Hearing Aid Compatibility: Next deadline fast approaching; TV ...

Who does one believe? Why can't you have one device in one ear? Why such a spread of opinion on Zounds?

Never had a hearing aid before but considering getting one.

I've been a hearing aid wearer for 15 years. I recently bought a pair of BTE Zounds to replace my ineffective ITC aids. I like them. I really love that they have NO FEEDBACK!

I stumbled upon this website and was interested in reading all the comments, since I have a family member who recently got a pair of Zounds aids really loves them. Reading some of the older comments is funny, as some posts were calling for the demise of this upstart company by last December, but it is still going strong. I get the feeling that what I am reading are sourgrapes comments by audiologists and hearing aid dispensers who are feeling threatened by a company that is by-passing them to sell directly to the end-user. Perhaps this is what it was like for Lenscrafters when they first opened in malls and cut out the middleman. Zounds just opened another store here in the Phoenix area last month, so they must be doing okay.

As I mentioned, I have a family member who has been wearing her new Zounds BTEs for a couple months and she loves them. She says that they have made a huge difference for her and she would not think of wearing her Phonaks - purchased just last November - every again. Like others who have commented, they are laying in a drawer. Perhaps Zounds should consider some sort of trade-in day, when all their satisfied customers can donate their old aids to a charity.

Just some advise wrote:

This sounds like a very angery dealer who is scared because of what zounds has to offer. Dealers knows that they are charging way too much for hearing aids anyway. Here is a company who wants to give the hard working American people there monies worth and people seem to have a proble with it. You know that if Zounds can charge $999 for the same technology that other dealers are charging $2500 for there has to be something to it.
I would encourage anyone with a hearing problem to at least try the product before they make a decision on it. What do you have to loose. I know that not many Americans can stand to loose a couple Thousand dollars.

This may be a little late, but FYI audiologists and hearing aid dealers are typically not fitting over-the-counter (OTC) devices like Zounds. Therefore the assumption that we are charging $2500 for the hearing aid that Zound charges $999 for is incorrect. Secondly Zounds lists their price as $1299 per ear, which is actually more than an entry level digital aid that has similar features and is actually customized to the patient. In my professional career I have seen many patients who have tried devices similar to Zounds before seeking professional help (these devices are nothing new- just a new name and position). Not surprisingly I have never had one of these patients tell me that they were satisfied in the long run with the OTC device. So now they have lost the money that they paid for the OTC device and then they end up paying for real hearing aids as well. Once again if something seems to good to be true it probably is.

My Zounds are replacing ITC aids which were professionally fitted and programed by an audiologist. As a HOH person (since preschool age), I can tell you the Zounds are offering better amplification. I saw an audiologist at Zounds. The aids were program for my loss (bilateral moderately-severe), so I don't understand why there are negative feelings towards them from people who are not even hearing impaired and thus can't truly give them a "test drive". For the record, my pair of BTE Zounds cost be exactly $99 more than the ITC aids I bought 6 years ago.

"Oblack" questioned the diversity of comments posted on this website, and I think I have the answer. I am considering new aids and a friend recommended I look at Zounds. I asked my audiologist about the Zounds aids and she went off on me. Zounds does not sell to audiologists, only though their own stores. No surprise then that she wasn't favorable towards them. I think a lot of these negative comments are coming from angry audiologists who are losing sales.

After reading these comments I called the closest Zounds store and confirmed that I will be seen by a licensed Audiologist when I come in to check them out. I was told that I would be given a hearing test and that the aids would be programmed to my needs, just like in an audiologists office. This doesn't sound like the over the counter, cheapie aids that "Eardoc" was talking about. So, what have I got to lose? The gal on the phone confirmed that I have 30 days to decide and they give a full refund should I return them.

By the way, Florida may have a 30 day lemon law, but Arizona does not. My friend returned aids to Miracle Ear two weeks after getting them and had to pay a hefty restocking fee. He said that even with the restocking fee, the total cost for the Zounds aids would be less, and they are far superior. Actually, he said he would have bought the Zounds, even if he had to keep the Miracles, as they are so much better.

I agree with "from Deleware," this site is supposed to be a place where hearing aid wearers can share opinions, not a place for disgruntled audiologists to rant.

The restocking fee for the Zounds hearing aid in Central Florida is $49.00 per hearing aid!!!!

NEVER-EVER trust an audiologist who sells only one brand of hearing aid. Be highly suspicious of ALL hearing aid dispensers!!

I've suffered from severe tinnitus and gradual hearing loss for 35 years and know all too well what the game is about!

10 years ago, I wore a pair of Widex Digital aids with a remote control. They cost me $4500.00 at the time. I lost the remote, but wisely placed a sticker on it with an offer of reward if found. Sadly, after waiting 60 days nobody responded.

So, I called the audiologist who sold me these digital aids. They told me a remote control would cost me $450.00

ONE HUNDRED AND EIGHTY TIMES THEIR COST FROM WIDEX!!!

Out of curiosity, I called Widex. The woman who answered gave me a temporary dispenser number. I DID NOT ASK FOR IT, NOR DID I REPRESENT MYSELF AS AN AUDIOLOGIST.

Widex sold me the remote for $25.00 (Twenty-Five Dollars)

The bottom line here is this:

BEWARE! There is a reason the majority of insurers don't cover hearing aids. Audiologists have people lobbying congress to NOT approve hearing aids as a means of assistance to the hard of hearing.

The deaf community also has the same people lobbying against them as it is their theory that being deaf is a GOOD thing, and hearing is evil.

Truly a horrific situation. Ignorance and greed. Not good bedfellows at all.

Hearing aid dispensers are rip-off artists. They encourage those who don't need them to purchase two hearing aids for the sole purpose of PROFIT.

EarDoc wrote:

<quoted text>
This may be a little late, but FYI audiologists and hearing aid dealers are typically not fitting over-the-counter (OTC) devices like Zounds. Therefore the assumption that we are charging $2500 for the hearing aid that Zound charges $999 for is incorrect. Secondly Zounds lists their price as $1299 per ear, which is actually more than an entry level digital aid that has similar features and is actually customized to the patient. In my professional career I have seen many patients who have tried devices similar to Zounds before seeking professional help (these devices are nothing new- just a new name and position). Not surprisingly I have never had one of these patients tell me that they were satisfied in the long run with the OTC device. So now they have lost the money that they paid for the OTC device and then they end up paying for real hearing aids as well. Once again if something seems to good to be true it probably is.

My concern about Zounds is what if someone moves and needs more tips and where they move to doesn't have a Zounds. Are they stuck? It's a new company which may not last so the chances that purchasers will have access to the rechargeable batteries and tips is uncertain. And what about repairs? What about reprogramming? Are there places for those who move and are not near a Zounds to help with their aids?
That's my little concern. My primary concern is that those who don't fit into the cookie cutter age related hearing loss hearing aid fitting, these people are going to have a bad experience at Zounds. I'm talking about those with hyperacusis, abnormal canals, dead cell regions, high distortion,etc.... These people may develope a general consenses that hearing aids aren't for them. Yes, some people can go to Costco, Mircle Ear...etc, but there is a significant portion of the population where those types of businesses don't offer the diversity of hearing models that may fit their needs.
I do not believe in the one size fits all models, options should always be available to the dispenser, audiologist, and patients.
One more thing....does zounds do Evidence Based Practice? Where's the research? Do they have blind studies and non-biased studies? How do they verify hearing aid fittings?

I WORK FOR ZOUNDS HEARING AIDS.......

Zounds is an amazing product. Now it is not for EVERYONE certain people cannot handle the fact that they have to remove and put on out foam tips and YES there are some people in which there ear canals are either too big or too small for the tip to fit into place.

People who bash my hearing aids are simply people wh have not tried them and are biased to the product they already have.

A couple of comments above that i would like to address....

RICK
When dealing with zounds the reatil store and dealing with the doctors offices, they are totally different, we as a retail store do not associate with the doctors offices as refunds and purchases, if you purchased at the office it is only policy that you go back to the same place that you purchased, as the same if you purchase something for a large amount anywhere else.
i am terribly sorry that you links kept breaking BUT if they kept breaking im sure that a hearing aid specialist offered to give you some counseling on how to put the aids on? MOST links break..NOT ALL but most due to the way the patient is putting the foam tip on the link.

TONY

Zounds employees are very happy, we have a laid back enviorment and are not fighting over sales due to the fact that we do not work off commission. The 40 hour work week that you do not like sounds to me like you were looking for a PART TIME JOB because a FULL TIME JOB require you to work 40 HOURS +. Sam is still the founder and head of our comany which is doing very well and opening 30 new stores this year. So sounds like to me that you were an unsatisfied employee probabbly due to lack of ability to perform your job skills, and you probably got let go due to this and your on this wesite trying to bash a comany that your just upset that you got released from.

I WORK FOR ZOUNDS.....

YET AGAIN another couple of comments i must address....

Audio-Advice
THE ONLY DIFFERENCE between an adio. and a hearing aid specialist IS..... the pay. My zounds hearing specialists go through schooling..and they must pass the SAME test that the audio's do they know the same information and know exactly how to help the person in need of a hearing aid....the fact stating that we DO NOT HAVE ANY AUDIOS ON STAFF IS FALSE we may not have them at every store but if a customer would like one we would either direct them to a store that has one or bring one to the store they want to purchase from. AS FOR DEMORALIZING THE CSRS WHO ARE BEHIND THE COUNTER IS SHAMEFULL these men and woman are only there to help you out, they can answer most of your questions and if they do not know them they will direct you to someone who will. SLICK SALES PITCH? we do not work off comission nor a quota to pay our bills so if your father did not buy its probabbly because he is in DENIAL which most people are because all we do here is give honest information we DO NOT CARE if you do not purchase because all we wanna do is teach you about your hearing loss and let you expierence the difference with our aids REGARDLESS if you want to purchase. I am sorry if your father did not have a good time at my store but honestly he probably did not enjoy it because he did not want to be AT ANY HEARING AID CENTER in the first place.

BATTERY TECH

Everyone with every hearing aid is going to have problems..why? because 99 percent of people are FIRST TIME USERS this is something they have to get used to are are not happy to have a hearing aid all together. We warrenty the battery FOR LIfe they are a re chargable battery so to be completely honest no one knows when those batteries will start failing BUT we tell you straight out if your battery EVER starts to fail come in and we will replace it FREE OF CHARGE! with any new company there are bugs and upgrades to be expected but we welcome our customers to move into our upgrades and new poducts. We never make the customer feel like we have no help for them WE ALWAYS DO

There is a huge difference between a dispenser and an Au.D....hello, like 8 yrs. of schooling and a DEGREE!!! Dispensers are useless and bring a bad name to the hearing aid industry.

Well, there is a little bit of truth to everyones posts on here. However, I am a Hearing Aid Dispenser. I have BA in speech and Hearing. I know Audiologist that are crooks and have no idea what they are doing, I know very talented caring Audiologist that are brilliant as well. That being said, I know some hearing aid dispensers who are amazing at what they do, and are disgusted by the negativity surrounding their profession. I also know some hearing aid dispensers who are like used car salesmen. Here is the bottom line. Some Dispensing Audiologists are upset by the fact they paid a lot of money for a degree. Then, they do the exact same job as someone who did not have to get a degree in Audiology. Sorry, but when it comes to dispensing hearing aids it depends on three factors. 1. The quality of the product, and integrity of the company. 2. The motivation of the Audiologist or Dispenser. and 3. The knowledge of the Audiologist or Dispenser. True, Audiologists have more schooling. Very little of that is based on programming hearing aids. If you have balance or vestibular problems, and medical issues beyond a typical sensory neural loss. An Audiologist may know more. Then he or she will send you to an ENT.
As far as ZOUNDS goes. The product is very good for the price. The main problem is with the rechargable battery going bad to quickly. It is an inconvenience. However, all repairs are done at the Zounds store. If you come in with a broken aid. It is repaired or exchanged for a new one immediately. It is never sent away for repair. You YOU WILL NOT BE WITH OUT A HEARING AID!
Zounds employees are NOT on commission. I have several friends that work there. I would love to work there. Most of the Dispensers and Audiologist that joined this start up company for two reasons. 1. They are paid on salary and not commission. 2. The ethics of this company are strong. They encourage employees not to push or hard sell customers.

Are you and audio?????.....i am and know very well that hearing aid dispensers are just as great as them...please do not make assumtions on things that you have NO knowladge about.

comment to Julie wrote:

There is a huge difference between a dispenser and an Au.D....hello, like 8 yrs. of schooling and a DEGREE!!! Dispensers are useless and bring a bad name to the hearing aid industry.

come try my prodcut before you bash it....

Do you know that Zounds recently laid off about 90% of its work force? Be aware of your warranty!

Tom wrote:

Do you know that Zounds recently laid off about 90% of its work force? Be aware of your warranty!

Be aware of your warranty is right. They haven't even paid for completed construction work at a Zounds store at one of the malls.

Is Zounds going to be in business to service their product in the near future? Tens of thousands of dollars in construction is still unpaid for completed work at the Superstition Mall in Mesa AZ. Mesa is home to their main office, alarming they can't pay for construction costs in their own city. I would be wary of buying thier product.

I heard that Zounds has stopped paying most of its internal staff for the last month....?

ECONOMY is something everyone has to face...layoffs everything its a smart way to make sure we ALL can make it through these hard times. Zounds is doing JUST fine we are even offering a special promotion! no one needs to worry about ANY warrenty because the company is in very good standing. As far and people not getting paid is untrue everyone is getting a regular pay check every two weeks if you must know.