The Truth About Cheap “Hearing Aids”

The term “cheap” carries dual meanings. On the one hand, it implies affordability, a smart option for a budget-conscious individual. On the other hand, it conveys low-quality, turning a seemingly economical purchase into a not-so-smart choice, epitomized by the adage “You get what you pay for”.

Regrettably, differentiating between an economical purchase and an item of negligible value is often challenging. When it comes to hearing aids, this couldn’t be more relevant.

The adage “you get what you pay for” is especially relevant with hearing aids. This means weeding out the devices that are priced in the “too good to be true” range, not necessarily going for the most costly choice. Companies marketing inexpensive hearing devices often omit important details about their products that consumers should be aware of.

Cheaper hearing aids are basically only amplifiers

Boosting the overall volume is typically the only thing cheap “hearing aids” are capable of. When you just amplify everything, the sounds you want to hear better are amplified but so are undesirable background noise you don’t want.

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

Contrastingly, a high-quality, modern hearing aid goes beyond simple volume adjustment. It minimizes background sound while skillfully managing sound and maximizing clarity. Genuine hearing aids are tuned to your particular hearing needs, closely simulating natural hearing with better accuracy.

PSAPs vs. Hearing Aids

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

Regrettably, there are many devices out there that are advertised as hearing aids when they’re actually personal sound amplification products (PSAPs), named this because they can only amplify sound.

There are lots of legit and reputable providers that comply with proper marketing. But there are some sellers, particularly online, that may be misinformed about what characterizes the difference between hearing aids and PSAPs, and as a result, they put out misleading statements about their products. You may even find some that state that they are approved by the FDA when that’s actually not true.

They aren’t inclusive for the majority of types of hearing loss

Most people who lose their hearing will gradually lose specific frequencies of sound before others. For example, you may have no problems hearing a man with a low voice, but have difficulty with a woman’s or child’s voice, finding it challenging to understand.

A cheap hearing device typically results in overall volume amplification. However, if you struggle with certain frequencies, just boosting the volume will be inadequate. Furthermore, turning up the volume considerably to hear the sound of your granddaughter playing on the floor may lead to your adult son’s speech sounding like a roar, possibly contributing to hearing loss if subjected to high volumes for prolonged periods.

High-quality hearing aids can be programmed to boost particular frequencies offering a much better solution. They offer a more personalized hearing experience by shifting frequencies you can’t hear very well to frequencies you hear better.

You may get a lot of feedback

You won’t get a custom fit with cheap hearing aids. A feedback loop is often the result of poorly fitting hearing aids. The microphone picks up the sound from the speaker in your ear as it wiggles around. What does this sound like? An ear-shattering screech.

They usually don’t have cellphone support

When people are looking for a budget-friendly device, they frequently sacrifice functionality like Bluetooth connectivity. The lack of Bluetooth becomes critical 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.

More sophisticated hearing aids are digital and use Bluetooth connectivity to connect directly to your phone. Overall communication and clarity will be improved so you can be sure you will hear your daughter’s voice on the phone.

They aren’t made for people with hearing loss

This could come as a surprise because so many people think otherwise. PSAPs were never designed for individuals with hearing loss. They were made to amplify sound for individuals who have relatively good hearing.

Cheap devices may help a little if you only have slight hearing loss. But people who actually need hearing aids won’t find these cheaper devices that helpful.

Finding quality, affordable hearing aids

There are many ways to get hearing aids affordably. Insurance or other third parties may cover them. You can also find financing options, leasing plans, and more affordable brands. If you think you have hearing loss, begin by getting checked out. Make an appointment with us so we can help you get the best and most affordable hearing aids for your degree and type of hearing loss.