The advent of modern, sophisticated digital hearing aids has been something of a revelation for those affected by mild to severe hearing loss. It is fair to say that they have brought normal hearing back to countless individuals – of all ages – than was ever possible using traditional analogue equipment.
Digital hearing aids are helping people in every aspect of their daily lives – from going to work, to leading a busy social life. Not only are they making a big difference in hearing quality, they also play an important role in the management of balance disorders and their underlying causes.
Indeed, given the speed of technological development in digital signal processing (DSP) technologies and algorithms, they really do offer our customers the best long term choice for enhanced hearing. So what sets digital apart from analogue?
- Bespoke solutions – settings can be individually programmed, meaning it is possible to fine tune precise prescriptions, according to your individual requirements. Should hearing loss deteriorate, then it is straightforward to reprogramme your hearing aid accordingly.
- Gain Processing – a bit like turning up the graphic equaliser on a stereo, digital hearing aids can amplify a particular frequency of sound – known as gain. This can be done selectively. So more bass or more treble, depending on your requirements.
- Digital Feedback Reduction (DFR) and Digital Noise Reduction (DNR) – these clever technologies are designed to eliminate irritating feedback and background noise that’s often prevalent with analogue instruments. The result is a far more comfortable hearing experience.
- Digital speech enhancement – at the same time as removing unwelcome noise, digital hearing aids offer enhanced speech signals, so you can hear more clearly.
- Directional microphones and DSP – DSP takes the incoming signal from the microphone and converts it into digital format. The combination of DSP and directional microphones has been a big factor in eradicating background noise much more selectively than analogue aids, thus improving sound quality.
- Sleeker, more stylish, more discreet – digital hearing aids look better, fit better and are far less invasive than their analogue equivalents.
To further discuss their benefits and to tailor a digital hearing aid to your specific requirements, why not book a personal consultation with one of our experienced practitioners.