The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

There are a couple different ways to interpret the word “cheap hearing aids”. On the one hand, it implies affordability, a wise choice for a budget-conscious individual. Conversely, it indicates low-quality, turning a seemingly economical purchase into a not-so-smart decision, epitomized by the adage “You get what you pay for”.

Regrettably, differentiating between an economical purchase and an item of minimal value is frequently tricky. This is particularly relevant in the realm of hearing aids.

The saying “you get what you pay for” is especially potent with hearing aids. This means weeding out the devices that are priced in the “too good to be true” range, not automatically opting for the most expensive option. Customers need to recognize that essential information is often left out of the marketing campaigns of cheap hearing aids.

They typically just amplify sound

Cheap “hearing aids” usually offer minimal functionality, mainly amplifying or reducing overall volume. If you boost the volume to hear the TV better, you’ll also get background noises like the dishwasher, a fan in a different room, a barking dog, or the sound of your house slippers moving across the floor.

If everything is louder, it totally defeats the purpose of having a hearing aid.

A modern state-of-the-art hearing aid, in comparison, does a lot more than simply turn the volume up. It minimizes background noise while skillfully managing sound and maximizing clarity. Real hearing aids simulate natural hearing with great accuracy and are custom tuned to your specific hearing needs.

Hearing aids vs. PSAPs

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

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

There are many legit and reputable companies that comply with correct marketing. But there are some sellers, especially online, that may be misinformed about what defines the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and as a result, they put out misleading claims about their products. You might even find some that claim that they’re approved by the FDA when that’s actually false.

For the majority of kinds of hearing loss they won’t be effective at all

Most individuals who lose their hearing will slowly lose particular frequencies of sound before others. You may have a difficult time understanding a small child or a woman, for instance, but you have no issue understanding a man with a low voice.

A cheap hearing device usually results in overall volume amplification. However, if you struggle with specific frequencies, just boosting the volume will be insufficient. Furthermore, turning the volume up significantly to hear the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor might result in your adult son’s voice sounding like a roar, possibly adding to hearing loss if subjected to high volumes for prolonged periods.

High-quality hearing aids can be programmed to boost selected frequencies providing a much better solution. 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 might get a lot of feedback

Cheap hearing aids are generally 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. What does this sound like? An ear-shattering screech.

They typically won’t help you on your cellphone

Functionality is often sacrificed when choosing budget devices, and this is true for lots of inexpensive hearing aids lacking Bluetooth connectivity. The lack of Bluetooth becomes crucial when thinking about phone connectivity. With cheaper hearing devices, when you attempt to amplify phone calls, your device will amplify every little sound, like your lips or ears rubbing against the phone, or clothing and hair.

On the other hand, digital hearing aids use 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 sent directly into your hearing aids, enhancing clarity and overall communication.

They were never meant to treat hearing loss

The majority of individuals would probably be surprised by this. PSAPs were never made for individuals with hearing loss. They were designed to help people who have relatively good hearing hear things a little louder.

If you have very slight hearing loss then cheap devices might help a little. But individuals who actually need hearing aids won’t find these cheaper devices that useful.

Where can you get quality affordable hearing aids?

There are many ways to get hearing aids affordably. They might even be covered by insurance or other third parties. There are also affordable brands, leasing programs, and financing options. The first step is to get a hearing test if you suspect you may have hearing loss. Call us today for a consultation, we can help decide what’s best for you, depending on your level and type of hearing loss, and make sure you land a pair that won’t break the bank!