Professional Sound Engineer Rates BeHear NOW
“No other device I have used has worked this well in being able to separate the voice from other sounds and make out what another person is clearly saying.”
♦ The following are excerpts from a review posted by a customer on Amazon:
“I don’t want people to believe that this is going to give you back perfect hearing, it is not. Nothing can do that. So a person has to be careful to not get false expectations. So far it has made a huge improvement for me. I probably will never wear my hearing aids again. This is so much easier to put on (wear), control, and tune and is rechargeable.”
The bottom line:
“I have to say this is a device that can dramatically improve what we have
unfortunately lost. And with a little bit of learning and patience, I think it is easy
enough for almost anyone to use.”
GadgetSpeak Blogger Reviews BeHear NOW
“…While this does not cure my Tinnitus – currently no one has a cure – it does lessen it as I am no longer straining to hear…”
♦ The following is a review posted by a reviewer on GadgetSpeak:
“You wear the earbuds and people think you are listening to music – which you may or may not be, as this setting does not require your phone even to be turned on – you just hear more. When I first tested these I had the TV on in the next room something I could not hear from that distance without the earbuds and I could hear tennis balls being hit and landing yes it was during Wimbledon…”
The bottom line:
“The App has settings for a number of situations including noisy places which for me were previously almost intolerable. These earbuds are ideal for those who wear glasses as no part of the bud touches the outside of the ear.”
July 2019 Newsletter
New Wear & Hear Slogan Selected
♦ Congratulations to Contest Winner, Recipient of Free Headset ♦ New Customer-Oriented Web Site Launched ♦ HLAA Members Review BeHear NOW ♦ Visit Wear & Hear at IFA in Berlin ♦ Latest Customer Reviews on Amazon ♦
To get these newsletters sent directly to your inbox, register here. ♦
No Need to Yell Anymore!
“My wife says I don’t ‘yell’ anymore when talking to her and she can talk in a normal voice and I can hear her clearly from the next room.”
♦ The following are excerpts from a review posted by a customer on Amazon:
I bought these after doing about a years research on assistive hearing products.
I spent too many years saying ‘huh’ to people that were talking to me.
I performed the built in hearing assessment test, saved the info and I was amazed at what I have been missing out on for so many years. I may buy another set just so I won’t have to be without them if the battery is charging.
My wife says I don’t ‘yell’ anymore when talking to her and she can talk in a normal voice and I can hear her clearly from the next room. When at a restaurant the background noise does not interfere with conversations anymore. I can also hear my grandchildren clearly!
They are very comfortable, I don’t even realize that I am wearing them other than being able to hear clearly again.
The quality seems to be very good for sound reproduction and build quality. The phone app makes it easy to set up and control all the functions on the device. I also like being able to answer my phone with a press on the neckband button, with my phone being in my pocket or next room. With the way I have my settings saved there has been no annoying sounds or surprises.
The bottom line:
“So far I am completely pleased with everything about the BeHear headset. I don’t listen to music through my phone, so I cannot address that, but for everyday conversations I am completely pleased.”
New Technology Replaces the Old Monopoly of Hearing Aid Establishment
“…a more perfect hearing experience than $8000.00 hearing aids…”
♦ The following is a review posted by a customer on Amazon:
“Now we have a technology that provides hearing assistance with the connections of phone, tablet, desktop computers, laptop computers and TV’s. What more could you want from an electronic assisted hearing device.
With the amplification tailored to the 6 important frequencies and noise cancellation. Control of listening mode along with crowd mode, outdoor mode, music mode and indoor modes you have a more perfect hearing experience than $8000.00 hearing aids at your friendly audiologist downtown.
Of course someone will think of some other mode to add to this system but the only thing BeHear could improve on is the battery life and moving the on/off button down to the other controls on the “pendants” and providing for the use of an external battery pack at the same time as using the device. For now BeHear Now is the best system for the men/women/children on the street and the price makes it possible for families to afford this system and give everyone the quality of life that the gift of hearing provides.
Bless you BeHear and all the little helpers from beginning to end in make this wonderful Product available to the world.”
The bottom line:
“For now BeHear NOW is the best system for the men/women/children on the street and the price makes it possible for families to afford this system and give everyone the quality of life that the gift of hearing provides.”
BeHear NOW User-Oriented Review by HLAA Member
User Assessment of BeHear NOW Personalizable Hearing Amplifier
♦ The following is a review submitted by Katie Robertson, active in the HLAA (Hearing Loss Association of America) Kentucky chapters
I have tested out the BeHear Now Personal Hearing Product Wear&Hear for a week or so and have found it both advantageous and frustrating for me, a 70-year-old female who has been hard of hearing with increasing increments since the year 1999. My hearing loss is hereditary, as well as due to life’s noises throughout my lifetime (head knocks, loud concerts, etc).
I have thoroughly enjoyed how clearly this product has given me the ability to hear during the “indoor” mode, while conversing in a calm quiet atmosphere. This product produced clearer quality hearing, more so than my RIC hearing aids have done at any time. During a trial of wearing the Wear & Hear apparatus in a noisy restaurant, I put it on the “crowd” mode and found it actually did dampen the background noise enough for me to hear the person talking to me, and enabled me to ignore all the different noises around (clattering silverware, loud children right next to our table, music piped in, and other conversations). I also tried the “music” mode in the car as I listened to a cd and enjoyed hearing the music because the earphones allowed me to hear some of the different parts of the music I often miss with my hearing aids.
What I didn’t like were the rubber “wires” that were easily yanked from the clips that kept them up near my ears. I found them more frustrating than helpful. Additionally, they got caught in my small dangling earrings I wore, and being a jewelry lover, that hampered my normal lifestyle. I know this is a small thing and could be gotten used to, but it is a feature that, if eliminated by a different product, might sway my purchase of one over the other.
One other thing that I also didn’t know how to handle was this: I am by heredity a person who profoundly perspires, and it happens not only when I labor, but during emotion, when flustered and in too much heat. The Wear&Hear reacted to the perspiration since it sits on the neck, and the earphones crackled some, then it turned off. I’m not sure if I could wear it for long at the times I have a lot of perspiration.
In conclusion of my evaluation of the Wear & Hear, I would probably love to be on the lookout for one of the newer models to see what has been changed in the way of improvement. It would definitely be something that I might use alternatively rather than replacing my hearing aids though. Some things about it I liked more than my hearing aids, I definitely liked it more than my PockeTalker, yet I still like my hearing aids on a day in/day out basis since they enable me to wear the jewelry I like to wear.
Thank you for the wonderful opportunity to try this product. I think it was worth it both for my experience, and for your enlightenment by the experiences from a user.
The bottom line:
“This product produced clearer quality hearing, more so than my RIC hearing aids have done at any time.”
BeHear NOW Technical Review by HLAA Member
Technical Assessment of BeHear NOW Personal Hearing Product
♦ The following is a review submitted by Dave Robertson, active in the HLAA (Hearing Loss Association of America) Kentucky chapters
Packaging
Neat and well-organized, with good quality protective case. The Quick Install Guide was clear.
The Smartphone App
Software is attractive and very intuitive. It works with no bugs! Bluetooth connection was easy to make.
The Headset
The design is awkward. The control buttons are awkward to use while wearing. The solution to use cable clips to take up excess cable is very basic and not entirely satisfactory. For example, suspended ear-rings get easily trapped between the cable and the headset frame.
The Technology Used
This is definitely no ‘ordinary’ headset device. The ability for the user to make his/her own audiogram profile using the smartphone app gives the user the control that is much needed by hearing device users. Also the ability for the user to be able to program separate listening profiles to suit their needs. The surprising outcome of the assessment was to find that everything relating to what was left to the user to program (audiogram and profiles) actually worked well and to a higher quality than for the expensive RIC hearing aids the user was used to wearing. This demonstrated that good quality technology had been utilized in the design and manufacture, along with a lot of thought and research into the needs of the user. As mentioned earlier, the weakest part is the physical design of the headset.
Conclusion
The fact that the headset is similar in style to those used by portable music player listeners, the user does not feel the same stigma as many people who wear hearing aids do. Also, to experience a better control of setting up the device to suit a user’s specific requirements and to also to experience a higher quality of hearing, make this device very attractive to use over standard RIC hearing aids, especially when the price point is so low comparatively.
For the user to not have to worry about battery changes and for the manufacturer to be able to take advantage of the larger physical size of the equipment to provide good battery storage and more powerful electronic components to improve hearing quality, makes this device ‘stand out in the crowd’ compared to similar devices on the market.
Apart from having a rethink about cable management and control button ergonomics, I think as a future initiative it would be useful to have an automated facility where the device can identify the environment it is being used in and be able to auto switch onto the respective profile without user intervention. This could be an option given to the user in the smart app to choose manual or auto for the selection of profiles. The parameter to decide on switch over could be set by the user using a sliding button with the app. I would also like to see T-coil implemented.
The bottom line:
“The surprising outcome of the assessment was to find that everything relating to what was left to the user to program (audiogram and profiles) actually worked well and to a higher quality than for the expensive RIC hearing aids the user was used to wearing.”
Amazon Customer Compares BeHear NOW to Other Hearables
“These are the best out there”
♦ The following is a review posted by a customer on Amazon:
“First, some background. I have a hearing problem. I have hearing aids but they don’t work well in multiple situations such as in a restaurant, movie, watching tv (alone or with my wife). I have tried numerous other modalities. For TV Sennheiser headphones were good. But you need Bluetooth as well and the Bose Hearphones are excellent (and $499). I bought the IQboost (again $499 but got on special at $399) and these would be ok IF they didn’t fall out. The IQboost is to me a joke.”
The bottom line:
“I saw these at $279 and felt worth a gamble. Well, these are the best out there. Try them. If you have a hearing problem you should try these.”
Read more about how BeHear NOW compares to BOSE Hearphones in this article.
Esteemed Audiologist Reviews Wear & Hear Solutions
Hearing education blogger suggests BeHear NOW as an alternative to traditional OTC hearing devices
♦ A.U. Bankaitis, PhD, is a clinical Audiologist with extensive clinical, research, and business experience within the hearing industry. She recently reviewed Wear & Hear products in her hearing education blog.
After describing its many features, and highlighting the EasyListen™ technology which slows down speech during mobile calls, Dr. Bainkaitis writes:
The customization offered by BeHear NOW may be appealing to adults pursuing an alternative to traditional OTC devices. The established retail price of $249 is very reasonable given the functionality offered by the device.
April 2019 Newsletter
Are Hearables a Fit for Audiologists?
♦ Oaktree TV Clip Discusses Why Hearing Professionals Should Consider Wear & Hear ♦ New Assistive Hearing Blog Launched ♦ Point-by-Point Comparison Between Bose Hearphones and BeHear NOW Published ♦ Visit Wear & Hear at HLAA in Rochester, NY ♦
To get these newsletters sent directly to your inbox, register here. ♦
Dutch Customer Weighs in on BeHear NOW Personal Hearing Device
Veteran In-ear Hearing Aid User Reviews Assistive Hearing Solution
♦ Having struggled for some time with an in-ear hearing aid, I noticed the BeHear NOW headset. The problem with the in-ear system was that earwax (which seemingly I produced more than usual) quickly clogged the small speakers. Also, using many throw away batteries did not appeal to me. Changing to small rechargeable batteries solved that partly but not fully.
I did hesitate to switch to a hearing band [form factor] but this was overcome as I could make use of a trial period.
The BeHear NOW headset is a kind of multi-function device. Apart from acting as a hearing aid, one can also use it a hands-free mobile phone or as one’s private speaker connected via Bluetooth (without -noticeable- transmission delay).
As a hearing aid, one has to match the required amplification over the frequency range which is easily done via the app. The nice thing is that one can “cheat” though that is -of course- not advised.
Once properly set, the app is not needed, so it will work stand-alone.
When losing the Bluetooth transmission, the device will give you a notification. Same when you are back within range. No hassle of pairing again when momentarily going out of range.
I was pleasantly surprised by the good quality when using it as a Bluetooth headphone playing music via a tablet. The volume controls worked nicely.
Just some notes:
On the website you will find a more extensive user manual) which I recommend to read.
The band uses a battery which is charged via micro usb.
There is a microphone in each of the control boxes.
There is a microphone in each of the earpieces.
Be prepared to play with the settings.
And, enjoy this headset!
Alango BeHear NOW and Bose Hearphones Features Compared
Hearables Comparison Published on Hearing Tracker
♦ Bose Hearphones were introduced in 2016. They feature active noise reduction, directional microphones, Bluetooth audio and call streaming, smartphone app control, and more. But with the hearables market heating up, there are now multiple alternatives to consider, some of which offer similar technology at a lower price point.
Alango’s BeHear NOW headset, launched in 2018 by Alango’s Wear & Hear (W&H) assistive products line, is the most noteworthy Bose Hearphones alternative. Both the Alango and Bose headsets aim to enhance hearing, and both support Class II Bluetooth connectivity. And because both use an in-ear neckband form factor, they are strikingly similar in appearance.
“But with BeHear NOW coming in at just $249 (versus $499 for the Bose), price is a major differentiator between the two.”
And aside from price, there are a number of key differences to consider when comparing the Bose Hearphones with Alango’s BeHear NOW. To read the entire comparative article, click here.
Globes Article Traces Alango’s History
From Hands-free Phone Tech to Assistive Hearing
♦ This article published in the Globes newspaper traces Alango’s history from its founding to present day sound technology enhancements in the form of assistive hearing devices.
The Globes writer, Gali Weinreb, interviewed Alango’s CEO, Dr. Alexander Goldin. The article traces Dr. Goldin’s career prior to founding Alango two decades ago, and documents how he used the company’s expertise in sound enhancement technology to launch its new line of personalized hearing devices called Wear & Hear. Furthermore, benefits of BeHear NOW, the recently launched first product in the Wear & Hear line, are described. For example:
“…at least for people with slight hearing problems, the product can be adapted without an audiologist.”
To read the entire article, click here.
לגירסה בעברית
February 2019 Newsletter
Give the Gift of Better Hearing
♦ Alango CEO Interviewed at CES ♦ Leading U.K. Charity for Hearing Loss Rates BeHear NOW ♦ Oaktree Products to Distribute Wear & Hear Solutions in North America ♦ Visit Wear & Hear at AAA in Columbus, Ohio ♦ BeHear NOW Showcased in Israeli Innovation Exhibition ♦
To get these newsletters sent directly to your inbox, register here. ♦
Oaktree Products to Distribute Wear & Hear
Leading multi-line distributor of products and supplies to the hearing industry in North America partners with Alango to offer personalized hearing devices to hearing professionals
♦ Alango has signed a distribution agreement with Oaktree Products (“Oaktree”), the leading multi-line distributor of products and supplies to audiologists and hearing professionals. According to the agreement, Oaktree will sell Alango’s “Wear & Hear” line of personal hearing devices via their catalog, online store, and specialty channels in North America.
Assistive Hearing Products Form New Hearables Category
To address the needs of the millions of people with mild-to-moderate hearing loss worldwide (who are not currently benefiting from hearing aids), Alango has incorporated its field-proven digital sound processing technologies into a line of affordable, wearable consumer electronics devices that provide personalized hearing enhancement to the wearer. The result: a new product line under the brand name “Wear & Hear”.
Leading Provider of Clinical Hearing Supplies Connects Professionals with Solutions
“Amongst hearing professionals, the name Oaktree represents a competent resource for a wide variety of quality hearing supplies,” states Dr. Alexander Goldin, CEO and founder of Alango Technologies, Ltd. “We are excited to partner with Oaktree to bring our unique Wear & Hear solutions to hearing clinics in North America. We believe audiologists and other hearing professionals will appreciate the opportunity to offer the Wear & Hear alternative to clients who are not ready, for whatever reason, to use hearing aids.”
“In addition to clinical supplies, Oaktree Products has been involved in offering audiologists and other practitioners a wide scope of communication solutions beyond traditional hearing aids,” states Bob Kemp, founder and owner of Oaktree Products, Inc. “Wear & Hear is a product line that represents a viable option for adults who need some help but are not quite ready for regular hearing aids. One feature it has that is totally unique, is the ability to slow down speech on the phone, which could help a lot of people.”
Hearables Line Combines Alango Sound Enhancement Technology with State-of-the-Art Consumer Electronics
The Wear & Hear line of stylish, affordable, always-on, always-connected wearable audio devices is designed to enhance user’s hearing and deliver customized, crystal clear and pleasantly natural audio and voice directly to an individual’s ears.
The first member of the Wear & Hear product line, BeHear® NOW, is a multi-functional, high-performance, low-cost alternative to traditional hearing aids. It is a truly personal Bluetooth headset featuring advanced signal processing with self-fitted ambient hearing enhancement and assistive listening capabilities. After a simple hearing preferences assessment performed via an intuitive smartphone application supporting both Android and iOS devices, all sounds (ambient, phone calls or music) are customized for the wearer.
HearLink™ is a Bluetooth transmitter that connects to the standard analog audio output of most audio devices or television sets. It sends the audio signal directly to the paired BeHear® NOW headset, thus eliminating ambient noises, room reverberation, and other types of sound interference which hamper intelligibility of speech and music appreciation.
About Oaktree Products
Established in 1992, Oaktree Products is the leading multi-line distributor of products and supplies to the hearing industry. Oaktree Products offers everything beyond the hearing instrument to audiologists and other hearing health care professionals with over 4200 products for use in the clinical environment. (https://www.oaktreeproducts.com/)
About Alango Technologies, Ltd.
Alango Technologies, Ltd. (www.alango.com) has been developing sound enhancement technologies since 2002, selling over 40 million software licenses that improve the audio experience in automotive, entertainment, and smart home applications around the world. Realizing the importance and opportunity of combining the sound enhancement technology found in hearing aids with the advances and costs in the consumer electronics world, the Company is now using its field-proven expertise in sound technology to create products for personal hearing enhancement: the “Wear & Hear” product line (www.WearAndHear.com).
Action on Hearing Loss Reviews BeHear Now
Blogger Gives Top Marks to Wear & Hear Hearables
♦ Kevin Taylor, a blogger at Action on Hearing Loss – the largest charity for people with hearing loss in the UK, recently published a comprehensive review of the BeHear Now headset and HearLink transmitter. He notes: “… BeHear NOW is a take anywhere device. Its built-in microphones aim to help you hear nearby conversation more easily, while Bluetooth means you can pair it to your smartphone for phone calls, or stream your favourite music tracks.”
In summary, he writes:
“BeHear NOW ticks the boxes for performance and it certainly packs in the features. If you have a mild to moderate hearing loss, BeHear NOW could be the answer if you don’t yet want to go down the prescribed hearing aid route.”
To read the entire article, click here.