There are a few different features that you should look for when choosing a hearing aid. These include the number of channels, feedback suppression, and directional microphones. Choosing a suitable feature for you is crucial to a successful hearing aid. Keep reading to learn more about these features.

Number of Channels

The number of channels in your hearing aid determines how much sound processing can be done. The more channels your hearing aid has, the more sophisticated the sound processing will be. This allows the hearing aid to reduce the effects of feedback and background noise without negatively impacting your speech intelligibility. Most hearing aid manufacturers consider 17-20 channels to be optimal.

Choosing hearing aids with multiple channels like the Phonak hearing aid models makes it easier to customize the device for your needs. Having more channels allows you to set the device to identify specific sounds and environments more effectively. Additionally, it allows the hearing health professional to customize the device to suit the environment that you’re in.

Compression

Compression is a feature that improves the hearing ability of people with hearing loss. It works by bringing the sound within a patient’s dynamic range. Most people have a dynamic range of about 30 to 40 dB. Using compression effectively allows people to hear soft sounds more clearly.

Compression can also help people with hearing loss understand speech in noisy environments. In combination with noise reduction, it allows the hearing aid to better process speech signals. The hearing aid uses its combined signals to determine how much sound is coming from surrounding sounds. This allows it to make decisions like a pair.

Compression reduces sound volume by applying the same amplification to multiple sounds simultaneously. This is useful for people with hearing loss because they may talk in quiet surroundings and not want the volume to be too high. It also helps the hearing aid to protect the listener by reducing the gain.

Feedback Suppression

Feedback suppression is a valuable feature of hearing aids. It works by analyzing the feedback signal and reducing its strength. However, there are better solutions than this, as it can lead to a decreased signal-to-noise ratio, which can cause problems with speech intelligibility and signal audibility.

To suppress the feedback signal, the hearing aid has a computer chip that monitors the incoming sounds and produces an opposite signal to cancel the feedback. This technology is standard in many hearing aids today. It may not eliminate feedback, but it can significantly improve sound quality.

Feedback suppression is a helpful feature that can help those with hearing difficulties in noisy environments. It can be extremely uncomfortable to hear feedback, so investing in a hearing aid with feedback suppression is a good idea.

Directional Microphones

Directional microphones in hearing aids are designed to improve sound quality and reduce background noise. They work by sensing minor differences in time to amplify the most important sounds to a patient and reduce unimportant noise. The amplification increases for sounds in front of the patient, such as voice and music, and decreases for sounds closer to the listener. Directional microphones in hearing aids can range from simple directional arrays, which focus on a fixed point, to fully adaptive arrays that create a sound map of the environment and highlight the essential sounds.

Directional microphones in hearing aids are best for people who need to hear signals in specific directions. This feature can be helpful in noisy environments where several sounds may be of interest. Similarly, directional microphones can be effective in a restaurant where people turn to face each other to hear a person’s voice.

Rechargeable Batteries

Rechargeable batteries are one of the best features to look for in hearing aids. Rechargeable batteries provide the advantage of convenience and easy charging. The batteries must be recharged each night to keep the device in working order. Rechargeable hearing aid batteries are available in two types, lithium-ion, and silver-zinc. These batteries are similar to the ones used in disposable hearing aids. The main difference is that rechargeable batteries are sealed inside the hearing aid, so they can’t leak or break in a water-filled environment.

Rechargeable hearing aid batteries have undergone dramatic improvements in recent years. While older rechargeable hearing aids used to rely on nickel-metal-hydride (NiCd) batteries, technology has made them much more environmentally friendly. They also offer the advantage of being faster to charge. Some hearing aids now have a super-fast charging feature, which can increase the battery life even further.