Dr. Egan Reviews BOSE Sound Control Hearing Aids
Hi, I’m Dr. Egan with Now Hear This. Today I want to talk to you a little bit about Bose Self-Fitting Hearing Aids.
We have had a lot of questions about this, so we conducted a thorough investigation. All the staff at our clinic tried a set of the Bose Sound Control hearing aids. These are the first FDA-cleared hearing aids that you can self-fit, meaning you can just buy them online, which is exciting. If someone is the right fit for these, it makes hearing aids much more accessible and affordable. However, these are only for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.
Initial Impressions – Pros
The first thing I noticed is that the Bose hearing aids came with a very easy-to-understand manual. It goes through all the different tips to ensure proper fitting, connection to the hearing aids, and general usage instructions. This was very user-friendly for me as well as some of the other members of our staff.
That being said, connecting the hearing aids to the app was a straightforward process. The app allows users to adjust the world volume, bass, and treble. While the settings are very basic, the app provides a simple drag-and-slide function to increase or decrease bass, treble, and overall volume. This was intuitive and easy to figure out, which is great to see. These were my initial impressions in the “pro” column.
Limitations – Cons
I do have a couple of cons that I want to go over next.
The biggest issue I first noticed is that the hearing aids only come with one size wire. If you have ever seen an audiologist before, you know that no two ears are alike, and a variety of wire sizes are often needed for a proper fit. The only way to switch out the wire size is to order a different one from the company and have it shipped to your house.
Additionally, the manual recommends replacing the wires annually, but in our field, you only need to replace them as needed. I’m not sure why Bose is so concerned about them breaking down. One of our staff members found the wire length uncomfortable, so if you have smaller or larger ears, you might struggle to achieve a comfortable physical fit with these hearing aids.
Another surprising drawback is that despite being a Bose product, these hearing aids do not offer Bluetooth streaming. I initially assumed that since they connect to an app, they would also allow streaming for phone calls, podcasts, or music. However, this is not the case. The app is solely for adjusting volume and settings, which is disappointing because even many basic, affordable hearing aids now offer Bluetooth streaming.
Lastly, I was surprised by the warranty. Bose only offers an extended warranty of one year, whereas most hearing aids from traditional manufacturers come with a two- or three-year warranty. Additionally, the Bose warranty does not cover loss or damage, meaning if you lose them, you are out of luck.
Who Would Benefit from These Hearing Aids?
In general, I would say these could be a good fit for someone with a very mild, age-related hearing loss with a gradual decline on an audiogram.
However, for individuals with a history of noise exposure—such as loud sounds, rock concerts, or construction—or vascular concerns like diabetes, high blood pressure, or high cholesterol, the effectiveness of these hearing aids would be limited. The self-adjustment features in the app may not provide the necessary customization to accommodate more complex hearing losses.
Final Thoughts
In general, I think this could be a great product for some individuals, but it is important to have your hearing tested to determine the best course of action. The key question is: Which over-the-counter hearing aid, like Bose, will help me the most?
At Now Hear This, our plan is to continue researching different over-the-counter and self-fitting hearing aid options so we can provide patients with the best guidance in this rapidly evolving field.
