Trying to pick out the best hearing aid for yourself or a loved one can seem overwhelming, especially with some many options on the market.
The good news is that doing your research is well worth the effort. A high-quality pair of hearing aids is a potentially life-changing investment.
And there’s never been a better time to buy. Thanks to recent technological advances, today’s hearing aids have features that were once the stuff of science fiction—wireless connectivity, embedded hearing tests, rechargeable batteries and more.
Better yet, competition is finally driving down the notoriously high cost of high-quality hearing aids. Models that would have been thousands of dollars just a few years ago are now available for a mere fraction of that.
If you’re wondering which brand of hearing aid is best, this article is for you. It is designed to give you an overview of the key features you’ll want to look for when making your purchase. Moreover, it provides links to other informative articles, so you can learn more about which features you will want—or need—in a hearing aid.
Here at Audientes, we’ve spent the last five years developing Ven, an innovative, inexpensive, high-quality hearing aid that we think is the best choice for most people with moderate to severe hearing loss.
Key features
Sound quality
The best hearing aids all have one simple thing in common: they allow you to hear sounds more clearly. How they accomplish this goal, however, is more complicated.
In this section we’ll talk about some of the hearing aid features that most directly impact your ability to hear clearly.
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Embedded hearing test (‘Self-fitting’):
- Some hearing aids are now equipped with a built-in, do-it-yourself hearing test, letting you test your hearing whenever and wherever you choose to.
- Ven™ by Audientes includes a state-of-the-art test that conforms to the industry gold standard NAL-NL2 specification.
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Open and closed fit:
- Open fit hearing aids allow ambient sound to enter, letting you hear a mixture of natural and enhanced sounds.
- Closed fit hearing aids block out ambient noise, making them ideal for environments with lots of loud sounds.
- Because it comes with both open and closed eartips, Ven™ provides you with both options. You may find that you consistently prefer one style of eartip or another—or you may choose to change eartips depending on the situation.
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Programs:
- The best hearing aids are built for people who use them in a variety of settings. This means that you’ll want an aid that includes ‘programs’, collections of settings that allow you to hear clearly in different environments—everywhere from an intimate dinner with friends to a raucous outdoor concert.
- Ven™ gives you the flexibility to use one of its many built-in preset programs or to create your own customized programs in the Audientes App.
- You can change programs easily, using either Ven™’s neckband controls or the Audientes App.
Comfort and durability
The best hearing aids should be comfortable, unobtrusive and stylish. Ease of use and water resistance are other key features to look out for.
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Ergonomic design:
- The best hearing aids have been designed to eliminate pressure points, giving you a secure fit that will allow you to enjoy all-day comfort, even when you’re napping or exercising.
- Ven™’s Scandinavian design is lightweight, comfortable, attractive and discreet—resembling a latest generation Bluetooth headset.
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Moisture, dirt, and dust resistance:
- The best hearing aids on the market today have an IP rating, meaning that they offer protection against dust, dirt and—perhaps most importantly—moisture.
- Ven™ has an IP68 rating—one of the highest IP ratings available.
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Ease of use:
- Using a high-quality hearing aid should be uncomplicated. Accessing features and adjusting settings should be practically effortless.
- Ven’s neckband offers a simple, intuitive design that makes it easy to adjust the volume, program settings and more. The Audientes App, likewise, is designed with technological novices in mind: an intuitive interface means that you can access advanced features with the click of a button.
Next generation technology
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Built-in Bluetooth connectivity:
- Our increasingly digital environment makes Bluetooth connectivity an essential feature in all the best hearing aids on the market in 2021.
- Ven’s built-in Bluetooth chipset lets you stream crisp, high-fidelity audio from practically any digital source, including smartphones, laptops, tablets, and smart TVs. You will be able to hear phone calls, television shows, and music with unprecedented clarity.
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App support:
- Today’s best hearing aids come with a companion app for your smartphone or tablet, allowing you to fine-tune your hearing profile, create custom programs and more.
- Ven’s companion app, the Audientes App, puts a range of powerful, yet easy-to-use, features at your fingertips.
- Because the Audientes App is connected to the cloud, your settings and hearing profile are safe, even if you lose or damage your Ven.
- Learn more about the Audientes App, available for iOS and Android.
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Rechargeable batteries:
- In the past, hearing aids required that you replace the battery every three to ten days, making them both inconvenient and costly. Today’s best hearing aids, however, include a rechargeable battery, saving you time and money.
- Ven’s built-in rechargeable battery lasts up to 12 hours, giving you a full day’s worth of performance.
Ease of purchase
The best hearing aids on the market today are affordable. Moreover, they are easy to purchase and—if necessary—return. Make sure the hearing aids you purchase come with a comprehensive warranty to protect your investment.
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Affordability:
- In the past, hearing aids could be extraordinarily expensive, costing upwards of $2,000 per ear. Fortunately, technological advancements have driven down this cost significantly.
- Audientes’ mission is to make hearing aids available to everyone, regardless of their economic situation. That’s why we’ve made sure Ven is reasonably priced—and accessible on most budgets.
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Available without a prescription:
- Today’s best hearing aids no longer require a doctor’s prescription. Instead, they include built-in hearing tests and adapt themselves to your individual hearing profile.
- You don’t need a prescription to purchase Ven
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Warranty / money back guarantee:
- Make sure that any hearing aid you buy is backed by both a warranty and a money back guarantee.
- Ven’s one-year warranty ensures that you’re covered in case of unexpected device failures.
- Audientes offers a 30-day money back guarantee. If you’re not total satisfied with Ven, you can return it for a complete refund of the purchase price. Learn more
- Note: If you’re wondering what the best hearing aid in India is, you should know that
Summary
For the millions of people asking themselves “Which hearing aid is best for me?”, the answer is clear.
Ven is a groundbreaking product—one that combines the latest in hearing aid technology with an intuitive, user-friendly design. Best of all, Ven’s attractive price point makes it available to millions of people who formerly lacked access to hearing health care.
