Hearing Aids: Online vs. Traditional vs. UBHearing

For those with typical age-related hearing loss, we offer a comparison between online hearing devices vs. traditional hearing clinics vs. UBHearing in terms of price, comfort/effectiveness, and  value.​

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Many people over 50 are inundated with hearing aid marketing on TV, online, in newspapers, and in their mailbox.  Make no mistake, hearing aids are big business and studies would suggest that at least 50% of seniors will benefit from hearing aids in their lifetime.  Large hearing aid corporations spend millions of dollars to get your attention.  ​When it’s time to address your hearing loss, how will you know which option to choose?  How will you address your hearing loss needs without blowing your budget?  Based on questions from hundreds of people visiting our clinics, we’ve created this article to help you navigate your options.

Online Hearing Devices
Price: $50/aid to $700/aid
Comfort/Effectiveness: Low
Value:  Low

Online hearing devices (typically known as "hearing amplifiers") are sold by a variety of different worldwide vendors who advertise exclusively online via social media, gaming, news, and other sites or apps.  Most products advertised online as "hearing aids" are usually low cost devices that look like hearing aids but that lack the basic features and sound quality required to be able to to be classified as medical devices. 

These international companies call their devices "hearing aids" as they are not subject to Canadian regulatory oversight of medical devices.  In Canada, the term "hearing aid" is reserved for Class II regulated medical devices. 

Hearing amplifiers sound and fit significantly differently than actual hearing aids.  Amplifiers turn up the volume on all sounds equally - in some cases, louder than is safe for your hearing.  Amplifiers are not intended for use all day, every day, unlike hearing aids.  Amplifiers make both spoken voices and loud noises louder, so you’re no further ahead, as noise will still drown out the sound of speech in challenging situations.  

Amplifiers often crank up the volume on your own voice to levels which most people find intolerable.  Sounds are not natural or comfortable.  Most hearing amplifiers tend to be loud, but not clear, as they typically "roll off" high frequency gain, losing the most important sounds for understanding speech.  Amplifiers don’t deliver a satisfying result for those with typical age-related loss so, regardless of how cheap they are, they’re of zero value if you won’t use them.  

In contrast, hearing aids utilize "sound compression", which ensures soft sounds, like the sound of speech, are amplified much more than loud sounds (all sounds are made audible but remain comfortable).  

Although hearing amplifiers cost relatively little, the warranty, repair options and customer service are usually poor to non-existent.  Hearing amplifiers are sold as one-size-fits-all devices, which do not fit comfortably in many ears.  For those with smaller ears, hearing amplifiers often plug the ears, which is very uncomfortable.
   
In clinical practice, we've met many people who have wasted their money on sub-par hearing amplifiers, only to be disappointed.   After visiting UBHearing, people realize they often could have spent the same amount of money for far more comfortable, effective, certified hearing aids, with exceptional warranties and service.
    
Traditional Hearing Clinics
Price:  $$$$
Comfort/Effectiveness:  Good
Value:  Low

Traditional hearing clinics are the complete opposite experience to purchasing hearing amplifiers.  Traditional hearing clinics offer quality, certified hearing aids from leading, proven manufacturers.  Most people you know with hearing aids have purchased them from traditional clinics.  Perhaps your parents' purchased hearing aids from a traditional clinic.  Many have been around for 50 years or more.

Unfortunately, people pay a small fortune for the privilege of shopping with a traditional hearing clinic, with prices often ranging from $3,000.00 to $6,000.00 a pair (based on quotes from other clinics we see every day).  In many cases, their "sale" prices are higher than UBHearing's highest everyday prices.

Ask anyone you know who has purchased hearing aids from a traditional hearing clinic in the last five years, and they will tell you how expensive hearing aids can be.  Despite the fact that these purchases often include “free services and batteries”, nothing is really “free” when you've paid such a high price for hearing aids.  
 
Traditional hearing clinics rely on expensive marketing tactics, like large newspaper ads, radio commercials and online promotional ads promising thousands of dollars in savings, free take-home demos, participation in "studies", contests and more.  Someone has to cover the cost of expensive advertising, and that someone is always the customer.  

Most seniors, on fixed incomes, cannot afford to spend thousands of dollars on hearing aids once every five years or so (the typical "buy cycle" of hearing aids), so many seniors go without.  This is more than an inconvenience.  Neglecting your hearing can have a significant negative impact on other activities, mental health, relationships and quality of life.

The UBHearing Solution
Price:  $199/aid to $1299/aid (2022 pricing)
Average: $500/aid
Comfort/Effectiveness:  Good
Value:  Good

Ninety percent of those with hearing loss who visit UBHearing purchase hearing aids.  That's an outstanding conversion rate. This fact allows us to sell more hearing aids to more people.  More importantly, it allows us to spend more time with each person, which results in more thorough testing, better hearing aid selection, programming and fitting, and the best possible outcomes and service.  
     
At UBHearing, our approach is quite different from that of a traditional clinic.  We aim to sell the LEAST expensive hearing aids that will meet the needs of each client.  Most people with hearing loss have typical age-related loss.  We’re able to meet their needs with high-quality, certified, government approved hearing aids that have all the capabilities and features a client needs or requests, with nothing more or less.  We are selling the same brands as many of the traditional clinics at a fraction of the price.
  
Oftentimes clients report that our hearing aids have exceeded their expectations and sound better than previously purchased more expensive hearing aids from a traditional clinic.  Our effectiveness-first process is focused on delivering superior results from day one.  Don’t let our low prices fool you.  Our quality outcomes are second to none and our many satisfied clients will attest to that.     

Unlike online competitors, who offer cheap devices that cannot meet the needs of those with age-related loss, and unlike traditional hearing clinics that offer hearing aids at a price that is out of reach for most people, UBHearing works tirelessly to continue to offer quality hearing aids and services at a price that more people can afford.   Read UBHearing reviews from some of our many satisfied clients here...

Our commitment and determination mean that we are able to sell hearing aids starting at $199/each (when purchasing a pair).  In fact, the hearing aids we sell for $199/each now have many more features than those we were able to sell for that price when we first opened our doors in 2018.  We are always negotiating, always improving, and always looking out for our present and future clients.  
 
You don’t have to choose between cheap online devices and unaffordable hearing aids from traditional clinics.  UBHearing gives you a better option - an option that the majority of people with hearing loss have been waiting for.  
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UBHearing is locally owned and operates in Quinte only.  If you or someone you know is considering hearing aids, and they live in (or near) Quinte region, let them know they have a better option than online hearing aids or traditional hearing clinics.  Tell them to call UBHearing today.  

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