Inexpensive hearing aids are now available direct to consumers. But that doesn’t mean they don’t have the latest features.
Country music legend Eddy Arnold had a hit with “Make the World Go Away,” which is something people still want to do. And the latest generation of over-the-counter hearing aids can do just that. In recent years, the FDA has allowed hearing aid makers sell directly to consumers. Most of these devices often have minimal features. The IQBuds from Nuheara are an exception. Now in their third generation, the IQBuds MAX allow users to configure the devices themselves using a self-administered hearing test. The rechargeable earbuds support Bluetooth connection to your smartphone for making and receiving calls, or streaming music. They also have presets for different settings, such as restaurant or driving. But they boast another feature: active noise cancelling. This is the same technology that Bose made famous with their traveling headphones. Three microphones in each earpiece sample the ambient sounds and then the earpieces generate opposite waves to cancel out those sounds. So with just one tap, you can make the world go away!