“I like not having to depend on a hearing professional to hear better”

September 21, 2022

BeHear SMARTO customer from France
Michel prefers the on-ear headset provided with SMARTO.

We first “met” Michel Baudry back in December of 2019 when he purchased the BeHear NOW + HearLink transmitter bundle. Since then he swapped the NOW for a BeHear ACCESS to benefit from the telecoil, and most recently purchased a BeHear SMARTO. That’s what we call a loyal customer!

We recently learned that Michel was visiting Israel, so we invited him to our office, and asked him a few questions to gain some insights.

Q. How did you find out about BeHear assistive hearing products?
A. I have always been curious about hearing products, investigating them on the web. I first learned about the Bose HearPhones product in a New York shop. I continued to investigate and came across a comparison between Bose and BeHear on the Hearing Tracker site. I corresponded with members of the BeHear team, and even met the CEO at CES. I was convinced that the product was for me.

Q. Have you ever used hearing aids?
A. Yes, I tried many of the cheap systems that are promoted on Amazon and Alibaba. I never accepted the price paid to audiologists by my friends; I think it is crookery. Just like I don’t accept it for glasses (I have been buying mine on EyeBuyDirect for 10 years and I am very happy with them).

Q. In which hearing situations does the BeHear product help you to hear better?
A. Live conversation, watching television, and watching video content on my smartphone.

Q. What do you like about the product?
A. It answers my need for hearing tools without requiring medical professional support. I also like the neck loop form factor — I can’t lose it!

Q. Anything else you’d like to share?
A. People may be reluctant to choose something like BeHear ACCESS because it is so obvious, but for me it is a plus! I can’t lose it, it holds a charge for 13 hours, I can tune it by myself, it is easy to recharge. I don’t care that the design isn’t modern — I prefer efficiency!

SMARTO Impresses Audiologist

September 07, 2022

Aaron Krasnick Au.D., Doctor of Audiology, HearingLife.com

Aaron Krasnick brings a very unique combination of education and experience to the field of audiology. Prior to pursuing his doctoral degree in audiology at the City University of New York, Dr. Krasnick leveraged his bachelor’s degree in music and audio engineering from the University of Massachusetts into a career as a professional sound engineer. ​After working in this field for several years after college, he decided to redirect his talents for working with sound into a much more people-oriented profession and went back to school to study audiology.

BeHear SMARTO powerful hearing amplifier
BeHear SMARTO is a hand-held or body-worn powerful hearing amplifier with Bluetooth connectivity.

Dr. Krasnick contacted Alango-BeHear with a request to try out the BeHear SMARTO hearing amplifier to see whether it could benefit some of his clients. Here is his report:

“This is a very well designed product that is simple and easy to use, while at the same time it has a potential for further customization by someone who is comfortable with connecting the device to a smartphone. This is a feature that it not found in similar devices on the marketplace and it is impressive.

This device is ideal for someone who has complaints about hearing well only for specific situations such as TV or movies, as well as for someone with cognitive impairment who is not able to manipulate or tolerate a conventional hearing aid. This device is easy for caretakers to monitor and hard to misplace.

Nice work, team!”

July 2022 Newsletter

July 28, 2022

What a Confidence Booster!

behear-builds-confidence
BeHear builds confidence.

When veteran Israeli sound enhancement developer Alango Technologies launched the BeHear product line nearly 7 years ago, we had a vision to create assistive hearing solutions that would benefit millions of people. Our dedicated team of engineers has worked hard to develop products that are easy to use, effective, multi-functional, and affordable. Many customers have shared their experiences with us (see reviews here), reinforcing that we are on the right track. But, when we recently received feedback from a Doctor of Audiology in the form of a video review and accompanying in-depth article about our newest product, BeHear SMARTO, it gave us a big confidence boost! Read more about it in the first article below, as well as more confidence-inspiring stories in the other sections.

ALSO IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

  • American Doctor of Audiology Reviews SMARTO
  • BeHear ACCESS is HSA Approved
  • Taking it on the Road: Care Show in UK, TEDPA in USA
  • “Hearing Loss for Dummies” published

Hope you’re staying cool these days!

The BeHear Team at Alango Technologies


 BeHear SMARTO Expert Review

BeHear SMARTO hand-held amplifier reviewed by American audiologist.

Steve Taddei, a Doctor of Audiology and Audio Engineer, recently reviewed the BeHear SMARTO hand-held sound amplifier. He posted a video on YouTube, and a more detailed article on the Hearing Tracker Web site. The former is probably sufficient for potential customers, but if you are a hearing professional, audio enthusiast, or sound engineer you will definitely appreciate the additional details in the written article. Both media include sound samples, so you can’t go wrong!


BeHear ACCESS is HSA Approved

BeHear ACCESS approved for HSA funds
BeHear ACCESS approved for HSA funds.

If you have an HSA account it is all the more reason to purchase a BeHear ACCESS hearing amplifier to help you hear better! An HSA is a type of savings account for Americans that lets you set aside money on a pre-tax basis to pay for qualified medical expenses. As a result you will spend less on your overall health costs.


 BeHear Hits the Road

BeHear teams in the U.K. and the U.S.A. were on the road again (finally!) to demonstrate BeHear products live at two different tradeshows.

Engaging care staff and administrators at the UK Care Event in Birmingham, UK (top) and introducing state program personnel at TEDPA in Indianapolis, USA.

The UK Care Show in Birmingham (England) brought together care workers and administrators. Since staff retention is a major concern, in our speaking opportunity we positioned BeHear SMARTO as a good way to improve communication and relieve frustration, fatigue, and stress among caregivers. You are welcome to download our presentation on the topic.

We also exhibited at the Telecommunications Equipment Distribution Program Association (TEDPA) annual conference which took place in Indianapolis, Indiana (after a 2-year hiatus). Representatives from 27 States came to learn how to use their budgets to improve wellness for their constituents. BeHear products are already included in a number of States’ offerings. Contact us to find out if yours is one of them!


“Hearing Loss for Dummies” Book Published

Current and easy to understand information about hearing loss and various ways to treat it

 Two of our favorite hearing research specialists, Frank R. Lin, M.D and Nicholas Reed of the Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, have just published a book entitled “Hearing Loss for Dummies“. If you or someone you care about suffers from hearing loss, you’ll find lots of useful information in this book. For example:

  • Understanding how hearing works — and how it changes as we age
  • Determining whether you need testing and, if so, where to turn
  • Learning practical solutions for hearing better at home, at work, on the phone, and in restaurants and theaters

If you would like our monthly newsletters delivered directly to your inbox, subscribe here.

More Than Just A Hearing Amplifier

June 21, 2022

Barry Mishkind broadcaster and reviewer
Barry Mishkind, editor at The Broadcasters’ Desktop Resource

Barry Mishkind is a veteran broadcaster and editor at The Broadcasters’ Desktop Resource. He has also suffered from tinnitus for more than 50 years.

In his detailed review of BeHear ACCESS, recently published online, Barry listed his five criteria for a good set of headphones:

  • They need to be comfortable.
  • They need to reproduce audio clearly and cleanly.
  • I like good noise reduction.
  • The latency is not too long.
  • The battery has to last long enough to be useful.

In his comprehensive article he details how BeHear ACCESS addresses and meets each criterion.

He summarizes his experience “…being able to tailor not only the levels but frequencies needed for each ear really does helps in a lot of ways. Furthermore, the other features make it a lot easier to hear everything from conversations to television programs. Especially welcome is the tinnitus masking feature.”

Overall, for any number of situations, it is entirely possible some users might even prefer the ACCESS II to traditional hearing aids. With an MSRP of $299, it certainly will not hit your pocketbook as hard.

Barry Mishkind, The Eclectic Engineer

BeHear ACCESS II with tinnitus masking is an excellent hearing enhancement device

May 13, 2022

Michael-Hayes-ACCESS-relieves-tinnitus
Wouldn’t you like some relief from tinnitus? Try BeHear sound therapy — you can customize it yourself!

Michael Hayes, a long-time BeHear NOW user, learned that the new BeHear ACCESS model includes a feature designed to reduce the effects of tinnitus. He wrote us:

I have suffered from moderate hearing loss accompanied by tinnitus in my left ear for over 50 years due to inner ear nerve damage from an infection. Over the past 5 years I have experienced a measurable decrease in hearing in my right ear and an accompanying increase in tinnitus in that ear as well. I have tried numerous hearing aids over the years but none of them provided me with any improvement for my left ear and no reduction in tinnitus. Only when I tried the BeHear NOW with the personalized modulation technology that I gained some improvement in my left ear hearing.

Tinnitus masking customization screen in BeHear app
The masking sound can be customized easily using the W&H BeHear app

I installed the new BeHear ACCESS II application and ran the self test, set up my hearing profile, and then began the fine tuning of the tinnitus masking function. The setup was intuitive and within a few minutes I had chosen a masking tone that seemed to work best for both ears. The tinnitus masking function works well, albeit somewhat better for my right ear that has better natural hearing than my left ear that has the severe nerve damage.

In summary the BeHear ACCESS II with tinnitus masking is an excellent hearing enhancement device that I highly recommend for anyone who suffers from hearing loss and tinnitus.

I have experimented with far more expensive devices, (hearing aids), that in my opinion were inferior in performance to the Access II.

Michael Hayes, satisfied BeHear ACCESS customer

In conclusion, Michael states: “I am grateful to the staff at Alango for their dedication to hearing enhancement beyond the ordinary.”

Tinnitus Masking Therapy in BeHear

To learn more about the tinnitus sound therapy supported by BeHear ACCESS model II, watch the video below:

The BeHear ACCESS model II hearing amplifier supports adjustment of the masking noise by the user, who determines its sharpness, tone, and volume to achieve a more accurate result, quickly, independently, and inexpensively. Watch and experience the process in this video.

I listen in appreciation of the full sound which I have been missing for so long.

April 29, 2022

Just wanted to thank you and let you know just how much I am enjoying listening to my music collection with BeHear ACCESS. One of my grandsons encouraged me to sign up with Apple Music ($10/month) about a month ago. With this service I can ask Siri to play just about any piece of music ever recorded, giving the title of the piece and the artist or orchestra, and on it comes. I listen in appreciation of the full sound which I have been missing for so long. I then have the option to record the piece my library in my iPhone and can play it whenever I like.

Well, whenever I have the time and of late that is almost some time every day; I take a break from what I am doing and just listen. The majority of music I listen to is Jazz from my teen years – the big bands. The lyrics to these tunes are still in my head for some reason. This is such joy! Thank you.

ACCESS-customer-music-listening
I listen in appreciation of the full sound which I have been missing for so long.

April 2022 Newsletter

April 28, 2022

In-Person Meetups are Back!

UK Care Expo logo

It’s been over two years since we participated in an international tradeshow so it is with particular excitement that we announce our involvement in UK Care Week. This event, including three days of virtual meetups and culminating in a conference and exhibition on the 6th & 7th July at NEC Birmingham, will bring together the care community to address the biggest challenges facing the care sector.

It is a perfect opportunity for us to showcase our newest member of the BeHear assistive hearing family, the BeHear SMARTO, which we will do at our booth (E68) and in our presentation entitled “Increase Care Staff Retention through Better Communication with Residents”.

Register here (entrance is free).

ALSO IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

♦ Last Chance for BeHear SMARTO Pre-order Discount
♦ Is Someone Close to You in Denial About Their Hearing Loss?
♦ Hearing Loops are on the (Google) Map!
♦ BeHear ACCESS Reviewed in Podcast

To get these newsletters sent directly to your inbox, register here.


Last Chance for SMARTO Pre-order Discount

SMARTO Will Soon Sell at Full Market Price

BeHear SMARTO, soon to be launched commercially, is a very powerful but simple to operate hearing amplifier. Designed to improve comprehension of live conversations, cell phone calls, and TV audio, it can be used by people with moderate-to-severe hearing loss who may be limited by mobility, vision, dexterity, or dementia.

SMARTO can be body-worn, hand-held, or placed on a table. It can be used straight out of the box (its large, colorful buttons make it easy to control volume and bass/treble balance), or customized with a dedicated app to suit the user’s unique hearing needs. Its unique directionality feature allows the user to focus on a specific speaker, or capture important sounds from all directions.

BeHear SMARTO has passed all checks in the pilot run, and we have authorized the completion of commercial production at the factory. We expect to start shipping to pre-order customers by the beginning of June.

If you haven’t placed your pre-order yet, don’t miss this last opportunity to benefit from a 25% discount off the standard price.

This limited offer will expire on May 15, so don’t wait!


Quick Way to Overcome Hearing Loss Denial

Many people are in denial about their age-related hearing loss. Not only is it hard to know what is not being heard, it is much easier to blame others or the environment for hearing difficulties. Sadly, at the end of the day, everybody suffers.

A quick way to determine if you or a loved one might need hearing assistance is by answering the following questions (culled from the ASHA – American Speech-Language-Hearing Association “Self Test for Hearing Loss“):

  1. Do you have a problem hearing over the phone?
  2. Do you have trouble understanding when two or more people talk at the same time?
  3. Do people complain that you turn the TV volume up too high?
  4. Do you have trouble hearing in noisy places?
  5. Do many people you talk to seem to mumble or not speak clearly?

If the answer to two or more of these questions is YES then it’s time to do something about it! A quick and inexpensive way is to try a BeHear device. With the integrated hearing assessment it is easy to determine independently just how much amplification is needed to hear (and to experience what it’s like to hear with that customized boost!). Our “Buy & Try” policy gives 30 days to try out the device, risk-free.

Getting help for hearing difficulty is sure to improve relationships, and should be as important as treating your vision. Don’t put it off any longer!


Hearing Loops are on the Map!

Hearing loop systems transmit wireless audio input via a magnetic field to telecoil receivers. These receivers are found in many high-end hearing aids, some dedicated headphones, and in BeHear ACCESS headsets. In a hearing loop system there is no interference, no reverberation, no background noise, just the original signal transmitted directly from the input, whether that is the microphone on a podium, the audio system in a theater, the microphone the cashier is speaking into at the bank, or the music from the concert hall stage. This closed system provides people, especially those with hearing loss, an excellent way to hear voice and audio signals clearly, even in noisy places or when the sound source is far away.

Hearing loop technology is common in Europe and the U.K. and is universally accepted as the international standard for hearing access. Installed base is growing rapidly in the United States as organizations such as HLAA (Hearing Loss Association of America) and others press venues to become compliant with the ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act).

Did you know that thousands of locations that have hearing loops are now indicated in Google Maps? We just discovered that Google has added the assistive hearing loop attribute that indicates if somewhere, like a movie theater, house of worship, or library, has a sound system that is compatible with hearing devices (like BeHear ACCESS!) which support telecoil transmission.

  • If you’re interested in a better hearing experience in public places, use the assistive hearing loop attribute when searching for the location. Then, when you arrive, set your BeHear ACCESS to Telecoil Transparent (for ListenThrough capability) or Telecoil Exclusive (for pure audio) and enjoy!
  • If you’re a business owner or manager with a verified Business Profile on Google, you can add attributes to your Business Profile on Search and Maps.

BeHear ACCESS Reviewed in Podcast

Computer and Technology Radio is a long running consumer technology podcast hosted by Marsha Collier and Marc Cohen. In a recent edition the team reviewed BeHear ACCESS Model II. Click here to listen (the review is at minute 38:38).

November 2021 Newsletter

November 24, 2021

Holidays are about Connecting! 

In our November newsletter we encourage you to be part of the conversation, whether your holiday meet-up is in-person or virtual. You’ll find a link to the recorded webinar introducing BeHear SMARTO, a simple to operate body-worn personal sound amplifier, which we invite you to pre-order SMARTO at a big discount. Additionally, you can read and/or view the impact that BeHear ACCESS has made on Kevin Knauss, an independent health insurance agent, in his write-up and video testimonial. In the holiday spirit we are offering special pricing for both BeHear ACCESS and the BeHear TV Watching bundle.

ALSO IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

BeHear ACCESS family outdoors♦ Special holiday discounts on BeHear ACCESS ♦ “Compared to $4,000 for other hearing aids, this is a steal” – BeHear ACCESS customer ♦ View HLAA webinar recording introducing SMARTO ♦ Free admission to CES for BeHear subscribers ♦

To get these newsletters sent directly to your inbox, register here

Read the complete November 2021 newsletter here.

Compared to $4,000 for other hearing aids, this is a steal!

November 07, 2021

For an old dude like me who just wants to listen to the B-52s, talk on the phone, and hear the cat meowing to be let inside the house, the BeHear ACCESS is a pretty good fit.

Kevin Knauss, health insurance agent

Kevin Knauss is an independent agent for health insurance in California. He posts detailed and informative articles on his Web site https://insuremekevin.com.

Kevin Knauss gets his hearing covered with BeHear ACCESS

In a recent post he reviewed BeHear ACCESS, complete with a humorous video testimonial (see below).

Here is Kevin’s summary of the BeHear ACCESS personal hearing amplifier:

  • The music quality is very good. They are better than my really inexpensive wireless ear buds, probably not as good as some of the super expensive wireless ear buds on the market.
  • Phone call quality is very good. No one has complained that they cannot understand me, an issue with some earbuds. I hear all of the callers very well. The sound seems a little heavy on the bass or light on the treble side.
  • Hearing amplification is good. I have no experience with professionally fitted hearing aids that cost $2,000 to $5,000. Those products may replicate a more natural sound than the BeHear ACCESS.

Kevin took the time to document his experience with BeHear ACCESS in this very entertaining and informative YouTube video:

Although BeHear ACCESS is not a “hearing aid”, which is a medical device, customers like Kevin report that it can help you hear better.

For more insights from Kevin, read his full article here.

October 2021 Newsletter

October 27, 2021

Thanks for the recognition!

In our October newsletter we announced with great pride that our newest product BeHear SMARTO, a simple to operate body-worn personal sound amplifier, was awarded first place in the Personal Listening Amplifier (wearable) category of the annual Hearing Technology Innovator Awards™. We thank all of our supporters for helping to make this happen! As a BeHear follower we invite you to pre-order SMARTO at a big discount.

ALSO IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

BeHear SMARTO personal hearing amplifier with headset hearing innovation award♦ Recent publication from FDA for OTC hearing aids explained ♦ “I can now hear what’s being said” review from BeHear NOW customer ♦ Invitation to HLAA webinar introducing SMARTO ♦ Free admission to CES for Behear subscribers ♦

To get these newsletters sent directly to your inbox, register here

Read the complete October 2021 newsletter here.

I can now hear what is being said!

October 26, 2021

I believe in the product so much that I emailed all of my friends and recommended the product highly to them.

Robert W. from North Carolina

For quite a while I had a problem with my hearing that caused me to not be able to understand what was being said when at the movie theater, watching TV, and in crowds or in areas that had background sounds.

Robert W. from North Carolina
Robert W. from North Carolina

I tried several things to remedy the problem, including:

  • turning the TV up so loud that it was hurting my ears (as well as those around me)
  • getting low quality headphones that were attenuated to the higher frequencies
  • I even purchased an amplifier that had a manual equalizer built in (so that I could tune the output to increase the frequencies that I was deficient in).

I never got around to hooking up the amp because I found WearandHear.com and after reading the reviews I decided to give the BeHear NOW a shot at helping me hear better. So, I purchased one.

I am glad to say that it was money well spent as I can now hear what is being said in all of the circumstances that were giving me extreme problems before.

The attribute that I like best is being able to set up profiles that are suited specifically for me for the different circumstances that I encounter. A profile for TV, a profile for the Movie Theater, a profile for crowds, a profile for areas that have background sounds, etc.

You may ask if I would recommend the WearandHear products. The answer is a definite yes. As a matter of fact, I believe in the product so much that I emailed all of my friends and recommended the product highly to them.

September 2021 Newsletter

September 21, 2021

BeHear Back to the Routine

In this September newsletter we formally introduced our newest product:  BeHear SMARTO, a simple to operate body-worn personal sound amplifier. As a BeHear follower we invite you to preorder SMARTO at a big discount.

ALSO IN THIS NEWSLETTER:

behear smarto personal hearing amplifier grandson whispering♦ “Situational hearing devices” trend explained ♦ BeHear hearing solutions now in French electronic retailer, Boulanger ♦ “Life-changing” review from BeHear PROXY customer ♦ Special discount on BeHear PROXY neck speaker and bundle ♦

To get these newsletters sent directly to your inbox, register here. ♦

Read the complete September 2021 newsletter here.

August 2021 Newsletter

August 18, 2021

BeHear Latest Summer News

BeHear ACCESS family outdoors♦ OTC policy as opportunity for audiologists ♦ Photographer/Paramedic reviews BeHear ♦ Promoting hearing health in China ♦

To get these newsletters sent directly to your inbox, register here. ♦

Read the complete August 2021 newsletter here.

Is BeHear the perfect hearing solution?

August 16, 2021

Yes, the BeHear is a wonderful product. You won’t go wrong with it. Is it the perfect solution? No, but I’ve yet to find one and I’ve got friends that have the $5000-6000 hearing aids and I’m not sure that they’re hearing any better than I am with this.

Renny Spencer, photographer and paramedic
Renny Spencer, photographer and paramedic, shares his experiences with BeHear hearing amplifiers.

Between being a photographer for mainly for my own enjoyment and sometimes for others. I’m glad some of y’all enjoy seeing my photography as well also I’m a paramedic. I need my ears to be able to hear people, so between everything I do with family friends and my religious activities everything involved in work, hearing is something very important to me and so it’s been a challenge.

I’ve had hearing aids off and on for over 30 years now and should have probably had them even before that. I’ve never been happy with what I get, not been happy with what we’ve been, you know, how we hear, what’s involved, the various things that go on, and so I continued looking. The high dollar hearing aids didn’t do me much better than, you know, some of the cheaper ones. But I was able to locate this BeHear device.

It’s nice, it’s simple, it’s comfortable, serves multi-purposes. I’m able to use my phone off of it. I can listen to my music off my phone. When I’m outdoors and photographing I’m able to hear the birds, hear the deer walking, snorting things, that I miss a lot of times when I just use my ears without any hearing aid or hearing device. It’s been a wonderful product. It’s very simple.

Let me take mine off here. Good thing no one’s talking to me because I would have more difficulty hearing and understanding. I’d realize you’re talking but I’ve got that bad habit of just nodding my head and saying yes even though I don’t hear real well.

This is a really simple device. It’s easy to use. It functions well. I’ve been very happy with it. There are, you know, a few things. Like any device it’s not perfect but being able to hear my grandchildren. Being able to hear my wife most of the time (unless she’s mad at me) comes in real handy. It’s really beneficial when I’m working on the ambulance for my patients. I can hear them. I do have to take it off in order to use the device I use to be able to auscultate a patient’s heart and lung sounds.

The other things about it I like: it’s simple. You’ve got one button for on/off. You’ve got controls on either side. The Web site on BeHear gives you much better instructions. I’ll let them explain how it all works.

I do encourage you to try this out if you have hearing issues. The biggest issue I had was where you plug in to charge: it failed with my first set of BeHear. I contacted BeHear. Within just a short time they shipped me a new set along with the return label for the set that I had gotten, so I’ve got this set now. What I did to avoid that problem is I use a magnetic charger. It’s very simple and if you leave an insert in there and then it just clips on. (I’ll try to remember to actually place that in my YouTube video the link to this) but that allows it where I don’t have that wear and tear and chance of breaking that connection because that’s what happened last time, and I’ve had this happen on my cell phones and that’s where I had learned about these devices, as well.

So, do I recommend BeHear? Yes sir, yes ma’am, yes everyone, I do. I’d say I don’t get on camera, I hide behind the cameras, that’s just my preference, but I wanted to get on here long enough to tell you.

So, I do appreciate your time and I hope if you check this out, that you’re as happy and satisfied as I am. You have a great day now and enjoy hearing again!

Why use a neck speaker with hearing aids?

June 09, 2021

Use BeHear PROXY neck speaker with hearing aids, slow down the speech in real time or run the hearing test with the W&H app.

The Facebook community HoH DEAF NOT STUPID posts and discusses resources and organizations that are of use to deaf and hard of hearing people. This is the review they posted about BeHear PROXY.

This neck speaker and personal hearing amplifier sits comfortably around your shoulders and can be used in two ways. There’s a small speaker on each side of the device which deliver a clear, good quality stereo sound. The beauty of these speakers is that you can use them in conjunction with your hearing aids to tailor the sound to your requirement. The device doesn’t transmit audio for reception via the aids’ T switch so you use the aids’ microphones. There’s a pair of volume control buttons on the right-hand side of the device, which can amplify at up to about 105 dB. The downside is that anyone in your vicinity can also hear the output.

A pair of extractable earbuds is housed, one in each arm of the device. Pull them out to use them and press buttons for them to be automatically retracted into their housing. The technical specification of the device rates the output of these earbuds at up to about 105 dB. Our experience with them was that, whilst hearing people found their output satisfactory, people who are hard of hearing had difficulty with them – and, of course, you have to remove your aids to use the earbuds.

The PROXY is Bluetooth enabled, with a range of up to about ten meters, and can support two simultaneously connected devices – say the TV and your phone (if your TV isn’t Bluetooth enabled, you can purchase a Bluetooth transmitter to attach to it).

When used in conjunction with your Smartphone you’d need to use the earbuds for call privacy and, as already mentioned, this might pose a problem for Hard of Hearing users. The two buttons previously mentioned control the call volume. Between the two volume buttons is a third, multi-purpose button. This button is used, depending on the length and number of presses, to reject, accept and end calls and to redial the last number. A built-in microphone makes incoming calls hands free and also enables the amplification of in-room conversations when the earbuds are used and also allow you to hear ambient sounds whilst listening to music.

A Smartphone app. has a feature that lets you slow down incoming speech slightly, to improve intelligibility. The same app. lets you tailor the PROXY to your own requirements, running your own hearing test and turning features on and off.

When listening to music, possibly streamed from your Smartphone, depending on the length of your press, the volume buttons can also be use to skip to the next or previous track. The center button pauses and plays the audio.

The device is powered by an internal rechargeable battery with a charging time of about three hours. When using the loudspeakers, a full charge gives about ten hours listening and, with the earbuds, about forty hours. A USB charging lead is supplied.

The BeHear PROXY is marketed by Wear & Hear at $189 including a one-year warranty and free worldwide shipping. A thirty-day free trial is available.

BeHear PROXY neck speaker reduces listening fatigue

May 03, 2021

Seema uses BeHear PROXY neck speaker to reduce listening fatigue at work, when receiving travel requirements from clients on the go, and at home, to enjoy TV without disturbing the other family members.

With BeHear PROXY I can hear all the details…

Seema, a travel consultant, uses BeHear PROXY to make sure she hears all her clients’ requirements while keeping her hands free to process their requests.

My name is Seema, and I’m a travel consultant. I mostly deal with business travel clients. My clients typically call me in the middle of the day, often from very noisy spaces.

The success of my work totally depends on my not missing any details while receiving travel requirements. Sometimes, even the tone which is used when relaying details will determine the type of services I choose to offer.

I have a small hearing loss in one ear. I do not wear hearing aids, I’m not quite there yet, but I thought it would be really interesting to try the PROXY. I have completely fallen in love with this product. It’s a dream come true.

The BeHear PROXY neck speaker is comfortable and convenient

It’s very light and comfortable on my shoulders, around my neck. Its features are very accessible – the volume, turning it off and on, moving from earphones, which are very comfortable and stay in my ear, they do not fall out. And they are put away very easily.

BeHear PROXY enables me to work hands free, which is incredibly important. I can get up, I can move around, I can write, I can copy, I can research, while I’m listening. The clarity and the sharpness of the sound is incredible. I don’t miss a single word of any conversation.

When I’m in the office, I use earphones, for privacy. And when I’m alone, at home, I work without them. Since having PROXY I have not gone one single day without using it.

“I never imagined I would love BeHear PROXY more than my Dyson!”

I have to say that I also noticed that I feel so much less tired at the end of the day since I apparently am exerting so much less energy focusing and concentrating on hearing. The BeHear PROXY neck speaker reduces listening fatigue.

Watching TV has also become a pleasure. I can hear at my own volume. I do not bother anybody, no one else disturbs me. And no one hears me saying “shush” anymore. Thank you so much BeHear PROXY for this incredible experience!