Hearing Aids.....Where'S The Best Deal?

[cheeryble]

Hi

Suffering from hearing confusion and I can't wait anymore, need two hearing aids, been putting it off as I was quoted 50k each for BTE.

I would prefer CIC, but in any case, what does a clever man (to whom 100k is a lot) do?

Is there a great deal somewhere in Thailand?

Do I buy from abroad and get them sent? (Heard you can make your own ear impressions quite easily or maybe pay a shop to do it if the aids are much cheaper from outside LOS)

My sister in England mentioned a lifetime warranty. Is that just the circuit board....seems like a (too?) great thing for it to be the whole aid?

One complication....I have very narrow ear canals, they were called "collapsed". Any observations? ie could inserting a CIC actually help keep the canal open?

Thanks

Cheeryble

Edited January 19, 2012 by cheeryble

[Shurup]

There was a topic some time earlier about the hearing aids. I explained a lot about the different styles and anything I know in there. Do a search.

50K baht is a little cheap for a good quality aid. I would recommend getting a BTE aids and whatever you decide to go with, DO NOT order from abroad! Get it from a place where you can get them programmed for your loss pattern and can come back to get them adjusted (and believe me, you would want to come back at least a few times to get them right).

[d2g]

If one must buy hearing aids in Thailand the best price/service in Pattaya area is at Queen Sirikit hospital in Sattihip. Audiologist there is competent and has proper equipment to test hearing and prescribe aids. He speaks english well enough to communicate effectively.

Prices for Sieman, etc. aids start at around 20,000 Baht for digital aids.

Problem with buying aids in Thailand is that the aids are shipped from Germany, Denmark, etc. as "kits" and are assembled in Bangkok. I have had several Aid unit failures because of defects of assembly-in one instance I had to return Aid to US for proper repair.

For anyone traveling to the US I have found the Costco membership store to be by far the best place to buy hearing aids. Prices are much cheaper, audiologists are professionally trained and honest. In the US the hearing aid industry is the only one I know of that is more corrupt and incompetent than the used car business.

[metisdead]

A nonsense post has been removed.

[cheeryble]

Thankyou for your advice Shurup I found your previous post.

Surprised you think 50k's too little my sister bought hers a major brand in the UK for 35k each and has been thrilled. I see Kirklands for $1000 seem well received.

As for not buying abroad, if the deal was there would it not be possible to program one's own hearing aids?

Another thing, here in CM the lady audiologist was perfectly nice and so on, set up hearing aids for me to try with my prescription, but I could not take them off the premises. In the US I believe a trial period is normal. I would see that as very important.

cheers