The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

There are a couple separate ways to interpret the term “cheap hearing aids”. On the one hand, it implies affordability, a sensible choice for a budget-conscious person. Conversely, it conveys low-quality, turning an apparently economical purchase into a not-so-smart choice, epitomized by the saying “You get what you pay for”.

Regrettably, distinguishing between a thrifty purchase and an item of minimal value is frequently tricky. This is especially true in terms of hearing aids.

With hearing aids, the saying “you get what you pay for” is especially relevant. This doesn’t always mean opting for the top-tier option, but instead, scrutinizing products that boast a price tag too tempting to be legitimate. Companies marketing cheap hearing devices frequently omit essential details about their products that customers should be aware of.

Cheaper hearing aids are pretty much only amplifiers

Amplifying the overall volume is usually the only thing cheap “hearing aids” are capable of. If you boost the volume to hear the TV better, you’ll also get background noises including the dishwasher, a fan in a different room, a barking dog, or the sound of your house shoes going across the floor.

The purpose of having a hearing aid is completely defeated if it also amplifies unwanted sound.

Contrastingly, a high-quality, modern hearing aid goes beyond mere volume adjustment. It decreases background noise while skillfully managing sound and maximizing clarity. Authentic hearing aids simulate natural hearing with great accuracy and are custom programmed to your particular hearing needs.

Hearing aids vs. PSAPs

There are strict rules about what an advertiser can call a hearing aid as published by the Food and Drug Administration.

Unfortunately, many personal sound amplification products PSAPs are inaccurately marketed as hearing aids even though they only amplify sound.

There are lots of legitimate and reputable providers that comply with appropriate marketing. But there are some sellers, especially online, that might be misinformed about what characterizes the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and as a result, they put out misleading statements about their products. Some even falsely advertise that they are approved by the FDA.

For the majority of types of hearing loss they won’t be helpful at all

The majority of people who lose their hearing will slowly lose certain frequencies of sound before others. For instance, you may have no trouble hearing a man with a low voice, but have difficulty with a woman’s or child’s voice, finding it challenging to comprehend.

You get overall amplification with cheap hearing aids. But simply turning up the total volume will not be adequate for people who have a difficult time hearing certain frequencies. Moreover, turning the volume up considerably to hear the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor may lead to your adult son’s voice sounding like a roar, potentially contributing to hearing loss if exposed to high volumes for extended periods.

High-quality hearing aids provide a solution by being programmable to compensate for the loss of specific frequencies. They can instantly adjust the frequency you struggle to hear to one that is more audible, delivering a more tailored and effective hearing experience.

You may get a lot of feedback

Cheap hearing aids are usually not custom fit to your ears. A feedback loop is frequently the result of poorly fitting hearing aids. As the speaker in your ear jiggles around, the microphone picks up the sound. This will generate a deafening screech.

They normally don’t have cellphone support

When individuals are looking for a budget-friendly device, they frequently sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth capability. When considering phone connectivity, the lack of Bluetooth is a significant obstacle. Attempting to amplify a cheap hearing aid while on the phone leads to capturing not only the caller’s voice but also the sounds of your ear, lips, clothing, and hair rubbing against the phone, making it even more difficult to hear the person on the other end.

In contrast, digital hearing aids utilize telecoil or Bluetooth technology, creating a wireless connection between your hearing aid and the phone. This state-of-the-art feature ensures that when your daughter talks on the other end, her voice is transmitted directly into your hearing aids, improving clarity and overall communication.

They aren’t designed for individuals with hearing loss

This may come as a shock because so many people think otherwise. PSAPs were never designed for people with hearing loss. They were designed to help people who have fairly good hearing hear things a bit louder.

Cheap devices might help a little if you only have minor hearing loss. But they won’t be of much use for people who actually need hearing aids.

Where can you get quality affordable hearing aids?

Getting affordable quality hearing aids is not difficult. They might even be covered by insurance or other third parties. There are also affordable brands, leasing programs, and financing options. If you think you have hearing loss, start by getting checked out. Call us today for a consultation, we can help figure out what’s best for you, depending on your degree and type of hearing loss, and make sure you land a pair that won’t break the bank!