Hearing Aids with ANR headsets

[Dusty Eagle]

Good afternoon fellow aviators.
As time marches on one's hearing tends to fade a little and I'm faced with having a little assistance in the cockpit.

I have both a Lightspeed Zulu 1 and an early Bose ANR headsets.
They still allow me to hear perfectly whats going around me and chatting with ATC.
However, I'm looking at the future and I have had quotations on two different hearing aids, and they look fantastic.

Can anyone who has experiences of these or similar devices please comment on their quality, suitability, compatibility, durability and price.
Much appreciated.
Nico

Option 1

Oticon INTENT 3 miniRITE R
Style: RIC R (Rechargeable Receiver in the Canal)
 Standard Plus Technology
 18 fitting bands for sound management
 4D Sensor technology to sense the head/body’s movements conversation activity and acoustic environment
 Better ear priority optimizes listening in noisy situations
 More sound intelligence for better speech understanding
 Sound enhancer for better speech understanding in difficult environments
 Spatial sound for better spatial awareness to identify the source of sounds
 Soft speech booster
 Own voice processing for natural own voice
 Wind noise and handling stabilizer for reduction of wind and handling noise
 Directionality for better speech in noise performance
 Extended bandwidth for better hearing of speech and environmental sounds
 Direct streaming to iPhone/Android/MAC with Oticon Companion app for adjustments and hands-free streaming on compatible phones
 Rechargeable – 20 hours battery life with 5 hours of streaming

Option 2

Signia Pure 3 IX Charge & Go
Style: RIC (Receiver in the canal)
 12 fitting bands for sound management
 Integrated acoustic sensor providing information about environment
 Conversation Source Analyzer
 Real time conversation enhancer
 Conversation booster for individual speakers
 Speech stabilizer to preserve natural speech
 Own Voice Processing for natural own voice
 Binaural Directionality for difficult listening environments
 Noise Reduction
 Sound Smoothing for sudden impact sounds
 Dynamic soundscape processing for better clarity
 Directionality for better speech in noise performance
 Direct streaming to iPhone and Android with Signia app for adjustments
 Rechargeable – 20 hours battery life with 5 hours of streaming

Many thanks

[pietern]

Hi Dusty
My wife is an audiologist and deals with both Oticon and Signia. You will not go wrong with any of these hearing aids. Technology wise these two models are very similar. Siemens receiver wire has 3 year guarantee, Oticon only two years. Guarantee on hearing aid itself and rechargeable batteries is 3 years on similar.

Most hearing aid companies (including Oticon) have a promotion starting 1 Nov.

[priester]

Hi Nico, I have been wearing hearing aids for over 25 years and is on my second set of oticons. I found that the super duper most expensive aid's specs is <<moderated - language>>. I tried the most expensive R 84 000 model, and the performance was terrible to say the least. I eventually downgraded to the Zircon1, which in my experience gave me the best performance at just over R 30 000.

[Dusty Eagle]

Hi Pieter and Priester.

Thank you so much, that's exactly the type of information I was hoping for.
My current set tends to get or give electronic feedback..

Regards.

[Robert Bridges]

Good day Nico, I fly with Phonax and upgraded to the latest at the time 5 years ago. ITC did not work for me so I have behind the ear and they work perfectly with my BOSE A 20. Whether I am talking to ATC, getting messages relayed or just in the cockpit they are crystal clear. I did not buy them in SA. My first set came from Singapore and the second set from the US. The set from Singapore paid for an air ticket for my wife and I, plus accommodation with change in my pocket. The second set too was less expensive in the US. The second set came with insurance cover and I lost one. It was replaced free of charge. Do your research and you will be surprised at the savings. Best regards.

[priester]

Glad to be of help, I fly with mine and have no problems