Comparing analog and digital hearing aids

There’s a wide selection and a variety of choices available to you when you’re shopping for hearing aids. When you begin shopping for hearing aids, you will hear a lot about analog and digital models. With any personal healthcare item, personal preferences are important to consider. Are digital hearing aids any better than their analog counterparts or is it simply a matter of preference?

Hearing loss is multi-faceted, which means each individual has varying opinions of hearing aids. Opinions on digital versus analog will differ depending on the type and severity of hearing loss, as well.

Analog hearing aids

Analog hearing aids were the first real type on the market. It is true that digital has been a great technological achievement, but some people will still prefer what they’re familiar with. Additionally, analog hearing aids are generally not as expensive and can work as well depending on what features you’re looking for. However, one important, but negative aspect of an analog hearing aid is that it makes the sounds in the world louder rather than filtering sounds like a digital hearing aid does.

Another thing to consider is that most manufacturers aren’t making analog hearing aids anymore. So, if you have a favorite manufacturer, you may not be able to find analog hearing aids it in the near future, which makes digital hearing aids easier to find.

Digital hearing aids

Digital hearing aids are incredibly advanced technology. They work by taking sound and changing it into a digital signal. A digital hearing aid can be programed depending on the environment or the situation.

By design, digital hearing aids are designed to filter noises or adapt to different places. The result is a clear sound – one that is easier to hear and discern – especially when speech is concerned. A digital hearing aid is better described as a ‘smart’ hearing aid. The device can detect noise and discriminate between noise and speech. This means a digital hearing aid can cancel out the noise you don’t want to hear and focus on the sounds you want to hear. This also means the hearing aid will cancel out or suppress loud noises making it easier to wear all the time.

A digital hearing aid is an innovation for those suffering from hearing loss. These devices generally perform much better than the analog hearing aids. In a noisy environment, they can filter and provide a better listening experience overall. The biggest con when it comes to these devices is their price point. A digital model is often much more expensive than an analog hearing aid.

So, when it comes to picking a hearing aid you have a lot of options. If you’re looking to the future, a digital hearing aid has a lot to offer and is guaranteed to be around for years to come.