The vast majority of our reviews come from verified purchases. Reviews from customers may include My Best Buy members, employees, and Tech Insider Network members (as tagged). Select reviewers may receive discounted products, promotional considerations or entries into drawings for honest, helpful reviews.
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Rated 5 out of 5 stars
No squealing, good fit, quite the find!
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I've been wearing hearing aids (and Amaz0n hearing amplifiers) 2 different animals, trust me, since 2010. The expensive ones do what they do but strike fear into your wallet and heart when the cats find the new toy or you get caught in a downpour. Maybe even *cough* drop one in the lake. For this price and quality, you have me! I've paid more for products I've had to return. I've had mine since the week they went over the counter, best purchase I've made in the whole 12 years of "officially hard of hearing" the decade before that I just said HUH? a LOT.. picture is a small sample of the last 12 years and another of relative size. 99% of people just think I have in earbuds for my phone.
Ho, KindraB, thank you for your great review. Happy Hearing! 😊
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Difficult to adjust and odd volume set up
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Posted . Owned for 1 month when reviewed.
This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
On the bright side: It works well for some things. The first time I used them I heard my neighbors working next door - with the windows closed. At that point, I was pleased.
The longer I had them, the less I liked the results.
1. Each bud has a button to adjust the volume. The left has a button near the top and the right near the bottom. Confusing. They can be difficult to find and operate.
To control the volume, you must cycle through all the levels which can really hurt. Also, since the antenna sticks out more than the volume button, I ended up having to fiddle with it.
2. Unfortunately, the hearing aids did not help at all with people talking. I ended up listening to miscellaneous noise while trying to hear the person in front of me.
3. I did not find them uncomfortable, but they had a tendency to loosen while wearing them.
My hearing loss is moderate with the loss at both the top and bottom of the range. For me, I was just as well off using earbuds with the tv as the hearing aids did not really help me with anything else.
Hi, Journeywoman, we apologize for any inconvenience caused. We would like to get your feedback by talking to one of our support members that can also help you with some of your queries. Please contact our toll-free number at (800) 499-1336 for a consultant to assist you in this regard.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Not my first hearing aids, an evolutionary tale
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I started wearing hearing aids about 25 years ago. The real game changer for me was the arrival on the market of Made for iPhone (MFI) hearing aids. The ability to answer phone calls, and hear it clear and crisp in BOTH ears simultaneously was quite a game changer. Additionally, it was a wireless receiver for streaming music to my hearing aids, much like the eventual development of wireless ear buds. Further advancements have continued, notably Lithium ion rechargeable devices, so fiddling with the tiny zinc air batteries once a week to toss the spent ones becomes not only more convenient but a cost savings, spending $100 a year on batteries.
So coincident with the advances in wireless, digital, Bluetooth, rechargeable amplification came the political will to open up the market to consumer purchase of such devices without regulations on the sale of such devices.
As a consumer of such products over the past decades, I was pleased to have the opportunity to “test drive” just such a pair courtesy of BestBuy. I was provided a pair of OTC (over the counter, that is not requiring a prescription before purchase) hearing aids for my assessment and opinion.
The Go Hearing company is not one I have previously known about, but I was impressed with the fit and finish of their product. Many of the advances that I outlined above were nicely incorporated in the hearing aids. Notably, rechargeable, compact and lightweight, binaural (that is, “stereo”).
Whereas getting “medical grade” hearing aids requires an audiogram, where you sit in a sound proof booth, with over the ear headphones on, and are given tones at different frequencies and increasing volume. With this process, previously required to be able to purchase hearing aids, you had a graph of where your deficits were located over the entire sound wavelength spectrum. My hearing loss was greatest at the higher frequencies, not so much in the bass end, which is a very common pattern.
No such audiogram is required to dispense an OTC pair of hearing aids, which merely amplify the entire spectrum, and the only customization is just “turning up the volume”. The medical grade hearing aids that I have actually split up the audible spectrum into about a dozen segments across what the human ear can perceive. But with digital hearing aids, custom programmed, you get a hearing spectrum corrected for amplification in the areas of the spectrum where you have the deficit. This customization is not offered with the Go Ultra device, understandably given the price point being 10% of what “prescription” hearing aids can cost.
The OTC hearing aids are specifically indicated for those with “mild to moderate hearing loss”. As such they can make a major difference in people who just need a bit of help, where non-customized amplification can make a big difference. The situations are easy to forecast: at a movie theatre or a school play or orchestra performance, during a church service, in a restaurant with lots of background noise to hear the conversation of those at your own table, watching television so you can turn up the volume for yourself without blasting out everyone else in the room, etc.
The Go Hearing devices are a common “behind the ear” device, where the amplifier is in the main body, and the sound is passed down a thin hollow tube into the ear canal where a soft, flexible silicone dome sits close to the eardrum. They provide three different sizes of this curved tubing, to fit best the distance from the top of the ear (where the device sits) around the curve into the canal. Those with a bigger head, for example, need a longer tube. From there there are three different sizes of dome, that fit into the canal, to accommodate differences in the diameter of the ear canal. And finally there are two choices in the dome: whether it is solid, or has venting perforations in the silicone rubber. The solid is more effective in delivering the applied sound, but the vented will be more “natural” in how the amplified tones seem to the person. So a whole lot of customization is available for personal size and preferences in an inexpensive device.
The entire field of now available OTC hearing aids spans a wide price difference, and indeed you get what you pay for. The Go Hearing Ultra I would put in the moderate price range; you can easily find models twice the price.
Many of the technological advances are here:
rechargeable batteries that charge while in the case from a battery inside the case. You can recharge on the go using the case, and only need to plug into a wall source periodically
Bluetooth pairing with your phone, computer, tablet, MP3 player (remember those?)
Adjustable setting for volume on the hearing aid. Able to turn on and adjust volume without having to fire up an app and navigate to the right section, which certainly could be difficult in a movie theatre or inconvenient during a restaurant meal.
Phone and online support available from the company, and probably from BestBuy Geek Squad as well
Limitations
no phone app for setting preferences or adjustments. The on/off and volume switches are pretty tiny. It takes some dexterity and learning to be able to turn them on and off and volume up and down. This could be difficult with age, arthritis, etc.
no ability to choose different listening environments. Everything is amplified the same, but they do have feedback and background noise reduction management. My experience with wind noise is that such circuitry is of some benefit, but not perfect. I found that a cover for the hearing aid cuts wind noise, and protects the hearing aid from sweat while doing outdoors strenuous activity (search for “hearing aid sweat bands”).
No streaming capacity beyond straight Bluetooth connection. Some higher priced OTC hearing aids offer MFI (“made for iPhone”) features that go beyond simple Bluetooth connection. You accept and disconnect an incoming phone call with a push of the lower button on the hearing aid. An MFI certified hearing aid will accept with a tap on your iPhone screen which automatically goes to your hearing aids.
No customization for your particular hearing spectrum deficits. Some OTC hearing aids have an app from which you can customize for your perceived deficits. This is called “self-fit”, getting you closer to an actual audiogram based customization. The Go Hearing Ultra has 4 different programs that adjust the listening program from normal setting, to high frequency (difficulty with higher frequency, think children’s voices or noisy environment), low frequency environment (think a full orchestra concert), or across the board general amplification as in music listening. I noted that the on line web page only mentioned 3 programs, whereas the instruction booklet and my pair of hearing aids had 4 distinct programs. I confess that my perception of any difference in these was minimal, given my more profound hearing disability.
Higher priced units offer a receiver in the canal configuration. This has the actual speaker embedded in the dome that is in the canal, only a few millimeters from the eardrum, rather than the sound traveling down a tube from the speaker that is in the body of the hearing aid behind your ear. This allows a smaller, more discrete instrument behind the ear. However, the receiver in the canal configuration is not available in even prescription higher power hearing aids, for more severe hearing loss than “moderate” loss.
Limited color selection of the device to gray, which matches my hair, but perhaps not yours.
In summary, I think the Go Hearing Ultra would be an excellent hearing aid, for the right customer. They lack the power for more severe hearing loss (like mine) and lack the ability to customize for your particular spectrum of hearing loss. For me, they will not suffice for a back up pair of hearing aids. I had hoped that they would function for me, for example, if I had a hearing aid failure while traveling, to tide me over until I could be my primary hearing aids serviced. They don’t have enough power to do me any good; not worth even trying.
However, they will function well for my wife, who assisted me in the trial of these. She cannot wear most brands of ear buds, due to a contact allergy to many plastics. She will notice a burning and itching within the ear canal in about 15 minutes, whereas she can wear the Go Hearing ultras for a 1.5 hour TV viewing of a movie. Her hearing deficit is much less than mine, but we can choose to have her wear the Go Ultras, and I turn on the closed captioning of the movie, and we don’t have to crank up the volume to keep us connected to the voice track. That disturbs those in an adjacent room while we are watching the TV.
It was easy to swap out the tubes and domes to customize to personalize for ear canals and head morphology. The hearing aids are comfortable to wear, so light to be imperceptible while wearing them, and discretely small enough.
If you find that your needs exceed what these provide, then the next step would be to try a more expensive set; most OTC hearing aids offer a 30 - 45 trial period. GoHearing offers a 45 day money back guarantee, for example.
Hi, josenieve, thank you for your detailed feedback to help us be aware of certain features that we can improve on. We love hearing from our customers and we appreciate you taking the time to summarize your experience. We wish you many more years of healthy hearing, on the go! 😊
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Best hearing aids
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Great hearing aids better than my $6000 ones I bought
Reliable and good fitting over the counter hearing
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I was excited to get these because over time and from my past in the military and playing in various bands when I was in high school has probably affected my hearing quite a bit. I also have a mild case of tinnitus that is fairly manageable.
I’ve found that I am asking people to repeat themselves through the day and now that I’m conscious of it I’ve gotten pretty annoyed with myself.
It was recommended to me that I should get one of the new sets of over the counter hearing aids so I was stoked to get these GoHearing buds. These seem to be using Siemens tech and have a similar build so I wouldn’t be surprised if they are a third-party branding of that build.
These seem to work pretty well. There are three programs. A regular program, a treble boost program, and a bass boost program. I’ve tried them all and found the regular one to work best for me.
I really like how these are so small. They are definitely still noticeable, but they are less noticeable. I have a benefit from the culture accepting people wearing earbuds all the time, and these are so much smaller, I’m not sure anyone would really notice them. They are not “flesh” colored so if someone looks at your ears, they are going to be obvious.
The sound from these aids is definitely amplified. The best way for me to describe how I felt with them is that I thought everything sounded crisper and easier. I didn’t feel so much strain, and I didn’t need to “pay close attention.” If you’re losing your hearing, you know what I mean. There’s some freedom in this.
For the most part, they are comfortable, and you really do need to stick them far into your ears and size them right with the included ear cups or you might get a little feedback. And, that’s my issue with them when I’m putting them in and taking them out. It can get a little noisy and feedbacky, so I would recommend keeping them on the lowest volume when putting in and out so that you don’t have to blast your ears.
And that’s my biggest issue with these aids. The volume is controlled with a single button that has three stages of loudness for each of three programs. To increase the volume is easy with a button press. If you fumble you can get too loud then have to press the button over and over again until you get back to the program you wanted and volume you wanted. This can be bad, but fortunately there’s a minor delay before it starts to pipe the sound into your ears. The buds are fairly small so without some kind of touch sensitivity I’m not sure how they would put in a reduce volume button.
It's fairly easy to take them out because of a plastic cord that juts out of the side. When I was trying to get the fit right, the cord stuck my ear quite a bit and tickled the inside of my ears. It was uncomfortable but adjusting made it better.
There’s another “lite” version of this set that requires a small screwdriver to handle the volume. I’m not sure if that’s better or worse. I will say that I’m lucky that I was happy with the first setting on the first program because pressing the button is the worst part of this experience.
Before I put in this review, I wore them continuously for a week and they didn’t feel any different from wearing a set of high quality earbuds. At night my ears were sore but after 4 days I didn’t feel that way anymore. The batteries definitely lasted all of my workday and they charged pretty quickly after putting them in the charging case.
If you don’t want to go all the way and get a couple thousand dollar prescription hearing aids, maybe try these out.
Hi, wizozzie, thank you for your feedback and review. 😊Happy Hearing!
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Impressive effective hearing assist. Bats beware.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Go Hearing - Go Prime OTC Hearing Aids. Go Hearing’s OTC aid keeps its focus on delivering sound amplification with a fairly simple set of earbuds. Hearing improvement is as immediate as charging up the case, allowing the case to charge the enclosed earbuds, and then inserting the earbuds into my ear canals. I could hear the highly amplified shuffling of pages in the small USER MANUAL in my hands. I’m pretty sure I would have heard a fly’s wings if one had passed nearby. These work as intended, even before I dove into the settings to achieve some customization.
SETUP: Before I dive into getting these Go Hearing setup to use, I’d like to draw attention to the need to be patient with these devices and yourself. These seemed too sensitive at first. Even this somewhat simple set of features (volume settings and programs) can seem a bit overwhelming and hard to control. Don’t ry to change too much, or anything at first. These ear buds, and probably other brands, soon become familiar and comfortable.
It really takes only a few hours of fully charging the case with the enclosed earbuds to get ready for all day use (30 hours specified). The “DOMES” already attached to the ear buds appear to be medium size, with two more sets for small or larger ear canals. I didn’t test the other sizes yet, but they appear to pull off and re-attach like most other modern earbuds. Just be sure to fully force them onto their posts during replacement.
I discovered that the fit necessary for effective use of the Go Prime earbuds was not terribly fussy. These amplify with few extraneous artifact noises with the already attached medium “domes”. Each ear piece is brightly colored with either a RED or BLUE band clearly marked R for right and L for left. Those colored bands are not visible once the ear buds are inserted. In fact, these earbuds are barely visible because the device is very small and sets deeper into the ear than typical earbuds. No worry however, because there is a nearly invisible pull wire to retrieve them from your ear canals.
The Go Hearing has individual VOLUME controls for each ear, There are a number of levels (the user manual indicates 8), accessed by quick, distinct presses on the raised VOLUME/PROGRAM button. The instructions confuse the issue by referencing an adjustment tool, but that is NOT an option and appears to refer to a different model, entirely.
This same VOLUME/PROGRAM button allows the end user to cycle through 3 different preset equalization programs. However, the process requires the end user to hold down the button for 3-4 seconds. The programs are offered in succession: The first is NORMAL, accompanied by 1 beep, and addresses amplification across the broadest sound spectrum. The second is HIGH FREQUENCY, accompanied by 2 beeps, and seems to boost the treble region mostly. The 3rd is LOW FREQUENCY, accompanied by 3 beeps, and boost the lower bass region of sounds. Another 3-4 second press brings you back to the normal program.
I WISH: The use of beeps for both volume confirmation and program change is only slightly helpful, and leaves me still confused. Is it that difficult to use a digital voice so users don’t lose their bearings while making setting changes? And that odd asymmetrical orientation of the volume control, differing from left to right seems unnecessary and eventually correctable.
PERFORMANCE / SUMMARY: Go Hearing - Go Prime receives a round of applause from me. These ear buds are super small and discreet, These ear buds have limited design goals and a corresponding limited set of features. And they all work quite nicely. Using these while viewing/listening to TV provided an immediate increase in volume across the entire sound spectrum. There were few noise artifacts. Feedback noises were strictly limited to those times I let my hands linger too closely to my ears while making adjustments. For those times when the TV was too loud during dramatic excesses, it was just easier to pull the ear buds from my ears. and place them back in afterwards. I would not describe the sound shaping quality as subtle or sublime. These are a blunt amplification tool, but they sure do that work quite well. If I over-do the amplification, I’m competing with bats.
These are not difficult to manage. Knowing they have a lengthy operating time between charges and no replacement batteries was reassuring. They operate for long stretches of time and are fully (lithium battery) rechargeable from a very small case. There is no software and no App. There is no hearing test. The ear buds are only about amplifying sound. They provide a variable volume control operated using a push button feature that quickly and easily modifies sound level. There is no advanced, sophisticated analysis of your hearing frequency curves. But, there are 3 presets that offer a way to address a broader range of inadequacies. Use them or not, the amplification itself will address some hearing issues, The 3 program settings provide a simple tool for limited tuning for specific issues. I like these OTC hearing aids. Easy to recommend.
Hi, TECHBEENGOOD, thank you for your review and feedback. We appreciate your Performance/ Summary section as this helps us to innovate our product. Enjoy your Go Prime hearing aids. 😊
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Does what it promises but with some quirks
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I got the Go Hearing Go Prime OTC Hearing Aids, because I felt like I’ve noticed some hearing loss in my left ear recently where I've had trouble hearing people who talk to me on my left side. Though I have not been diagnosed with any hearing loss from a doctor, I thought I would give this product a shot. Right out of the box these are ready to go with a charge, setup is fairly straightforward in that you put the buds in your ears and you're ready to go. They are color coordinated with red being right and blue being left so there should be no confusion in putting these in. The ear buds fit very comfortably in my ears but found the volume adjust button to be annoying to change where the button location is flipped flopped on the other earbud, so that was hard at first to figure out. And the instruction says there is a tool to change the volume, but it's a generic manual for all of Go-Hearing hearing devices, so I spent a couple minutes poking the buds with the tip cleaner by accident. (I recommend they have specific manuals for each product.)
I can say that these did increase my ability to hear better out of my left ear but I could never get used to wearing these when I would interact with people and then having to hear my voice which would sound robotic and would take me out of the conversation and would have to take them out. I also would have issues with static interference when I would put my phone up to my ear to take a call which made it so that I would have to take every call on speaker phone while using it to avoid the static noise. Overall I think this product does what it says it will do in that you will be able to hear better but with some trade offs with static noise and your voice sounding like a robot.
Thank you for your feedback. We are happy that you are satisfied with some of the elements, we would however like to help you with any struggles you may experience. Please call our toll-free number at (302) 754-3190 for our support team to assist you.
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Great product with big potential!
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Go prime OTC Hearing Aids are easy to use and convenient. They come with a nice little charging case that you can put in your pocket and have them charging at the same time. The first thing that came to my mind when receiving my Go Prime hearing aids was the question of what am I going to get for my money. I thought this considering that the price tag is about one-quarter of the standard cost of a set of hearing aids. I have thoroughly tested the Go Prime hearing aids and have also been able to compare them to the ambient noise feature that my Galaxy Buds Pro earbuds have built in. The ambient noise feature uses the microphones to boost the sound around you similar to what a set of hearing aids do. With that in mind I will now proceed to elaborate on my experience with the Go Prime OTC’s and explain how and what would make them a success. The first thing I noticed was the good build quality of the Go Prime Hearing aids and the case. They also come with all of the accessories that you need to clean and adjust hearing settings as well as three sets of earbuds to get the proper fit for you. I first used the Go Primes as is after charging them without changing any settings. After wearing them for a while like this I did get amplified sound however I also got a lot of unwanted sounds. While this is hard to explain what it made me feel like is that the Go Primes needed noise canceling to eliminate unwanted background noises and reduce the loudness of my own voice. The good news is after adjusting the volume level for each hearing aid I was able to eliminate that issue which is best described as hearing your own voice in your head. Once I went through the different volume levels and found the optimal setting the problem went away and a suddenly I had clear super sonic hearing. I mean my bearing was so good I could hear my dog walk into the room. I am talking you could hear the footsteps of my little 14lb dog on the carpet! Amazing! While I have found 5 to be the maximum volume level for the most sound without clipping or reverb inside your head. I really believe for everyday use I should turn it down to 4 or 3 even. Will just have to experiment more. I will tell you right now though I am very impressed that the settings were able to do such a terrific job of fine-tuning. So I can turn it up to five when I want supersonic James Bond spy hearing or lower it down to 3 or 4 for everyday normal use. Each Earbud hearing aid can be totally adjusted individually and they are very comfortable to wear all day. You will forget they are there and they are very discreet and easily covered with hair for most women's style haircuts. Now on to improvements. I really think that an app with Bluetooth pairing to the hearing aids would allow you to really fine-tune these Hearing aids. With an app the ease of use and sound adjustment possibilities would make these Go Prime Hearing aids a number one hit the app were done right with all of the proper fine sound tuning available. You could use WI-FI direct or a proprietary connection frequency to avoid interference. Additionally, you could just pair the Go Primes with Bluetooth to make the tuning adjustments and then turn off the Bluetooth so you would not have to worry about outside interference. These things are a great start and a good product at the price point. I just say they use some creativity and put a couple of app developers on the team to write some apps for endless possibilities in sound tuning that would put the Go-Primes at the top of the pack in the OTC hearing aid market! If you or your loved one needs some good hearing aids at a great price compared to conventional overpriced ugly hearing aids go pick some GO Prime OTC Hearing Aids up! You and your familiy will be glad you did! Great product with even greater potential for next-level improvements on the next models!
Hi, Androidaholic, thank you for your feedback and detailed review. Happy Hearing! 😊
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Comfortable, useful and of great value.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Go Hearing Go Ultra OTC Hearing Aids are a great hearing improvement right away
I have a slight hearing loss so these are great to have to help everything sound much better.
They come nicely packaged and they are easy to setup and maintain. They come with a good manual with illustrations as well as a card with a phone number and email in case I need help.
There are several things to like about them. They are small and light so they do not stand out getting attention. They are rechargeable with a good battery life so there is no need to look for batteries and try to exchange them. The case charges the aids directly so using the USB C cable connects to the case and in return the case charges the aids. Bluetooth streaming, I can hear music directly to the aids without the need for additional headphones or bothering other people with loud music. I can answer phone calls as well directly from the hearing aids. I also like that it does have four preset programs so I can choose what works for me. The memory recall is also a plus, the aids remember the last way it was used so I do not need to keep changing or adjusting the aids every time after recharging them.
I also like that they come with different domes, cleaning wires and brush to make them fit well and keeping them clean.
They are comfortable and of good value, they also help a lot but these are not for everyone so I think trying them is a great idea especially for people trying to improve hearing.
Hi, AngelM, thank you for sharing your experience and feedback. We wish you many more years of healthy hearing, on the go! 😊
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Make Sure This Fits You Needs.
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Conclusion: This option is viable without getting a professional-grade hearing aid if you are looking for very discrete sound amplification. For most people, she says she doesn't hear enough hearing improvement where I needed it to justify the cost. If you have hearing loss, I'd get a hearing test and let them advise you if this range or hearing aid is for you. The design is comfortable and not noticeable. I'll continue to test them in different settings, but I can't see wearing them regularly due to the sound profile described in the cons below. For someone with more moderate hearing loss, these could provide an affordable boost until you get a tuned, professional unit. I lost almost all bass and low-frequency sounds when using these, which my spouse does not lose with a professional hearing aid.
Background for comparison:
My primary use case is to amplify conversations and reduce distracting background noise to make up for a minor loss of hearing and a harder time focusing on the voices my mother is trying to hear.
She have low to moderate hearing loss in both ears and additional problems with fluid from allergies. I've used hearing protection and amplification devices ranging from $50 in-ear amplification to $150 other name brand electronic ear protection. I asked my spouse to test the unit by replacing her professional ($8,000) hearing aid to verify my observations.
Pros:
Very light, compact, and discrete.
The case charges the hearing aids without needing to be plugged in.
There are four sound settings that provide a noticeable change in the tone profile and boost.
It comes with several tubes and cones to fit your ear comfortably. It does take time to get used to them, but this is true for all hearing aids.
They have enough sound amplification to boost hearing loss.
They do an amazing job picking up nearby sounds, which is also a con below.
She found that the music and lower frequency setting (profile 3) gave her the best sound quality and hearing improvement.
It has a good sizing guide to help with a better and faster fit.
Cons:
This unit heavily favors higher-pitch sounds. It picks up nearby sounds surprisingly well, such as rustling, scratching, sliding, and similar background noises.
I was not able to balance the volume to boost voices in the room and the TV without localized background noises being too loud and overwhelming.
The boost of higher-pitch sounds was significant, but I lost almost all lower frequencies. If I took one unit out, I could hear a much wider range of sound.
The boost of background and close proximity moise was very distracting. Even pitching up a remote was loud and blocked out other sounds.
There is no app to control the sound profile or adapt to different locations.
From the description, I was expecting much better noise cancellation. Instead, it seemed to boost background noise. The noise cancellation on her "Other Name Brand" earbuds price wise and are significantly better.
The storage box is big and poorly designed. The charging cord plugs into the bottom, meaning you have to turn the box on its side to charge. I can't understand this mistake.
You get a variety of tubes and cones, but not for replacement. You will need to immediately order backups for your preferred size.
Hi, Andrea1969, thank you for your detailed feedback and review. We wish you many more years of healthy hearing, on the go! 😊
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Go Hearing - A New Day for Aids
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
My ENT medical doctor has been wanting me to consider hearing aids since my hearing began to fade with a medical condition that I experienced in 2021. I have not really been ready for anything that he has shown me with either its size or price. I have tried a few inexpensive amplifiers that either become annoying with their size in a short time of use or have so much static that using them is more annoying than the little bit of hearing loss that I have. The history of the majority of middle-aged people obtaining hearing aids in America has just been difficult and the medical profession is finally admitting that depriving people of hearing aids has led to increased dementia cases and the speed to which the onset of dementia occurs.
So finally, something remarkable has just happened that should have happened decades ago. The USA government has encouraged the FDA to make Hearing Aids marketable over the counter (OTC). Making Hearing Aids only obtainable through medical facilities as they have always been until the last couple of months of 2022 made the average price $4,500-6,800 dollars. It also limited the competition of applying newer technology towards making better options and the way the distribution was set up through the doctors and the mark-up that was on the product didn’t challenge manufacturers to be creative in making a better product. I know because I went through this with my father, and then (bless his heart) he would never wear them because he had to go to long without them.
With much enthusiasm for myself and many others with low to moderate hearing loss I would like to report that I have just evaluated an OTC Hearing Aid that is small, fits in the ear instead of wrapping around and hanging on the ear, has a rechargeable case that can charge it up to 6x, and works very well. The Hearing Aids can be used for up to 30 hours on a single charge! The GO Prime Hearing Aid manufactured by Go Hearing is very impressive in its design, size, retail price, and functionality.
At first, I wasn’t sure that these were going to have the clarity in sound that I wanted because they had a lot of static. The GO PRIME version that I have are designed with a small button on each that can be push for each of 3 different listening programs (Normal, High-Frequency, and Low-Frequency) with each having eight different volume adjustments. The trick to getting these to work great is to try to use them in different settings and adjust them accordingly. I used them in several setting but particularly watching TV, in the car listening to the radio, and on virtual meetings. After about 6 days, I had them adjusted to where I just left them alone and totally quit touching the control on either one of them at all. They are designed that when you put them in the case, they stay the way that they last were, and so when they are taken out of the case they are as they were when last used. I have had no screeching noises, no static, or any annoying sounds, just amplified sound like my hearing was before the illness two years ago. I am very pleased with these, but it did take persistence and use in different situations to fine tune them to my particular hearing needs. I think I have ended up with a High-Frequency in the right ear and adjusted the volume mid-range and Normal in the left ear, but I just kept fine tuning them until my hearing was very comfortable in my main environments.
They also have to be comfortable in the ear and they come with 3 sizes of ear cushions – small, medium, and large. I found that small worked best for me and the hearing aid stayed in my ear when inserted. It was also pretty comfortable, but if I feel I need to give my ears a break, I carry the recharging case with me and slip them in their respective slots for a while.
I do wish the colors on them were a little more subtle. Red is prominent for the Right hearing aid and Blue is the color for the Left hearing aid. I wish they were maybe a dark shade of gray and a lighter shade of gray so that they wouldn’t be quite so noticeable with short hair.
After extensively studying Hearing Aids for the last 18 years and knowing what isn’t obtainable and the cost of what has been obtainable that has often been very technologically outdated, I am going to give these hearing aids five stars. Even though these could use a few little tweaks towards improvement in color, etc. they are a magnificent step in the right direction and appropriately named – Go Hearing. Yes, I definitely recommend these for low to moderate hearing loss and wish this manufacturer much success. I appreciate them providing a quality product for a reasonable price.
Hi, SwigglesMilam, thank you for you positive review and detailed feedback. 😊
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Affordable OTC hearing aids
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Go Hearing Go Prime OTC Hearing Aids are well made, fairly lightweight so they are not uncomfortable to wear. They come in a well designed compact charging case that has a USB-C connector, cable and they even include the charger, which is a nice bonus. They also come with three different size silicone ear tips to accommodate most ear canal sizes. The medium tips are pre-installed and so far fit pretty well. At first I was a bit weary of these being called Hearing Aids, as I have tried similarly priced Hearing Amplifiers from other vendors that were just not usable because of the constant squealing feedback sounds. Not so with the Go Hearing Prime OTC - they actually work as intended. There is some feedback when you insert them in or remove them from your ears, but it’s very tolerable and short lived. One side effect of that is basically having to use any phone in speakerphone mode, because if you put it to your ear you are very likely to get high pitch feedback from these hearing aids. The most confusing part is the volume adjustment and program settings that have to be done with very delicate fingers by pressing the little tip/switch on the back side of these earbuds. The confusion is mostly based on the manual instructions that are written for 2 different models, so make sure you read the instructions for the model you have, in this case the Go Prime (not Go Lite). Ended up starting off with the default/Normal program, lowest volume setting and working up from there. To me they sound a bit high on trebles and also seem to amplify my own voice a bit too much. It will take some time getting used to these just like any hearings aids or even bluetooth earbuds, but at this price point, they would make a fine, very affordable hearing aid for many folks with reduced hearing capabilities due to age (please make your own assessment and/or check with your doctor, as this is just my opinion)
Hi, SUHD, thank you for your review and feedback. 😊
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
If you want OTC hearing aids, start with these
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Review for
Go Hearing - Go Ultra OTC Hearing Aids - Gray
This is the third Over The Counter hearing aid I’ve tried and I have to say, so far, my favorite. They are designed for mild to moderate hearing loss and, as such, check all the boxes for someone like me. First, they are very comfortable to wear (although they take a little getting used to - more on that later). They are extremely lightweight and the clear ear tube coupled with the small in-the-ear portion, make them practically invisible. Second, the electronics containing the microphone and controls sits comfortably behind your ear, out of sight. Third, and I was initially surprised by this, they do not come with an app or a require an analysis of your hearing patterns. Finally, they are rechargeable - lasting as long as 20 hours when not using the Bluetooth feature.
I guess the Bluetooth feature is my personal favorite! This kind of connectivity really changes the game for any hearing aids. I can take and make phone calls directly through the hearing aids, which is far superior to trying to amplify a phone call through traditional aids. I can even listen to music or other streaming services, like TV.
As mentioned, most OTC hearing aids come with an app and require you to perform a hearing analysis in order to use them. The Go Ultra aids opt for a simpler approach, although it may not be ideal for everyone. They allow 10 volume settings for each ear coupled with four different “hearing profiles” that can be set on each aid. The profiles are: normal, high-frequency loss, low-frequency loss, and general amplification. If you know what kind of loss you have (general, high, or low) you can select that setting for each ear - and they don’t have to be the same. I tried the fourth setting - general amplification - and found it was similar to the normal setting with a little boost to all frequencies. It’s easy to try the different settings at various volumes to find your preferences for each ear. Once you select a setting and volume level for each aid, they remember them the next time you put them on.
Ah, putting them on… I mentioned they are light and easy to wear for extended periods. They also take a little practice to put on. The electronics easily clip over the back of you ear and the in-ear portion is also easy to insert and comes with different sized silicone tips in two varieties. The stickler for me was the small silicone “retention wire” that sticks straight out. You need to curl this and flip it into your ear to hold them in place. I make it sound difficult and initially, it is, but with a little practice I’ve gotten better and faster at it. My concern is with people with mobility issues - such as arthritis - I think the retention wire would be problematic for such users. Along these lines, I was disappointed to see the user manual reduced to a size that would fit in the box, with no regard for the extremely small print that results. I would recommend anyone who has trouble reading fine print view the user guide on the gohearing.com website - under support.
But overall, these aids have more to recommend them than any I’ve tried. Being rechargeable means not having to change nasty, tiny batteries. Bluetooth, in my mind is essential if you want to use modern cell phones, and the price point is very nice. If you’re considering OTC hearing aids, start with these. They also have a 45 day, full refund return policy if you find they’re not for you. But I’m keeping mine - just saying…
Hi, TechSavvy55Plus, thank you for taking the time to give us your feedback on your experience with your Go Ultra OTC hearing aids. We wish you many more years of healthy hearing, on the go! 😊
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Comfortable but Lacking Clarity
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
--- SETUP ---
The Oura Ring requires a measurement step before you get your actual Oura Ring. In the box, you’ll find a set of several sized plastic rings from 6-13. After you decide which ring fits you best, you go to a provided link, fill out your information, and a ring is mailed to you.
--- FEATURES ---
Bluetooth connection to enjoy audio streaming from your phone, 4 preset programs, rechargeability with up to 20 hours of battery life, a rechargeable case, and memory recall to remember your last used settings.
--- PERFORMANCE AND EXPECTATIONS ---
I’ve had a chance to test multiple over-the-counter hearing aids. These are, so far, the most comfortable to wear. They also are the ones that look most like hearing aids, compared to others that look like headbuds. However, in my time using them, not many people noticed I had hearing aids unless I was up close, like while dancing.
After reading the manual, it was easy to understand the different colors in the case, how to properly measure your ear for the best fit, and how to put on the hearing aids. The manual didn’t mention an app, but instead, you determine how much volume you need in each hearing aid independently. I set up my right side to be higher while my left side was at a low volume. I opted for the earbuds that allowed my own voice to sound most natural, which are with an opened dome.
The hearing itself isn’t as clearly defined for me. Noises that are not voices are over-amplified and sound way too loud. I couldn’t find a proper balance that worked for me. When those mixed in with voices, the ambient sounds would compete with the voices trying to talk to me and everything was obfuscated.
When using the hearing aids during phone calls, the caller seemed to have low volume. I adjusted the volume on the phone but that only helped marginally. If I took off the caller from bluetooth and just used my phone’s speaker, that was louder and clearer than what I was hearing from the hearing aid.
One thing that could also improve from the hearing aid is that there should be a light indicator that the hearing aids have turned on. While not wearing them, it was hard to tell if I had successfully turned on or off the hearing aid.
--- APPROVAL ---
Though these are the most comfortable hearing aids for extended use and have the best fit from any that I have tried, they didn’t work as clear as I expected them to and lack some basic features, such as a light on/off indicator. The lack of app support and customization prevent these OTC hearing aids from a recommendation from me.
Hi, Trobadour, thank you for your constructive feedback and review, we always value our customers' experience. If you require assistance or have questions about your Go Ultra OTC hearing aids, our friendly support team is ready to help. Please get in touch with them at (302) 754-3190 or send an email to [email protected].
Rated 5 out of 5 stars
Great OTC hearing aids at great price point
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
I have worn prescription hearing aids for about four years and was intrigued with hearing aids going OTC this year. The Go Hearing aids exceeded my expectations! I have moderate hearing loss and am not 'missing' a lot of audio ranges, but mostly have muffled hearing.... my current prescription aids are the over the ear type and quite complicated to use at times.
Unpacking the box, I was pleased to find a simple, and complete, user manual. The aids are stored in a small case, just like bluetooth ear buds you might connect to your phone. The magnetically snap into the charging slots and there is a cover. Red is right.... blue is left. The case also serves as a backup charger, which is great for on the go people.
This is a complete set with cleaning tools and extra wax guards and I encourage anyone using these to clean the tips frequently with the tool provided. This keeps the sound channels open. They are so easy to pop in and out! Oh, and they turn on automatically when taken out of the charging case. No fumbling around trying to hit a small button or wheel.
When I first put the aid in my right ear, I heard quite a bit of sound feedback, but it goes away as soon as you stop touching it. The Go Prime has one adjustment button and one 'handle' on each aid. Pushing the button in short one second taps will send the volume up until you max out at 8 level, then send it back to one. I suggest putting it a minimum volume when you start. If you hold the little button for over three seconds, it will change mode, from normal to high-frequency to low-frequency. The user manual gives good descriptions of these. I suggest starting with Normal.
Like any hearing aid, start slow and build up your daily hours. If you have never worn aids, you will be shocked at what you were missing! I was quite pleasantly surprised by these aids. first, they fit snugly in my ear canal and did not feel like they would fall out. Second, they did amplify and clarify spoken words for me, which is my hearing problem. I feel better able to understand speech when I cannot see the person speaking. Third, the convenience of having a small charging case, that also charges when not plugged in, makes these handy to carry around. I work on a farm, mostly alone, and do not normally where aids outside. Having these in my pocket would be grand for times I and talking with a person in the field.
Overall, for the price, these hearing aids exceeded my expectations. For me, they clarified speech and allowed me to up the volume a bit.
Hi, Aggieof83, thank you for your detailed feedback and review. We are delighted that our Go Prime hearing aids can contribute to your hearing health. 😊
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Good but not for the price
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Over the counter hearing aids are becoming more prominent by day, and its accessibility without a prescription is great! But still, it's recommended that prior to using you get your ears checked to see what intensity level/range of hearing aids are best for you.
Aesthetically these have a more traditional look where while you're wearing them you know that they're hearing aids, and there's nothing wrong with that. I use my grandmother as the tester for hearing aids to see what's the best fit for her and works best. These work fine but no matter what settings I adjust to, it seems that my grandmother still has some hard of hearing and would just prefer not to use these to begin with, which is unfortunate.
That doesn't mean these don't work, it just means it's not right for her. These last quite awhile but a few hours short of 20 hours from our experience. It's great that you can also preselect hearing profiles, similar to preselect profiles for the type of audio experience you want (for a movie, music, etc).
I do wish that the accessories kit came with it for maintenance for the price that this costs, but it's alright. There's nothing wrong with this product, it just doesn't bring the equivalent value for what you pay for it.
Hi, gabemstr, thank you for your constructive feedback and review, we always value our customers' experience. If you require assistance or have questions about your Go Ultra OTC hearing aids, our friendly support team is ready to help. Please get in touch with them at (302) 754-3190 or send an email to [email protected].
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Most Comfortable Hearing Aid I’ve Worn
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
The Go Ultra Hearing Aids are the most comfortable hearing aids I’ve ever worn. From the first time I put them in They were/are so soft inside my ears and never felt like they were going to fall out or were too tight. The part that goes behind my ears were not too tight even though I wear glasses. Yet they were not loose enough to move around. They really are very comfortable and seem to fit the shape of my ear perfectly. I have shoulder length white hair and the hearing aids still are not easily seen.
This is my first rechargeable hear aids and I love that I don’t need to carry extra batteries in my purse. They stay charged all day even when turned up to higher levels. They came with everything I needed to charge them. They easily charge right inside the case. The case has lights that turn colors so I know if they are charging and when they are charged.
I had and still do have some problems with background noise that I simply can’t get to go away even when changing from open to closed domes. I experimented with the domes in an attempt to find my perfect fit and hearing level. The noise is always slightly there. I’m hoping after wearing them a few more weeks I can figure out how to eliminate it. I’ve learned from other hearing aid brands that there is a learning curve with each new pair. I’m still adjusting to the perfect way to tap the control buttons.
Although these hearing aids are able to sync with my phone to accept calls I find the sound is not as clear as it is without my hearing aids but I do want to learn to use this feature. It is one of the reasons I wanted these particular hearing aids. There are bottoms on the lower part of the hearing aid to tap when answering the phone. My glasses seem to interfere a bit with the smoothness of using these buttons. I am getting better though. Again there is a learning curve and I am adjusting to use if them.
Hi, Villageanne, thank you for your detailed review and positive feedback. We love to hear from our customers. We wish you many more years of healthy hearing, on the go!😊
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Comfortable and easy to use hearing aids
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
These hearing aids have a very long lasting battery, which will likely not run out of battery power, before they can be charged at night while sleeping.
These hearing aids have plenty of sound amplification on the highest volume.
The left earpiece is blue and the right earpiece is red, this is a nice touch.
These hearing aids have a built in automatic volume reduction functionality, for the times when noises are a bit too loud, this prevents the loud noises from being amplified to the point of being too loud.
If someone has a minimum or medium hearing loss, these GoPrime hearing aids should be sufficient at amplifying sound to the point of allowing an improved level of hearing.
I wear a pair of Bluetooth earbuds all the time, and I have a process of taking a single piece of two ply tissue paper, and I separate it into two thinner pieces of tissue paper, I take one of the thinner pieces and fold it, and then wrap the folded tissue paper around my earbuds, and I wear them with sort of an earbud sock. This thin layer of tissue paper absorbs oils and waxes that develop in the ear, and it keeps earbuds quite clean, and this prevents the necessity of frequently having to wipe earbuds clean. This same protective layer of tissue paper can be used with these hearing aids, and any ear wax will be absorbed by the tissue paper.
Because of the fact that I use Bluetooth earbuds all the time, it is kind of an unavoidable inclination to compare these hearing aids, to the sound producing capabilities of a comparably priced pair of Bluetooth earbuds. Considering that all Bluetooth earbuds have a built in wireless Bluetooth technology, which these hearing aids do not have, it kind of feels like Bluetooth earbuds, have a more technologically advanced built in technology, compared to most hearing aids. That consideration naturally would cause the customer to wonder why hearing aids on average, would be more expensive than Bluetooth earbuds? Whatever happened to the law of supply and demand?
I am rating these GoPrime hearing aids on two separate scales. In a world where Bluetooth earbuds, which contains the advanced wireless Bluetooth technology, was not available as a sound product in a similar form factor, then in that world, I would rate these hearing aids at 5 out of 5 stars. Since we are living in a world having advanced Bluetooth earbuds, then this causes an inclination to rate these hearing aids, at 3 out of 5 stars.
Hi, scovartwo, thank you for your feedback and review. We are constantly working to implement our consumer's feedback. Please keep an eye on our website for future innovations.
Rated 3 out of 5 stars
Reasonable performance lightweight Bluetooth !
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
First impressions and use -
These are well packed and nicely arranged. I opened the box, charged them up and gave them a try the next day. Overall
These provide a nice boost to human vocal ranges. They are especially sensitive to close sounds and feature a form of
noise cancellation.
Physical Operation - Turn on, adjust preset. dialing through the presets allows for different profiles of boost
and environmental sound. These do not rely on a tunable app.
Bike / Car / Outdoor use - Strike 1 - These seem to strangely amplify a lot of Background noise I would not notice
normally and also carry way too much environmental sound through. A plane flies over ? LOUD. Wind ? LOUD. The slight
creak from a crank-arm on my bike ? LOUD. Smacking a leafy tree branch produces a sound like crushing wads of crinkly
paper directly inside my brain. Overall -
Movie Theater - Strike 2 -
I like to call this my ultimate torture test. Torture it was - I had to remove these almost
immediately. There was no preset I could use in a movie that was comfortable or that worked reasonably well at all.
I tried to replicate at home with a loud audio system and had some success however these could not deal will with the
varying levels produced by the latest Harrison Ford action film. :)
Noisy restaurant - A Swing and a hit ! - Okay - much better performance than the last two tests. Other people's
conversations faded away and those speaking at my table were easily discernable. I messed around with the preset
modes and found one that suited the scenario. I was able to hear clearly most of the time.
Casual use - Home and Office environment. These excel where there is not a ton of background noise and boost speech
appropriately for me.
Battery performance - All day use if not streaming music or calls. Notably a Bluetooth connection is often reported
to cut them down to 7-8 hours ( even if nothing is streamed or active ). I found this caused them to run for around
nine hours with no bluetooth use. I'd recommend disconnecting them from your device when bluetooth is not needed.
A little about my own hearing loss - I am writing this review as I have severe hearing damage in one ear due
to repeatedly rupturing an eardrum. My own hearing loss makes it difficult to discern speech on that side.
It also interferes with hearing speech, television, movies etc....."Correctly". Since I can still hear reasonably
well in the second ear ( Nobody's perfect, right? ) it allows for a good comparison for various hearing
products. Notably I wear a single customized hearing aid for daily use which I removed when trying this product
in various situations. Every OTC product I have used to date requires you wear both hearing aids - so I wear
both.
What I love:
Easy to charge and use.
EPIC battery life when Bluetooth is not used ! (can be used for a full day)
Discreet size, lightweight.
Room for improvement:
Mediocre performance compared to higher end units
Smaller case please !
Hi, James K, thank you for sharing your experience and for your detailed feedback. We always value our customers' experience. 😊
Rated 4 out of 5 stars
Affordable, good sound quality, no app
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This reviewer received promo considerations or sweepstakes entry for writing a review.
Go Ultra Hearing Aids are a very nice alternative to other more costly, more complex OTC self-fitting hearing aids on the market. The offer a good sound quality and extremely easy setup, with a simple pairing to your phone or preferred Bluetooth capable device to stream audio to them. The best part of this is not having to choose between wearing your hearing aids or wearing earbuds/headphones. Something that I absolutely love about these, is that they fit perfectly comfortably in my ears while running! I've tried so many other options to get clear hearing and be able to listen to music while running. This is a huge advantage over some of the more expensive devices out there that are only now starting to open up the ability to stream calls through the required Bluetooth connection. The only real negative is that the charging case is huge! It's like carrying an early 2000s camera phone in your pocket, but it does offer a good battery life and the battery life of the hearing aids is great. Listening to quiet music and general hearing aid use while at work I can get a full workday of battery.
All in all, these are a great option for someone looking for something simple, easy to use, and has great battery but is not worried about the size of the case or the lack of a companion app. These do work great, and I would still recommend them. The case size is the only thing that takes them down the 4/5 stars.