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New to Hearing Aids - looking for help

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After many years of putting it off I’ve finally had a hearing test at Specsavers Australia. As expected I am experiencing hearing loss - report is here:

The audiologist was great and answered all of my questions and I left thinking I knew everything I needed to but - I was mistaken.

There are so many opinions, choices and things to consider it is overwhelming.

I’ve decided that of the Specsaver options they have available I am going to go with the Advance (I don’t mind being locked into Specsavers adjusting them) Elite rechargable version (~$4,000.00 AUD).

My preferences were either the or the - I know there is no definitive answer but how much “better” do the RIC sound? Can anyone that’s tried both styles advise what they thought?

I also believe the CIC don’t have Bluetooth - I think Bluetooth would be a really good feature - can anyone confirm how useful it is? Are there any CIC brands that have Bluetooth I could consider?

Finally are there any recommendations for other brands or retailers I should consider?

I hate to be that guy that has just joint and posts a wall of questions - but I really appreciate and feedback or advice.

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Edited

I am also pretty new here, don’t worry about asking questions the people in here are awesome and knowledgeable.

Lots of helpful souls.

Bluetooth essentially turns hearing aids into a headset, I find personally that the sound quality is great and the feature very useful.

I do a lot of remote meetings and love the experience of full sound and speech understanding at the same time.

I stream to the hearing aids for about 6hrs per day so as I said very useful for my personal requirements.

Perhaps also have a look at Costco. I am also in Australia, Melbourne. I have recently had a hearing test at Costco and was quite happy with the service. I pick up my aids on the 18th March. The things I like about Costco is the fact that I can change the make or return the hearing aids within 6 months for a full refund. They have 4 brands that are all top tier and all cost $2200 pair. Adjustments etc are usually free. There is a charge of $65 for membership.

Edited

and in my experience sound similar. However, if you have a more serious loss, RIC is definitely recommended. Without getting too technical, RIC hearing aids have twin microphones, which offer advantages in background noise when zooming. There is a counter argument to this in that the CIC, with it’s microphone positioning and lack of occlusion, can mean a more natural sound. It really depends on the level of your hearing loss. The more serious, the more it is recommended to lean towards a RIC.

Bluetooth is an essential feature for those with a more serious loss. It allows for connectivity to phone, laptop, TV etc with massive improvements in signal to noise ratio.

If your loss is mild/moderate, the specsavers advanced elite should be sufficient, but again it really depends on the severity of your loss and your lifestyle There are a few premium aids out there which are fighting it out for bragging rights, but in my view, if you have a mild/moderate loss and don’t have a lot of difficulties in noise, some of the higher end aids are not essential.

For with Bluetooth, there is the Oticon Zeal. I believe it is the only one currently with Bluetooth and .

If hearing-in-noise is an issue for you, then the would be a better choice. A lot of folks prefer the Phonak Sphere for the best hearing-in-noise feature. Since the Phonak hearing aid uses the older Bluetooth program, you don’t get the latest Bluetooth LE Audio or Auracast.

Thank you everyone. Between these replies and some old fashioned researching I’m feeling more confident regarding options.

I’ll probably check back in a few weeks when I have my first pair.

Thanks again and cheers.

Welcome and kudos to you for being proactive about your hearing loss. I love bluetooth and would not want to be without it. Phone calls are much more clear and I can listen to audiobooks easily.

Once you have them, try to wear them all day, everyday so your brain adjusts to all the new sounds. Turn the volume down if they feel overwhelming rather than taking them out. So many people use them “just when I go out” and then feel overwhelmed each use and set them aside saying “they don’t help”. Give yourself a chance to hear all input - the little sounds of movement and appliances will fade into the background for you.

Custom are a poor choice for your hearing loss unless you have a larger than average ear canal that will support significant venting. It’s not the device, it’s the acoustics of a plugged ear in combination with reasonable low frequency hearing that’s the problem.

Instant fit CICs like the zeal or the silk might be okay if your ear fits them and if they are an option.

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