When it comes to hearing aids, knowing the difference between digital and analog can make a world of difference.
All hearing aids consist of four components: amplifier, microphone, receiver and battery. The “digital” label refers to the amplifier, which increases the volume of sounds. Analog hearing aids could only do that – make sounds louder.
Today’s digital hearing aids are essentially a tiny computer that can do much more than simply amplify. Here are several of their benefits:
- Directional microphones: This function can help the wearer focus only on the voices they want to hear, turning down surrounding noises. Analog devices require the push of a button for this feature, where digital hearing aids can assess the noise environment automatically and turn on the microphone.
- Removing feedback: If you’ve used hearing aids, you’re probably familiar with the whistling sound known as feedback. Analog hearing aids either controlled this by plugging the ear or replacing loudness with softer high-frequency speech sounds. Digital hearing aids cancel out the whistling before you hear it, while also letting you soft speech sounds.
- Let the music play: While analog devices treated all sounds the same – music and voices included – new digital hearing aids treated the music differently. They are designed to let the wearer hear the tunes the way it was intended, with a refined sound quality not found in analog.
- Manage noise levels: Noise management could be used in numerous ways, including following conversations in loud environments or minimizing annoying sounds such as a computer fan running. Analog devices amplified all noises, while digital aids know to not amplify soft environmental noises but focus on conversations in muddled environments.
- Get connected: Hearing aid connectivity relates to the hearing aid’s ability to connect to other devices – namely smartphones in the case of digital hearing aids. You can connect wirelessly to hear phone calls, TV and music directly through your hearing aids. Analog instruments mainly connected to a device via a cord into the device’s headphone jack.
Hearing Aids in NYC
Audio Help Hearing Centers is an authorized provider of top-brand hearing aids in New York.
Our offices are located in the greater New York City Area (Chelsea Village, Columbus Circle, and Park Avenue) which includes Scarsdale, NY (Westchester County), and Stamford, CT.
To learn more about Audio Help Hearing Center’s services or hearing aid options, call us at 888-832-9966 or contact us online.
