While reading the list of features for a set of "discount" hearing aids sold by a big-box retailer know for low prices, I was surprised so see that manufacturer listed noise reduction as if it was a high-end or special feature for the hearing aid on sale. Needless to say I was a bit taken aback by this. Just to be clear:
"Basic noise reduction is a feature we consider to be a necessity and not a high-end feature."
Noise Reduction Gets Better Each New Generation
We know from experience that people are often unhappy with "discount" hearing aids because they still have difficulty hearing in noisy environments. So after some further investigation our staff found that basic features such as noise reduction is missing from several brands of discount hearing aids as the technology used is often several generations old. Additionally, some of the hearing aids claimed to be newer technology were using noise reduction technology that was still considered to be less that what is currently acceptable by today's standards.
For lack of a better phrase, you get what you pay for - at least when it comes to hearing aids.
Hardware - Faster Processors Required
To make matters worse for the discount hearing aids, the old hardware that is commonly being used to manufacture discount hearing aids is actually incapable of running the latest software innovations. Several generations of software refinements have elevated simple noise reduction from being "helpful" in understanding speech in a room full of talking people, to a technological miracle that actually helps better shape how the words sound so that words are several times more clear. To perform such a miraculous feat requires years of software development, microphones with finely improved accuracy, and micro chips with lot of raw computing power to filter and then amplify the small sounds of a noisy environment that are critical for understanding speech. All that has to work together in the spaces between the words spoken to a hearing aid wearer.
Latest Technology
Today hearings aids have fabulous features such as feedback cancellation and more. To make the best use of today's technology digital hearings aids actually use machine learning techniques to understand what your adjustments are trying to accomplish. They will actually compare the noise environment around you, the preferences you have set and then take into account subsequent adjustments to predicatively create an optimal user profile so you can hear the most useful sounds the device can produce.
The Audibel A4 is a great example of a hearing aid with the advanced features made possible by the latest technology:
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Do you have questions about your hearing and how digital hearing aids can help you hear better? Give us a call and will be happy to answer all your questions about hearing evaluations and hearing tests (204) 788-1083.
