Specsavers v Hidden Hearing

Tideswell

I'm looking for people's experiences with hearing aid service from Specsavers and Hidden Hearing?

Can anyone advise which they found best?

looksee

I don't have experience of Hidden Hearing, except their nuisance value when my husband was looking for hearing aids. One enquiry and we were eternally damned till I threatened them. Specsavers - have a pair of theirs which I was not impressed with for a good while, then one broke - a bit of the casing fell off - and they provided a new one, and since then they have been much improved so I reckon there was a problem from the start, which should have been spotted. I don't think I would go with either again.

lowelife

I'll second this, I'm on my second set purchased from them. And problems I have had sorted within 24 hours. (Even during peak COVID)

lowelife

Blackberry have association with many locations, usually a pharmacy or opticians, so they may well be on your doorstep without you knowing.

And they do home visits so location then doesn't become an issue.

Princess Calla

My mam went to hidden hearing and she really had to chase them about something.... customer service wasn't great.

I went to specsavers and they said my hearing had deteriorated alot and couldn't in good conscience sell me a hearing aid without a specialist looking at my ears. (I wasn't with them initially but my circumstances changed and they are the closest to me)

I appreciate their honesty but still waiting on the specialist and really struggling as the aids themselves are about 6 yrs old at this stage.

Gwildor

Give BlackBerry Hearing a try. They’ve been fantastic to deal with. 100% Irish company too.

Princess Calla

My ones are from bonovox on north Earl street.....they have a shop in dundrum too.

I can't fault them tbh. Their customer service is brilliant.

The reason why I was moving was I liked the spec of the phonak aid (bonovox didn't stock them) and I was no longer working in town so wanted somewhere handy if there was an issue (without having to organize childminding and all that)

Different shops stock different brands (and price ranges) so I'd be doing abit of research from that point of view too.

There's an independent audiologist near where I live and they stock really premium aids ....I'm bad but I don't think I need that high a spec....so depends on the users needs too.

Rigsby

I agree with Princess Calla not to confine things to just one or two shops. Search out other providers and check their feedback.

I was with Specsavers for a while and they were OK. However, I recently needed to change my aids and decided to go with a different provider...Dublin Hearing Aid Centre. I am very happy with the aids and the follow up service.

https://www.dublinhearingaids.com/

Tideswell

Hi Rigsby.

It comes down to what's near me. Distance is an issue, travel isn't easy for me. So options are limited.

Thanks for your advice 😉

Tideswell

Thanks lowelife, I'll have a look into that

Rigsby

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120179469#Comment_120179469

I understand.

My point is that as hearing aids are expensive it is worth checking a few places before parting with a fair chunk of cash.

Also, even if you bought the best and most expensive hearing aids available, they are only as good as how the audiologist programmes them. The price generally includes the audiologists qualifications, experience and expertise.

Anyway...hope you get what you want. 🤞

Tideswell

Thanks Rigsby, sound advice, much appreciated

Bluebelle2017

I’m living in Co Kerry Ireland and like others mentioned, it’s important to get hearing aids close to home for convenience. I’m allergic to companies that plague you if you make one enquiry. One company recently kept ringing me from different countries after I made one enquiry locally. I think they were trying to get me to make an appointment at all costs. They clearly are only after the money. So where to go is my problem. I know I need aids for the first time. I don’t want to scrimp but I don’t want to spend too much either. It looks like they’re all flogging their own brands. Is there any place one can go to get clear, impartial advise. I really would appreciate any useful advice. Thanks in advance.

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120470659#Comment_120470659

I've never had any pressure calls from either bonovox or specsavers. I've no experience with anywhere else.

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120178829#Comment_120178829

As I'm in the thread.....

Well this post hasn't aged well.

I've had my consultant visit and he's under the impression that I'm too far gone for hearing aids and cochlear implants are the best way forward.

I've had my MRI but still waiting on the callback about the results.

On one hand abit of a shock on the other it wasn't much of a surprise either !

looksee

That's a bit of a land for you Princess Calla, hope you get some helpful results.

I was with Bonovox (either they or the particular audiologist were called something else at the time, but that's what they are called now) and will be going back to them. I am seriously fed up with Specsavers' offering.

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120470857#Comment_120470857

Yeah I'm okay with it. The risk of having to relearn how to speak is my biggest concern.

I've young kids and I'm missing out on alot. Plus as I speak louder than "normal" if I've to correct them in public it sounds like I'm really giving out , when I'm not. The irony is when they are in trouble it's usually a whispered growl 😂🤣🤣

I'm a firm believer in playing the cards you're dealt, so just have to get on with it!

Yeah I've no complaints about bonovox. All the staff were always be very helpful.

maireadni

Hello - this is my first post on Boards…. I know I need a hearing aid. My family/friends can hear my radio/tv at the bottom of the garden. I can never hear a TV in a hotel even on full volume. I need a proper test. And then some decent ‘invisible’ aids. I live near Bray in Wicklow.

I hate having anything in my ears so no idea what else there is apart from cochlear implants. Someone mentioned this above - did you go with it? Where? Who?

Any help greatly appreciated. Mairead 🙏

Princess Calla

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122459549#Comment_122459549

Well cochlear implants aren't invisible and the processor still goes into the ear.

All of them go into the ear.

I was similar, I hated anything going into my ears even earphones or headphones, but you will have to get over that!

My first hearing aid was an "in the canal" hearing aid, you get a mold made of your ear and it is custom made. It slips into the ear and is about as invisible as you get. For the most part it worked well, though I did find when I was eating it would become a bit displaced and sometimes it would feel abit "sweaty".

I then moved on to over the ear hearing aids I found them better as my ears felt like they could "breathe"

Having visible hearing aids doesn't bother me, my hair covers them for the most part, plus I need them so vanity needs to be parked at the door.

Majority of people say they never noticed them anyway, people aren't as observant about you as you think they are.

Go to an audiologist and get a test.

When you know how bad your hearing is then you can do research into what suits your needs. Also depending on what type of work you do, keep an eye on what additional accessories you can get in support of the hearing aids (I didn't get any but definitely something I'd be considering now)

TomOnBoard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122459549#Comment_122459549

Modern HAs are almost invisible compared to the large devices of old. Your first step is to get the hearing test. That will inform the type of device that will best suit your situation.

Once you've got an audiogram, DONT be pressured into buying straight away. Seek a 90 day Trial. You WILL be pressured into paying over money there and then. Resist that kind of high pressure sales pitch.

This is a journey youre about to take, one that will need inputs from a trusted audiologist for years in order to get the most out of the devices. Dont fall for used car salesmen tactics.

If you find it difficult to resist such sales approaches, bring a friend with you who will act as your pillar of strength.

looksee

I would suggest over the ear too. The bit that goes into your ear is quite small and the whole thing is unobtrusive, people just don't notice them, especially if you have hair over them. The bit in your ear can be irritating to start with, you can feel it and I found it itched like mad sometimes. When it got seriously itchy I just took it out for a few hours. Now I just don't notice them at all.

Apart from the technical aspects I suggest that the rechargeable ones are a huge improvement over the battery ones. The little batteries are a plague, you have to keep buying them and the dead ones seem to get all over the place in spite of a dead battery box. The over ear bits on rechargable ones are a bit bigger but its not a problem and they are much better.

TomOnBoard

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122461080#Comment_122461080

Rechargeable HAs have a definite convenience benefit, unless the wearer has particularly long days and a high level of Bluetooth usage.

Most places include batteries for the life of the warranty (usually either 3 or 4 years), and they are indeed fiddly. However, after 3-4 years when warranties are finished, a replacement of the rechargeable battery is likely going to be needed. With good planning they can be replaced just before expiry if they've begun to lose charge length.

Some of the latest devices don't actually come with replaceable batteries, so it may not even be an option.

I use rechargeable Phonak Paradise that gives me about 12+ hours with a high level of streaming and around 16+ hours with very little streaming. My BIL uses Oticon from Hidden Hearing and gets a full day between charges. From what I see, folks seem to get between 2+ to 4 days from HAs with replaceable batteries.