Review on Rechargeable Hearing Aid Ziv-206 For Seniors Adults - 4 Channels Layered Noise Reduction, Adaptive Feedback Cancellation & Two Types Of Sound Tubes (Two Units) By Banglijian by Jason Masango

I have had a pair of prescription hearing aids for about 15 years. One of them is either starting to fail or my hearing is getting worse in that ear. Even with some help from medical insurance I cannot afford $1500 or more for a new one. I decided to try some of the hearing amplifiers that are on the market and evaluate them to replace my bad aid.Please note that everyone’s hearing problem and hearing circumstances are different. The hearing amplifier features of one model may be perfect for you, but cause some problems for me. I have purchased and evaluated two different hearing amplifiers and am still looking. I had hoped that something at $150 or so would be good enough. I paid that for this one and am not quite satisfied. I tried the Otofonix Encore for $400 but also had some problems. I am considering a couple of hearing amplifiers that have a phone app with a short hearing test to adjust them to my hearing problems. If those do not work, I will just continue searching patiently.Banglijian Ziv-206 Pros:+ Instruction manual is very clear and easy to read. The only improvement would be to state that the thick sound tube is for people with severe hearing loss and the slim one is for mild to moderate hearing loss.+ Adjustable volume – there are 5 volume levels with both up and down volume buttons. The buttons are easy to feel and adjust with a short press on the front button the raise the volume or a short press on the back button to lower the volume. Each press causes a short beep to demonstrate the volume level. The difference from one volume level to the next can be large. It would be nicer to have more levels with smaller increases.+ 3 Changeable programs—Everyday mode (normal listening with low background noise), Moderate Mode (Medium background noise like for wind, running faucet, etc), Noisy Setting (loud background noise like in a restaurant). Generally, these modes help filter out the background noises while amplifying the desired conversation near you. I learned to select the noisy setting at moderate volume to hear a conversation in the car, for example.+ When the battery needs charging, it gives some warning beeps. It takes about 3 hours to fully recharge the battery with a USB cable that is provided.+ A battery will last for about 20 hours on a single charge.+ There is an on-off button. This can be helpful for some seniors. It is not necessary to remove the battery every night as is required on some models.+ The program number and volume level are saved before turning the unit off or recharging it.Banglijian Ziv-206 Cons:* The manufacturer cautions against regular overnight charging because the battery life is reduced by long charging times. I do not know how many times the battery can be recharged or the number of years of use are expected, but I do know that the battery cannot be replaced. The hearing amplifier will need to be replaced. My wife has had rechargeable hearing aids for years and loves them. She puts them in the charger before going to bed. Those batteries lasted more than 5 years before needing to replace them.* Does not handle sharp noises like paper rattling or sudden loud talking as well as I would like. Even with the three program modes and five volume settings, it is not always possible to find a perfect setting for the situations I find myself.This is not as good for me than the Otofonix Elite, but the Ziv-206 may be just what you need. I am still looking for a good quality hearing amplifier