BLJ Hearing Amplifier Sound Amplifier with Digital Noise Reduction and Feedback Cancellation (Left Ear-Blue)

I spent a thousand or two for behind the ear prescription hearing aides, that just didn't do it for me. I wore them religiously for a year, and found them less than comfortable, and allowing me to hear things I didn't want to (behind me), while still missing what I wanted to hear (in front of me). I finally took them out and they have been sitting in the medicine cabinet for two years. Another down side was my clients started asking me when I was going to retire once they saw those things behind my ear. NOT GOOD.For a couple years I went without, and it was apparent I was missing important things in conversations, and just not really able to interact in family dinners, social gatherings, etc. After the umteenth fight with my wife over the volume of the TV and radio, I knew I had to do something.Something didn't allow me to spend $5,000 or more on the concealed higher end ones in the ear canal. With the recent FDA approval for other devices on the market, I started Googling and found the BLJ D-L-C2B devices on Amazon.The price seemed certainly reasonable for giving it a try. I ordered the left from BLj and the right from another vendor thinking I would need two. The left came in Friday. I am still awaiting the right. Anxious, I opened the left on Saturday, and tried to use it.It takes perseverance to find the right settings for your specific needs. I initially spent 45 minutes in frustration trying to get it to work. Each time high pitch squeals in my ear. I put it aside, and came back to it a couple hours later determined to make it work.There are a multitude of options for setting. There are 8 separate hearing volumes, 3 separate frequency settings, and 6 different ear domes (cushions or cradles) .If you don't get the combination right, the feedback (buzzing) is intolerable. I understand the previous reviewer who gave up on his, and stomped it into the ground for satisfaction.After a couple of hours trying , I settled on the lowest volume, program 2 (middle of the road), and the middle sized cradle with the pull out tail. It became apparent as I was trying all the combinations, and they kept squealing before i put it in my ear.My Wife and I went out to dinner last night, sitting at a crowded bar, and I could hear most everything she had to say effortlessly for the first time in ages! On a rare occurrence, I would get momentary feedback ( a shrill sound) but just nudge the unit, and it would stop.Today i wore it out with my family. For some reason, i am getting more feedback today, so I have been doing a fair amount of adjusting, but for every hour of clear hearing, I am wrestling with it for a minute or two.I am sorry i ordered one for the right ear. The left seems more than enough.It is not invisible. Looking straight on, most people wont see it, but any side view it is apparent. From my estimation, it is far better than those things hanging behind your ears. Also, It is pretty comfortable. My ear canal was itching last night, but today seems better. I recommend at this point, but if things change, i will update my review later.

After many years as a mechanic, and not wearing proper hearing protection (my fault) I suffer from substantial hearing loss. Looking into conventional hearing aides left me at a loss. Insurance doesn't touch them and they are too expensive for me. I had tried over the counter amplifiers, but they didn't offer much as they tend to amplify everything. I had resigned myself to just reading lips, using captions and saying "Huh?" "Excuse me" and "Could you repeat that please?"When I saw these on Amazon, I figured for the cost, I would give it one more try. What a difference. at first I purchased just the right side, figuring if they didn't work, i was only out of one purchase price. A month later I was buying the second one for my other ear. That really made a difference as it balanced the sound.I have never worn a top dollar hearing aid, so I can't compare. What I do know is these work for me.1) Comfort. These come with several adapters. I first tried the solid large adapters, and while they worked, after a day my ear was experiencing discomfort. I thought maybe I just need to get used to it..like breaking in a new shoe. After a few days I tried the adapter with "petals" (I call them) and what a difference! It was like wearing nothing. After a few minutes I forgot I had them in!2) Sound. They have 7 or 8 volume settings. Just push the little button on the end to cycle through from loudest to lowest. I run at 5th lowest on one side and 6th lowest on the other as my one ear has more loss. In addition they offer 3 settings for range or maybe pitch is the better word. Depending on what tones you have trouble hearing. hi tones, low tones or more of a mid range. Just press and hold the button for a second longer and it with change the tone..it gives a double beep and changes to the next tone range. the multi function can also be used to turn the units off and on, hold it down steadily for a few seconds and it powers the units off, or you can simply open the battery tray as I do. I find the center range works best for me, but with these three options as well as several volume settings gives you a wide range of settings to choose from. And once you get them set for what works best for you, they "lock in" the settings so no need to adjust them each time.3) battery life. I do not wear these all day every day, but at work where I have a 12 hour shift. I am able to get two full days/shifts plus a portion of the third before having to change the batteries. So I would guess about 2 days of constant day use on a battery. the batteries are common "number 10" and I have found them in all of our local pharmacies and "big box" store. The device will emit a tone when the battery is low. Its quite loud, you wont miss it! A series of 3 beep tones that repeats after a few minutes.4) are they perfect? No. These do not cut out background noise. they amplify. And as such they amplify everything. So in crowded rooms with a lot of people talking its hard to focus on a single conversation. But having said that, I love them. At home I can follow TV without the captions and the volume set on 50. I can hear my wife talking in another room. In theaters i can watch the movie without having to use listening devices or captioning devices, I can listen to the car radio at much lower settings. I can hear waiters in restaurants ...the list goes on. At work I combine them with noise canceling ear muffs. This really makes a difference! As the muffs deaden the background noise and the amplifiers allow me to hear the radio and conversations.Overall I love them. They're comfortable, they are affordable, and they work for what i need them for. It took me a few days to understand the units and adjust them to my needs and comfort. So don't give up after the first day, take a week to get the hang of these.They come with a nice case and a couple of tools (a brush for cleaning that also has a magnet to help with batteries, a tool to replace the wax guards, several ear adapters, several replacement wax guards and a couple of batteries to get you started)The seller is also very helpful. If you have questions ask. they got right back to me with any questions I had. They also have replacement adapters and wax guards when you need to order them for replacement. Good luck!

[Iwould like to preface this communication by saying that I attempted to first contact BLJ regarding my experience, but was unsuccessful in submitting such concerns on its website] During the evening of June 7, 2019, I developed a severe ear ache in my left ear, worsening during the night. Thinking I possibly had a build-up of wax in the canal, I attempted to remove any excess wax, without success. Early the morning of Saturday, June 8, 2019, I went to an urgent care facility for treatment. I was immediately informed by the doctor that I had a piece of “plastic” stuck deep in the ear’s canal. The doctor advised that the plastic, now known to be the “dome” from the BLJ device, was going to be very difficult to remove, for fear of damaging my ear drum. The doctor felt as if I should go to the ER or wait until Monday to see an ENT. Because of the severity my pain, the doctor began his attempt at removing the plastic. After, literally, working over an hour, the doctor was finally successful at “wedging” the dome back out of the canal. The removal of the dome offered almost immediate relief, excluding the pain resulting from the lengthy and tedious removal process. The doctor was basically working “blindly” at the removal attempt. Because of the dome’s shape, there became a “suction” within the canal, which became yet another obstacle in the removal process. The doctor, after seeing the dome on the right BLJ device, and then seeing what he was eventually able to extract from my left ear, was beyond angry that such a device is being marketed, when the ease of the dome’s removal can occur so easily within the ear’s canal. Obviously, out of fear of a “repeat” experience, I am no longer comfortable with wearing these devices.