Saving Money Buying Hearing Aids

jem16

jim83 wrote: »

If you have a name of anything you have been recommended or quoted for, I will happily tell you objectively how it compares to other things and roughly what you can expect to pay. But it would be unprofessional to definitively state what you need without having met you

I went to David Ormerod's this morning. My hearing loss was described as reverse slope loss and sensorineural. In the low frequencies it is about 40/45db, sloping up through the mid frequencies at around 30/35 till the highest frequency at just under normal. My ears are quite small apparently. Bothe ears show the same loss (only varying by around 5db with the left ear being slightly better)

He said that CIC would not be good as my ear is too small and open fit not good as my loss is mainly low frequencies. He suggested half shell or receiver in the ear models.

His main recommendations were the Metrix(I think that's right) in the digital value range but only available in the half shell. These would be £1695 for the pair with a 2 year guarantee. The other one would be the ReSound Dot 10 which because of a 20% summer sale (ending tomorrow) would be £1720. These come with a 5yr guarantee. Both would be available on a 60 day trial.

I'm leaning more towards to Dot as it's tiny and barely noticeable with just a thin tube going into the ear. He feels that the Dot 20 at around £900 more would not be necessary as I wouldn't notice an extra £900s worth of improvement.

Problem is that I would need to tell him by tomorrow to get the 20% off otherwise it goes up to £2150. I have an appointment with a local dispenser next Saturday but is that a good price for the Dots?

Would be great if I had your thoughts on this?

jim83

Don't be swayed by the offer on the Dot 10. It's a good aid, but still overpriced with the offer on it. The Dot has three price points - what you are looking at is the entry level. I am surprised you weren't offered a Phonak aid, Ormerods near me is shifting them like nobody's business..

I'd hit up Specsavers againt to be honest. Their Advance 621 for £1595 is the Starkey Zon 7 - similar style, way better tech and a lot cheaper than your quote there. (again, 3 price points with Starkey, but this is the top of the range)

Any dispenser you will go to will be chomping at the bit to get you to trial aids with them. This recession is hitting the industry very hard, so they all will offer to beat any quote, or they'll throw in extras like a years supply of batteries, or 5 years warrantys. Try your hardest not to be "sold to". It is a buyers' market.

Also, ask about the cost of non-warrany repairs and any other aftercare. This can vary wildly.

jem16

jim83 wrote: »

Don't be swayed by the offer on the Dot 10. It's a good aid, but still overpriced with the offer on it. The Dot has three price points - what you are looking at is the entry level. I am surprised you weren't offered a Phonak aid, Ormerods near me is shifting them like nobody's business..

I'm sure I read that Phonak had purchased GN Resound so that might account for it. I was told that the Dot 10 was the entry level but that I didn't need the Dot 20 so why pay extra.

I have now been told that the Specsavers 430 and 421 is essentially the same and is only £1195 although the guarantee is 2 years. An extra £199 takes it up to 4 years, so £1394.

I'd hit up Specsavers againt to be honest. Their Advance 621 for £1595 is the Starkey Zon 7 - similar style, way better tech and a lot cheaper than your quote there. (again, 3 price points with Starkey, but this is the top of the range)

My leaflet and their website only mentions the 620 and 630. It doesn't mention the 621?

Any dispenser you will go to will be chomping at the bit to get you to trial aids with them. This recession is hitting the industry very hard, so they all will offer to beat any quote, or they'll throw in extras like a years supply of batteries, or 5 years warrantys. Try your hardest not to be "sold to". It is a buyers' market.

I suppose he was quite good in that he didn't try to sell me the dearest aid but in actual fact the cheapest one. However I will leave it until I see the local dispenser I was going to see on Saturday and see what he is offering armed with the prices I already have.

Also, ask about the cost of non-warrany repairs and any other aftercare. This can vary wildly.

What would a non-warranty repair be? I would have thought that everything apart from loss would be covered.

Errata

What would a non-warranty repair be? I would have thought that everything apart from loss would be covered

Dropping it in the bathroom washbasin
Chewed by dog

jem16

Errata wrote: »

Dropping it in the bathroom washbasin
Chewed by dog

Ah never thought of accidental damage - perhaps my house insurance would cover that?

Savvy_Sue

Errata wrote: »

Dropping it in the bathroom washbasin
Chewed by dog

I may have mentioned that my local hearing aid clinic has a display of 'aids chewed by dogs'. :rotfl:

It's a bit worrying (not that we have a dog) because I used to be able to hear mine whistling if I left it on accidentally - DH can't! - but now I've got the Open Fit mould I can't hear it at all.

jem16 wrote: »

Ah never thought of accidental damage - perhaps my house insurance would cover that?

You would need to check: you might need to make your hearing aids 'named items' because they could well be over the value of things 'generally' covered.

jem16

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

You would need to check: you might need to make your hearing aids 'named items' because they could well be over the value of things 'generally' covered.

I have all risks on personal possessions for each item up to £1500. So should be ok but I would check.

jem16

jim83 wrote: »

I'd hit up Specsavers againt to be honest. Their Advance 621 for £1595 is the Starkey Zon 7 - similar style, way better tech and a lot cheaper than your quote there. (again, 3 price points with Starkey, but this is the top of the range)

Are Specsavers models just rebranded or are they older models? The reason I ask is that David Ormerod's told me their value range was older models whilst their premium range was the newer models? True or just sales talk?

Als when you say that the 621 is the Starkey Zon 7 - is it actually that hearing aid simply rebranded or is it the equivalent of that model?

jim83

jem16 wrote: »

Are Specsavers models just rebranded or are they older models? The reason I ask is that David Ormerod's told me their value range was older models whilst their premium range was the newer models? True or just sales talk?

To be honest, I'm not 100% sure. The starkey ones are current, but as far as the Siemens and Phonak, I don't really know.

Als when you say that the 621 is the Starkey Zon 7 - is it actually that hearing aid simply rebranded or is it the equivalent of that model?

It's definitely that hearing aid rebranded.


... I'm sure I posted here last night responding to the warranty questions? maybe I forgot to press submit? Oh well.

jem16

jim83 wrote: »

It's definitely that hearing aid rebranded.

I take it you like the Starkey models?

... I'm sure I posted here last night responding to the warranty questions? maybe I forgot to press submit? Oh well.

No problem. I hadn't thought about accidental damage.