Tyler Harper talks about his experience with Oticon Dual. 

I am a technician at a boat company. I diagnose and repair engine problems, mainly by identifying and locating sounds while the engines are running. I also need to identify sounds coming from different speakers to be sure that the stereo systems I install are producing the best possible sound quality. I am probably not a person you’d expect to find in this type of job. I’m 22 years old and have been wearing hearing aids since my hearing loss was first identified when I was about two or three years old. On the job, my knowledge of electronics is important – but my ability to “hear” problems is also critical to my work.

I have worn many styles and makes of hearing aids over the years – most recently completely in-the-canal hearing aids that were ok but didn’t quite pick up the little sounds I needed to hear. When you are working on motors, things can get really noisy. I would often have to ask another technician to listen and help me locate where the problem sounds were coming from. With my old hearing aids, it was difficult to tell what was clear sound and what was static.

I could hear pretty well in quiet situations but if someone had a soft voice, I would have a hard time understanding what they were saying. I had worn my old hearing aids for about 7 years and was ready for a new pair when a friend recommended I try the new Dual

Connect hearing instruments. He had been wearing them and said the sound was really sharp and clear. I decided to give them a try even though I had not worn behind-the-ear hearing aids in many years.

I was surprised at how small and light they were. They tuck right behind my ears, with a tiny, thin wire placing the receiver just in my ear. I got used to them quickly and I’m completely comfortable with them on my ears. They are definitely not noticeable to most people. With my older in-the-ear hearing aids, at least once or twice a week, a customer would notice and say, “I see you have hearing aids.” No more. I forget about them most of the time myself.

What I do notice is that when I’m working on boat engines I can now tell where the sounds are coming from – it’s no longer a generic sound. I actually first noticed my ability to locate where sounds were coming from at the movies. For the first time, I could hear the surround sound as it moved around the theater. I was able to tell if the sound was in back of me or to the right or left. It was amazing.

I’m also able to hear a lot more quiet sounds. There are power lines right outside the building where I work. I had never realized they were there until I had my new Dual Connects on. I heard this faint humming noise. It took me a minute to realize it was the hum of the power lines.

I sometimes drive to work with a co-worker in my jeep which is pretty noisy. After I started wearing my new hearing instruments, he told me that I wasn’t screaming at him anymore. People at work also tell me I’m not yelling as much. With my old hearing aids, I couldn’t hear my own voice and I would always think I wasn’t talking loud enough.

At home, I’m able to hear my family if someone calls to me when I’m in another room. I can hear clearly in noisy situations like restaurants that were always a problem for me.

I also purchased the Streamer accessory to connect hands-free to my cell phone and iPod. I used to have to take out my old hearing aids to use my headset. It is great being able to have my hearing aids on and listen to my iPod or answer my cell phone without taking my hearing aids in and out.

Before when I would be with a group of people, I didn’t get into the conversation because I was missing parts of what was said. It’s much better now because I know what everyone is talking about and I can stay in the conversation. I know who’s talking to me and I can turn my attention to where the conversation is coming from. It makes socializing a lot easier.

I wear my Dual Connect hearing devices from the time I get up at around 6AM until midnight. The old completely-in-the-canal hearing aids blocked my ears. Now my ears are more open and I just have a more comfortable, natural feeling. They are the best hearing aids I’ve ever had. I hear a lot more natural sounds, like birds chirping, that I missed before. My hearing in general is just clearer and better. I can’t imagine ever going back to the hearing I settled for with my old hearing aids.