Approximately 48 million Americans suffer from some kind of hearing loss. A significant amount of research has shown a correlation between untreated hearing loss and other serious health problems, including depression, cognitive decline, memory issues, and even dementia. As an informed consumer, it's your right to know what options are available to you to treat your hearing loss! This article discusses the best hearing aids available on the exciting 2021 market.
The world of hearing aids is a constantly changing landscape. Hearing aid companies are continuing to develop new and exciting features for their devices, constantly pushing the boundaries of what is possible. The biggest 2021 hearing aid trends are Artificial Intelligence, Smart Hearing, and Brain Hearing. To understand what hearing aids are the best, let's learn the basics. At the most basic level, hearing aids are like tiny computers, and are made up of many small parts and components. All hearing aids use the same basic parts in order to help you hear. First, a hearing aid will pick up sounds with a microphone. Then, a computer chip will convert this sound into digital code and adjust it according to your hearing loss. Finally, the digital code is converted back into a sound wave and played into your ears through a speaker.
Now onto the best Hearing aids in 2021.
Phonak Paradise
Phonak's newest line of hearing aids, the Paradise, features a brand new chipset powering some awesome new features. Bluetooth connectivity allows for 2 devices to be paired at the same time, making switching between your favorite streaming device easier than ever. The Paradise 70 and Paradise 90 aids features "Tap Control" which allows you to tap your ear to answer calls, adjust your audio stream, or activate Alexa, Siri, or Google Assistant. Paradise comes loaded with motion sensors, and adjust their amplification based off of your movement. The new Paradise chipset features better noise cancellation and clearer speech in noise as well.
Oticon More
The new Oticon More takes hearing technology and Artificial Intelligence (AI) to the next level. When Oticon developed the More line of hearing aids, they preprogrammed the chipset to be familiar with over 12 million sound samples, in order to maximize it's sound quality in various different environments. The new Polaris chipset uses a Deep Neural Network (DNN) to provide users with a crisp, clear sound signal, even in noisy areas. Oticon More comes in a rechargeable battery form factor, and is bluetooth ready with Apple and Android devices.
Bernafon Alpha
Bernafon's newest line of hearing aids, Alpha, features a brand new chipset, featuring the industry's first "Hybrid Processing". On a level of it's own, Bernafon Alpha hearing aids are capable of providing excellent speech intelligibility while maintaining comfort and sound quality. Bernafon Alpha hearing aids come in a rechargeable form factor and are Bluetooth ready for Apple and Android devices. Alpha hearing aids also come with a telecoil, which is extremely useful for hearing in "looped" environments like movie theaters, churches, government offices, live theatre environments, lecture halls, and classrooms.
Starkey Livio AI Edge
A trail-blazer in Artificial Intelligence (AI) and hearing technology, Starkey's new Livio AI Edge utilizes various features to improve speech understanding, especially in noisy places. Featuring the new "Edge Mode", Starkey Livio AI Edge hearing aids can provide upwards of 4dB better noise reduction by simply tapping on the hearing aids. Currently, the Livio AI Edge are the only hearing aids that come in a rechargeable custom form factor. Starkey Livio AI Edge comes in a rechargeable battery form factor, and is Bluetooth ready with Apple and Android devices.