Lubbock ☎ : 806-687-4327                Snyder ☎ : 325-284-3221

Lubbock ☎ : 806-687-4327 
Snyder ☎ : 325-284-3221

3 People Trial The Jabra Enhance Plus Device And Share Their Feedback

04/08/2022 | Hearing Aids, Industry News, Patient Resources, Technology

Over-The-Counter Device trial blog feature

On February 25, following years of rumors, months of discussions, and weeks of anticipation, the first over-the-counter device was launched following President Biden’s Executive Order to promote competition in the American economy on July 9, 2021.

The first of what we anticipate to be many products was created by highly-renown consumer electronics giant Jabra, with their earbud-style device being called the Jabra Enhance Plus.

Based on a press release by Jabra, they conducted in-depth research and learned that there are millions of Americans that need help with their hearing but are not yet prepared to become prescription hearing aid wearers.  Their studies suggested that these people wanted a simplified hearing aid that is a lower-cost and accessible alternative, with hearing support being just one of many benefits.

Based on this research, they created the Jabra Enhance Plus with a promise of it being multi-functional and delivering the benefits that younger people with active and modern needs have long been seeking.

We Decided to Put Their Claims to The Test

When we were selected as one of the first clinics in the country to get our hands on the Jabra Enhance Plus devices, we were eager to have some local people that match the criteria of who Jabra considers the ideal candidates for this technology and have them trial it in their everyday lives for 14 days.

We invited several people to come and trial the device and three people agreed to be part of the experiment.

These 3 people had previously had their hearing tested at Cornerstone Audiology, and a mild-to-moderate hearing loss was discovered, but they did not feel ready to become prescription hearing aid wearers.

When we told them that an over-the-counter device was now available to help them with amplification in certain situations, they were all very eager to test it and see if it might meet their needs and expectations for such a device.

We invited them for an appointment where we introduced them to the Enhance Plus, connected it to their smartphone, and showed them how it worked.  They then went back into their active everyday lives with instructions to document their experience and be ready to share their feedback.

jabra-enhance-plus

What Was Their Feedback Following a 2-Week Trial?

Upon returning their devices following their 14-day trial, they all had a lot to say.

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Clay’s Experience And Thoughts.

What surprised Clay the most was that he was able to hear some of the sounds that he previously couldn’t hear.  He shared an example that he was hearing beeping when driving and was concerned it was a warning that he was low on gas or from his engine, but he then realized it was sounds in songs that he had never knew were previously there.

The biggest part he enjoyed was the convenience of being able to take phone calls through his Jabra Enhance Plus devices while working, with the seamless Bluetooth connection. He believes the right people for this device would be those that work around sounds and want to be able to turn up their hearing around conversations and turn it down when on the job.

Clay decided that the Jabra Enhance Plus was not the right solution for him but believes it may be in the future.

The little sounds were amplified

Matt’s Experience And Thoughts.

Matt shared that the biggest surprise for him while wearing the devices was the Bluetooth for phone calls, as he usually has to use a speakerphone.  The biggest difference he noticed when wearing them was that he could hear his wife more clearly, with him wearing them most often around the dinner table to help with conversations.

i can hear my wife

He believes the right person for the Jabra Enhance Plus is anyone that likes the Bluetooth option to stream phone calls and music.

 

His biggest challenge with the devices was that they do not fit comfortably and fall out often, and he didn’t think they were the right solution for him.

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Henry’s Experience And Thoughts.

Henry shared that the area where he noticed the biggest difference was while driving his vehicle at work. He shared that he could hear a little bit better in meetings, but the area he enjoyed the most was connecting music/phone calls directly to the Jabra Enhance Plus devices.

He believes the right person for the Jabra Enhance Plus is anyone that likes the Bluetooth option to stream phone calls and music.

 

His biggest challenge with the devices was that they do not fit comfortably and fall out often, and he didn’t think they were the right solution for him.

 

His biggest frustration with the devices was that it felt like his hearing was plugged up and he could hear his own footsteps and his own voice was very loud.

I could hear everything

From the 3 people who trialed the devices, they all decided that this self-fitting device was not the right solution for their needs at this time.

The overwhelming feedback from our experience was that the feature that all 3 people enjoyed the most was the rather simplistic ability to connect their smartphone to their earbuds, a feature that is available with most modern earbuds on the market (with technology that has this feature starting at less than $100.00).

The amplification feature had mixed opinions. Matt was able to communicate better with his wife, while Henry found the experience very frustrating.

What Lessons Does Cornerstone Audiology Take From This?

We have always been intrigued by how effective over-the-counter hearing aids were going to be, and although these are undoubtedly the first of many to reach the market, our promise is that we’ll fairly trial every single device on your behalf.

The hearing health of the people of West Texas has always and will always remain our number one priority. 

Based on this initial feedback, the Jabra Enhance Plus has had mixed results.

At this stage, we’re going to continue to be a Certified Center for local people that are interested in the Enhance Plus and are eager to trial it for themselves, but we are unlikely to actively promote this as the solution for the thousands of local people that are in the early phases of their hearing loss journey.

Naturally, things change quickly, and the above opinion is based on the limited number of people that have trialed and documented their feedback at the time of writing this article.

If you are interested in trialing the Enhance Plus devices for yourself, then click here for information about this technology and to schedule your appointment.

Alternatively, if you have any questions or need any professional guidance to find the right solution for your circumstances or a loved one’s needs, then we’re here to help. You can call us at 806-687-4327 or click here to request a callback.

Thank you for reading.

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Dr. Julie Hubik, Au.D., CCC-A - Doctor of Audiology & CEO

Dr. Hubik is the owner and founder of one of West Texas' most trusted and professional hearing providers, Cornerstone Audiology. She received her bachelor of science degree in communication disorders as well as her doctorate of audiology from Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center (TTUHSC). In her youth, Dr. Hubik became interested in helping people with a hearing loss to communicate more effectively and therefore pursued a degree in this field. Dr. Hubik was born and raised in Anton, Texas, and appreciates working with the people of West Texas. She and her team are proud to serve the hearing needs of their community.

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