- In this video, I'm sharing my picks
for the best custom and non-custom
in the ear hearing aids as we enter 2021.
Coming up.
(upbeat music)
2012 once again proved to be a fantastic year
for the development of new hearing aid technology.
And while receiver in the canal hearing aids
usually get all of the attention
there are some fantastic custom and non-custom
in ear hearing aids that you should be aware of as well.
That being said, if you do want to see my picks
for the best receiver in canal hearing aids in 2021,
I real link that video in the description.
Now for the usual disclaimer
where I explained that it does not matter
how awesome any of the hearing aids are in this video,
unless you go to a hearing care professional
who can maximize the performance of those devices
by following best practices when fitting
and programming them.
Now, if you don't know what best practices are
then I highly recommend you also check out my video
talking about best practices
that I will link in the description.
Also, I am fully aware that there are a lot of you out there
who want me to discuss pricing in this video.
I just wanna let you know
that it is nearly impossible to do so
because pricing is heavily influenced based on the city
and state that you live in
and whether or not the hearing care provider
that you see dispenses hearing aids
in a bundled or unbundled fashion.
Now, most of the hearing aids that I'll be talking about
in this video do have a detailed review
on my YouTube channel.
So if any one of them peaks your interest
they should, you check out those videos
on my YouTube channel as well.
All right, let's go ahead and get into my picks
for the best custom and non-custom hearing aids
as we enter 2021.
And in no particular order,
the first hearing aid on the list
is the Phonak Virto Marvel Titanium.
The Virto Marvel Titanium is an invisible
in the canal hearing aid
that is of course made out of titanium.
The reason this hearing aid is made from titanium
and not the typical acrylic plastic material
is because it is 15 times stronger than acrylic.
So Phonak can actually reduce
the size of the shelter 0.2 millimeters
which is 50% thinner than an acrylic shell
which allows Phonak to reduce the size of this device
by an additional 26% compared to the acrylic version
of this hearing aid.
You can technically get the Virto M Titanium
with a medium power or super power receiver
but I have never successfully fit someone
with more than a moderately severe hearing loss
with this hearing aid due to feedback limitations
that is typical with an IIC hearing aid.
Also, while the titanium device is smaller
power and super power receivers
can still make these hearing aids too big
for some people with smaller ear canals.
The titanium comes in two different technology levels.
The tier one premium level M90
and the tier two advanced level M70.
While you will save some money
dropping from tier one to tier two
as with any hearing aid brand,
you will also lose some customization and features
as you drop down in technology level.
While these devices do not have
Bluetooth wireless connectivity,
you can still easily use a set of over the ear headphones
and in some cases, earbuds buds
even while wearing the titanium hearing aids.
The titaniums use a size 10 disposable hearing aid battery
which is the smallest hearing aid battery on the market
to keep these devices as small as possible.
You should expect to get around three to five days
worth of battery life.
But this does depend on how many hours a day
you wear your hearing aids
and how much amplification you need with your devices.
You do have a simple push button on each battery door
which can be programmed to change volume or change programs.
In my opinion, Phonak is one of the best
when it comes to custom made products.
And this skillset really shows
with the physical comfort that you get
with a titanium hearing aid.
Overall, this hearing aid is perfect
for the individual who wants a discreet hearing aid
and for any individuals who just don't wanna fuss
with all these different things like Bluetooth connectivity.
All right, moving on to the second hearing aid on the list
which is the ReSound Quattro Custom ITE the ear hearing aid
the ReSound Quattro Custom ITE
was the first custom ITE hearing aid
that could stream not only from an Apple device,
but from an Android device as well.
This streaming capability is available
in any Custom ReSound Quattro hearing aid
from the completely in canal size
up to their full shell ITE models.
While this hearing aid is not technically hands-free
because you still have to talk into your phone
when you're on a phone call,
all of the sound that's coming from your phone or tablet
or whatever you have it connected to
will stream directly into both of your hearing aids.
So you can hear whatever it is significantly better.
And this includes phone calls,
it includes podcasts or YouTube videos or even music.
The ReSound Quattro Custom ITE hearing aid
comes in a variety of different sizes.
You have an invisible in the canal size
all the way up to the full shell in the ear size.
But if you want to be able to stream Bluetooth
you have to at least have the microphone in helix or larger.
More on that here in a minute.
The ReSound Quattro ITE
come in three different technology levels
starting with the tier one premium level Quattro nine,
the tier two advanced level Quattro seven
and the tier three basic level, Quattro five.
The Mic in Helix version of this hearing aid
which I mentioned a few seconds ago,
frees up some extra space inside of the hearing aid
for a telecoil or a more powerful receiver
while still keeping the hearing aid
relatively small inside of your ear canal.
Also by removing this microphone from the face plate
of the hearing aid, it allows for a bigger vent size
which can help reduce the occlusion effect
which is the sound of your own voice
being boomi and loud to yourself.
And it can allow for increased amplification
without getting feedback or whistling.
The ReSound Quattro Custom ITE hearing aids
can fit a wide range of hearing losses
anything from a mild hearing loss
all the way up to a profound hearing loss
by using either a multi-power receiver
all the way up to an ultra power receiver.
The ReSound smart 3d app is one of the best hearing aid apps
in the industry that you had direct access to
with these custom devices.
This app is great because it allows you
to make some customizations of your own programming,
whether that be volume control
or doing a low, mid or high frequency adjustment.
But the best thing about it is
that you can actually connect remotely
with your hearing care professionals.
So if you have difficulty making it into their office
if you're home bound or something like that
you can still have live remote programming sessions
with your hearing care professional.
You can also use the app to activate
any of the remote accessories that ReSound has
including the TV streamer, the multi-mic and the micro-mic.
Overall, the ReSound Quattro Custom
in the ear hearing aid is a terrific hearing aid
for anybody who wants really good Bluetooth connectivity
and who wants access to an amazing app.
Moving on to the third hearing aid on the list.
We are right back to Phonak
or we're going to be talking about
their Virto Marvel Black Custom hearing aid.
This hearing aid does come
in a size 10 disposable battery option
as well as a size 312
non wireless disposable battery option.
But the real excitement comes into play
with the wireless version of the size 312 battery.
The Virto Marvel 312 version can wirelessly connect
to virtualy any Bluetooth device
whether it's an Apple device or an Android device
and stream that audio directly
into both of these custom hearing aids.
These devices are also completely hands free
so you do not need your phone in your possession
to be able to talk on the phone
because the microphone's
on the actual hearing aids themselves
will pick up your voice and send it to the person
on the other end of the line.
When it comes to technology levels
Phonak has four tiers of the Virto Marvel 312.
Starting with the tier one premium level Marvel 90
down to the tier four basic level Marvel 30.
You can get this hearing aid
in a half shell size or a full shell size
with anything from a moderate power receiver,
all the way up to an ultra power receiver
for anybody with a mild
all the way up to profound hearing loss.
But again, you can only get these hearing aids
with a size 312 batteries.
So you cannot upgrade to a size 13 battery
which is larger and stores more battery life.
Another thing that you cannot get is a telecoil
with this hearing aid.
The Virto Marvel 312 hearing aid
uses the exact same MyPhonak app
to make custom adjustments to your own devices,
as well as connect remotely
with your hearing care professional.
If you want your hearing care professional
to be able to make programming adjustments
even when you're not in their office.
This hearing aid is directly compatible
with all of the Phonak wireless accessories
including the award-winning Rodger microphone lineup
and the TV connector if you wanna stream audio
directly from your TV into your devices.
Overall the Virto Marvel Black
is one of the best hearing aids.
If you want your hearing aids to look more
like a consumer electronic device
and if you want your devices to be able
to have great Bluetooth connectivity.
Fourth on the list is the Custom Starkey Livio Edge Ai.
The custom version of the Livio Edge Ai hearing aid
stands out due to the fact
that it is the only fully featured
custom rechargeable hearing aid on the market.
The rechargeable case stores an additional three charges
and takes only a three and a half hour charge
to give the Livio Edge Ai hearing aids
23 hours of battery life.
You can get this hearing aid in a black color as well.
So if you're the type of person
that wants your hearing aid to look more
like a consumer electronic device
you can get that with this hearing aid as well.
While this is a made for iPhone hearing aid
it does have the ASHA Bluetooth protocols.
So you can connect with an Apple device or an Android device
for direct streaming into both of the hearing aids.
Technically the Custom Livio Edge Ai
only comes in the tier one premium model i2,400,
but you can get the non Edge Livio Ai version
in the tier two advanced level i2000
all the way down to the tier five essential level i1000.
So what do I mean when I say edge?
Well, the feature edge mode is available
only in the Livio Edge Ai premium model devices
and it uses edge computing to help you hear better
in a background noise situation.
Lemme go ahead and just play you a sound sample
with edge mode off and with edge mode on.
(crowd cheering)
- [Announcer] (mumbles).
- The Custom Livio Edge Ai hearing aids
come in three different sizes.
You have the, in the canal size
the half shell size and the full shell size
and these hearing aids can fit a wide range
of hearing losses,
anything from a mild to profound hearing loss
with a 70 gain receiver
but, just know that if you have a really small ear canal
that 70 gain receiver is a very large receiver.
So what might force you into a larger size hearing aid?
If you do happen to get the full shell version
of this hearing aid, you will have access to a telecoil
but anything smaller than the full shell
you will not get a telecoil.
The Custom Livio Edge Ai hearing aids still give you access
to the Starkey thrive app, which gives you a body
and brain score that make up your thrive score.
The intent of this type of tracking
is to encourage you to use your hearing aids more
since your hearing, your brain
and your physical well-being are all closely linked.
The thrive app also acts as your remote control
so you can make custom adjustments to your own hearing aids
and you get access to the hearing care anywhere features.
So your hearing care professional
can make remote adjustments to these hearing devices
when you're not in their office as well.
These hearing aids are also great
for someone who needs a caretaker
thanks to the Starkey thrive care app
which lets hearing aid users share their health
and wellness information with the people of their choosing
giving peace of mind to their caregivers
and the hearing aid user alike.
Overall, if you want a customer chargeable hearing aid
or you want a hearing aid that can track
a whole bunch of different health
and wellness information about you
then the Custom Livio Edge Ai hearing aid is a great option.
The fifth hearing aid on the list
is the Signia Silk Xperience invisible
in the canal hearing aid.
The Signia Silk has been around for a while
and is a generic fit IIC hearing aid
that does not require a custom ear mold impression
or a 3d ear scan.
It is technically the smallest daily wear
where I see hearing aid that uses either click sleeves
or click domes to adjust the physical fit
of the device in your ear.
It uses the very small size
10 disposable hearing aid battery.
And it does not give you any other kind of external features
like a push button for you to make any adjustments with.
While this may make the outer appearance
of this hearing aid to be overly simplistic
there is nothing simplistic
about the performance of this hearing aid
since it was built on the Signia experience platform.
The Silk X devices come in five different technology levels
from the tier one premium silk seven X
to the tier five basic silk one X.
This hearing aid is way too small for a telecoil
or for Bluetooth connectivity
but somehow this hearing aid actually works
with the signee app to make remote control adjustments
to your devices and give you access
to your hearing care professional through the app as well.
What's crazy is that it still has
ear to ear wireless communications.
So you can technically use this hearing aid
with a cross transmitter.
So if you're someone who needs to have cross treatment
or by cross treatment,
because you have single-sided deafness
you can still use these hearing aids
for that type of hearing loss.
Due to the extremely small size of this hearing aid
it only has access to a 50 gain receiver
which is generally suitable for someone
with a mild to moderate hearing loss.
And in some cases, a moderately severe hearing loss
depending on the size and shape of your ear canal.
Overall, the Signia Silk experience IIC hearing aid
is a terrific hearing aid
for someone who wants a really small device
and who wants the device that does not require
a custom ear mold impression or a custom 3d scan.
And last, but definitely not least
the sixth hearing aid to make my lists of best custom
and non-custom in the ear hearing aids in 2021.
And this one is kind of in a category of its own.
It's the Phonak Lyric.
The Phonak lyric is an invisible extended wear hearing aid
which means that instead of putting in your hearing aid
in the morning and taking it out at night
you have it professionally placed deep inside
of your ear canal by your hearing care professional
and have it replaced every two and a half to three months.
The crazy thing about the lyric
is that you can tell someone to look inside of your ear
and they will still not see this hearing aid.
The lyric hearing aid has an outer layer
of soft and very comfortable biocompatible foam
that encases a digitally programmable analog hearing aid
and permanent battery.
The reason why you have to have
your lyric hearing aid replaced
by your hearing care professional every three months
is because the battery only lasts that long.
You basically do everything with the lyric.
You sleep in the lyric, you shower in the lyric
you ride your bicycle with the lyric.
You wear a helmet with the lyric.
You can use earbuds or headphones with the lyric.
In fact, the only things that you cannot do
with the lyric is go get an MRI
and completely submerged your head under water.
Since you sleep in the lyric,
it's one of the best hearing aids
to help manage your tinnitus
while you're trying to fall asleep.
And from a security standpoint, it's terrific
because (mumbles) you would take other hearing aids
out of your ears at night
you can actually hear while you're sleeping.
This hearing aid is small
but it can actually fit a wide range of hearing losses
because it's so close to your eardrum.
So if you have a mild hearing loss
all the way up to a severe hearing loss
there is a solid chance that the lyric would work for you.
To be able to use the lyric
you have to have a large enough of an ear canal
and you cannot produce massive amounts of earwax.
Both of those are Contra indications
for this particular device,
but they do have a vast array of sizes
of these hearing aids.
You have an extra, extra small
all the way up to an extra, extra large.
The lyric does not come in multiple technology levels.
You basically only have one tech level
of this particular hearing aid
and it functions off of a subscription basis.
So what happens is you go
into your hearing care professional,
you subscribe to lyric for a year
that covers your cost of devices
as well as all of the professional care that will receive
over the course of that year.
And each time that that one-year Mark comes up,
you're repaying your subscription fee.
Lyric has actually been around for a while.
And in late 2020, Phonak released lyric version four
which touts a smaller size and better resistance to earwax.
Overall, if you do not want anybody
to ever see your hearing aid
or you want to have a hearing aid
that you just put into your ear
and leave it alone and go and live your life
then the lyric four
should be on your short list of devices to consider.
All right guys, those are my six picks for the best custom
and non-custom in the ear hearing aids in 2021.
And a lot of them are on par
with a lot of the amazing receiver
and canal hearing technology that you hear a lot more about.
Just remember, there are a lot of amazing hearing aids
out there and your success with any one of them
largely depends on how familiar
your hearing care professional is with each one.
And of course, whether or not your hearing care
professional follows best practices
when fitting and programming the hearing aids
to your hearing loss.
That's it for this video.
If you have any questions
leave them in the comment section below.
If you liked the video, please share it.
And if you wanna see other videos, just like this one
go ahead and hit that subscribe button.
Also feel free to check out my website,
Dr. CliffAuD.com.
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