Hearing Aids - Specsavers

accorian

Many thanks to PMNG for such a comprehensive review. My only experience of SpecSavers' audio service was such that I've happily gone to the NHS; the 'hearing test' at my local Specsavers was conducted in the downstairs shop area; the headset didn't exclude ambient sound; the girl who was doing the test said she had only recently moved over from  the eyesight side of Specsavers to audio. She also said I wasn't the first to complain about the uselessness of the headphones provided for me to wear during the test.

Since that test, almost 2 years ago, my GP has referred me to the specialist audio department of a regional hospital. I'm now awaiting news of the hearing aids which the hospital said -- in February -- would be ready in  a fortnight. (This pandemic has a lot to answer for, especially in the way the NHS has  immobilized all non-COVID 19 healthcare services).

Meantime, Specsavers continues to send me ridiculous letters inviting me in to check my hearing, this despite the fact I was never an actual 'patient' nor even a customer of theirs. What I especially disliked about Specsavers was the sheer coyness of the individual I dealt with when it came to pricing. Not only was no explanation given of the range of hearing aids available, nor their specification, but mention of price was studiously avoided..

It was as if Specsavers believed that in losing your hearing you'd also lost your ability to think.

That's the only regret I have about the OP's review: the failure to say what was the price of the absurdly named aids.

If, however, they did cost £1,100 -- because of the OP's omission, there's some doubt there: I'm having to refer to a different post -- then those Elites are more elitist than I can afford. Must be a nice 100% profit though for Specsavers, in line with the amount the franchise operation makes on spectacle frames.

TELLIT01

missile said:

TELLIT01 said:

What kind of cost are you looking at with hearing aids from Specsavers?  I ask because my wife had a hearing test at Boots and they were pushing her to buy aids costing several thousand pounds.

£1100. Expensive maybe, but wife thinks they are worth every penny.

£1100 isn't too bad.  She currently pays nearly £500 per year for contact lenses.  The figure my wife was given was much higher than that.  Higher by a couple of thousand quid!  The spec included Bluetooth and just about every other technology known to man.  I think the hearing aids must be able to prepare meals and do all the washing and cleaning they are so wonderful!

missile

There is a huge range and options. Just like any car dealer, Specsavers will sell you the most expensive you can afford.

Michelleanna

It’s so good to find this review. I have just bought these exact hearing aids a few days ago. I have lots of experience of hearing aids from a much smaller private retailer and was a little nervous about going to a high street shop. 

My experience was amazing! Both the initial appointment when I received a hearing test, wax removal and fitting of the hearing aids along with the second appointment to get them up and running! Both appointments were an hour and a half each with a fully trained and very experienced audiologist. I am absolutely over the moon with them!! The Bluetooth technology is amazing! I run every day and used to use my Bose wireless headphones to talk to my friend on the phone (lockdown social distance running) now I don’t need headphones and can hear everything around me as well as my friend! The sounds is perfect and she can hear me perfectly too!! It makes for a much safer run! I love how I can answer my phone just by pressing a button on my hearing aids too!! 

I bought the TV connector and it streams to my hearing aids from the TV and my computer. For the first time in EVER I don’t need subtitles!!! I can happily listen to a film with my family and they don’t have to have the volume up loud and me asking what was said every minute!! 

My husband is the quietest speaker ever and I can hear him without saying pardon ever two seconds!!
I've only had the hearing aids for 3 days but they’ve changed my life already!! I don’t have to worry about batteries as they recharge overnight and I use the app on my iPhone to check how much battery I have left and if I want to see what program of the 4 that was set for me!! All  4 years guaranteed and 90 day money back! 

It’s the best £2000 I’ve ever spent!! The audiologist is going to phone me in a week to see how I’m getting on and I have his contact details if I need anything. This was the area I was most concerned about as I was told by the smaller company that the high street shops don’t offer this service! I do have NHS hearing aids too but they really don’t compare! I hope this review is helpful as I know that it can be so difficult to find out what others think of hearing aids and I guess the hearing aid companies like it that way! Best wishes 

Annie253

I have just bought a hearing aid from Specsavers to replace one that was whipped off ear by a facemask.  I had it for 5 yrs and was happy with it.  I am told that maybe the 'dome' or silicone surround inside my ear was not big enough as should have stayed in position if behind the ear bit was disturbed.   I suffer from one sided deafness so was given a discount for taken one instead of two hearing aids.  Someone asked about prices.  I live in euro zone and there are 6 Specsaver styles to choose from fron 600 to 2,695 euro for a pair.  They are Phonak brand.  I have the middle of the range model (1500 euro) and paid extra 100 to get the rechargeable battery.  I can now accept phonecalls/whatapp thru the hearing aid by clicking on button on it.  I now have an App on my android phone where I can adjust the volume if need be. It also tells me the level of power remaining  in the battery.   The recharger takes about 3 hours apparently and uses a USB connection so could be connected to a laptop or car outlet if need be otherwise there is a normal plug you can use.  There are other options for settings but to be discussed at a later appointment.   This time I am asked to replace the filter myself and the kit is a bit simpler that the last arrangement which was usually done by the audiologist and probably not done often enough.

TELLIT01

Maybe I'm just an old cynic, but two people just happening to find this topic and posting such glowing reviews as their first contribution to the forum, without prompting from somewhere, seems unlikely in the extreme.

Torry_Quine

My NHS hearing aid is exactly the same one that someone I know got privately. The only difference was they were seen and got theirs quicker. I phone up for free replacement tubing and batteries which arrive quickly. My friend just got hers and it was posted followed up with an online session with the audiologist. 

Annie253

I do not consider my posting a 'glowing review' more like factual comment.  Two weeks along now with new hearing aid and I am not happy with it but hope it can be sorted out at next appointment.  Also the App is hopeless but rechon I can live with that,  if I can have  volume controls put on the actual h aid (an option with the 'rocker' switch on the receiver part).  The in ear bit still seems to work its way out over the day.   I am not sure if a bigger dome is a solution to that?  What I do appreciate of new aid  is its bluetooth function which means I can hear audio including phone calls, direct from my phone.  You can also respond to a phone call without handling your phone because  a microphone in the hearing aid picks up your voice.   This would make bluetooth in car redundant up to a point.

PMNG

I am glad that people found my review of some use. I mainly wrote the review as I am a tech geek and could not find any reviews of the latest Specsaver Advance Elite hearing aids.

I have now had them for six months and I am still extremely pleased with their performance and flexibility. I perhaps underestimated what a big change bluetooth had on accepting mobile phone calls. Where I used to avoid phone calls I now don’t hesitate to answer as the sound is crystal clear and straight into my ear, I am also impressed with how the hearing aid microphones pick up my speech during the phone calls. It’s very impressive and I think a bit of a game changer, well at least for me. You either accept a phone call via the iPhone which calls up the Advanced `Hearing Aids as an option once you have paired them with the phone. Or you press the upper button on the HA to accept.

The iphone app is useless but you can alter volume and sound modes using the buttons on the hearing aid, so not really an issue. I think ALL hearing aid manufacturers struggle to have multiple sources of Bluetooth working simultaneously – best I have managed is my BT landline phone and my iphone concurrently. Typically, you need to sign-out of a Bluetooth device to link to another, so I just keep them linked to my iphone.

I find the hearing aids work really well with video conference calls and normal group meetings, plus day-to-day conversation talking is extremely good.

My pair are RIC and very discrete with most people unaware I am wearing them. They have been a great buy, not cheap at £1950 in a sale, but have performed and delivered excellently.

Finally to the conspiracy aficionado who thinks the reviews might be too good – it was me with the rifle on the grassy knoll, with my hearing aids in !

 

Annie253

I am reporting back on my recent experience of Specsaver h aid.  It is a Phonak make and middle of their range.  I have been back to the audiology department and now I am told that the Phonak App is not compatible with the make of my smartphone (Samsung 8).  I have been given two additional settings along with Automatic that now have to be selected by scrolling thru via tiny button on the h aid.  Not very satisfactory and fiddley and time consuming.  Also the volume control option does not seem to be working either.  A workable App would have sorted these options at one click.  The dome was replaced but I find it still works its way out.  Also the wearing of a facemask combined with wearing glasses upsets the behind the ear receiver.  It is a rechargeable battery option and a bit heavier/bigger than previous so is now more inclined to slither off.  I dont find the new settings provided make for better TV sound and can hardly rate the difference from  the Automatic setting or from just turning up volume and listening with my one good ear.  

So am bit frustrated by experience!  My main reason for having the h aid was for meetings/classes but those have fallen away with covid days we live in so I cant 'roadtest' new h aid for this situation.   I am  thinking maybe just to have the basic entry model and skip all the finer techie options.  I enjoyed the bluetooth function but I could get a regular earpiece with bluetooth link to phone to pick up calls, listen to media, podcasts etc.   I suppose I could get the device that links to your TV and will broadcast to your earpiece, not necessarily a hearing aid.