what can I say shop around you save 1000's of dollars
its all a big scam would them cost less than 3000 dollars
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Thursday 14th of March 2013 03:47:58 PM
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Thursday 14th of March 2013 03:49:29 PM
Olley46 said
04:21 PM Mar 14, 2013
I have had hearing aids for nearly two years now wouldn't be without them ,mine arnt the little one,s next size up with the tube going in the ear,the difference in the sounds is great, the loudest sound is the birds ,running water, one doesn't realise how deaf he is until you get aids better alter that ( hearing aids ) hope you enjoy them.
Lance C
ps mine were through the government Australian Hearing FOC.
-- Edited by Olley46 on Thursday 14th of March 2013 04:24:10 PM
aussietraveller said
08:54 PM Mar 14, 2013
I Have recently had a hearing test (suggested over past couple of years by wife Chris) and guess what they agree with her but the real shock came when they advised me on the hearing aids that I needed at a cost of $11590 with the pensioner discount voucher it takes $1400 off, discussed other ones and selected one that they wanted $8090 for so like most smart Grey Nomads I hoped on line for a bit of research.
The aids I am looking at are the Oticon Acto Pro, and research indicates they are one of the better ones but when I checked prices I found another company in city (Sydney) selling them for $2100 cheaper but did not accept Government voucher, so rang back to Audio clinic and they instantly reduced the cost by $1000 and they accept the voucher.
It always pays to research and also to be prepared to barter on price, I have never worn hearin aids to date and would be interested in comments from anyone who has same or similar ones, mine are quite small and fit behind the ear with a small tube leading into the ear, they also have a wireless option for using mobile & home phones as well as TV I would appreciate any advice on use or your experiances with this type of aid.
lizard said
09:17 PM Mar 14, 2013
They are the ones I got - they are good , but 'tinny' sound - I think they all are tinny
gwb said
09:42 PM Mar 14, 2013
Quite happy with the ones I got a few weeks ago. "pensioner pack" that work quite well and allow me to participate in social occasions much better. I had no extra costs to pay and had to get aids for both ears. Geoff
Mike C said
11:35 PM Mar 14, 2013
I bought my last set thru Costco Their premimum aids were $2100 (ish) and made by Siemans. The identical siemans units from my old supplier were quoted at $7000.00........................ Pure 308 Costco include in there price free ongoing tests and evaluations every 6 months.. Free filters..
You cant claim any govt rebate tho.
I am very happy with them just a pain to get to. (Costco that is)
Cheers
Mike
way2gokev said
12:25 AM Mar 15, 2013
G'day
Hearing aids suit some people but with my industrial deafness the loss is in the high range and the government subsidised ones are a real pain, mine are still sitting in a drawer used em a couple of times. What it did with my hearing was to increase the low frequency to the extent that walking on gravel sounded like being in a room with ice falling all around you. The hearing services push this and only give you the basic aid and they get around $5000 per set. Then when you complain that your hearing is worse they push the big ticket items.
Like I said it suits some and not others, Guess I will keep saying aye or sorry but only when there are alot of noises or sounds around.
If people would talk whilst facing you I have no problems, lots of noise is the problem. I will not be forking out $10,000 plus, just put up with it.
Just another part of growing old I guess.
Cheers
Kev
Beth54 said
12:30 AM Mar 15, 2013
I have the Government ones too. Didn't cost me a cent. I don't particularly like them, because of the background noise. If I wanted to pay some $$$..or could afford, more like it... I could get some that you can apparently squelch out that background noise with the touch of a switch. (So my Aunty told me.)
The birds are noisier, kids squealing does my head in, traffic noise is terrible, but I can hear my soft spoken daughter-in-law and the TV without turning it up to 35. And I can hear my bluetooth 'talking' to me in the car.
Happywanderer said
12:54 AM Mar 15, 2013
I would rather go without, not willing to pay for them and would rather not hear some of those noises Beth talks about.
Beth54 said
01:10 AM Mar 15, 2013
Happywanderer wrote:
I would rather go without, not willing to pay for them and would rather not hear some of those noises Beth talks about.
That's my thought now too Marj. So I tend to just carry them around in my handbag for special occassions.
Mike C said
03:16 AM Mar 15, 2013
way2gokev wrote:
G'day
Hearing aids suit some people but with my industrial deafness the loss is in the high range and the government subsidised ones are a real pain, mine are still sitting in a drawer used em a couple of times. What it did with my hearing was to increase the low frequency to the extent that walking on gravel sounded like being in a room with ice falling all around you. The hearing services push this and only give you the basic aid and they get around $5000 per set. Then when you complain that your hearing is worse they push the big ticket items.
Hi Kev
My dad (now in his 80's) like myself suffer from high frequency loss.
He had the Govenment subsidised units and like you really struggled. He has since purchased a set of the costco premimum units and couldnt be happier.
Cheers
Mike
way2gokev said
04:36 AM Mar 15, 2013
Mike C wrote:
way2gokev wrote:
G'day
Hearing aids suit some people but with my industrial deafness the loss is in the high range and the government subsidised ones are a real pain, mine are still sitting in a drawer used em a couple of times. What it did with my hearing was to increase the low frequency to the extent that walking on gravel sounded like being in a room with ice falling all around you. The hearing services push this and only give you the basic aid and they get around $5000 per set. Then when you complain that your hearing is worse they push the big ticket items.
Hi Kev
My dad (now in his 80's) like myself suffer from high frequency loss.
He had the Govenment subsidised units and like you really struggled. He has since purchased a set of the costco premimum units and couldnt be happier.
Cheers
Mike
Thanks for the info Mike, I'd rather spend the money on fuel to get to a nice quite place and just listen to nature or try to, anyway at least I can relax.
cheers
Kev
grill n chill said
08:17 AM Mar 15, 2013
I had the notion that audiologists were highly trained specialists whose white coats suggested that their patient interests were always paramount. What i learnt very quickly is that most of what i have said is correct but they are also business people out to make a dollar.
I am profoundly deaf right side with moderate to severe lost left side. Things started going wrong at about age 30,no one knows why.
First quote $11,000. When i complained she said " this one will work also, $9,000." I was very suspicious about the whole deal! How can such a small devise cost that much? Why the sudden reduction in price?
Ears what i did. I contacted a teaching hospital and asked to speak to the audiologist, Flinders University in Adelaide and made an appointment. I am now being cared for by the tutor who teaches the science at Flinders and have been for the last 12 years or so. Sometimes students sit in mostly not however.
This is what she did on my first appointment. Did some tests and offered me a few choices with a trial run for a week free of charge with my first set. When i went back she asked me to trial a different second set for a week also free with a different type ear mould. Would you believe it next was yet a third set. The last one was outstanding. Volume control, phone feature, party setting, worked a treat. THEN she fine tuned the settings. Cost for two was $4,000. of which i got i think $1500 back at tax time. Fantastic service fantastic aids.
aussietraveller....shop around.....try at least two different units for free.......contact a teaching hospital.
Rip and Rosie said
03:45 PM Mar 15, 2013
Mine are tiny ones, behind the ears, with a very fine tube which goes into the ear canal. They have 3 settings which are specifically tuned for my hearing. these settings adjust for different environments, e.g noisy caves where they reduce the noise behind me, so I can hear the conversation from the person seated with me. Great!
They cost 1200 for the two of them.
They are not tinny.
They are more then amplifiers.
They allow me th hear the sounds I have lost, e.g. I can't hear difference between the soft sounds like sh, ph, f, etc, so I guess lots of works and usually get them wrong! Another thing I can't remember the last time I heard a mosquito buzz!
I got mine from Hearing Life Australia.
Grams said
04:49 PM Mar 15, 2013
My husband has hearing aids, which are the behind the ear ones with the tube going to a plug in the ear canal. They cost him nothing, he loves it and so do I, I can have the TV on low now and he can hear everything. But he still suffers from selective deafness, and no hearing aid fixes that lol
I need hearing aids as well, and I got the ones that fit in the ears themselves....but I have never been able to wear them, as anything that goes in my ear canal causes extreme pain. So I just go without.
Together though we hear perfectly. I can't hear in crowds, he can. He can hear high sounds, I can't. I can hear low sounds, he can't, so together we are perfect lol
aussietraveller said
06:34 PM Mar 15, 2013
Thank you all for this great discussion I have learnt from you all and would appreciate any additional information as I get 30 days from pick up to return them if a better alternative is required or not happy with them.
Santa said
06:56 PM Mar 15, 2013
Been following this thread with some interest, my hearing is not as good as it could be and I may well need a hearing aid/s some time in the not too distant future.
What staggered me was the prices being tossed around.
Did a search of US sites and it seems prices are dramatically lower over there, to the point it would almost be cheaper to travel to the US have a holiday and buy what you want while over there.
Comebak-Wilson said
07:25 PM Mar 15, 2013
Having tried two types with little, actually no success as far as I'm concerned; I'de rather be deaf. Funny I actually heard my gearbox grinding not long ago, imagine if I'de had hearing aids.. By the way the change over job (gearbox) went in yesterday 14/3/2013, total $2500.00.
timjina said
10:34 PM Mar 15, 2013
Dear Aussie traveller, I know how much aids are and it can be very prohibitive.However there may be some help in sight. Is your hearing impairment caused by work?
I am a cabinetmaker,carpenter/joiner,and as such have been using nail guns etc all my working life. I bought my first hearing aids at a cost of over $8000. This was about 6 years ago so you can appreciate costs have risen.
While in a park on one of our trips I was having a chat with a fellow also with hearing aids. He asked me were mine an insurance claim.
On saying no he gave me a phone number to ring. It is a lawyer in Sydney.
Well,the upshot of the story is after testing etc I received $32000,a new set of hearing aids and a new pair every 5 years.The number in Sydney is...0280053777.
David,I really hope this helps you out. Kind regards ....Jim
aussietraveller said
11:21 PM Mar 15, 2013
Hi Jim mine is industrial deafness but due to the time frame since I worked as a plumber and sustained the initial damage which is over 30 years ago I have been told that I no longer have a claim option, The audiologist discussed this with me when I told her I did not need gold ones plastic casings would do. Thanks Jim
Beth54 said
12:40 AM Mar 16, 2013
Rip and Rosie wrote:
Mine are tiny ones, behind the ears, with a very fine tube which goes into the ear canal. They have 3 settings which are specifically tuned for my hearing. these settings adjust for different environments, e.g noisy caves where they reduce the noise behind me, so I can hear the conversation from the person seated with me. Great!
They cost 1200 for the two of them.
They are not tinny.
They are more then amplifiers.
They allow me th hear the sounds I have lost, e.g. I can't hear difference between the soft sounds like sh, ph, f, etc, so I guess lots of works and usually get them wrong! Another thing I can't remember the last time I heard a mosquito buzz!
I got mine from Hearing Life Australia.
I think I'd rather hear the mossies coming Rosie.
colnden said
02:16 AM Mar 16, 2013
Just a quick tip for those that wear hearing aids and take them out and put them in your shirt pocket.
After you have retrieved them from the washing machine, after a complete cycle, take the batteries out and put the hearing aids into a sealed container of rice, uncooked that is.
I read on FB that somebody did it with a phone that was dropped in to a toilet by one of the kids and after 3 days buried in rice, good as gold. I have washed one of mine once and the other one twice and after being in rice for 3 or 4 days they are still going fine.
The reason they were in the pocket was the batteries went flat.
Den and Col
Grams said
04:59 PM Mar 16, 2013
Lol my daughter did that rice trick when her darling 4yr old son took his PS3 to the toilet with him and dropped it in accidentally. After 4 days in the rice, the PS3 is still working perfectly 6 months later. This is a great idea for nearly all electronic devices that get wet at one time or other.
Oma said
09:12 PM Mar 16, 2013
My husband has, firstly deafness from Rifle club when a teenager as well as tractor noises & no ear muffs then on top of that he has Menieres Disease. Being pensioners he gets his from Australian Hearing. He is on his second pair which are the ones with the fine tube over ear & the controls in the back. He can change the direction from where the noises are coming from- eg block background noise to voices in front of him. Background music in a dining room can now be filtered out. He has perservered with his since the first day he put them in his ears, about 7 years ago. Jim a friend of ours also got his through insurance & it was quite a few years after his retirement.
aussietraveller said
10:07 PM Mar 17, 2013
Thanks every body for your advice the level of response and the information provided has been great.
countryroad said
02:55 AM Sep 22, 2013
Hearing Aids at Costco...wouldn't have ever thought they would sell hearing aides !
Interesting discussion...long time since I've heard the bees unless I'm extremely close.
Have to look into that.
I did buy the one that fits into your ear but hated it, chewing sounded ghastly so loud.
neilnruth said
03:20 AM Sep 22, 2013
I too have just got hearing aids. Connect Hearing. Government voucher plus refund from health fund (once every 5 years for that) so all I ended up paying was $870. They are fine tuned for me via the Connect Hearing computer. I get all batteries supplied and all maintenance. All visits are billed to government and other maintenance is $41pa. I could have chosen the government provided ones but chose the next ones up. Yes, I am still trying to get used to them (the keyboard is making an awful clatter!) I thought I only had a small hearing loss but I'm surprised at how much I can now hear - and that's with them turned on at 70% volume. The volume will go up 5% every month for 6 months. Watch out kids - I'll hear everything you say behind my back by the time I have 100% hearing!!
I choose to only wear them for 3 or 4 hours a day at the moment. I was told this helps the brain to cope with all the new sounds I'm hearing. I have found that they do automatically block out some of the background noise in a crowd and I can hear the person who is talking to me better than before. Now my husband is the one who has the TV too loud! And I'm told I am speaking more softly.
We have a friend who was always loud and 'in your face'. She got 2 hearing aids and she was a new woman. She spoke so softly I was then having trouble hearing her and she no longer needed to be 'in your face'.
I was told that the one that fits into your ear is too hard to keep clean and doesn't work for all hearing losses.
So far, I am very happy with mine - no, sorry, I still have trouble knowing where to put the phone when I have the aid in. Putting it above the ear seems strange.
jules47 said
03:19 PM Sep 22, 2013
I recently got hearing aids - and with the government scheme, they cost me nothing, only the $41 annual maintenance fee - boy do you go through a lot of batteries though, when you wear them constantly, I am only using them when I need to - some TV shows or movies, or some people who speak really softly.
Takes a while to get used to them, amazing how many small noises I never heard before - the rustle of clothing for instance - road noise - small birds, and I even found out that I had been singing the wrong words to a song for years!!!! I also had to learn to moderate my speech, because I could hear myself so clearly, thought I was talking very loud, turns out I was speaking very quietly.
I got small ones that fit behind the ear, with a plastic tube into the ear - colour is sort of steel grey, which matches my hair colour, and they are pretty well invisible when in place.
Rip and Rosie said
03:56 PM Sep 22, 2013
jules47 wrote:
I recently got hearing aids - and with the government scheme, they cost me nothing, only the $41 annual maintenance fee - boy do you go through a lot of batteries though, when you wear them constantly, I am only using them when I need to - some TV shows or movies, or some people who speak really softly.
Takes a while to get used to them, amazing how many small noises I never heard before - the rustle of clothing for instance - road noise - small birds, and I even found out that I had been singing the wrong words to a song for years!!!! I also had to learn to moderate my speech, because I could hear myself so clearly, thought I was talking very loud, turns out I was speaking very quietly.
I got small ones that fit behind the ear, with a plastic tube into the ear - colour is sort of steel grey, which matches my hair colour, and they are pretty well invisible when in place.
I can relate to all of that !
brian said
06:32 PM Nov 15, 2013
I bought a set of Oticons some time back. I tried the 3, 5 and 8kHz units and could notice no difference between the 5 and the 8, but both were better than the 3s.
With the 5kHz units, I can now hear the wrens in the backyard and also, unfortunately the cicadas, but I can easily remove the aids when I am sick of the sounds.
At the time, the 8s were $3000 dearer than the 5s which cost me $3600 (no subsidy), and I did not consider the extra for the 8s to be money that would be well spent.
I also went for the soft domes in preference to the moulded ear pieces and haven't regretted that choice as they don't give you that blocked ear feeling.
What I particularly like about these aids is that there are no adjustments that you can make, so that stops you fiddling with volume etc.
They effectively filter out the sudden loud noises such as when the boss bangs the pots in the kitchen, this used to make me jump through the roof with the older aids that I had.
The disadvantage is that you can't turn them off, you have to open the battery case, and the batteries then have a habit of falling out.
The batteries are quite small, so don't last as long as some of the bigger ones.
They also don't have an inductive loop setting, which can be handy in a cinema when the person behind you is rattling their popcorn box or talking.
-- Edited by brian on Friday 15th of November 2013 06:34:57 PM
what can I say shop around you save 1000's of dollars
its all a big scam would them cost less than 3000 dollars
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Thursday 14th of March 2013 03:47:58 PM
-- Edited by Cruising Cruze on Thursday 14th of March 2013 03:49:29 PM
I have had hearing aids for nearly two years now wouldn't be without them ,mine arnt the little one,s next size up with the tube going in the ear,the difference in the sounds is great, the loudest sound is the birds ,running water, one doesn't realise how deaf he is until you get aids better alter that ( hearing aids ) hope you enjoy them.
Lance C
ps mine were through the government Australian Hearing FOC.
-- Edited by Olley46 on Thursday 14th of March 2013 04:24:10 PM
The aids I am looking at are the Oticon Acto Pro, and research indicates they are one of the better ones but when I checked prices I found another company in city (Sydney) selling them for $2100 cheaper but did not accept Government voucher, so rang back to Audio clinic and they instantly reduced the cost by $1000 and they accept the voucher.
It always pays to research and also to be prepared to barter on price, I have never worn hearin aids to date and would be interested in comments from anyone who has same or similar ones, mine are quite small and fit behind the ear with a small tube leading into the ear, they also have a wireless option for using mobile & home phones as well as TV I would appreciate any advice on use or your experiances with this type of aid.
Geoff
Their premimum aids were $2100 (ish) and made by Siemans.
The identical siemans units from my old supplier were quoted at $7000.00........................ Pure 308
Costco include in there price free ongoing tests and evaluations every 6 months..
Free filters..
You cant claim any govt rebate tho.
I am very happy with them just a pain to get to. (Costco that is)
Cheers
Mike
G'day
Hearing aids suit some people but with my industrial deafness the loss is in the high range and the government subsidised ones are a real pain, mine are still sitting in a drawer used em a couple of times. What it did with my hearing was to increase the low frequency to the extent that walking on gravel sounded like being in a room with ice falling all around you. The hearing services push this and only give you the basic aid and they get around $5000 per set. Then when you complain that your hearing is worse they push the big ticket items.
Like I said it suits some and not others, Guess I will keep saying aye or sorry but only when there are alot of noises or sounds around.
If people would talk whilst facing you I have no problems, lots of noise is the problem. I will not be forking out $10,000 plus, just put up with it.
Just another part of growing old I guess.
Cheers
Kev
I have the Government ones too. Didn't cost me a cent. I don't particularly like them, because of the background noise. If I wanted to pay some $$$..or could afford, more like it... I could get some that you can apparently squelch out that background noise with the touch of a switch. (So my Aunty told me.)
The birds are noisier, kids squealing does my head in, traffic noise is terrible, but I can hear my soft spoken daughter-in-law and the TV without turning it up to 35. And I can hear my bluetooth 'talking' to me in the car.
That's my thought now too Marj. So I tend to just carry them around in my handbag for special occassions.
Hi Kev
My dad (now in his 80's) like myself suffer from high frequency loss.
He had the Govenment subsidised units and like you really struggled. He has since purchased a set of the costco premimum units and couldnt be happier.
Cheers
Mike
Thanks for the info Mike, I'd rather spend the money on fuel to get to a nice quite place and just listen to nature or try to, anyway at least I can relax.
cheers
Kev
I had the notion that audiologists were highly trained specialists whose white coats suggested that their patient interests were always paramount. What i learnt very quickly is that most of what i have said is correct but they are also business people out to make a dollar.
I am profoundly deaf right side with moderate to severe lost left side. Things started going wrong at about age 30,no one knows why.
First quote $11,000. When i complained she said " this one will work also, $9,000." I was very suspicious about the whole deal! How can such a small devise cost that much? Why the sudden reduction in price?
Ears what i did. I contacted a teaching hospital and asked to speak to the audiologist, Flinders University in Adelaide and made an appointment. I am now being cared for by the tutor who teaches the science at Flinders and have been for the last 12 years or so. Sometimes students sit in mostly not however.
This is what she did on my first appointment. Did some tests and offered me a few choices with a trial run for a week free of charge with my first set. When i went back she asked me to trial a different second set for a week also free with a different type ear mould. Would you believe it next was yet a third set. The last one was outstanding. Volume control, phone feature, party setting, worked a treat. THEN she fine tuned the settings. Cost for two was $4,000. of which i got i think $1500 back at tax time. Fantastic service fantastic aids.
aussietraveller....shop around.....try at least two different units for free.......contact a teaching hospital.
They have 3 settings which are specifically tuned for my hearing. these settings adjust for different environments, e.g noisy caves where they reduce the noise behind me, so I can hear the conversation from the person seated with me. Great!
They cost 1200 for the two of them.
They are not tinny.
They are more then amplifiers.
They allow me th hear the sounds I have lost, e.g. I can't hear difference between the soft sounds like sh, ph, f, etc, so I guess lots of works and usually get them wrong! Another thing I can't remember the last time I heard a mosquito buzz!
I got mine from Hearing Life Australia.
I need hearing aids as well, and I got the ones that fit in the ears themselves....but I have never been able to wear them, as anything that goes in my ear canal causes extreme pain. So I just go without.
Together though we hear perfectly. I can't hear in crowds, he can. He can hear high sounds, I can't. I can hear low sounds, he can't, so together we are perfect lol
Been following this thread with some interest, my hearing is not as good as it could be and I may well need a hearing aid/s some time in the not too distant future.
What staggered me was the prices being tossed around.
Did a search of US sites and it seems prices are dramatically lower over there, to the point it would almost be cheaper to travel to the US have a holiday and buy what you want while over there.
Funny I actually heard my gearbox grinding not long ago, imagine if I'de had hearing aids..
By the way the change over job (gearbox) went in yesterday 14/3/2013, total $2500.00.
Dear Aussie traveller, I know how much aids are and it can be very prohibitive.However there may be some help in sight. Is your hearing impairment caused by work?
I am a cabinetmaker,carpenter/joiner,and as such have been using nail guns etc all my working life. I bought my first hearing aids at a cost of over $8000. This was about 6 years ago so you can appreciate costs have risen.
While in a park on one of our trips I was having a chat with a fellow also with hearing aids. He asked me were mine an insurance claim.
On saying no he gave me a phone number to ring. It is a lawyer in Sydney.
Well,the upshot of the story is after testing etc I received $32000,a new set of hearing aids and a new pair every 5 years.The number in Sydney is...0280053777.
David,I really hope this helps you out. Kind regards ....Jim
Thanks Jim
I think I'd rather hear the mossies coming Rosie.
Just a quick tip for those that wear hearing aids and take them out and put them in your shirt pocket.
After you have retrieved them from the washing machine, after a complete cycle, take the batteries out and put the hearing aids into a sealed container of rice, uncooked that is.
I read on FB that somebody did it with a phone that was dropped in to a toilet by one of the kids and after 3 days buried in rice, good as gold. I have washed one of mine once and the other one twice and after being in rice for 3 or 4 days they are still going fine.
The reason they were in the pocket was the batteries went flat.
Den and Col
Interesting discussion...long time since I've heard the bees unless I'm extremely close.
Have to look into that.
I did buy the one that fits into your ear but hated it, chewing sounded ghastly so loud.
I choose to only wear them for 3 or 4 hours a day at the moment. I was told this helps the brain to cope with all the new sounds I'm hearing. I have found that they do automatically block out some of the background noise in a crowd and I can hear the person who is talking to me better than before. Now my husband is the one who has the TV too loud! And I'm told I am speaking more softly.
We have a friend who was always loud and 'in your face'. She got 2 hearing aids and she was a new woman. She spoke so softly I was then having trouble hearing her and she no longer needed to be 'in your face'.
I was told that the one that fits into your ear is too hard to keep clean and doesn't work for all hearing losses.
So far, I am very happy with mine - no, sorry, I still have trouble knowing where to put the phone when I have the aid in. Putting it above the ear seems strange.
Takes a while to get used to them, amazing how many small noises I never heard before - the rustle of clothing for instance - road noise - small birds, and I even found out that I had been singing the wrong words to a song for years!!!! I also had to learn to moderate my speech, because I could hear myself so clearly, thought I was talking very loud, turns out I was speaking very quietly.
I got small ones that fit behind the ear, with a plastic tube into the ear - colour is sort of steel grey, which matches my hair colour, and they are pretty well invisible when in place.
I can relate to all of that !
With the 5kHz units, I can now hear the wrens in the backyard and also, unfortunately the cicadas, but I can easily remove the aids when I am sick of the sounds.
At the time, the 8s were $3000 dearer than the 5s which cost me $3600 (no subsidy), and I did not consider the extra for the 8s to be money that would be well spent.
I also went for the soft domes in preference to the moulded ear pieces and haven't regretted that choice as they don't give you that blocked ear feeling.
What I particularly like about these aids is that there are no adjustments that you can make, so that stops you fiddling with volume etc.
They effectively filter out the sudden loud noises such as when the boss bangs the pots in the kitchen, this used to make me jump through the roof with the older aids that I had.
The disadvantage is that you can't turn them off, you have to open the battery case, and the batteries then have a habit of falling out.
The batteries are quite small, so don't last as long as some of the bigger ones.
They also don't have an inductive loop setting, which can be handy in a cinema when the person behind you is rattling their popcorn box or talking.
-- Edited by brian on Friday 15th of November 2013 06:34:57 PM