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Completely-in-Canal vs Behind-the-ear Hearing Aids

At Embrace Hearing, we sell two styles of hearing aids: Behind-the-Ear/Receiver-in-Canal (BTE/RICs) and Completely-in-Canal (CICs).  These are the two most popular styles of hearing aids world-wide and our models both provide high performance hearing. But there are important differences in the models. 

How do you choose the right style for you? 

The best choice is going to be the one which best fits your hearing needs and lifestyle.  As you consider your options, think about the following factors:

  • Your Hearing Loss. While our BTE models are able to serve all levels of hearing loss, CICs can be a poor choice for the most severe levels of hearing loss.  This is because the speaker and the microphone in the CICs are very close together and this raises the risk of feedback (squealing) at high levels of amplification.  Below is an image showing the approximate range of hearing loss normally covered by our CiC and BTE aids. Compare it to your hearing test to see which range you best fall into. You can test your hearing loss with our Hearing Test now. 

Embrace Hearing

If your hearing results are within the range of either style, there are a few other things to consider:

  • Discretion.  Both BTE/RICs and CICs are highly discreet (as you can see in the image above).  However, for those looking for maximum discretion, the CiCs fit entirely into the ear canal making them almost invisible.

  • Bluetooth and rechargeability. The ability to do hands free phone calls and the option of rechargeable models is only available on our BTE models (X-Series).

  • Remote adjustments and programming. Our Audiologists program the hearing aids to your hearing test so adjustments are rarely required. However, on the both models we are able to make adjustments remotely. Any adjustments we make automatically upload to our hearing aids via your smartphone.

  • Do you frequently wear a face mask or hearing protection ear-muffs? CIC models do not require anything behind the ear so they are often preferred by those who regularly wear face masks, large glasses, hard-hats and/or hearing protection, stethoscopes, or use other medical equipment such as oxygen therapy products.

  • Dexterity. For hearing aid wearers with dexterity issues or some numbness in the tips of their fingers, the CiC model may be preferred because they are a little easier to put on - you simply insert it into your ear canal.

  • Comfort: Hearing aids only work if they are worn - so it is critical you choose a style that is comfortable to wear all day long.  BTE aids are generally considered the most comfortable. They have thin, flexible ‘open’ ear tips (domes) for most users that allow the natural sounds of your environment to enter your ear along with the amplified sounds from the hearing aid. On CiC models, 'sleeve' domes are used that can give you a sense that your ears are a little ‘plugged’. For some, this is quickly adjusted to. For others it can be very bothersome.

Still have questions? To compare Embrace Hearing aids to other brands, please see our Hearing Aid Comparator Tool. 

To see the pricing of these different models, please CLICK HERE

We are happy to discuss your situation and make a recommendation based on your needs.  Just call us anytime at (888) 929-9555 or send us an email at info@embracehearing.com

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The X-Series Models

Vs
  • Compare to:

  • Our price per ear/pair:

  • ? This is the number of frequency bands we use to program your hearing aids to the results of your hearing test. The hearing aid then uses these bands to re-build sound to meet the needs of your hearing loss. The greater the number of bands, the better the sound quality delivered to you.
    Programable bands/channels

  • ? Our comprehensive warranty covers any manufacturer defects including free replacement of rechargeable batteries and receivers as well as half price one-time loss and irreparable damage replacement. In addition, during the warranty, there is no charge for reprogramming or adjustments.
    Warranty (and Loss Insurance)

  • ? Connects directly to your smartphone (or other Android or Apple device). Two way streaming enables completely hands free calls. Add our TV Connector for direct streaming from your TV so you can adjust your TV volume without affecting the sound for others.
    Bluetooth for completeley hands-free calls

  • ? Although the software on these hearings makes adjustments seldom necessary, it is possible to change the volume and some manual settings using either the free smartphone App or the buttons on the aids. An optional hand held remote is also available.
    Volume and Program Control

  • ? We offer a choice of disposable 312 battery or lithium ion rechargeable battery on some models. The rechargeable battery will perform for up to 24 hours after a 3 hour charge. The disposable batteries will last 3-7 days depending on hours of use, level of hearing loss and amount of Bluetooth streaming. A year’s supply of size 312 batteries currently costs about $30/year/aid.
    Power Source

  • ? The hearing aid's software automatically identifies and adjusts to changes in your sound environment (e.g. From a quiet car to a noisy restaurant) so no manual adjustments are needed.
    Automatically adjusts to your environment

  • ? This is the best technology for group situations. It provides optimal speech understanding from all directions by dynamically scanning your environment to focus on the active speaker in your immediate vicinity.
    LiveSpeechFocus

  • ? While most people find that the restoration of high frequency hearing through the use of properly programmed hearing aids significantly improves tinnitus symptoms, there is more we can do. All of our hearing aids come with a tinnitus management program. This is not a cure but it can further help alleviate tinnitus symptoms through the use of a self-adjustable 'white noise' sound in the background.
    Tinnitus Manager Program

  • ? BiCROS hearing aid progamming is for people who have unaidable hearing loss in one ear but have some level of hearing in the other. You would wear hearing aids on both ears. We program them so a microphone picks up sounds from the weak ear and transmits them to wirelessly to the ear with better hearing.
    BiCROS programming

  • ? REMOTE PROGRAMMING - With the X-550 and X-950 models, we can make adjustments to you hearing aids remotely. You would explain the issue to our Audiologists and the new program would be uploaded to your hearing aids automatically (via Bluetooth).
    Remote Programming

  • ? TELECOIL - The telecoil is also known as a T-coil, or T-switch. When activated, the telecoil permits the transmission of sound from a "Hearing Loop" sometimes found in public spaces and theaters. If you require this feature, please call us for details at (888) 929-9555.
    Telecoil

  • Colors

The C-Series Models

Vs
  • Compare to:

  • Our price per ear/pair:

  • ? This is the number of frequency bands we use to program your hearing aids to the results of your hearing test. The hearing aid then uses these bands to re-build sound to meet the needs of your hearing loss. The greater the number of bands, the more natural the sound and the better the performance in more challenging situations, like restaurants.
    Programable bands/channels

  • ? Our comprehensive warranty covers any manufacturer defects including free replacement of rechargeable batteries and receivers as well as half price one-time loss and irreparable damage replacement. In addition, during the warranty, there is no charge for reprogramming or adjustments.
    Warranty (and Loss Insurance)

  • ? Although the software on these hearings makes adjustments seldom necessary, it is possible to change the volume and some manual settings using the Android/Apple smartphone App or optional hand held remote.
    Volume and Program Control

  • ? The disposable size 10 batteries on these hearing aids will last about 4-6 days depending on hours of use and level of hearing loss. A year’s supply of size 10 batteries currently costs about $30/year/aid.
    Power Source

  • ? The hearing aid's software automatically identifies and adjusts to changes in your sound environment (e.g. From a quiet car to a noisy restaurant) so no manual adjustments are needed.
    Automatically adjusts to your environment

  • ? This is the best technology for group situations. It provides optimal speech understanding from all directions by dynamically scanning your environment to focus on the active speaker in your immediate vicinity.
    LiveSpeechFocus

  • ? While most people find that the restoration of high frequency hearing through the use of properly programmed hearing aids significantly improves tinnitus symptoms, there is more we can do. All of our hearing aids come with a tinnitus management program. This is not a cure but it can further help alleviate tinnitus symptoms through the use of a self-adjustable 'white noise' sound in the background.
    Tinnitus Manager Program

  • ? BiCROS hearing aids are designed for people who have unaidable hearing loss in one ear but have some level of hearing in the other. You would wear hearing aids on both ears. A microphone picks up sounds from the weak ear and transmits it to wirelessly to the ear with better hearing
    BiCROS programming

  • ? With the C-540 and C-940 models, we can make adjustments to you hearing aids remotely. You would explain the issue to our Audiologists and the new program would be uploaded to your hearing aids automatically.
    Remote programming and adjustments

  • Telecoil

  • Colors

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