We hear it often: people who have trouble understanding things but find the step to a hearing aid still too big. That threshold is quite understandable, and fortunately there is also an intermediate solution: hearing amplifiers. Actually, they are a kind of simple hearing aids that mainly focus on amplifying sound, although there are also very sophisticated amplifiers that are close to a hearing aid. In this article, we will tell you about all the variants and what they can do.
External hearing amplifiers
This type of hearing amplifier consists of a separate box and a headset or chin bar. Inside the box is a microphone that picks up sound, which is then amplified through the headphones. The box can be placed next to you or hung around your neck. Our own simple hearing amplifier runs on 2 AAA batteries, the Geemarc Loophear 10 contains a rechargeable Lithium battery, also has balance and tone control and can pick up the signal from a telecoil.
Behind-the-ear hearing amplifiers
They are similar to behind-the-ear hearing aids, but they cannot be adjusted to your personal hearing loss. So the options are a little more limited, as you can only control the loudness and composition of the sound. Also, these hearing amplifiers work with a built-in microphone and in this case the sound is transmitted through a thin tube like a hearing aid. The advantage of these amplifiers is that they are hardly visible.
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Beurer Ha 50€49,99 -
Beurer HA20€36,95
In the ear hearing amplifiers
As with hearing aids, this is the most discreet solution. These hearing amplifiers disappear completely into the ear and are thus virtually invisible. The built-in microphone here transmits sound directly through the dome. Like the behind-the-ear variants, they operate on hearing aid batteries. With these amplifiers, you can only adjust the volume.
The Ferrari among hearing amplifiers: the Sennheiser ConC 400
Of course, there are also very deluxe hearing amplifiers, such as the just-released Sennheiser ConC 400. Developed in collaboration with audiologists and hearing specialists, these insane earbuds contain bits of technology that you’ll also find in full-fledged hearing aids. For example, the ConC 400 analyzes the sound level of the environment and automatically optimizes speech intelligibility, has Bluetooth so you can easily pair it with various devices and includes active noise cancellation. If you are not yet ready for a hearing aid, this offers the ultimate listening experience.
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Sennheiser ConC 400€699,99
When is a hearing amplifier for me?
A hearing amplifier is suitable for people with incipient and mild hearing loss, or can be useful as a backup when your hearing aid needs to be repaired, for example. A hearing amplifier is explicitly not a replacement or alternative to a hearing aid and cannot be tailored to your personal situation. Do you want to know for sure if you have hearing loss and if a hearing amplifier can help? Then make an appointment for a free, no-obligation hearing test.
Do you have questions or need advice?
We are, of course, happy to help you find the perfect hearing solution. Feel free to contact us via our contact form or send us an email at [email protected]. Feel free to call us as well, at 085 401 0985.
