Last August, Jabra announced their intention to bring a new kind of hearing device to the market, calling it the Jabra Enhance Plus and describing it as “miniaturized 3-in-1 earbuds for hearing enhancement, music and calls.” This product has now been released.
Jabra hopes to capture a large part of the younger consumer market by presenting the Enhance Plus as a lifestyle device with hearing aid technology.
We will have to see if the availability of this device makes more people open to wearing something that will help.
Sometimes trying out a hearing device leads to accepting that they need assistance hearing and opens them to the thought of wearing full-time hearing aids.
With 27.7 million people reporting some trouble hearing and only 30% of them availing of hearing treatment, this device will hopefully increase the numbers treated.
Who Is An Ideal Candidate For A Product Like The Enhance Plus?
Certain patients are good candidates for the Jabra Enhance Plus, and as a Certified Jabra Enhance Center, we will assess your hearing in accordance with state requirements to confirm if the Jabra Enhance Plus is right for you.
Everyone who is perceived to have a hearing problem can be considered for this device, but it is not the ideal choice for treating patients with moderate-severe hearing loss.
It is, however, a good option for people who have mild-moderate hearing difficulties but are not open to wearing a hearing aid yet.
We believe the likelihood of wanting to buy the Jabra Enhance Plus will depend on the individual user as to what they are looking for in terms of their hearing needs.
They might not appreciate the value of better hearing only a prescription hearing aid provides, and they do not think their hearing is “that bad” but realize that maybe they just need a little help.
The person most likely to appreciate a device like this:
- Has a mild to moderate sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) in the higher frequencies.
- Just needs hearing help in certain scenarios – some individuals may want it purely for diminishing background noise in social situations, and others might need it for clarifying speech in work situations or while on phone calls.
- Might use it to enhance their personal time, such as listening to music while exercising or watching TV at a higher volume than everyone else.
- Wants to wear a device that does not look like a prescription hearing aid.
- Has a small budget – the Jabra Enhance Plus has a sale price of $799.
Is tech savvy.
What Does the Term “Self-Fitting” Really Mean?
- Self-fitting means out of the box and into the ear.
- No professional hearing assessment – self-diagnosis
- No thorough diagnosis to rule out earwax buildup or medical causes for a hearing loss
- No help with setup
- No ongoing complimentary guidance and support from an audiologist
- No maintenance
- Limited features
As long as the buyer has the correct expectations of their purchase, there should be no surprises when the product does not match up to them. This is where we can help.
We will assess your hearing and provide the education needed so you understand what to expect of the device. We will also ensure the device has the correct settings that won’t lead to further, chronic hearing damage.
This is why Jabra recommends that you see an audiologist before your purchase.
So far, patients are 50-50 on recommending them because of issues with the fit, sound quality, and limited features.
Not Ready For Prescription Hearing Aids?
Our first effort is to make the hard of hearing understand the value and importance of hearing better. We then explain why a conventional hearing aid is the correct prescription to go with.
When it comes to any medical condition, you would always want to take the specific medication for that issue rather than generic, over-the-counter meds that are a hit-or-miss treatment.
In the same way, treating a hearing loss can only be done well with a customized hearing aid. Unless you are simply looking for the occasional hearing boost, wearing the Jabra Enhance Plus is like trying to put a band-aid on the hearing loss.
BUT the Jabra Enhance Plus is a good start to better hearing. It can be carried with you all day and put in the ears when it’s needed. It is just as described – a hearing enhancement device with the added benefit of streaming high-quality audio straight to the ear.
What Next?
Here at AVI New England, we consider the most appropriate device to help correct the degree and the configuration of the hearing deficits; we also consider all the issues of better hearing health. That device might be the Enhance Plus.
Schedule your hearing assessment as the first step to assess your candidacy for the Jabra Enhance Plus, and call our office with any questions or concerns. We’re here to ensure your hearing journey is a smooth one.
