The Lyric hearing aid is what I would term a “semi-implantable” hearing aid. Fitters have to have special training to implant and remove the hearing aid. The patient is not supposed to remove it (except in an emergency) and the aid is worn for a period of time (up to several months) and then the aid is removed and discarded and another is implanted. The battery is a sealed system and there is no way to remove or service the battery. The patient buys a “plan” covering a period of time that allows them a certain number of replacement aids over the time span contracted. Prices very, but the cost is in the one to two thousand dollars an ear/ per year. Given the average lifetime of a normal hearing aid, you are looking at a significant investment beyond the cost of a more mainstream system. The Lyric appeals to certain patients for several reasons, that might sound good on the surface, but I think, fail under the strong light of scrutiny. There is an appeal that the fitting a semi-”medical” insertion process and thus different that a regular hearing aid fitting. Some patients want to think “I am getting a medical solution to my problem, rather than a prosthetic device. < It is still a hearing aid, just a different way of coupling it to the ear.> The patient may be drawn to the idea that they are not being “sold” a hearing aid for thousands of dollars, they are leasing it for several hundred every couple of months. But more traditional hearing aids, while having a higher upfront investment, are owned outright and will service the patients’ needs for years to come. “Leasing” a hearing aid for even a hundred dollars a month, will add up pretty quickly. A professional who will offer a “trial period” fits most traditional hearing aids, so the patient is typically not stuck with a hearing aid that does not work correctly anyway.

The Amp hearing aid is an entry-level product, designed for people who are transitioning into wearing hearing aids. In my humble opinion, the product would not be satisfactory for anyone who has a “full time” need for hearing aids. The major advantage (and disadvantage) of the product is its’ low entry cost. It is a stock module that is adapted via various sleeves to fit the patient. It might well be viewed as “reading glasses” for the ears. Just as someone who is transitioning into wearing spectacles might go to the drug store and buy cheap set of reading glasses to wear occasionally; someone may choose to wear the AMP for an hour-long business meeting and then take it off for the rest of the day. Battery life is directly related to how long the battery is in the hearing aid. The AMP requires that you remove the sleeve to remove the battery. That is not easy, but it is the only way to prevent the battery from depleting when the aid is not in use. The small battery that is used in the unit only has about 85 hours of use in it. If you purchase cheap batteries, do not store your batteries correctly or do not remove the battery from the unit when not in use- your battery life will be severely reduced. SIDE BAR- Most problems with hearing aids using batteries quickly, are related to the quality and storage of the battery; not to the hearing aid. If a hearing aid is malfunctioning, it will drain a battery in a matter of an hour or so. If the battery lasts a day, then the fault most likely lies with the battery, not the hearing aid. Batteries need to come from a reliable source and need to be kept in a dry, cool place, away from the sun. Cheap batteries are usually not a bargain. The AMP has a limited ability to be programmed and “tuned in” to the patients hearing loss. The low price is appealing, but it is not without its’ drawbacks. I do not feel that it is fair to compare the results from an AMP, with the reasonable expectations one might have of a typical hearing aid.

The Starkey people also offer a product that is a deep canal fitting along the lines of the Lyric. That product allows for the replacement of batteries and has a huge range of tuning and comfort options. If you have an ear that will accommodate this product, it is an excellent choice for cosmetics and function. It is not the least expensive hearing aid on the market, but it is difficult to find a hearing that is invisible, good and cheap. In the software industry, the old saw is: you can have it cheap, fast and good; pick two. It can be fast and good, but not cheap, etc. With hearing aids, the line would be: you can have it small, good and cheap, pick two. The more traditional Completely In the Canal (CIC) fitting would be a better choice for someone who has an ear that may not comfortably accommodate the deep canal fittings and still wants a smaller product. The CIC and the more popular Reciever In the Canal (RIC) products from Starkey offer a wide array of technologies, reasonable cosmetics, a huge fitting range and good battery life. The RIC products are now available in systems that couple directly to the TV for vastly improved TV enjoyment and still offer a range of prices (directly related to function) for all budgets.

Beware of looking only at PRICE. Patients should more concerned with VALUE. Seek the best value for your money, not the lowest price. If you buy a 50 cent product for $1, you have gotten a poor value. If you pay $10 for a product that is worth $15, you have a good value. Price and Value, do not mean the same thing. After many years in the industry, I would point to the idea that the hearing aid as a commodity and the pursuit of the lowest priced hearing aid as the greatest reasons for patient dissatisfaction with hearing aids. Followed closely by the expertise of the dispenser. Seek a reasonable price on a quality product from a capable dispenser and you will be happy.

The AMP is not without its’ issues. It is not extremely powerful; it will not fit losses beyond a mild-moderate level. It has some adjustability, but not anything approaching the level of adjustability in some of Starkey’s more advanced models. It has basic level features, including a decent feedback manager and a pretty good background noise manager. It is a “modular” hearing instrument, meaning that sleeves are used to adapt the unit to each individual. The price, while quite attractive, is nowhere near the pennies that some folks would like to pay for a hearing aid. At $1500 a set, the unit is a value for the right patient.

That being said, the patient should remember that this is NOT a product designed to answer everyone’s needs and wants in a hearing aid. I have been quite successful in fitting these units as “reading glasses for the ears”. When I have approached the patient from this standpoint, we have been successful in providing a successful result. Starkey, themselves, bills the product as “The Hearing Aid for people who are not ready for a hearing aid”. This product is not designed for daily wear, nor is it designed for those with a serious loss. It is also not designed to work in extreme noise conditions. If you need a little “boost” in that sales meeting or classroom; this could well be a product for you. If you wish a discrete hearing aid that has a lower price point and have reasonable expectations of the product; this could be a product for you.

Invisible in the canal hearing aids are available from several manufacturers. Starkey clearly has the lead horse in this race, but there are other products that some customers find attractive. Starkey has specialized in small and innovative hearing aids for decades and an objective reviewer would have to grant their leading position. While Starkey has an extensive line of models, most of their products have industry leading noise and feedback control. Some professionals might suggest other products for economic reasons (theirs and the patients), but it is hard to beat the total line that Starkey has to offer. These features do not come cheap and are not without their shortcomings. Keep an open mind and work on your own rehabilitation; and do not expect a purple unicorn.

As always, the patient should use care when selecting their hearing professional. The majority of the patients’ success with ANY hearing aid lies more with the professional than with the features in the hearing aid. If you have the proper professional and the proper expectations, you will be happy with your hearing aid fitting. If you purchase a hearing aid based on price or on a set of features on a piece of paper, you may be in for a disappointment. Professionalism cannot be measured by price or features; the professional knows what they are doing or they do not. Also, keep in mind that a hearing aid fitting is a process, not an event. Good results take time and patience.

One major benefit to the Lee Majors Hearing Aid is that it is, indeed, rechargeable: many hearing aids require a constant changing of batteries, and can die out in a situation when the wearer may not be able to find another set of batteries nearby. The Lee Majors Hearing Aid has a carriage one can insert the hearing aid into to recharge while it is not in use, ensuring a constant power supply to enable your hearing.

Another benefit is its cost. While many hearing aids can run upwards of thousands of dollars, the Lee Majors Hearing Aid is affordable at roughly $200. If you still feel you cannot afford the amount, or are running on a tighter budget than most, feeling the wringing hands of this tumultuous economy on your back, no need to fret. There is a simpler solution. The Lee Majors Hearing Aid can also be purchased using a payment plan of $66 a month for 3 months. The best part of all of this, as well as a testament to this product’s affordability, is the ability for you to try it on a 30-day trial for $14.95. If you do not like it for whatever reason, whether you’re simply not comfortable with it, or you’d rather find something else, you can return it on or before the 30-day trial period and no longer be obligated to make any future payments.

Lee Majors Hearing Aid, however, is not recommended for people with rapidly occurring hearing loss, deformity of the ear, those who have been experiencing ringing in their ears for at least 90 days, people with ear drainage or discharge, or for those with excessive wax buildup or pain in the ears. If any of the following apply to you, please consult a doctor and be sure to check out the other hearing aids reviews.

Phonak hearing aids are available in many shapes and colors, one of the most discrete ones being the Completely-in-the-Canal model, which can barely be seen by others, but which, unfortunately, doesn’t feature wireless connectivity. Nevertheless, if you really need the wireless functionality, you can choose the Phonak In-the-Canal model which is also very discrete hearing aid.

It can be overwhelming at first with so many different styles and types of hearing aids. Miracle Ear prides themselves on not just selling you a hearing aid but instead a hearing solution. They categorize their hearing aids into six sub groups. First is the BTE hearing aid which stands for behind the ear. Open Fit that makes the BTE less visible and have a high performance rating. Miracle Ear also offers what they call comfort styles which also some times go by the names “semi-contour” or “contour”. These hearing aids are typically a little bit bigger in size but tend to have all of the advanced features that can not be fit into some of the smaller models. Cosmetic hearing aids styles rounds out the Miracle Ear hearing aid line up. As you might of guessed, these hearing aids are almost invisible to other people. These hearing aids are very small and actually sit in the ear canal.

One of the reasons so many people choose Miracle Ear is because of the way the approach hearing loss. They understand that everyone not only different types and degree of hearing loss but also different requirements for their hearing solution. This is why you go through a complete hearing evaluation when you visit a Miracle Ear store. Miracle Ear then categorizes hearing solutions into four different packages.

These are the Miracle Ear hearing solution packages:

ME-1 Solution Package

ME-2 Solution Package

ME-3 Solution Package

ME-4 Solution Package

Finally we should tell you that Miracle Ear Hearing Aids have warrantee that ranges from 1 to 3 years. Miracle Ear no longer produce analog hearing aids, instead 100% of their products are digital. This makes them a little more expensive but insures that you are on the cutting edge of technology.

Last we would love to hear from anybody who had a Miracle Ear hearing aid and what their experiences have been. Feel free to leave a comment and let us know what you thought of this hearing aid reviews. We welcome all your feedback. Don’t worry, as any hearing aid updates become available be sure that we will update our information.