Tweak Hearing- Focus Model- Personal Sound Amplifier with Digital Volume Control and Directional Program to Reduce Background Noise (Silver)

I ordered one of these (nice that it's a sophisticated silver color) and one of the LifeEar for a loved one, and she liked the LifeEar better. Apparently the LifeEar DOES take some getting used to, having the bit of echo in your head (what with your ear being plugged up)-- I thought this one would be better in that respect, since it doesn't plug up the ear. But the Tweak apparently had more annoying buzzes and bumps and feedback, and the LifeEar was the one she wanted to keep. (And no, I don't work for the company...)In any case, ordering one of each worked out as a sort of "gateway drug" for someone who isn't quite ready to accept having hearing loss, at least accept it enough to get over the hurdle of going and spending thousands and thousands of dollars on hearing aids that may or may not work out. I'd recommend that strategy, for oneself or if you're shopping for a loved one: order one of these and one of the LifeEar, and see which works out better. That way you know (or the person knows) "I like this one better than that one" and pros and cons, strengths and limitations of each, rather than coming away with the impression "I hate hearing aids and I'll never use one again." (Because yes, these are all going to have limitations...)It was gratifying to see that the person I got this for did seem to take to the LifeEar, enough to reach for it voluntarily, and may even order a second one. I won't ding this one any more stars because I'm counting on my loved one's report that she tried out all the different settings, so since I know that she used the LifeEar for longer, it's possible that she didn't really put all this one's different settings through their paces and "your mileage may vary."From a cosmetic standpoint, this one is bigger than the LifeEar, but the silver color is nice in that it looks more high tech-y (rather than like a hearing aid). The LifeEar brand is smaller, but the beige is really medical device-looking (it looks like your grandpa's hearing aid-- hard to pretend it's anything other than what it is). On the other hand, if you're fortunate enough to have black curly hair, the black version of the LifeEar fits right in.In my conclusion, buying one of the LifeEar (just pay attention, those are specific to right or left ear) and one of these, and comparing them (pay attention to the return policy timing!) (and be be sure you get around to reading the directions, as the settings really do matter!), is a good introduction/way to try out the concept. You can then order a second one of the one you like or your loved one likes best.

I would really love to be able to give the Tweak five stars, because I’ve found mine (I have two of them, the Focus model) to be remarkable in helping me with my hearing loss. I feel they have aided me greatly to keep my sanity as well as that of family, clients, and friends who have to put up with me. Tweaks are not quite the same as “real” hearing aids, but they are far more cost efficient than the hearing aids that you pay the audiologist $3,000 each for. Dollar for dollar you get way more for your money with Tweaks. Another great plus about the Tweak is customer service. When you call, you actually get a real person who speaks English as a first language, and the phone is answered on the first or second ring. This in itself is unheard of anymore in America. And you get very friendly, efficient, personalized care by the person on the other end.Now for the downside of Tweaks, and the reason for my four star rating. They do not react well to moisture. The biggest problem is that if you sweat while wearing them, they will malfunction. In my case, the first two that I owned started to malfunction because I wore them to work outdoors last summer. When sweat got into them, they did a variety of crazy things for a few days until they quit functioning properly altogether. Fortunately, they were still under warranty and were quickly replaced by the company for me. Then, just this week I had one of those replacements act up, and just today sent it back for maintenance at the company (it’s still under warranty, though just about to run out). Once again, sweat was the issue. And mind you, not a lot of sweat. After the problems I had last year, I got a Zephyr, the device recommended to me by the Tweak people to dry the Tweaks out at night. I have used it faithfully every night, as well as trying to avoid wearing the Tweaks when I am sweating very much. Nevertheless, I still had one go bad with the current warm weather.So, my advice to any potential buyer of a Tweak is basically this: the Tweak is a great product that will help you if you have even somewhat profound hearing loss (as I do), but don’t wear yours on hot, muggy days. If you live in a cool climate or have a relatively sedentary lifestyle, you should have no problems.