Contents
- Editor’s Choice
- Top 9 digital hearing aids for adults in 2022 according to KP
- How to choose a digital hearing aid for an adult
- Features of digital hearing aids
- Types of digital hearing aids
The outdated analog hearing aids, whose sound quality left much to be desired, are being replaced by digital devices. Why are they good?
If you compare digital and analog hearing aids, they differ in much the same way as old, black-and-white TVs with a huge kinescope and modern plasma, color digital panels with a large selection of multimedia.
A digital hearing aid is a high performance mini computer that performs several thousand operations per second. Before sound enters the ear of a hearing-impaired person, it is pre-processed by a computer through many stages. Initially, the sound is received by the microphone, then it is transmitted to the amplifier area, where it is processed in detail. According to a given program, the computer selects those sounds that the user does not hear well, it filters them out from background noise, converts them into digital signals, sends them to the receiver, and then to the area of the human eardrum. That is, the output is clear, legible sounds of speech, music, noises that a person needs to hear (for example, alarms, horn sounds, signals from household appliances), in the most comfortable range for their perception.
Editor’s Choice
ReSound Vea VE 270 – DVI
This is a digital behind-the-ear hearing aid that belongs to the middle price category. The model is equipped with all the necessary functions – volume control, program switch button, two microphones with different directions. The uniqueness of this particular model is that it has a DFS system that determines feedback and has two filters. This allows you to filter noise without losing the volume of the incoming signal, which gives a stable gain 10-15 dB higher than in other models. Also, the model is equipped with a whistle control function, noise reduction with spectral subtraction. The device can be controlled from a smartphone.
Main characteristics
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 1 to 2 degrees, |
| Number of channels | 6 |
| Number of built-in programs | 3 |
| functions | Noise Suppression, Moisture Resistant, Volume Control, Remote Receiver, Feedback Suppression |
Advantages and disadvantages
Top 9 digital hearing aids for adults in 2022 according to KP
1. Siemens Intuis 3 M
A medium power behind-the-ear hearing aid for people with moderate to severe hearing loss. Easily controlled via smartphone app. Through the application, you can adjust programs, adjust the volume and frequency. The device automatically selects a fixed or multi-channel directivity depending on the noise level, which allows you to feel comfortable in different acoustic situations. The sensitive telecoil ensures high volume and speech intelligibility when talking on the phone.
Features
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 2 to 3 degrees |
| Channels | 12 |
| Programs | 4 built-in |
| functions | noise reduction, feedback suppression, smartphone control |
2. Phonak Virto B30-10
This is a digital hearing aid located inside the ear. It is equipped with a special biometric calibration technology, which helps to ensure high performance with adaptation to the needs of the patient. Individual settings help to fine-tune the sound as accurately and clearly as possible, which creates the most realistic sound perception. Three device options are available for varying degrees of hearing loss, the device has two microphones to improve sound perception.
Features
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 1 to 4 degrees, |
| Number of channels | 8 |
| Number of built-in programs | 5 |
| functions | noise suppression, volume control, feedback suppression |
Advantages and disadvantages
3. ReSound Four EY367-DW
The ReSound Enya EY367-DW behind-the-ear hearing aid delivers high quality sound with 8 signal processing channels and adaptive microphone directivity. The device features two noise-canceling technologies: Windguard cuts out wind noise, and NoiseTracker II cuts out other background noise so you can hear people around you more clearly. And thanks to the tinnitus generator, the device masks its own tinnitus.
Features:
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 1 to 3 degrees |
| Channels | 8 |
| Programs | 4 built-in |
| functions | noise suppression, including wind noise, feedback suppression |
4. STF XP T3 Siemens
Sufficiently powerful and affordable digital behind-the-ear hearing aid to compensate for severe hearing loss. It has four basic settings profiles, from which the user chooses the most comfortable one. Equipped with external volume control, easy to use, especially suitable for the elderly. The device has difficulties with fine tuning, so it must be initially selected together with the doctor.
Features
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 1 to 4 degrees |
| Number of channels | 4 |
| Number of built-in programs | 4 |
| Method settings | trimmer, |
| functions | noise suppression, volume control, feedback suppression |
Advantages and disadvantages
5. RITM Aria-2TP
This pocket-type digital instrument is suitable for people with severe hearing impairments. It is convenient in that it can be carried in a pocket of clothes, it is easy to program and hear the surrounding sounds and speech as clearly as possible. During the initial selection of the device, the doctor programs the device on a computer, individually selecting the power and additional settings for maximum comfort. In addition, the device can be powered by rechargeable batteries or batteries, which are very easy to change.
Features
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 1 to 4 degrees |
| Number of channels | 4 |
| Number of built-in programs | 2 |
| functions | noise suppression, volume control, feedback suppression |
Advantages and disadvantages
6. Oticon Get BTE
The behind-the-ear digital hearing aid helps compensate for mild to moderate hearing loss, and has three microphone orientation options, allowing you to customize the device to your needs and reduce background noise. The device has several programs that allow you to choose the optimal settings for different sound events. Sound is conducted out of the instrument by thin silicone tubes and soft ear caps to ensure discreetness, reduced occlusion and sound comfort. The device helps to highlight speech and suppress background sounds in any environment.
Features
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 1 to 2 degrees |
| Number of channels | 4 |
| Number of built-in programs | 4 |
| Method settings | programmable |
| functions | noise suppression, volume control, feedback suppression, remote receiver. |
Advantages and disadvantages
7. Oticon OPN 3 miniRITE
Miniature behind-the-ear digital device with receiver-in-ear technology. Helps correct varying degrees of hearing loss from moderate to severe. Thanks to BrainHearing 360-degree spatial perception technology, the device scans audio signals from various sources. Therefore, the wearer can recognize sound sources and hear well in noisy environments. OpenSound Navigator technology helps to remove background noise and makes the speech of others more intelligible.
Features
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 2 to 4 degrees |
| Channels | 48 |
| Programs | 4 built-in |
| functions | noise reduction, including wind noise and harsh sounds, feedback suppression |
8. Unitron 360+
Behind the ear hearing aids are designed for people with varying degrees of hearing loss, from moderate to severe. The Unitron 360+ is equipped with an intelligent microphone with speech enhancement. First, the microphone recognizes the sound source, then “cleanses” the speech from extraneous noise and, if necessary, amplifies the signal up to 8 dB. This achieves high speech clarity without increasing the overall volume. Along with the standard noise reduction option, the device provides a system for masking harsh signals that bring discomfort: screaming, the sound of dishes, the sound of a doorbell.
Features
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 1 to 4 degrees |
| Channels | 8 |
| Programs | 2 built-in, 3 more manually adjusted |
| functions | speech extraction, noise suppression, including pulse and wind noise, feedback suppression |
9. Aurica Pixel 440DSP
A line of digital behind-the-ear devices for hearing correction of varying degrees of severity. The device has an automatic directionality of microphones, a choice of functions for speech recognition, suitable for people leading an active lifestyle. This device independently analyzes sound situations, adjusting to any of them without additional settings.
Features
| Degree of hearing compensation | from 1 to 3 degrees |
| Number of channels | 4 |
| Number of built-in programs | 4 |
| functions | noise suppression, feedback suppression, remote receiver. |
Advantages and disadvantages
How to choose a digital hearing aid for an adult
The choice of hearing aid in most cases should be carried out by a doctor or under his supervision. Otorhinolaryngologist, audiologist of the European Medical Center answered the questions of Healthy Food Near Me Alexandra Gershevskaya and candidate of medical sciences, otorhinolaryngologist, doctor of the highest category of the European Medical Center Evgenia Tsygankova.
Popular questions and answers
There is a convenient option – this is a trial use, when a person, before making a decision, has 1-2 weeks to vilify the device in a familiar environment and answer his questions – are the situations for which he is going to use the device, are solvable or not, completely, partially? And further actions will depend on these answers. Usually, the hearing aid does not show its maximum effect immediately, but after some time, approximately 5-6 months from the start of use.
This is due to the fact that a person gradually gets used to a new sound. And as experience accumulates, he will be able to formulate some desires, the setting can be changed in accordance with these wishes. Usually 2-3 settings lead to a result that suits everyone.
Features of digital hearing aids
Depending on the functionality available, different types of digital hearing aids can process sound to different degrees. It depends on the number of sound channels, the simultaneous volume of operations, the available built-in and programmable settings (programs for recognizing sounds, speech).
The number of channels is the level on which the number of operations per second will depend. For example, devices can capture and amplify speech while blocking out wind noise while still transmitting ambient background noise at normal volume.
Devices are able to dampen loud, ear-irritating sounds and amplify quiet ones. The number and direction of microphones is important, which allows you to pick up sounds in front of you or behind you, on one side or both at once.
Modern devices have a memory for sound events. They are capable of memorizing various sound events in which a person most often stays, and then they automatically switch between operating modes. On the street, they suppress wind noise, turn off this function at home, use channels for comfortable watching TV or listening to music. Many devices (but not all) have programs for syncing with smartphones, which helps in setting them up, using them as a headset, or expanding functionality.
Types of digital hearing aids
There are different types of digital devices, and it is up to the audiologist to decide which one is best for a hearing-impaired patient. In this matter, the main thing is not aesthetics, but the quality of hearing and ear health, aesthetic characteristics are already the second issue, although they are also important, especially for teenagers and young people who lead an active lifestyle, communicate a lot with others. Modern devices come in different shapes, sizes and designs, which allows you to choose the best option for yourself.
Behind the ear devices
The body of the product is attached with a special arc behind the auricle, a thin tube with an ear insert goes into the ear canal. These devices are simple, convenient and help with hearing loss from 1 to 4 degrees.
In-the-ear devices
Placed in the auricle, at the entrance to the auditory canal. Such devices are less visible to others, but their power and functionality are somewhat less. This is due to the fact that the body of the device is small, it is impossible to fit many different elements into it.
Intracanal devices
These are the smallest devices that are not visible to others. They are located inside the auditory canal, their body is very small, so the functions of the device are very limited.
In-the-ear and in-the-canal digital hearing aids are manufactured in individual case sizes after taking impressions from the patient’s ear. They are created using modern 3D printing technology. Although once the shell is molded it is ready to use, doctors recommend the addition of custom-made ear tips to form the most snug and comfortable fit to the ear.