CHRIS
Best OTC hearing aids I've had
After about three years of buying lousy OTC hearing aids, I bought a pair of Zepp Clarity Pixie CIC (completely in the ear canal) hearing aids a few months ago, because the Pixies pushed almost all my buttons. Let me explain: Since I began my quest to hear better, I had tried various types of devices: the behind-the-ear (BTE) kind, which I couldn’t wear safely if I was wearing glasses, and/or hat or hood and/or an N95 mask, because they got knocked off easily; the air pod-style kind, which hang down outside the ear, which also can be easily dislodged, are susceptible to overwhelming levels of wind noise, and produce disgusting noises when you are eating; and the CIC kind. These almost always came with buttons or switches on the devices themselves, plus very short, straight removal stalks. I found that every time I had to adjust the them by pushing their buttons, I was pushing them deeper into my ear, until, at some point during the day, they couldn’t be retrieved using their tiny stalks, and I needed tweezers. Then I found the Pixies. And the most noticeable thing? No buttons! They are controlled almost completely by a robust Bluetooth app on your mobile phone. The only time that you may have to “touch” the Pixies themselves is to switch between the two or three preset modes, by (gently) slapping each ear until you hear a voice say, “program 1”… or “program 2”… or “program 3”). This function is done by a pressure switch, so you learn how not to slap yourself silly to get the air pressure to switch presets. On the other hand, a strong gust of wind in your direction may do the same thing, although you won’t hear much wind noise. So just slap yourself again. The presets correspond to your level of hearing loss, with 1 (the default when you stick ‘em in your ear) for mild, 2 for moderate and 3 for more-severe. The Pixies themselves are tiny and can disappear discreetly into the ear canal, and the removal stalks are as long as the Pixies, and are curved, too. Easy to retrieve. And the double ear domes means they never fall out. The Bluetooth software you install on your mobile phone is very good. Comprehensive, easy to use (although there is a learning curve), with eight “programs” you can select from for various environments or situations, i.e., general, meeting, restaurants, theater, etc., and all can be edited individually to meet your particular needs. You can also take the onboard hearing test to get a recommended setting that also can be edited or redone, as needed. The Pixies are good for about 16 or so hours at a time, and you will get a ’battery low” warning for at least an hour before they switch off. The case is easy to use and can recharge the Pixies a few times before the case itself needs recharging. Also, the software is robust and has never crashed on me, unlike with several previous devices, that often required rebooting, removal/reinsertion, or even restarting my iPhone. My main complaint about the Pixies, as I continue to learn how to tune them up, is the screeching! Apparently, all CIC devices are prone to this, due to the position of their microphones. If you put them in too far, or too low, or twisted, or if you get too near a wall or other solid object (a car window, even another person), the screeching is loud and persistent. Sometimes, though, I insert them just right, and I can go hours with no screeching at all. Zepp’s customer service operation is solid, too, and you can always schedule a half-hour appointment with their audiologist if you have questions or concerns. The only “button” the Pixies don’t press is the cost. At nearly $1,000, they cost me as much as all my previous hearing aids, combined. But they are proving to be worth it.