Hi, I’m a retired pilot and it’s time for a hearing aids. I’m skeptical about in house boutique hearing aid sales that the is pushing for. It reminds me of my wife getting hard sold pricey glasses at the eye doctor. My medical insurance is pushing towards an in house brand True Hearing, and I’m leaning towards the Jabra Micro at Costco.
Questions is becoming more popular ?
Is still a preferable option ?
Is really a thing or is this a trendy buzz word for hearing aids ?
Any other brands that should be considered for god performance and value ?
I’d love to share with you our AuracastTM broadcast audio experience to date at Bethel Evangelical Lutheran Church in Manassas, VA.
We have an existing FM transmitter that is used with loaner bodypacks and either earbuds or headphones within our worship space. As a next iteration on our hearing assistance support, we split the feed to the FM transmitter and hooked up a HomeSpot BA-210 AuracastTM broadcast audio transmitter.
This immediately just simply worked! We were able to connect with mu…
INTRODUCING Auracast™ broadcast audio is a new Bluetooth® capability that will deliver life-changing audio experiences. It will let you share your audio, unmute your world, and hear your best…
The is old technology that I was told is more popular on the East coast then on the West coast. It’s expensive to install, so that somewhat limits it’s availability. Auracast is cheap to install in comparison. You will have to see if it’s installed at the venues you frequent.
It depends on your definition of artificial intelligence as to if it is something real or just marketing. If you are having trouble hearing in noisy locations, then you want the best hearing aid that fixes it for you. The Phonak Sphere, Jabra 30 and perhaps the Starkey have the latest technology for hearing-in-noise.
Oticon is coming out with something new. So maybe wait a bit to see what they bring out.
You might take a look at Zip hearing’s prices. If you want a hearing aid that Costco doesn’t sell.
Your source for the world's leading hearing aids at drastic discounts, with local service included. See photos, videos, user reviews, product features and more.
I’m not a fan of de-branded (TruHearing) (except for the Costco variants) unless you are getting a very good price with insurance coverage.
(1) will become more popular. I have no need for it but many in this forum do.
(2) Jabra is the only model that has Auracast today (of the Costco models) AFAIK.
(3) works but it will be replaced by Auracast eventually (slowly).
(4) is real and it biggest advantange in the performance of the algorithms in noisy/loud environments for those who struggle (hearing) in those situations
(5) All Costco brands are more or less equivalent, with some having features that the others don’t. That’s why Costco allows you to test multiple brands during the fitting process. HAs sound preference is very personal.
(6) Examples: Jabra claims top performance in noisy environments, Sennheiser claims Universal bluetooth connectivity, Rexton claims high performance with multiple speakers, Phillips claims clear and natural sound.
The Jabra 30s from Costco are a very good choice and excellent value. The chips improve the Hear in Noise (aka Restaurant mode) setting noticably over my Resound Ones or the Jabra 20s (=Resound Nexia).
If you don’t have too much trouble hearing in restaurants you can get the Jabra 30s with disposable batteries instead of the rechargeable version if desired. (Only the recharable version include the AI chips, due to increased power needs - or so we are told).
The only local I know of comes from my TV Streamer+. The 30s also work fine with my older Resound TV Streamer II, btw.
deployment seems slow in my view. It’s definitely the future. I don’t know how critical it is at this point for most people. is great IF you have a venue that uses it. If not, it’s pretty useless. (I have telecoil capable aids and have never used it)
is useful for speech in noise. I certainly am supportive of going to Costco. I’d personally see what they recommend. All of Costco aids are good. Depends on what you prioritize.
Yes, all I’ve read about Costco is positive. It’s important to have confidence in the specialist but that is the same in more specialized (and more expensive) outlets as well .
IMHO right now the biggest advantage that ReSound/Jabra’s has over other solutions is how nicely it operates in parallel with the ’s Bluetooth connection to your phone.
Once you connect to an Auracast stream, you can very easily switch to it or away from it via the smartphone app.
Compare this with Phonak: They support 2 simultaneous regular Bluetooth connections, but you have no way to explicitly select one or the other. Sometimes it automatically works the way you want, sometimes you have to turn the unwanted Bluetooth transmitter off.
In that case, Costco is a good plan, Their offerings are premium tier at great prices.
If you get a good fitter they should be able to guide you to the best choice for your specific needs.
The Jabra is a rebranded ReSound, which is one of the tops.For more info and reviews you should head over to the Hearing Aids section at top right of the page.
When I called to set up the appointment, the Costco guy on the phone was knowledgable. So, that’s a good start. I also have an appointment at a local shop that carries True Hearing which is recommended by my medical insurance. It would still be $1K to me for the True Hearing. Also I have an appointment at the for a “free” demonstration of the hearing aids they carry. I’m a little concerned on this one that the knowledge gained might not be worth putting up with a pushy hard sell approach. Having spoken to all three on the phone, Costco and the Jabra EP 30 seem most impressive. The other two should be at least good as a learning experience but I’m not sure. Spending $6k seems very hard to justify if it’s unnecessary.
Allot of info on the hearing aids page.
Is the Jabra EP 30 in fact a rebranded Resound Vivia Micro 7 ?
So True Hearing uses Signia product, which at costco is their Rexton. Compare the 2, and look at jabra. Do side by side comparisons on the Hearing aid section here at hearingtracker. Figure out what features you’re looking for.
Are you android or iphone, big difference. Samsung & Pixel have and , which will supplant shortly. Apple isn’t there, yet. The Jabra, Rexton, and Philips at costco all have LEA.
It is a game changer for extended range, and close to HiFi sound (if fitted right).
It’s iPhone for me and will check out hearing tracker.
I guess getting fitted and using custom tips can make a big difference too. This part is concerning because I can not use ear buds. They just will not stay in my ears. I’ve tried several brands.
Make sure that the company you select is an in-house company under your insurance and also that the provider within that company is verified by your insurance.
My insurance company gives a “flex card” which has a $600 allowance for hearing. I verified on both sides that it should work at Costco. The rest is on me. Otherwise True Hearing is the only covered option for $1k to me, so the Costco Jabra Pro 30 and the True Hearing would cost about the same to me. The $600 has to be at a brick and mortar store, so any of the Costco options are eligible.
Compare warranty coverage by the providers. How long is the warranty, what is the return policy. What is the charge if you have to replace a lost aid. Unlimited visits and are and domes free of charge ? Can you have the aids sent in for replacement batteries at the end of warranty at no charge? These are questions you should consider
You are entering into a relationship with the provider. You normally cannot purchase aids from one vendor and have them serviced by another vendor.
You will probably be replacing aids every 3-5 years on average so consider that cost in your decision. Aids are similar to smartphones, the technology is ever evolving and after 3-5 the technology is significant enough to warrant the change.
The V.A. supplies my aids… but I’ve tagged along with a couple friends to Costco for their aids and just can’t find a downside to using Costco. 180 days trials, no restocking bs. 100% returnable.
Yes, do make sure your phone is compatible with whatever hearing aid you go with - especially the Jabras. If in doubt, it would be an ideal time to upgrade.
I started way back with Kirkland 5s, which were rebranded Resound at the time. So it made sense to me to stay with Resound, hence the Jabra 30s.
The Jabras have a number of bells and whistles that are only accessible through the phone app.
Also note that the Costco fitter will initially set the loudness to factory specs, which for a brand new user is going to seem too loud. Don’t be afraid to have them tone things down some at the initial fitting. You will be scheduling a follow up appointment at two or three weeks for additional adjustments.
All hearing aids have the same compatibility with iPhones (Starkey, Jabra/Resound, Rexton/Signia, Widex). So short answer, yes (The beauty of bringing a certified Apple device in Apple’s ecosystem)
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