Otofonix Apex Hearing Amplifier for Seniors & Adults, Noise Canceling, Virtually Invisible Mini Size, USA Phone Support (Pair, Beige)

I am so impressed with these!This is not a paid for review... I recently had my hearing checked to discover that I have moderate-severe hearing loss in both of my ears. 86% hearing loss in my left only hearing at 80 dB (normal range if ou don’t know is 0-10 dB). Hearing at 70 dB in my right ear. As my ENT and audiologist put it I am def and there is no other option but hearing aids.That was when my jaw dropped at the low end of $1600 each $3200 for a pair of aids with no coverage from insurance there is just no way I can afford that. That was when he recommended I try these and said he has several patients with mild hearing loss that use them. He said it is not an optimal choice for me being that my loss is severe but it is a good option if it does allow me to hear better than I at least until we have the money saved to buy a set specifically for my needs.I figured it was with a shot for the price and since they have a decent return policy if they aren’t working we can get our money back no harm.I put them in for the first time just on the factory settings and I was amazed at what I was hearing that I didn’t realize I wasn’t before. Immediately I could hear the cars driving outside which was something I didn’t realize I wasn’t hearing correctly. After playing with the modes and volumes I have then figured out fairly well and set where I need them for a sail use at home.The down side to these is that in my case with such a severe loss for now I am super sensitive to the sounds I am hearing and because they don’t fully self regulate like an aid that is programmed specifically to “your” hearing needs I do find that I have to adjust them based on what my surroundings are. Haveing two toddlers and watching kids on a daily basis means there is a lot of loud yelling, screaming, and squealing so for just my home setting I have them at mode 2, with hybrid domes and set to the 5 and 6 volume. But when I go to the grocery store I set them to mode 3 and turn the volume down to 4. It is still hard to hear the clerk talking to me so I have to ask them to look at me when they talk but at least when the intercalm comes on it doesn’t send shock waves themeiugh my ears. And then I can at least tell my kids are trying to talk to me vs only hearing the milieux playing.I do like that they come with protective cases but I wish I would have realized they don’t have an on off switch, in order to turn them off you have to open up the battery compartment and store them wide open otherwise they could turn on if the door is even slightly closed.Flipping through modes and volumes is not difficult just make sure you read the directions a few times and spend some time practicing so that you can change setting on the fly when you need to. Talking. The phone in mode 2 does create a microphone effect ao you will want to either change the mode or turn the volume down if it bothers you.Buy some ear drops to help moisturize your ears while you sleep if you are getting irritation. Or have your dr prescribe you some.Do not buy these with out first having your hearing tested by an audiologist a lot of places will do it for free. You could damage or further damage your hearing if you don’t know where your levels are or if you even need them. Making sure you don’t have wax obstruction or other complications if you are experiencing hearing loss is crucial before just buying something like this. For someone with severe hearing loss these are awesome! And that being said to some with no to mild loss these could damage your hearing if not needed or not used properly.

I bought these hearing aids over 3 years ago to have as a back up in case I have a problem with my Phonak aids. They come in two separate boxes; one left and one right. At the time I got them I only opened one box, the right and then tucked them away for emergencies. Well today my hearing need to go in for repair so I took these out and to my dismay the left box was empty, no aid only the instructions and tubes. I know I should have checked the box when I got it, but I didn't. I'm so disappointed and only have one aid now :-(

I will be 60 next month and my hearing has been in gradual decline for 10+ years (high frequency in particular). The latest audiologist test indicates that my hearing loss is still in the "mild" category, but it isn't getting any better. Last month I finally decided (admitted) it was time to do something about it. My health insurance will cover 80% of the cost of "hearing aids" but there is a lifetime limit of $4800. Based on what I've researched, that could be used up in one purchase. I've also read that technology is advancing quickly, and with the changes in regulation of PSAPs, I expect the advances will accelerate. And overall prices are likely to go down as quality and functionality go up.With a 45 day trial, I figured I couldn't lose by giving the Apex a try. The unit comes with the normal and large size sound tubes. Turns out I have small ears and needed the small size. Plus my ears were itching a bit. My first call to Otofonix customer service connected me with a knowledgeable human being in less than one minute. She promised to send a pair of small sound tubes right away, and suggested a couple of options to ease the itch (I ended up just using extra virgin olive oil on a Qtip). The sound tubes arrived in two days. Way to go, Otofonix!I wore the Apexes for a few days, and was a little disappointed in the tone quality (voices sounded kind of tinny). I was scheduled to visit an audiologist and give "hearing aids" a try, but decided to look into the next step up from Otofonix (the Elite PSAP) before the appointment. Made the 2nd call to Otofonix, and again got connected to a knowledgeable human being in less than a minute. After sharing my thoughts with the customer service rep, I decided to order the Encore (Otofonix top of the line). They offer another 45 day trial period from the purchase of the new units. And the service rep sent TWO sets of the small sound tubes with the new units, which again arrived in two days.Turns out the Encore sound tube sizing is a little different. The smallest size was too small for me. So I called a third time and again got connected to a knowledgeable human being in less than a minute. He sent the normal size sound tubes which arrived in two days. No charge.There is a noticeable difference in sound quality with the Encore, but it is twice the price of the Apex. Well worth it, in my opinion. But if you are on a budget, I believe the Apex is worth consideration, especially with the 45 day trial period. I have cancelled the audiologist appointment. I figure it is worth waiting to use my insurance benefits until 1) my hearing loss is moderate to severe, and 2) I can take advantage of the latest technology at that time.

It works OK. It's just that I wear readers that I have to take on and off. I keep knocking the device off with my glasses. I'm going to research hearing aids that are small enough for my pediatric size ear canals. My ear canals are small so I can't just wear any amplifier. I also have problems with ear wax accumulation completely blocking my ear canals. I may end up paying hundreds just to get the perfect hearing amplifier that goes inside my ear canal.