“I am an 83-year old woman who has never worn hearing aids. When I had my hearing tested, the audiologist recommended hearing aids that cost $6,000, plus the cost of an iPhone, plus tax—roughly $7,300. I thought that was obscene! I went immediately to the internet and searched for alternatives. That's how I found Wear & Hear. I learned that they were releasing a follow-up to the BeHear NOW, and I wanted to be one of their first customers.

It took a few months to receive my device [until the official release Ed.], but it was worth the wait. The BeHear ACCESS is brilliant! My main problem was that my ear canal is so small I couldn't use any combinations of the ear buds and hooks. Fearing that I wouldn't be able to use the device, I contacted Wear & Hear and they responded immediately. Their technician suggested using it without buds or hooks. For me, that worked perfectly! I have not been self conscious about wearing it. Even people who knew I was going to be receiving the device ask me what I'm listening to. I say, “You.”

I discovered that the senior center where I attend an exercise class offers individual hearing loops, which enabled me to use Telecoil mode. I was surprised to be able to discern words in what had been mostly a wall of noise from the public address system.

The last time I attended a program at our local theatre, I heard about 20% of what the speaker said. I knew I couldn't go back. After I received BeHear's ACCESS, I contacted the theatre and was delighted to learn that they support Telecoil. I'll be back!

My favorite feature is the [ EasyListen Ed.] Slow, Slower, Slowest settings with phone calls—so handy when you're trying to listen to a fast talker! Next is ListenThrough. I have several friends who wear top-of-the-line hearing aids (we're talking $6,000-$8,000), and they have nothing that is comparable. Most of them ask if I mind having something around my neck, and I tell them I don't; in fact, I don't even notice it except when the cords catch on my clothing. In any case, it's a small inconvenience when you consider the price difference! I always point out that any high tech device is going to be obsolete in 6-12 months, and I can afford to buy a new BeHear device every year for the rest of my life for half of what one pair of high end hearing aids would cost in the first year. And, because it is rechargeable, I won't be bothered with those pesky little batteries that die at exactly the wrong time.

One of the things I appreciate about Alango is that they have democratized hearing help by making the device compatible with an old version of Android (4.4) at a very affordable price. Their mission is to provide hearing technology to as many people as possible; however, they are not motivated solely by money—there is an altruistic element to what they are doing. To understand what I mean, everybody should read The Future Is Now: “How we can create an affordable, self-administered solution to hearing loss” with Dr. Alexander Goldin, which can be found at https://medium.com/authority-magazine/the-future-is-now-how-we-can-create-an-affordable-self-administered-solution-to-hearing-loss-bc2d95a702d0. ”

Elisabeth Starnes

Dedicated Customer