With its new Independence Family of hearing aids, America Hears, Inc., has upgraded its entire family of digital hearing aids to 32-channel digital signal processors. And, in line with its stated goal of remaining the price/performance leader among hearing-aid manufacturers, it has set prices ranging from $799 to $1,299 per hearing aid, less than half the price charged by other name-brand manufacturers of comparable-performance hearing aids. Disclosure: I wear a pair of America Hears custom hearing aids and am incredibly happy with them. I also intend to get a pair of the new Independence hearing-aid models to hear for myself the improvements the company has made in its sound-processing system.
The new, high-performance, low-cost hearing aids feature a Voyageur II digital signal processor from Sound Design Technologies, Ltd., that processes 32 independent streams of sound to provide tuned amplification at the broadest range of frequencies available in the industry. And the Advanced Dynamic Range Optimization (ADRO) sound processing software from Dynamic Hearing Pty Ltd. features a new, improved enhance speech in noise (ESIN) algorithm that amplifies the high-frequency sounds that comprise 60% of speech, attacking the problem of hearing speech in noisy environments such as crowded restaurants.
The America Hears direct-from-factory-to-consumer Internet sales model enables the company to keep costs to the end user low. At the same time, its user-adjustable programming software enables you to take charge of tuning your own hearing aids after they are programmed to your audiogram at the factory.
The America Hears Independence hearing aids come in a range of styles, from receiver-in-the-canal, to open fit, to behind the ear, to custom models. There are up to four user-selectable four program settings for different listening environments. And it features data logging–the ability to record and track the output of your hearing aids over time to understand how they are being used in different listening environments.
David Copithorne says
Hi Stacie,
Thanks for getting in touch! I have a set of America Hears ITE’s which have worked extremely well for me. I plan on getting a new pair with the updated chip and sound processing software and am discussing with them whether I should get BTE’s or another set of ITE’s.
Unfortunately I don’t qualify for open-fit hearing aids because I’ve got severe loss at both low and high frequencies. However I do know the AH open fits are based on the same chip and software that are in the ones I wear. I’ve spoken with a lot of people who wear the open fits and all have been happy with them.
America Hears is definitely worth a try for an experienced hearing aid user like you. You need to send them a recent audiogram and they will program the new hearing aids to it and send them to you; it helps if you are adventurous enough to try the programmer on your PC as it makes adjustments fast, easy and exactly the way you want them, but America Hears will handle adjustments for you as well.
I also know they are sincere in their efforts to work closely with customers and will honor the money-back guarantee if you try them and decide you’re still more comfortable with Phonak or one of the other brands you may try.
Good luck!!
Dave
Stacie Knable-Crook says
Hi, David,
Your site is terrific! I, too, was once a reporter and am now in advertising, but enough of that… I wonder if you might share what type of America Hears aid you’re wearing (i.e., CIC, BTE, etc.)?
After wearing a Phonak CIC for many years, I must finally take the plunge and invest in a more suitable aid for my profound high-frequency loss. My audiologist (one of the best I’ve ever seen) is recommending the dearly priced Phonak Smart IX open fit, so I am looking at alternatives. I’ve seen overwhelmingly positive reviews of AH all over the Web and, so, am simply wondering if you have any experience with their open-fit aids. Rest assured that I realize you also have a relationship with the company… but I’ve read enough of your writings [including a post that I can no longer find, in which you mention AH’s quality as compared to your previously worn Widex] to believe that you are more than genuine in your appreciation of AH’s products.
Thanks so much for any info you can offer, as well as your great site.
Stacie
Lane says
I like the idea of personal programming of my own hearing aids. I have a fairly severe hearing loss and I wear the Symphron model BTE’s from HearSource.com. The thing I like about programming my own hearing aids is that I think that I can get the sound settings more exact then when I had the audi do it for me in the office. Hearsource has been excellent to work with and have been extremely friendly and accommodating. I would recommend them to anyone who might be considering purchasing hearing aid over the internet. As they say, This is the Future of Better Hearing.
Tim says
New hearing aids are great unless you can’t afford them. Luckily, there’s a bill in Congress right now that would extend Medicare’s coverage to hearing aids.