ aid. Not tuhday Audien, not tuhdaaay.
Please toss this in my next Irk. My SO really needs to get his RX hearing aids replaced but he thinks he hates earbuds. If they show up in an IRK, I have plausible deniability to get him to try it. It wasn’t me, it was Irk!
@Jamileigh17 Or you could buy them and then when the irk came pry open a corner of the box and push them in. Heck I’ve had a lot of irks with only a marginal amount of tape, ones where the lid is half off, the side of the box is smashed in, that would be plausible too.
Hi Meh. Circling back on the return policy for these? Can you lay that out for me? I’d hate to get these and have them not be strong enough for his hearing loss. Thanks!
@najara we are working directly with Audien on this offer and the 1-year warranty will be supported. They will take back any customer returns within our standard 30-day window.
So, the usual Asurion warranty, per the Amazon listing, I asked the question…
Is there a warranty?
answered:
Yes, the Atom Pro 2 hearing aids come with a warranty. Audien Hearing offers a 45-day money back guarantee and one year warranty for defective products.
They also list the optional:
Add a Protection Plan:
2-Year Protection for $26.99
3-Year Protection for $36.99
Asurion Complete Protect: One plan covers all eligible past and future purchases (Renews Monthly Until Cancelled) for $16.99/month
@bgammill@troy
Hey thank you so much. My mother just passed away so with her not in the room with dad and us not being able to afford to replace his broken hearing aides, he gets scared (almost blind as well) if left alone for even a few minutes, so hopefully this will at least allow him to hear something for now. I really truly appreciate all the info you guys have all provided. Thank you.
I’ve been here long enough to know that the gag pic is not representative of what’s for sale, but part of my withered heart hoped this was a literal bat in a box cuz I’ve always wanted a bat buddy to chill with
@bass1193 Send me your address. We get them inside our apartments on a regular basis. I have a butterfly net I keep handy to catch them in my, and other, apartments.
@bass1193@Kidsandliz Same here. I’ve tried getting them checked for rabies (as our state department of public health claims they should be) but it turns out to be ridiculously difficult. So now out the window they go!
Also, i really really hate that amazon or meh do not show this product in an actual humans ear…seems to be a thing with this type of product, they say its small, but unless you can see it in a human ear, is it really?
Got the Costco ones a couple of years ago. They work ok with speech, but I had to take them out anytime I was listening to ambient music (which is quite often) because the frequency range is so bad on any audio not being streamed. I believe one way hearing aids or hearing amplifiers get longer battery life is to amplify a smaller part of the audio spectrum. Fortunately I didn’t pay anything on mine. Medicare insurance plan picked up 100%.
@dstraker If it plays that frequency range streaming, it should produce it through direct amplification as well. Might be a mic limitation, but more likely you’ve tweaked your music player’s equalizer to your preferences. There may be an app for your hearing aids that would allow you to do similar tweaking.
Very tempted to check these out. I use Airpod Pros daily for a hearing boost and wonder if these are superior. If anyone comes across a comparison of these and Airpods please link it?
One of my grandpas did this exactly. It was a logistical nightmare but they finally came through and they were the best hearing aids he’d ever had! And he’d spent a TON of money on them over the years. And the free ones were awesome. First time I saw him able to have a conversation in a crowd since I was a wee lad. Really cool to see!
@bass1193 VA audiology clinics have some big advantages. They’re not for profit, they can generally take their time, and they’re strongly motivated to find the best solution for the patient. Plus that contract? Is probably the biggest a hearing aid manufacturer can land in the US. So yes, they get great hearing aids from major brands.
@Brainmist, thanks for all the reputable reviews! I’m a retired flight attendant and, before I figured out to plug my ears on takeoff and landing, I lost a lot of hearing from my jumpseat being between the tail-mounted engines. My husband has been bugging me to get hearing aids and he’s on thin ice with that. I’ve never known Anyone who’s ever been happy with their hearing aides.
I met a woman in a waiting room who raved about Phonak at Costco, but it was >$1k, which is above my pay grade and I don’t want to do it anyway. I bought these to see if I can tolerate them. If so, maybe I can graduate. If not, I’ve wasted $200. I like the warranties. The negative reviews on Amazon are a bit of a turn-off, but some folks are very happy, and are Very Pleased with their customer service. Wish me luck!
@suewalsh1 Being on “thin ice” with my father because he couldn’t hear and I couldn’t communicate with him is why I haven’t spoken to him in a decade. You acclimate to not being able to hear and misinterpret or misunderstand things so often your loved ones just learn to deal with it. Hearing loss also leads to dementia and other serious problems. Try these, but consider real ones from an audiologist.
@suewalsh1@xaronax The big issue with dementia (and depression) is social withdrawal and isolation. Some actions you can take which help are speaking a bit more slowly, leaving small gaps between words, always making sure your lips are visible, getting his attention, and checking in if he seems like he’s missing stuff. Also remember that aging slows down neural processing.
Hearing loss affects about 10% of the US population, and that’s just looking at the primary speech range. It’s a lot more common than people realize.
Even basic amplification can help (although that these seem to boost the whole speech range, instead of the higher frequencies, where people typically have loss). There are a lot of innovations that can do more to maximize what’s left of the person’s sensory ability. But hearing aids are not a cure. Like any prosthetic, they are better than nothing in most cases, but not as good as the original equipment for people who started life with normal hearing.
@Brainmist thanks for the good wishes! I think it would be difficult to prove my hearing loss was the airline’s fault. Workers on the tarmac are provided with ear protection. I loved the job but it would have been worthless without our union. It seems the people who do the work don’t get paid fairly in so many industries now. The C-suite folks make out quite well. 10% of Alaska Airline’s flight attendants either have or are currently living out of their cars: https://simpleflying.com/alaska-airlines-fa-economic-insecurity/ And American Airlines new-hire f/a’s in Boston are given a letter confirming they are being paid poverty wages so they can get government benefits: https://viewfromthewing.com/american-airlines-gives-poverty-verification-letters-to-newly-hired-flight-attendants/
Our tax dollars are supplementing AAL’s bottom line. I was hired in 1980 and I was paid comparable to a new nurse. Keep up the good thoughts! And thanks to Meh for providing the opportunity to try these things!
@suewalsh1 Jeez, that’s awful. We keep bailing out industries, and the stockholders and execs get new yachts while their employees are lucky to get food stamps.
@brainmist Hard to imaging it’s legal; it’s certainly not moral. How much is enough for these greedy bastards? How can they sleep knowing their employees are sleeping in their cars? And I don’t want my tax dollars paying for food stamps and utilities for people working full time jobs! (You realize I’m not saying they should starve or die from temperature extremes. Their companies owe them that)
@suewalsh1 Yeah, no one should starve or be unhoused or without healthcare, and no one working full time should be unable to live comfortably. But somehow we’ve decided that assholes who spend half their day golfing and their whole lives being rich deserve more than the people who actually make, build, manage, provide services, etc, etc, etc.
You know. The ones doing the work that makes the company.
A hearing aid is “a small electronic device that you wear in or behind your ear,” according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.3 It consists of a microphone, which converts soundwaves to electrical signals, and an amplifier that increases the power of the signals, sending them to the ear through a speaker. You can adjust the volume of Audien hearing aids, but only with a screwdriver provided by the company. Most other hearing aids allow you to adjust the volume using a button/dial on the hearing aids themselves or through the company’s app (Audien has neither).Hearing amplifiers, also known as personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), “are intended for people with normal hearing to amplify sounds in certain situations, such as recreational activities like birdwatching or hunting,” according to the FDA.4 The FDA doesn’t regulate PSAPs for safety and effectiveness as they do with hearing aids. Unlike some brands of hearing aids, you don’t need to consult with a hearing aid professional or audiologist to purchase a hearing amplifier. But to determine whether you need a hearing aid or PSAP, it’s recommended you undergo an in-person hearing test with an audiologist to gauge your level of hearing loss. If you’re not able to attend an in-person test, you can also take an online hearing test.
Based on these definitions, two out of the four hearing aids Audien offers are not classified as medical-grade hearing aids, but rather as PSAPs. The EV1 and EV3 are not medical-grade hearing aids, while the Atom and Atom Pro are medical-grade hearing aids registered with the FDA.
So these are Hearing Aids, not amplifiers!
Also, one of the reviews suggested buying the additional package of Audien Hearing Amplifier EV3 Accessories Kit, Silicone Dome Earbuds, Cleaning Brush and Screwdriver, Wax Guards, Carrying CaseAudien Hearing Amplifier EV3 Accessories Kit, Silicone Dome E…
on Amazon for $12.00, primarily for the additional Wax Guards. There, I think I’m done now!
@brainmist Yeah, one YouTube video actually suggested this $12 supplemental pack for the wax guards. Apparently there are different shapes for different brands. And this guy is an audiologist!
I’m gonna guess these are the same “aid” you can find from Temu or Alibaba for $50. It’s not a hearing aid. It’s not worth the meh price. Like someone else mentioned, just like the TV ads. Junk and will not last long. Buyer beware.
@MarkML This is an FDA registered hearing aid. It may be very basic, but so were analog hearing aids 20 years ago relative to digitals.
Will it last? Hard to say. But at least if it gets lost or the dog eats it, it won’t be a huge financial hit.
(If your dog eats your hearing aid, take them to the vet; if the battery leaches, it could cause severe damage. Do not leave your hearing aids where dogs can get to them, because they absolutely love eating things that have been in your ear.)
@brainmist You cracked me up with “my dog ate my hearing aid!” Years ago my dog and I were visiting a gf. Rudy wondered away, was gone too long… he was happily chewing on her plastic dental retainer worth Hundreds. It wasn’t funny then but I’m killing myself laughing now!
@suewalsh1 While my dogs have only eaten a few hearing protection devices, it was so routine to see a dog-destroyed hearing aid. The manufacturers would usually politely pretended the clearly chomped-on remnants had just spontaneously exploded, and replace them. Which is a bit of why hearing aids are so expensive.
@brainmist@MarkML Dogs love eating all sorts of things they shouldn’t eat… If they can put it in their mouth and chew on it most of them will. Of course I have a cat who chews on the lightening end of iphone cords… He’s an expensive little bugger. He’s learned how to open the drawer I put them in so I have to store them elsewhere now.
Thanks @Brainmist, I was trying to find the article I c+p’d above that says THE FDA SAYS THESE ARE HEARING AIDS, NOT TEMU CRAP. @MarkML You said you were “gonna guess…” Well don’t mislead people by guessing please. Those of us with hearing loss have done actual research on these things!
@brainmist I remember when my brother and I were young and we’d be taken to see dad’s parents. My grandfather could be seen hauling these gigantic beige things out of his ears and tucking them in his shirt pocket. Then he’d just sit and smile beautificly throughout our visit. We thought he was so cool cuz our shenanigans didn’t bother him. It never occurred to me to link the beige monstrosities in his pocket to his equanimity.
@brainmist@suewalsh1 I was griping to my neighbors about the noisy lawncare companies that make a racket in the neighborhood. They said “Oh, we just take out our hearing aids.”
Specs
Product: Audien ATOM PRO 2 Wireless Rechargeable OTC Hearing Aid
Model: Atom Pro 2
Condition: New
- Includes a new 2-in-1 UV cleaning & charging case, that kills 99.9% of bacteria while charging
What’s Included?
Price Comparison
$289 at Amazon
Warranty
1-year Audien
Estimated Delivery
Friday, Jul 5 - Monday, Jul 8
I would hope they’re separate, but I believe you meant “discreet”.
@CatsAreGods you got two ears doncha?
@CatsAreGods fixed, thanks!
@CatsAreGods possibly four
@CatsAreGods @pakopako Meow
That there is the most expensive item I have seen on meh in a looooooong time
@jmhsrv You must not have seen the Coleman electric generators of which the most expensive one was over $ 500.
@jmhsrv I misread the price as $18.99 and thought, “What the heck; I’ll see if this gets my spouse to shut up about something something, whatever she says about my listening…”
But at about 10x what my sleepy brain thought? TBNT
/giphy Simpsons deaf
Trying to go for
When do we get rubber chickens? Can they be the glow in the dark kind?
What?
@heartny Qué?
@heartny @yakkoTDI
Oh…que?
@chienfou @heartny @yakkoTDI Too funny!
Probably a good price point for “off the rack” hearing aids but not sure if I would purchase these as my first hearing aids.
Have bought several pairs at Costco and their price point-1,599 for a new pair I just got about a month ago. Would cost probably 4 to 5k at a hearing establishment and their hearing assessment of me (comparing it to my previous test), free cleaning, 3 year warranty (135 per hearing aid to extent it when needed) and one time free replacement if one is lost during the warranty period can’t be beat.
If you had something to compare these to or use them as a backup pair might be a good purchase.
Any questions on my purchase, be happy to answer.
@Felton10 The awesome part of stuff like this though is that even just using the noise canceling technology is vastly more acceptable as a hearing aid which is viewed as a medical device rather than airpods. As a teacher, being able to use something like this would do wonders for helping me stay regulated throughout the craziness of teaching daily.
VAN GOGH! MANGO! TANGO! AWESOME!
@Felton10
Ditto on the Costco source. I just took mine in a month short of the three-year mark when they started having issues staying charged. They fully rebuilt them, put new batteries in and gave me a new charger base… all as part of the warranty. Having them be Bluetooth capable (for mre) is a mixed blessing as sometimes I’m not prepared for them to start playing audio when I turn on a different BT speaker, but overall I really like these. They were able to retune them to account for some additional loss on the right side when I got the new ones back.
@chienfou Actually think when they “repair” them they just send you new ones. Best thing is that when the warranty runs out you can wait until it breaks and then reinstate the warranty as it doesn’t have to be continuous.
Ooof! Been a while since I saw an Amazon product with an 18% 1-star rating…
@Jonas4321 Oof you must be single
@famegirl3001 And you joined Meh just after this product launched here, you have made several pro-product posts and responses, complete with grammatical and spelling errors, you even liked your own attempt at a burn on my post (ew). You’re a shill, this product you are shilling for has an 18% “hate” rate on Amazon, and there is nothing you can do or say about either.
@famegirl3001
And you must be blind…Clearly you can’t read the repeated issues some of these have had over time (I am presuming quality control issues since some people have had no issues with them). I really liked the review that showed the pics where they caught on fire in his locker.
If they croak in 90 days meh has our back. If they croak after that the warranty the manufacturer has may not be honored since they didn’t sell them (not to mention all the complaints about customer service). There is certainly a time and place for these presuming if they croak they do it in 90 days but it’s a lot of money to spend for something that has the kind of negative reviews they have. Hopefully people buying these here will be in the “lucky” group and they will not have issues.
@famegirl3001 @Jonas4321 @Kidsandliz we are working directly with Audien on this offer and the 1-year warranty will be supported. They will take back any customer returns within our standard 30-day window. After that, Audien warranty takes effect.
@famegirl3001 @Jonas4321 @troy Thank you for posting the details of the warranty. That is good to know. And it makes it safer to buy based on why people are negatively reviewing it. Thus if you are unlucky enough to get a “bad” one (rather than one of the “good” ones) you have recourse for 12 months instead of 90 days. Maybe in the future mention any warranty thing in the description that isn’t “standard” meh 90 day warranty?
This is a killer deal. I’ve been eyeing a pair of these for a while, I’m a teacher with sensory issues so something like this would be allowed when earbuds are not. But, I’m a teacher … so I don’t get paid for 2 months. So if you guys run these again, can you wait till Lee September?
@raptorgorawr So you’re not working for 2 months? Sweet.
@therealjrn nope! I budget my 10 months of pay over 12 months so I can enjoy the summer with my children. It just means that we minimize our expenses during the summer months so things like a random $200 purchase just does not make sense right now. The trade off is worth it though, time with my kids is priceless.
@raptorgorawr You might do better with earplugs that don’t drop highs too much, especially if you don’t actually have hearing loss. Noise cancellation isn’t likely to do much with kids’ voices… That’s signal.
@raptorgorawr @therealjrn When I taught had a choice to get my income over 12 mo or over 9 months. I chose over 12.
@therealjrn and teachers get paid poorly enough that the side benefits of school holidays off and summers off to be with their family is what keeps some in the profession - despite the other frustrations they need to deal with, poor pay being just one of them. Helicopter parents, spoiled parents and kids, politicians and their rules that affect their jobs (some of which make no sense) spending hours of their own time unpaid grading papers, teaching prep (my mom taught morning and afternoon kindergarten so 64 kids and daily and on weekends she was doing work and roping us into helping her so it got done sooner - she worked far more than 40 hours a week and since teachers are salaried they get no overtime), etc… For many they love the job and do it despite the pay. Perhaps you could approach your employer and ask to be paid 10/12th of what you are being paid now so you can have your summers off? Just sayin’
@brainmist I’m one of those lucky people that can hear electricity, the pencil scratching paper across the room, etc so ANC does wonders for removing all those extra sounds so I can focus on students better but we can’t wear headphones so my good ANC headphones do me no good at work.
@Kidsandliz most districts in NC stopped offering the 12 option so it’s up to each teacher to save or not save for summer. I save enough for all the bills but not for extras, and yeah, NC teacher pay sucks, my SIL makes double what I make teaching in NY.
@brainmist @raptorgorawr For most of my life I have heard electricity, etc. too. It is only after decades of playing the carillon (cast bells in a tower, usually 4 octaves with both keyboard of “bars” and pedals sort of like an organ has where a several ton bell is loud) I have finally lost enough of that really high frequency hearing that means going into stores and walking right back out due to the high pitched, set your teeth on edge squeal is a thing of the past.
@Kidsandliz @raptorgorawr that is an extremely cool instrument to get to play.
@raptorgorawr Have you tried using passive flat(ter) attenuation earplugs? I have a few friends with extreme difficulty ignoring low level background sounds, and have had a couple say they did with these:Loop earplugs
@Kidsandliz
@therealjrn Until you have heard what @raptorgorawr and I hear you have no idea what you are taking about. In my case it seemed like it came from florescent lights, TV’s, etc. It is a sound that just plain sets your teeth on edge. My mom didn’t understand why I didn’t want to go into certain stores and since she didn’t hear what I heard she didn’t understand. I had a hearing test as a kid because of this and tests one and a half standard deviations above ‘average’/‘normal’ with much higher high frequency hearing than most people.
@brainmist @raptorgorawr Yes I grew up by a carillon and learned to play it. Played it through college, was in the Netherlands (the home of these along with Flemish Belgium) for a while taking lessons and playing market day recitals. Years ago I played at the Peace Tower by Niagara Falls when someone was on vacation so I covered for him. For decades I played christmas eve services. As a 20 something though we’d do incredibly stupid things like stand inside the 12 ton low G bell at University of Michigan while someone played that key. We’d put our fingers in our ears (likely not enough protection) and feel our bones vibrate from the sound.
The practice instrument had metal xylophone bars which were pretty shrill that when we’d press the key down with the side of our hand would cause a hammer to hit the sound bar. I am sure that didn’t do my hearing much good either.
@Kidsandliz @raptorgorawr Yeah, musicians routinely experience hearing loss (hence in-ear monitors). On the plus, lower frequencies are less harmful to hearing, so maybe that wasn’t completely terrible? Maybe?
@brainmist @raptorgorawr It’s water under the bridge at this point…
Is this a hearing aid or a hearing amplifier? It seems like this is just the latter.
A hearing aid is programmable and can adjust individual frequencies for each user. A hearing amplifier just makes things louder overall, regardless of “noise cancellation” or not.
@haydesigner I see the infomercials for this type of product all the time, comparing them to $5k hearing aids, and claiming they aren’t just amplifiers, and at the price point they’re selling for (even NOT on Meh) I’m inclined to disagree with that assertion. There’s no way even a $300 pair is a hearing aid in the same way a $5,000 pair is. I’m sure these are great if you just wanna hear the TV better without turning it up, but they’re likely not a replacement for proper prescription hearing aids. (I also think those are ridiculously expensive.)
@haydesigner This is a hearing aid. They can’t legally claim otherwise if it’s not. It does allow for some adjustment. If they were behind the ear, I’d be tempted… But ITC means occlusion, and pass.
@brainmist @haydesigner not sure that laws stop some sellers from naming things improperly. Not a commentary on Meh, btw.
@haydesigner @Jonas4321 lol, with OTC hearing aids? There’s likely a lot of vigilance by the bigger manufacturers, and quick whistleblowing to the FDA, which can fine them.
But these are FDA-registered as hearing aids. They meet the minimum requirements.
These play to some pretty grim reviews on Amazon. How long can they be used and still be able to return for a Refund? I notice they are not selling like hot cakes ( sold 2 sets after about 1/2 hour, both in Minnesota)
I’m sure it’s not Audien’s fault, but these things are one of the most common subjects in the garbage spam emails I get, right up there with “Elon’s Watt Saver” and the Trump bobbleheads…
I just bought pair for husband for $2800 from costco. Goinf to return and get a pair of these!!
@famegirl3001 eh… look at some of the comments here, some of the reviews… there are reasons for the 10x price difference. A lot of these cheap ones (some reviews claim also these specific ones are, but notably no actual product descriptions explain the difference or clarify which is offered) are just basic amplifiers - in fairness, that’s all some people need - but the more complex ones (not necessarily more expensive, but often) are highly customizable and can amplify only the frequencies that are missing in your specific hearing, and can pair with phones and whatnot to provide further customization like listening zones for specific situations (in front of you in a crowded restaurant, say) and filtered audio via Bluetooth so that music also sounds right again. There’s more benefits than just the immediately obvious in the nicer ones.
Now, if you don’t have $3k conveniently to spend, these are a lot more palatable, even if you can get insurance or an HSA or something to help. But if you’re able to afford the real ones, I’d look carefully.
@jsfs well I can’t loose on $189 haHa! Even if they’re not quality I can use that 3k extra cash for our sun to help them buy a home! Lol doctors charge arm and leg
@jsfs a REAL user comparison to the $3k unit would be worth gold.
If I wasn’t getting hearing surgery in a month, I’d absolutely jump on these and then on a $3k costco pair and compare.
Is there going to be an improvement going from a $200 unit to a $3k unit? Nothing I have seen/read over the years is assuring me of anything more than ‘possibly’, at best, but guaranteed it won’t be anywhere near 15 times…
@jsfs You are conversing with a shill for this product. famegirl3001 joined just this morning and is shilling this product. They did not spend $3K and won’t be using savings to help their “sun” with a home purchase.
@famegirl3001 And then when they catch on fire like one review said along with photos of that, or all they do is squeal or break after a short period of time like a bunch of reviews say happens, but that happens past meh’s 90 day warranty and you discover they won’t honor their life time warranty (never mind all the complaints about the company’s customer service) because you bought it here… your “sun” will be asking you over and over “can you hear me now?”.
@jsfs I agree with @Jonas4321 on who famegirl3001 is.
@Jonas4321 @jsfs @Kidsandliz ignore the famewhore.
That entity’s a troll anyway…and liking its own posts (ew).
Hey @famegirl3001 I see you haven’t bought these yet so your “sun” can buy his house. Have a bit of a truth problem do you? Your son is going to hate you now.
From the profile at 7:45am CT: famegirl3001 joined us 8 hours ago. famegirl3001 is an unknowable enigma having placed 0 orders
What is your commission for the sales numbers here? Are you the owner of the company that makes this? Or are you just someone’s experiment with AI(in which case this is a big fail?
@Kidsandliz if famegirl3001 is an AI, it is the very best I have ever seen! It acts exactly like a human shill from an Asian Country Not To Be Named would, complete with misspellings, broken English, untruths and lame attempts at self-boosting. OpenAI better watch out - this one sounds more real than ChatGPT!
@Jonas4321 @Kidsandliz But what purpose would shilling do? Doesn’t meh generally get products offloaded to them cheaply, then resell? As in, Audien would have already made whatever money?
@brainmist @Kidsandliz fair point, I don’t know. Since these are already being sold on Amazon, perhaps an overall boost to their sales would help? Maybe to help Meh sales? But if you are positing that famegirl3001 is a real consumer and not someone merely here promoting this product, I cannot find my way to an agreement.
@brainmist @Jonas4321 said she was going to buy and hasn’t.
@Jonas4321 @Kidsandliz I agree there’s more than a bit suspect about the account, I just can’t imagine the reason.
Edit: read @Troy’s comment below: “we are working directly with Audien on this offer and the 1-year warranty will be supported. They will take back any customer returns within our standard 30-day window.”
So maybe Audien DOES benefit from shilling.
Giving her this as a gift seems like an expensive way to start an argument with the wife. She’s either got a hearing problem or a listening problem.
@warpedrotors maybe you actually DO mumble?
My elderly mother lost her expensive set. Hopefully this will help without the heavy cost.
Found a decent run down of these. They seem very basic, but could help; just amplifying is a step up. Too bad they’re not behind the ear: more universal fit, far less occlusion.
Audien review
@brainmist
Here is another detailed review of this hearing aid. It’s not the worst out there (although near the bottom), and considering the price there is no way we can expect it to be the best. Reading that evaluation it may or may not meet your needs (they graph out what it does well or not so well).
https://www.hearadvisor.com/products/audien-atom-pro-2#
@Kidsandliz yeah, that output graph is helpful. Word they’re go with so much low frequency amplification, and no ability to adjust it; the majority of hearing losses are higher frequency.
So just so I am clear, if these aren’t quite strong enough for my dad does your return policy mean due to hygiene they could not be returned for a full refund?
@najara we are working directly with Audien on this offer and the 1-year warranty will be supported. They will take back any customer returns within our standard 30-day window.
@troy Thank you so much!
ahhh…What?
Very tempting, but I have become leery of investing too much in products that go on clearance for reasons that aren’t stated, especially if there are many reports of poor customer service. Now that $5 price point, that makes me pull the trigger just for fun. If it’s a disappointment, it was still worth it for the fun of it. If this one was a disappointment it would be more painful.
Can I git a wut wut? Naw, so tell it to the ASL hand cuh I ain’t hearin’ this overpriced by $180 earbud tryna identify as a whole ass hearin’ aid. Not tuhday Audien, not tuhdaaay.
Please toss this in my next Irk. My SO really needs to get his RX hearing aids replaced but he thinks he hates earbuds. If they show up in an IRK, I have plausible deniability to get him to try it. It wasn’t me, it was Irk!
@Jamileigh17 Or you could buy them and then when the irk came pry open a corner of the box and push them in. Heck I’ve had a lot of irks with only a marginal amount of tape, ones where the lid is half off, the side of the box is smashed in, that would be plausible too.
Hi Meh. Circling back on the return policy for these? Can you lay that out for me? I’d hate to get these and have them not be strong enough for his hearing loss. Thanks!
@najara
I don’t believe “buyer regret” is cause for return under meh’s policies.
@najara we are working directly with Audien on this offer and the 1-year warranty will be supported. They will take back any customer returns within our standard 30-day window.
@najara @troy
Do we return to Meh or to Audien to take advantage of this generous offer?
@bgammill @najara contact our CS team about any issues and we will advise on next steps
@najara @troy
So, the usual Asurion warranty, per the Amazon listing, I asked the question…
Is there a warranty?
answered:
Yes, the Atom Pro 2 hearing aids come with a warranty. Audien Hearing offers a 45-day money back guarantee and one year warranty for defective products.
They also list the optional:
Add a Protection Plan:
2-Year Protection for $26.99
3-Year Protection for $36.99
Asurion Complete Protect: One plan covers all eligible past and future purchases (Renews Monthly Until Cancelled) for $16.99/month
@bgammill @troy
Hey thank you so much. My mother just passed away so with her not in the room with dad and us not being able to afford to replace his broken hearing aides, he gets scared (almost blind as well) if left alone for even a few minutes, so hopefully this will at least allow him to hear something for now. I really truly appreciate all the info you guys have all provided. Thank you.
I’ve been here long enough to know that the gag pic is not representative of what’s for sale, but part of my withered heart hoped this was a literal bat in a box cuz I’ve always wanted a bat buddy to chill with
@bass1193 Send me your address. We get them inside our apartments on a regular basis. I have a butterfly net I keep handy to catch them in my, and other, apartments.
@bass1193 @Kidsandliz Same here. I’ve tried getting them checked for rabies (as our state department of public health claims they should be) but it turns out to be ridiculously difficult. So now out the window they go!
I wonder if you could buy a 3 year warranty from someone like square trade on these?..or asurion?..anyone know?
@wolfcal up higher someone posted their extended warranty cost.
Also, i really really hate that amazon or meh do not show this product in an actual humans ear…seems to be a thing with this type of product, they say its small, but unless you can see it in a human ear, is it really?
@wolfcal
schlongs with backwards elizabethian collars
Got the Costco ones a couple of years ago. They work ok with speech, but I had to take them out anytime I was listening to ambient music (which is quite often) because the frequency range is so bad on any audio not being streamed. I believe one way hearing aids or hearing amplifiers get longer battery life is to amplify a smaller part of the audio spectrum. Fortunately I didn’t pay anything on mine. Medicare insurance plan picked up 100%.
@dstraker If it plays that frequency range streaming, it should produce it through direct amplification as well. Might be a mic limitation, but more likely you’ve tweaked your music player’s equalizer to your preferences. There may be an app for your hearing aids that would allow you to do similar tweaking.
Very tempted to check these out. I use Airpod Pros daily for a hearing boost and wonder if these are superior. If anyone comes across a comparison of these and Airpods please link it?
@meauxfaux comparison
People thinking about getting hearing aids, if you served in the US military, you may be able to get them free through the VA.
@brainmist
One of my grandpas did this exactly. It was a logistical nightmare but they finally came through and they were the best hearing aids he’d ever had! And he’d spent a TON of money on them over the years. And the free ones were awesome. First time I saw him able to have a conversation in a crowd since I was a wee lad. Really cool to see!
POPSOCKETS! SPROCKETS! DAVY CROCKETT! AWESOME!
@bass1193 VA audiology clinics have some big advantages. They’re not for profit, they can generally take their time, and they’re strongly motivated to find the best solution for the patient. Plus that contract? Is probably the biggest a hearing aid manufacturer can land in the US. So yes, they get great hearing aids from major brands.
When I go deaf and need a hearing aide, I want one that looks like a rubber chicken sticking out of my ear.
@OnionSoup While I don’t want to wish deafness on you I would love to see a picture of those hearing aides.
@OnionSoup @yakkoTDI
/showme rubber chicken ear trumpet
@mediocrebot
/showme ear trumpet made out of a rubber chicken
@Brainmist, thanks for all the reputable reviews! I’m a retired flight attendant and, before I figured out to plug my ears on takeoff and landing, I lost a lot of hearing from my jumpseat being between the tail-mounted engines. My husband has been bugging me to get hearing aids and he’s on thin ice with that. I’ve never known Anyone who’s ever been happy with their hearing aides.
I met a woman in a waiting room who raved about Phonak at Costco, but it was >$1k, which is above my pay grade and I don’t want to do it anyway. I bought these to see if I can tolerate them. If so, maybe I can graduate. If not, I’ve wasted $200. I like the warranties. The negative reviews on Amazon are a bit of a turn-off, but some folks are very happy, and are Very Pleased with their customer service. Wish me luck!
@suewalsh1 Good luck! And why flight crew aren’t provided hearing protection, I will never know. You might have the basis for a workers’ comp claim.
@suewalsh1 Being on “thin ice” with my father because he couldn’t hear and I couldn’t communicate with him is why I haven’t spoken to him in a decade. You acclimate to not being able to hear and misinterpret or misunderstand things so often your loved ones just learn to deal with it. Hearing loss also leads to dementia and other serious problems. Try these, but consider real ones from an audiologist.
@suewalsh1 @xaronax The big issue with dementia (and depression) is social withdrawal and isolation. Some actions you can take which help are speaking a bit more slowly, leaving small gaps between words, always making sure your lips are visible, getting his attention, and checking in if he seems like he’s missing stuff. Also remember that aging slows down neural processing.
Hearing loss affects about 10% of the US population, and that’s just looking at the primary speech range. It’s a lot more common than people realize.
Even basic amplification can help (although that these seem to boost the whole speech range, instead of the higher frequencies, where people typically have loss). There are a lot of innovations that can do more to maximize what’s left of the person’s sensory ability. But hearing aids are not a cure. Like any prosthetic, they are better than nothing in most cases, but not as good as the original equipment for people who started life with normal hearing.
Anyway. Wear hearing protection.
@Brainmist thanks for the good wishes! I think it would be difficult to prove my hearing loss was the airline’s fault. Workers on the tarmac are provided with ear protection. I loved the job but it would have been worthless without our union. It seems the people who do the work don’t get paid fairly in so many industries now. The C-suite folks make out quite well. 10% of Alaska Airline’s flight attendants either have or are currently living out of their cars: https://simpleflying.com/alaska-airlines-fa-economic-insecurity/ And American Airlines new-hire f/a’s in Boston are given a letter confirming they are being paid poverty wages so they can get government benefits: https://viewfromthewing.com/american-airlines-gives-poverty-verification-letters-to-newly-hired-flight-attendants/
Our tax dollars are supplementing AAL’s bottom line. I was hired in 1980 and I was paid comparable to a new nurse. Keep up the good thoughts! And thanks to Meh for providing the opportunity to try these things!
@suewalsh1 Jeez, that’s awful. We keep bailing out industries, and the stockholders and execs get new yachts while their employees are lucky to get food stamps.
@brainmist Hard to imaging it’s legal; it’s certainly not moral. How much is enough for these greedy bastards? How can they sleep knowing their employees are sleeping in their cars? And I don’t want my tax dollars paying for food stamps and utilities for people working full time jobs! (You realize I’m not saying they should starve or die from temperature extremes. Their companies owe them that)
@suewalsh1 Yeah, no one should starve or be unhoused or without healthcare, and no one working full time should be unable to live comfortably. But somehow we’ve decided that assholes who spend half their day golfing and their whole lives being rich deserve more than the people who actually make, build, manage, provide services, etc, etc, etc.
You know. The ones doing the work that makes the company.
@brainmist @suewalsh1
SO infuriating!
@brainmist I so agree! So how did we get here? And how can we get back to how it was when the middle-class was thriving?
@suewalsh1
/giphy guillotine
@brainmist Anyone in particular you might target with that thing? I’ve got a list if you don’t!
@brainmist @suewalsh1
That’s an amazing gif!
A hearing aid is “a small electronic device that you wear in or behind your ear,” according to the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders.3 It consists of a microphone, which converts soundwaves to electrical signals, and an amplifier that increases the power of the signals, sending them to the ear through a speaker. You can adjust the volume of Audien hearing aids, but only with a screwdriver provided by the company. Most other hearing aids allow you to adjust the volume using a button/dial on the hearing aids themselves or through the company’s app (Audien has neither).Hearing amplifiers, also known as personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), “are intended for people with normal hearing to amplify sounds in certain situations, such as recreational activities like birdwatching or hunting,” according to the FDA.4 The FDA doesn’t regulate PSAPs for safety and effectiveness as they do with hearing aids. Unlike some brands of hearing aids, you don’t need to consult with a hearing aid professional or audiologist to purchase a hearing amplifier. But to determine whether you need a hearing aid or PSAP, it’s recommended you undergo an in-person hearing test with an audiologist to gauge your level of hearing loss. If you’re not able to attend an in-person test, you can also take an online hearing test.
Based on these definitions, two out of the four hearing aids Audien offers are not classified as medical-grade hearing aids, but rather as PSAPs. The EV1 and EV3 are not medical-grade hearing aids, while the Atom and Atom Pro are medical-grade hearing aids registered with the FDA.
So these are Hearing Aids, not amplifiers!
Also, one of the reviews suggested buying the additional package of Audien Hearing Amplifier EV3 Accessories Kit, Silicone Dome Earbuds, Cleaning Brush and Screwdriver, Wax Guards, Carrying CaseAudien Hearing Amplifier EV3 Accessories Kit, Silicone Dome E…
on Amazon for $12.00, primarily for the additional Wax Guards. There, I think I’m done now!
@suewalsh1 If these work for you and you have even slightly waxy ears, wax guards will be helpful!
@brainmist Yeah, one YouTube video actually suggested this $12 supplemental pack for the wax guards. Apparently there are different shapes for different brands. And this guy is an audiologist!
@suewalsh1 I’m an audiologist too! And yes, different brands have different specs.
@brainmist You hot ticket! I thought you sounded unusually knowledgeable! You’ve got the cred, my dear.
I’m gonna guess these are the same “aid” you can find from Temu or Alibaba for $50. It’s not a hearing aid. It’s not worth the meh price. Like someone else mentioned, just like the TV ads. Junk and will not last long. Buyer beware.
@MarkML This is an FDA registered hearing aid. It may be very basic, but so were analog hearing aids 20 years ago relative to digitals.
Will it last? Hard to say. But at least if it gets lost or the dog eats it, it won’t be a huge financial hit.
(If your dog eats your hearing aid, take them to the vet; if the battery leaches, it could cause severe damage. Do not leave your hearing aids where dogs can get to them, because they absolutely love eating things that have been in your ear.)
@brainmist You cracked me up with “my dog ate my hearing aid!” Years ago my dog and I were visiting a gf. Rudy wondered away, was gone too long… he was happily chewing on her plastic dental retainer worth Hundreds. It wasn’t funny then but I’m killing myself laughing now!
@suewalsh1 While my dogs have only eaten a few hearing protection devices, it was so routine to see a dog-destroyed hearing aid. The manufacturers would usually politely pretended the clearly chomped-on remnants had just spontaneously exploded, and replace them. Which is a bit of why hearing aids are so expensive.
@brainmist @MarkML Dogs love eating all sorts of things they shouldn’t eat… If they can put it in their mouth and chew on it most of them will. Of course I have a cat who chews on the lightening end of iphone cords… He’s an expensive little bugger. He’s learned how to open the drawer I put them in so I have to store them elsewhere now.
Thanks @Brainmist, I was trying to find the article I c+p’d above that says THE FDA SAYS THESE ARE HEARING AIDS, NOT TEMU CRAP. @MarkML You said you were “gonna guess…” Well don’t mislead people by guessing please. Those of us with hearing loss have done actual research on these things!
@suewalsh1 These details are searchable, and I wish people would search, instead of making assumptions.
Like, honestly, do you have any idea where analog hearing aids were relative to even the most basic digital? And yet? Still hearing aids.
@brainmist It’s true I’m sure! The advances we’ve made in the last decade are amazing; I’m sure you’ve seen some wonderful things!
@brainmist I remember when my brother and I were young and we’d be taken to see dad’s parents. My grandfather could be seen hauling these gigantic beige things out of his ears and tucking them in his shirt pocket. Then he’d just sit and smile beautificly throughout our visit. We thought he was so cool cuz our shenanigans didn’t bother him. It never occurred to me to link the beige monstrosities in his pocket to his equanimity.
@brainmist @suewalsh1
I was griping to my neighbors about the noisy lawncare companies that make a racket in the neighborhood. They said “Oh, we just take out our hearing aids.”