I received product from Etymotic for review purposes.
Can you still hear the same way you did when you were young? I know I can’t. I have a problem focusing on one person talking to me when there is another conversation going on in the same room. I noticed this the other day when my brother came to visit. His son was talking to Fabgrandpa in the living room, and I couldn’t concentrate on what my brother was saying to me. I know he noticed it, and I was embarrassed by it.
I also have a hard time hearing someone who is not sitting next to me, or standing in front of me. If I can’t see their mouth moving, it is hard for me to keep up with what they are saying. Sometimes what they are saying sounds muted. Other times, it just all sounds jumbled up. So, I have to ask repeatedly , What did you say? or What?
I’m not the only person in my family who has a problem with hearing. Both my father and his father had hearing loss, and my uncle on my father’s side. My father was in his early 60’s when he got his hearing aid. I’m not sure about my grandfather and uncle. My youngest daughter also has to wear a hearing device, but her hearing loss came from a stroke after the birth of her last baby.
The good thing is, that now there are other options than the hearing aids our fathers and grandfathers had. These new Quiet Sound Amplifiers work differently than the old models of hearing aids. The Bean Quiet Sound Amplifiers do just that: They amplify sounds so that you can hear them more clearly. So what makes the Bean, a Personal Sound Amplification Product (PSAPs), different from hearing aids? The following information is from their website:
In terms of what consumers “hear,” how do PSAPs (Personal Sound Amplification Products) differ from hearing aids?
Both types of device allow consumers to hear sounds louder.
Similarities
- Both hearing aids and personal sound amplifiers have the same three basic components: Microphone, amplifier and receiver.
- Both amplify sound.
- Both deliver sound through a sound tube at the end of the receiver.
- Both come in in-ear and behind-the-ear models.
Differences
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Hearing aids are intended to correct hearing loss, which is considered a medical condition by FDA.
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Hearing aids are regulated by FDA – PSAPs are not.
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All state laws require the sale of hearing aids only by licensed professionals.
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Hearing aids are adjusted to compensate for impaired hearing in certain frequency regions—most generally in the high frequencies (pitches).
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Hearing aids generally are digital and must be programmed with a computer; this often takes several visits to a professional’s office.
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Many hearing aids have custom molds, but some are basically ready-fit: i.e., no ear impression is needed; the best (stock) eartip is selected by a professional.
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PSAPs are intended to amplify sound, not correct hearing loss. Examples: –Enhanced hearing for hunters –Hearing TV better –Hearing better at a distance –Hearing better in the car –Hearing better in social situations –Hearing better in worship services
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PSAPs can be purchased from any source (mail order, Internet, big box store, pharmacy, hearing professional, physician) without recommendation, prescription or state regulation.
If you have a hard time hearing in a crowd, while watching TV, while talking to one person while another conversation is going on in close proximity, or in the car, then you may want to check out the Bean® Quiet Sound Amplifier. The price starts at $299, and you don’t have to have a doctor’s prescription for them. Do this for yourself.
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