Hearing Aids Central - Melody A3

Hello Fpoldy:
I am the CEO of www.hearingaidscentral.com24. Because we manufacture our hearing aids here in the USA and we only sell over the Internet, we can afford to sell them a lower price. Since we introduced th Melody models in 2006 we have sold over 24,000 of them. The vast majority of our customers have been very happy with the quality and sound of the Melody hearing aids and the only returns we have been asked to take back have been when a customer did not provide an audiogram, and their hearing loss was too great for the hearing aid to rectify.

Please call us toll free if you have any questions: 877-611-4636.

@Hearingaidguy said:

Hello Fpoldy:
I the only returns we have been asked to take back have been when a customer did not provide an audiogram, and their hearing loss was too great for the hearing aid to rectify.

Let me get this straight, you sold a $900 instrument to people who did not have an audiogram???:eek:

To dampen the gain AHEAD of loud transient sounds… what the heck?! Isn’t that the same as predicting the future?!

I’m wondering if that “look ahead” function could be programmed to look ahead to the next lottery numbers

Hello Frank:
As an audiologist you seem to be uninformed of the technology of our Melody hearing aids. I’ll address your comments in order:

1. Regarding the amplification of the Melody A3: You are incorrect on the amplification capabilities of the Melody A3. At 8000Hz, we can and do amplify to 110dB. Please read the specification again. If we have a customer who has such a serious hearing loss, we provide an optional occluding bud (tip) so they get the full advantage of the amplification. With that said, such a profound hearing loss means there are almost no inner hairs on the basilar membrane at that frequency that can transmit these vibrations to the brain. When we get these types of customers, we always caution them that our hearing aids will only recover a maximum of 20% of hearing loss at such profound hearing loss levels, regardless of how much we can amplify.
2. Regarding the sampling rate: We state this in the first paragraph under Technical Information and it is 2.56 million calculations per second and is done by the pre-amplifier before the sounds are passed on to the DSP (Digital Signal Processor).
3. Regarding Channel defintions: We call the frequencies at which hearing is tested and at which a hearing aid is programmed as similar to equalizer bands on a stereo. In our case we have 12 of them, although most audiologists only test at 8 of those bands. We call the 4 environmental settings “channels” and both of these terminologies are better understood by our customers.
4. Regarding the “look ahead detection” terminology. This is a common terminology used to describe the activity of certain electronic circuits. Try googling the words. In our hearing aids, the pre-amp samples at the 2.56 million times a second, and if there are any sounds that are outside the prescrobed decibel range, they are filtered out before they have a chance to get to the DSP.
5. Regarding the optional audiogram. Who are you to decide what a customer should and should not provide? We have stubborn customers who won’t go and get their ears tested. So be it. We try to help them as much as possible, but if they want to spend the money on a hearing aid that is not an exact fit, programming-wise, then who ar we to deny them a product they want to buy? They can always send the hearing aid back later with an audiogram for us to program.
6. Regarding the Consumer Reports omission. Two year ago, we were actually contaced by someone doing research for Consumer Reports. When we told them what are sales were, they thought we were not large enough to be in their survey. However, to see how some of our customers like our hearing aids, please visit hearingaidscentral.com1 .
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7. Your last paragraph is completely out of line. If you can’t believe we have sold that many hearing aids in 4 1/2 years online then that is your problem. Our sister company, www.patientnet.com3 has been in business since 1996, and www.hearingaidscentral.com4 plans to be in business many years into the future. We have invested many hundreds of thousands of dollars into manufacturing and distribution costs, and for you to call us “fly-by-night” is laughable. I believe the real reason for your animosity towards us in your post is the fear of competition and the fact that a company like us can make and sell top quality hearing aids at affordable prices, thus undercutting audiologists like you. So be it. Competition drives down prices, and the consumer is the ultimate winner. To get an idea where we see the hearing aid business going, please visit http://www.hearingcentral.com/HearingAidOpportunities.ppt2 for a presentation I made in 2006 . Many of my predictions in the presentation are coming true.

Sincerely,
Phil Wyatt CEO

hearingaidscentral.com

This domain may be for sale!

“Checks micro-seconds ahead for loud sounds and dampens them so they don’t affect the wearer.” Give me a break!!!

To dampen the gain AHEAD of loud transient sounds… what the heck?! Isn’t that the same as predicting the future?!

I’m wondering if that “look ahead” function could be programmed to look ahead to the next lottery numbers

This is being unfair. Many hearing aids can already do this.

@lilywhite said:

Update: www.hearingaidscentral.com no longer exists. Audiology win!

Not so fast, lilywhite. FYI, www.hearingaidscentral.com6 and www.hearingcentral.com4 are still alive and well! Unfortunately, in 2012, the founder Phil Wyatt passed away and the company continued operations until January 1, 2014. For a short time, the company and website were closed, but in July 2014 it was resurrected to continue its original mission of providing high-quality, low-cost hearing aids to clients from all across the U.S. and others across the world, from Iceland to New Zealand. I’m sorry to read of your animosity towards online retailers, but we fill a niche that you never will and likely never would want to fill - helping those who either haven’t the budget or won’t spend the thousands charged at brick-and-mortar retailers, ENT and audiology centers. We are not working against you, but are often just warming up your buyers for future purchases of more expensive technologies. I wish you success in your own audiology practice and hope your 2015 is a great success for you and your valuable clients!

All my best,

• Edward

Edward A. Maznio, President
Hearing Central LLC
www.HearingCentral.com
1-877-611-4636
ENJOY LIFE’S MOMENTS

— Updated —

@lilywhite said:

Update: www.hearingaidscentral.com no longer exists. Audiology win!

Not so fast, lilywhite. FYI, www.hearingaidscentral.com and www.hearingcentral.com are still alive and well! Unfortunately, in 2012, the founder Phil Wyatt passed away and the company continued operations until January 1, 2014. For a short time, the company and website were closed, but in July 2014 it was resurrected to continue its original mission of providing high-quality, low-cost hearing aids to clients from all across the U.S. and others across the world, from Iceland to New Zealand. I’m sorry to read of your animosity towards online retailers, but we fill a niche that you never will and likely never would want to fill - helping those who either haven’t the budget or won’t spend the thousands charged at brick-and-mortar retailers, ENT and audiology centers. We are not working against you, but are often just warming up your buyers for future purchases of more expensive technologies. I wish you success in your own audiology practice and hope your 2015 is a great success for you and your valuable clients!

All my best,

• Edward

Edward A. Maznio, President
Hearing Central LLC
www.HearingCentral.com
1-877-611-4636
ENJOY LIFE’S MOMENTS