Bernafon App

Although the hearing aids were OK for hearing per se, the company touts the Bluetooth capabilities for phone calls, music and other applications. On this feature, they fail largely. I have struggled with the Bluetooth connection cutting in and out in both ears since I purchased the earphones and nothing I’ve done has improved the situation. I have had to revert to standard earphones for Bluetooth because the hearing aids are virtually useless and so aggravating, it’s not worth it.

I had paid $$$$ for Phonac and was enjoying them (needing a little tweaking here or there) but the inflated price was the deterrent when I saw that Sam’s Club had Bernafon on sale for <$1700. That was the defining moment that I decided to return my Phonac (still being in the trial period). Things that I like about Bernafon: 1. PRICE 2. Small size 3. Bluetooth 4. Volume 5. Easy availability to see the hearing aid specialist at Sam’s Club. 6. Long battery life. Things I don’t like about Bernafon: 1. The crescent like tubes that sit just outside the ear curling up the natural shape of the ear, the pieces bothered me and I’m very sensitive to skin breakdown, so I removed them. 2. Now the audio pieces that are supposed to sit within the ear canal keep falling out no matter how many times I put them back in. I talked to the Hearing specialist at Sam’s Club thinking I might just need a larger tip, but she said no “they would feel like you have something stuffed down your ear” (she didn’t even allow me to try a different tip). 3. The phone must be within arm’s length in order for the caller to hear you. 4. Less than 30 feet before Bluetooth starts cutting off if you’re listening to music, book or receiving a phone call. 5. No sound adjustment button or taps to answer or end calls, phone must be in reach. 6. No TV Bluetooth option unless you put your phone near the TV or lecturer so you can hear it louder (but you can’t be too far away) 7. No spatial quality to determine where a noise is coming from. 8. When visiting at Sam’s Club it is SO NOISY there that it is truly hard to even hear the specialist and there is no real privacy…gee-whiz, get a portable curtain! All in all, Bernafon works and will take care of mild hearing loss. It doesn’t have all the bells and whistles that Phonac has, but I guess you get what you pay for. I will be looking into other companies as I am still in my trial period.