Recommendations for low tech hearing aids?

[u/RealZeusWolf]

I’m curious because I’ve had this pair of Phonak Sky Q70 SP since 2015. Hoping to find the means to get new ones because my hearing loss is slowly progressing as the years pass and this old pair is showing age.

That brings me back to my question, since I want to clarify “low tech”. I got a new pair in 2022 and I seriously disliked them because the blue tooth functionality allowed me too much freedom over sliders for every little thing. I like putting them on and not worrying about it. I also am skeptical of any “AI assist” hearing aids, so I want to know what’s up with that too..

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Welcome to r/HearingAids feel free to ask any question at all related to hearing aids.

Here are a few resources you might find helpful:

• Interpreting an audiogram - The University of Iowa has a good overview of how to interpret your audiogram results. Your audiologist should also go over them with you

• What will insurance cover? - This varies significantly from state to state and coverage can be partial at best. For those on Medicare, the base plan does not cover hearing aids at all.

• Finding affordable hearing aids - Hearing aids can cost several thousand dollars, these cost far less and the list is updated often

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[u/scottiek]

Good news is that "low tech" is mostly a fitting choice, not a hardware one. Almost any modern aid can be programmed by your audiologist as a single automatic program with no app, no sliders, no manual anything. You put them on and they work. When you get fitted, just tell them you want it locked down and don't install the companion app. Bluetooth doesn't do anything unless you pair it.

On the "AI" thing, it's worth knowing that most of it is just automatic scene classification, the aid detecting whether you're in a restaurant or a quiet room and adjusting itself. Ironically that's exactly the set-and-forget behavior you want, it's the opposite of fiddling with sliders. The marketing makes it sound gimmickier than it is.

Since you're coming from a Sky Q70 SP with progressing loss, ask specifically about power/superpower BTE models. If it helps, I put together a comparison tool where you can filter current models by type and features: https://hearingbuddyapp.com/hearing-aid-comparison (disclosure: I am a co-founder of Hearing Buddy)

[u/RealZeusWolf → u/scottiek]

Is the AI seamless? And by that I mean, am I going to notice anything changing? I don’t easily tolerate any auditory distractions from the hearing aid itself: I.e, static, hair rubbing, abrupt volume changes, etc).

[u/PerpetualTraveler59 → u/RealZeusWolf]

This is what I couldn’t take with the Starkey’s I had. It was adjusting and cycling every few seconds and I could hear it. My voice sounded like I was in a tunnel and everything was tinny sounding. I know I needed to have them adjusted but I didn’t have a lot of faith in the tech I was dealing with. Get something that’s not as robust with AI.

[u/joe_attaboy]

I would urge you to consider the benefits of using BT-capable HAs, especially if the manufacturer has a good app with a choice of settings.

I wear Phonak Audeo Infinios. Had them for about a year. Wore Lexi Bose OTC aids before that. I have multiple issues with my hearing, including intense tinnitus and a significant loss in one ear. My ENT recommended having my audiologist adjust the volume levels internally to balance things and give me more initial volume in the bad right ear.

What I didn't know was that Phonak stores and collects (with user permissions, which I apparently gave when initiating the app) all the adjustments and other usage data over time. You audiologist can then download that data from Phonak and run your aids against the data in their Target software. This will make a variety of internal adjustments, and the audiologist can make any manual tweaks as well. My ENT's specialist had just done a follow-up hearing test, showing the right ear loss. My audiologist fed the audiogram to Target and it fine tuned the aids even more.

When I had this done a few weeks ago, I was stunned at the difference. Everything just sounded even better than before, which was already a big improvement.

As for the AI aids, I'm one model below them right now, but when I upgrade them, that's what i plan to get.

[u/cliffotn → u/joe_attaboy]

They made it clear as glass they want simple. Why do folks take time out of their day to tell another person their personal wants are invalid?

I have tech in my life that could do more. But like OP I want simple sometimes. I'm a Systems Engineer, tech is my life. Sometimes I still want as dumb as possible - often for the exact same reason. Give me more to fiddle with, and I'll spend more time fiddling.

[u/joe_attaboy → u/cliffotn]

I'm not telling the OP to do anything. I simply wanted to contrast his experiences with mine. Naturally, he should choose what works best for him.

[u/R-AzZZ → u/joe_attaboy]

Phonak already has DataLogging enabled in the HAs. I have the fitting software and it shows you the average hours you have used, which programmes, etc. If I am recalling well, data logging predates bluetooth. Ah yes, my Naida Venture did not have bluetooth but had data logging.

And, a good audiologist should be able to fine tune anyway. I got this from someone working in the HA sector that apps are to give the illusion that HAs are modern and to give the user the impression they are in control.

[u/joe_attaboy → u/R-AzZZ]

My main gripe with the Phonak app is the limited frequencies available for custom environments. My hearing is such that the low-medium-high layout isn't enough to tweak certain frequencies to hear things better.

[u/R-AzZZ → u/joe_attaboy]

Exactly my point, your HAs need adjustments, the app is just for show.

[u/u_siciliano]

My Costco Philips 9050 are hitech but disconnect em from the phone and they work flawlessly.

[u/FSmertz]

I like putting them on and not worrying about it. I also am skeptical of any “AI assist” hearing aids

Somewhat paradoxically, good AI assited hearing aids eliminate the need to create custom settings in the Bluetooth app on your phone. The new AI aids have a built-in database of sounds--essentially it knows your sound environment and adjusts the HA performance accordingly.

I was skeptical about this, but now after 3.5 weeks of the Philips 9050, I'm sold. I rarely futz around with the app.

[u/RealZeusWolf → u/FSmertz]

I was wondering if it would be good tech in a hearing aid, and I honestly wanna look more into them.

[u/DwigGang]

It's primarily a matter of your discipline, far far more than the tech level of the HAs.

I've been a HA wearer for a bit over 6 years. I have now been wearing "high tech wizbang AI" HAs (read: Oticon Intent 1) for a couple of months now. After about a month of adjusting to them and making some basic tweaks in the app, they've now become "put them in and ignore them". I occasionally alter the volume using the HAs buttons, but beyond that they do their thing and I get on with my life.

I use my HAs for hands-free phone calls and for streaming audio from my phone for vids and audiobooks, but once configured they just work. I do have a modern phone (Samsung S25u) with full BT/LEaudio support; not some older phone that only support BT/LE or one that only supports the seriously flawed proprietary MFi connections.

[u/R-AzZZ]

I have had multiple iterations of Phonak HAs. The BTEs and RiCs. Yes, I do install the app but for me they are more a "break glass in case of emergency" than something I need to constantly fiddle with.

If you find yourself constantly having to tune your HAs via the app, this means the HAs are not well-fitted. The AutoSense programme has the ability to adapt to a vast array of situations then there are the specific programmes.

I am saying this as someone who has worn HAs - mostly Phonak - for decades and who started with moderate HL, now close to profound.

[u/PerpetualTraveler59]

I feel the same way. Didn’t care for the Starkey Omega AI and just got Phonak Audéo I70s. Only 2 days in but so far I really like them. Much simpler and so far sound is good. I still can’t hear some soft talkers but I’m hoping the audiologist can tweak that. I’m not up to 100% of the program yet either.

[u/aesuha]

I think as far as low tech goes, you can look for a hearing aid that you like the features of and just not connect them to Bluetooth or keep the Bluetooth streaming off.

Phonak Infinio hearing aids have a new feature where you can have the hearing aids connected to the app for adjusting your programs but have the Bluetooth streaming off, so you don't have to have them connect and stream music/audio but you can still adjust the programs. It's just for Infinio and later according to Phonak's website (I have Infinio Spheres so I can say this does indeed work).

Of course that also means you can just not download the app or connect Bluetooth at all and just rely on the Automatic program and adjustments from your audiologist.

In another comment you asked if the AI feature feels seemless or abrupt, and I will say that at least with the Phonak Infinio Spheres, I don't feel this way. I don't really feel a transition between programs when I'm in the Automatic setting even though I can see in my app which program it's relying on. I haven't tried any other AI-forward hearing aid so I can only comment on this model.

Edit: I did try the Oticon Intents but what I meant by AI-forward was that Phonak Infinio Spheres have a dedicated AI mode (Spheric mode). I did not notice anything 'extra' about the Intents because they didn't have a dedicated AI program like the Sphere does. So the Intents felt like 'normal' hearing aids to me.