The Walking Dead…..(Big 6/4 manufacturers)

Yeah- everything is…What annoys me with Kindles is that they are designed by Amazon with an Apple-style “walled garden” concept, unable to even natively handle non-DRM epub books, and unable to run anything but Amazon’s software (unless you jailbreak them).
My new, all-chinese reader thankfully offers nearly infinite flexibility.
But I realize that I am in a very small minority of people who desire hardware that they can fully configure. Similarly, very few users adopt self-programming, and no HAs are marketed as such- most people want and expect things that work right out of the box and configured by someone in the know, warts and all.

user246Provider

keyword: CLASS 2 medical devices, there is a lot of regulatory cost , related associated with.

There are HI in XIAMEN which can be bought for prob sub $100, which are already acceptable

they will come in time, I have seen them they are just OK if they get some sort of Chinese government funding they might be able to have a decent solution.

Time will tell.

kindzmarauli

Topanga, CA

In reply to @Hearing_Potential

@Hearing_Potential said:

*The taxpayer funds it all through taxes. Lower taxes would allow people to afford these things themselves.

We keep running headlong into The Tragedy of the Commons6 - as we have been for millenia - and there’s no stopping for us, is it?

(The idea of lowering taxes to put more money into the common taxpayer’s pocket is a huge part of that tragedy despite having been thoroughly debunked… Fascinating that it’s still being pursued - and on this forum of all places… )

goonercsmm

I think you are probably right

There is already meaningful disruption to the current market if one can afford to, and chooses to work outside the main Audiology distribution model. Earlier this year, I picked up a pair of Phonak Ultra Sphere i90 for 2375$ with Phonak warranty including a one time loss replacement. The vendor is very reputable, but I transferred them to my local NYC audiologist to get them , AND TO HAVE THEM VERIFY THEIR AUTHENTICITY DIRECTLY WITH PHONAK. All in, I was $2500 ish for the “top of the line" HA.

Once the distribution model becomes more fractured, I expect that companies like Elehear will be able to continue to drive the price down further thanks to , whilst also finding more brick and mortar partners to handle local consumer issues. There will be a lot of audiologists looking to replace their $7K who will figure out how to work with quality HA disruptor companies.

1Bluejay

@Um_bongo said:

Sorry if you don’t do existential threats on a Sunday

I do these EVERY SINGLE DAY as a matter of fact. Sometimes I’m inspired by politics … other times by my dear mom’s failing health - at 101 yrs old … oh, and if the pest control guy rams my mailbox to smithereens - TWICE in 6 mos time, I feel that pull to the abyss.

However, your post gives me HUGE HOPE!!! I would LOVE for the gigantic wall to entry crumbles for these Big Kingpins. Not that I want them to fail by ANY means. I want them to come to market with truly outstanding, affordable (as in c’mon, how about a fair price instead of a 100% markup?), OPTIONS (read: battery AND rechargeable PLUS zany colors) hearing aids for the common wo/man.

Even better, could one of these big guys figure out how to make the entire aid (speaker-to-mic) truly WATERPROOF, so folks like me with cinderblock ears could actually hear 24x7? I’ll never forget my first test for the so-called “waterproof” Phonak Lumity Life rechargeable I bought 3 years ago: I took a shower and HEARD running water. When I described that thrill to my audi, she nearly got teary-eyed. Then, I took a 20-min swim with snorkel mask in a pool, never going more than 6” underwater and by golly that sank the Titanic. The aids were still under warranty, so I got replacements, and suitably chastised, vowed to NEVER put these aids to the test under water again. I only wear them for sweaty workouts at the gym now, cuz I’m ROCKIN’ the Phonak 312 battery Lumity Lifes all other hours of the DAYS that these puppies run on itty bitty batteries.

I feel frustrated, ignored and dismissed by companies like Phonak who keep bragging about , , phone apps, capability - NONE of which I need. My short list is: battery-powered (size 13s for longer wear, but I’ll settle for 312s any day over rechargeables that give me 14 hrs/day). ZANY colors - please don’t think I want a shade of flesh, silver, pewter, maybe BLACK (for that certain “edginess”?) or even WHITE (what are they thinking?). If cars can be custom wrapped in beautiful matte, metallic or sparkling colors, why can’t we have some kind of custom color choice for our ear jewels?

What we need is a fresh take on the AGE OLD hearing aid. Most of these designs and colors look like they come from the horse ‘n buggy whip era. We need functional, affordable, playful AND flexible aids if they are to compete with today’s EV cars, coffee makers, doorbells, even LABEL MAKERS (I kid you not, check out Brother’s new P-Touch that runs off phone app!). Hearing aid makers brag about AI without any PROVEN testimonials to the usefulness of that tech.

There should be a “Sport Plus” setting like I have on my Taycan - only it would let the wearer literally BURST with hearing someone/thing 100’ off. I wouldn’t walk around all day with that setting activated, but HAs are largely HO-HUM, frustrating the typical user as well as clever DIYers.

I’ve LONG given up on any kind of insurance subsidies for these aids. Like you get a one-time deduction for maybe ONE aid (lol!) or if for two, it’s HALF the amount every X-years. Compare that to coverage for myriad physical and mental health conditions. The final irritation being ridiculous “CHILDPROOF” battery packaging that makes me want to take a ballpeen hammer to the clueless bureaucrats (NONE of whom wear aids?!) that enacted that punishment on us.

Well. It’s late. I rant. But I’m glad to get a discussion going on The Walking Dead, and hope someone from EACH of these companies pops over here to actually find out what their prime customers want and need. Thanks for the post.

user490

Many retail items are sold at 100% or greater markup.

Do you use molds? If so, you might want to check out the colors and other jeweled versions from Hoerluchs.

Believe it or not, some insurance does cover hearing aids in full. It’s still a struggle to find a provider that won’t try to bill more.

Foort

Geneva

I am surprised that innovation in the hearing aid () industry is not progressing faster, especially given the increasing convergence with the consumer earbud industry. For instance, my Starkey Omega 24 still prevents me from using the latest Apple AirPods with cool features such as real-time translation.

In my experience, one of the weakest aspects of hearing aids remains the fitting and fine-tuning process. I am fortunate to own a Noahlink Wireless 2, which allows me to make adjustments myself. Many of these refinements would simply take too many time-consuming audiologist appointments.

The hearing aid industry should develop more interactive fitting tools that allow users to describe their hearing challenges in natural language, with AI translating these experiences into optimized hearing-aid settings.

I am convinced that this is the direction the industry will eventually take (and I am surprised it has taken so long). I am convinced the European and US hearing-aid manufacturers will lose their competitive advantage when Chinese companies begin to focus seriously on the premium segment, which, somewhat surprisingly, has not yet happened.

Geneva, Switzerland

Same here, I program my myself, having hopped across the border to buy them in France at a low-cost place. Fortunately, Swiss insurance reimburses HAs wherever you buy them. But it is not at all my experience that HA manufacturers promote direct-to-customer sales in any way, or make tools available. The problem seems to be that few people are interested to go this way.

Foort

Geneva

Hi Rob, I agree, in Switzerland, the hearing aid market appears to suffer from a serious lack of competition. High-end devices are routinely sold by the major chains for CHF 7,000 to CHF 9,000. Importers charge audioprothesists exceptionally high prices, and the latter add further substantial margins before the products reach consumers.

Some Swiss audioprothesists source identical hardware through EU parallel-import channels, allowing them to offer lower prices or, alternatively, to increase their own margins.

At 58, I can still travel to Paris to buy hearing aids at a more reasonable price. Many older people do not have that option and are effectively forced to pay Swiss prices.

e4andy

Not before time, in my opinion. I respect the genuine knowledge of audiologists but they are complicit in selling overpriced hardware to an unsuspecting public. I’m a little tired of the argument about trusting it all to the professionals. The market is a stitchup, a cartel and should be dismantled as soon as possible. I have an eye test done by a trained, professional opthalmologist but then I get my contact lenses online from whoever does the best deal (not necessarily the cheapest). Why should it not be like that in the hearing business?

Geneva, Switzerland

Jul 24, 2026Edited

Unfortunately, you cannot compare to glasses, where your eyes are tested, glasses are made to specifications and you are done, According to a study published in a French magazine, the bulk of the costs of HAs goes to audiologists.

Here is another cost breakdown:
https://audienhearing.com/blogs/home/how-much-do-hearing-aids-really-cost-in-2026?srsltid=AfmBOoobxFERHEWYtImyDkrBeKJtocMz4jizRCIgxh0_1k0bbxSwdYtM6

Thus, manufacturers are only to low extent responsible for the crazy prices of HAs. We can reproach them for resisting direct-to-customer marketing, but then again, very few of us are interested in .

1Bluejay

In reply to @user490

Hey thanks for that tip! I just googled Hoerluchs - see they are a German company. Right now I have my “bean” (the behind-the-ear component) in fuschia pink and teal (2 pairs). That bean is connected by thin wire to a custom molded textured titanium speaker in the ear. LOVE that mix! The speaker stays absolutely ROCK SOLID in my ear - never wiggles out no matter if I chew, smile or talk!

I’ve checked with my stodgy old Traditional Medicare over here in the USA: AIN’T NO COVERAGE for my aids. I do get a small “allowance” for them from my “gap” insurer, but it’s by no means generous compared to other conditions covered.

d_Wooluf

In reply to @RobHooft

@RobHooft said:

very few of us are interested in DIY.

Maybe that’s because most of the tools available are not designed for diy. There isn’t a lot of incentive for people to develop new and innovative interfaces for self programming when the only way of getting hearing aids is from an audiologist.

Geneva, Switzerland

Yes, it’s a chicken-egg problem. In principle, someone with a PC, the hardware (a Noahlink) and decent, - assisted software could benefit from a fitting service at least as good as what top audiologists deliver- and slash the costs. Even more so than internet shopping, cutting out the middlemen for has the potential to produce enormous cost savings for endusers (see above diagram). I suspect health insurers, too, have an interest.

The elderly are notoriously clumsy with modern IT tools, so such a setup may need to be designed for tablets (with AI and other software running on a server). A manufacturer that figures out how to implement this is in for major profits, imho.

danka

Malaysia

I just wonder whether you could become my teacher in the . Have download the Genie program and bought a Noahlink wireless 2 sitting in the drawer. Thanks for taking note.

Um_bongoAuthorProvider

Wales, UK

In reply to @RobHooft

That pie chart isn’t indicative of where the $1-2000 of profit per sale is made. I can assure you it isn’t in the Audiologist’s business. There’s wholesale top line pricing were are routinely offered in the order of $3000-4000 per pair. (Like the Zeal etc)

For product that actually costs more like $100 to make.

There’s going to be a significant wedge of that profit that gets made and offshored by the manufacturer oligopoly. The proportion will depend on how much leverage (volume) the trade purchaser buys.

So, whoever provided that graphic, might have the ‘whole industry’ gross figures and divided them up to get a Mean result, but that’s not indicative of the Median or necessarily where the profit is made. They might have done this out of ignorance or might be doing it from an agenda to hide the ridiculous profits made (and offshored) at the manufacturer level. Sorry if that sounds conspiratorial, but there’s big players in this industry who want to protect their owners’ profits.

Geneva, Switzerland