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00:00:00 – 00:16:24
The video, presented by audiologist Dr. Cliff Olson, thoroughly reviews the Jabra Enhanced Plus and ReSound over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids, focusing primarily on their features, functionality, and suitability for users with mild to moderate hearing loss. Dr. Olson emphasizes the importance of self-fitting and proper programming for effectiveness, advising consultation with an audiologist if necessary, especially for individuals with specific medical conditions.
Key highlights include the Jabra Enhance Plus' extensive battery life, iPhone compatibility, app-based customization options, and the importance of real-ear measurement for accurate fitting. Despite the benefits, limitations such as less robust dust and moisture resistance compared to prescriptive aids and possible occlusion effects are noted. Additionally, the ReSound hearing aids are praised for their discreet size, color options, long battery life, and user-friendly controls.
The video emphasizes the ease of use, user-friendly design, and advanced features like Bluetooth connectivity and feedback suppression, which enhance media streaming and phone call experiences. While acknowledging some limitations, Dr. Olson endorses these OTC hearing aids as a viable option for those not ready for full professional care, concluding with a recommendation to consider them for their affordability and comprehensive feature set.
00:00:00
In this part of the video, Dr. Cliff Olson, an audiologist, reviews the Jabra Enhanced Plus over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids. He highlights that these self-fitting hearing aids, which were previously only available through hearing care professionals, can now be purchased online due to new guidelines effective from October 2022. Dr. Olson emphasizes that these hearing aids have numerous features not found in other OTC products. He includes several disclaimers, noting that they are intended for adults with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss and that proper programming is crucial for effectiveness. He also cautions that individuals with specific medical red flags should consult an audiologist or physician. Additionally, he advises that lack of success with these OTC hearing aids might indicate a need for prescription hearing aids from a professional. He hints at more detailed best practices in another video linked in the description.
00:03:00
In this part of the video, the presenter showcases the ReSound hearing aids, highlighting them as a major brand in the hearing aid industry. The hearing aids are noted for their small size, multiple color options, and key features like ear gels that come in three sizes and closed domes. Each device has a push button that controls volume and functions like muting and Bluetooth pairing. The presenter compares the ReSound devices to other earbud amplification devices and Apple AirPods Pro, emphasizing their smaller size and subtle appearance. Additionally, the hearing aids offer impressive battery life of up to 10 hours and automatically turn on/off when removed from or placed in the charging case.
00:06:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the Jabra Enhance Plus self-fitting hearing aids, which offer up to 30 hours of additional battery life without needing to be constantly plugged in. While they provide 10 hours of battery life per charge, this may not be sufficient for a full day of exclusive use as hearing aids, but it should cover significant parts of the day. These devices are currently only compatible with iPhones running iOS 14.0 or higher, with no support for Android yet.
The Jabra Enhance app allows users to customize their hearing aids by checking battery status, adjusting volume, and switching between listening modes (Surround, Focus, and Adaptive). The app also offers options to adjust profiles, change speech filters, retake hearing tests, update firmware, and contact support. The hearing aids use an NAL-NL2 hearing loss prescription to tailor audio output. An example is provided where the speaker’s assistant, Brie, who has mild to moderate hearing loss, tested the personalization features in the app, and the fitting was verified using real-ear measurement. Real-ear measurement is emphasized as crucial for proper hearing aid programming.
00:09:00
In this part of the video, the presenter sets up real ear measurement for a subject named Bree by inserting probe microphone tubes into her ear canals and positioning Jabra Enhanced Plus hearing aids in her ears. The goal is to measure and verify the amplification provided by these hearing aids. Initially, the hearing aids’ default settings significantly under-amplify Bree’s hearing across various frequencies, particularly in the higher frequencies important for speech clarity.
To optimize the amplification, the presenter switches the app’s speech filter setting from normal to clear and increases the overall volume to the maximum level, achieving amplification levels closer to Bree’s hearing loss prescription. Changing the speech filter setting to full shifts amplification, reducing high frequencies and increasing low frequencies.
Further testing evaluates the Adaptive Directionality feature of the hearing aids. The results show minimal reduction in rear sound amplification compared to front sound amplification, indicating limited benefit in noisy environments. Overall, the Jabra Enhanced Plus hearing aids provide decent but imperfect amplification alignment with the hearing loss prescription after some customization.
00:12:00
In this part of the video, the speaker, an audiologist, discusses the advantages and limitations of certain hearing aids. They emphasize the ease of use and user-friendly design, despite the lack of customization compared to prescriptive hearing aids. The speaker mentions the occlusion effect, where sealed ear canals make one’s voice sound loud and boomy, suggesting that an open fit might be better for some users but could cause feedback issues. They note that the hearing aids have good feedback suppression and benefit from Bluetooth 5.2, allowing wireless streaming from Apple devices for various media and hands-free phone calls, provided the user has an iPhone 11 or newer or iOS 15.1.
00:15:00
In this part of the video, the speaker discusses the Jabra Enhanced Plus self-fitting hearing aids, highlighting their IP rating of 5 2, which indicates some dust and moisture resistance, though not as robust as the typical 6 8 rating found in most prescriptive hearing aids. Priced at $800 for the pair, these hearing aids are deemed worth the cost for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss. The speaker appreciates their small size, comfort, ease of use, rechargeability, and direct Bluetooth capabilities. These features make them a recommended option for those not yet ready for full professional care. The video concludes with a call to action for viewers to leave comments, share the video, subscribe, and visit the speaker’s website for more information.