Wireless earbuds seem to be everywhere. Most offer the same primary feature: play music in your ears. Nuheara is different; it wants to improve your hearing. And that’s what made this earbud set life-changing for me, despite some frustrations.
Not Just Another Set of Earbuds
At first glance, you’d probably think the Nuheara IQbuds were like any other truly wireless earbud set out there. They look relatively similar to a lot of different wireless earbuds, right down to the charging case.
But these are different. The main goal of Nuheara’s IQbuds isn’t listening to music or podcasts from your phone, although they can do that. Instead, they want to improve your hearing. These aren’t hearing aids, and they shouldn’t be confused with hearing aids. Instead, as the name implies, they’re more of a hearing boost. If you have minor troubles with hearing, that boost may be everything you need to improve quality of life.
The IQbuds have a set of microphones on each bud that brings in the outside world, even if you’re listening to music or a phone call. As you wear them, the earbuds use artificial intelligence to filter sound, cut out background noise, and emphasize voices. Or you can “turn off the world” which will cut off the microphones and most of the outside sound through a combination of noise canceling and noise isolation (especially if you use the included Comply tips).
Not All Hearing Issues Call for Hearing Aids
My hearing capability is technically average, and I’d pass any standard hearing test that relies on tones and sounds to determine what I can hear. As I’m in my mid-30’s, I’ve lost some ability to identify higher tones. Hearing aids are often $5000 for a pair, and my hearing is not so damaged that I need them—or could justify the expense. But hearing tests don’t tell the whole story.
If a person’s voice is deep, I can’t understand them. At all. In restaurants and other places with lots of background noise, I find myself asking people to repeat themselves multiple times. I hear the sound of voices, but it’s a slur of vowels with no consonants, and I struggle.
My hearing trouble has affected my jobs and relationships. Most of the time I’m fine, but in those instances, when I can’t understand people, it’s incredibly frustrating for everyone involved. And that’s what Nuheara promises to help. To give you the boost you need when you need it, to understand people.
App Setup Includes a Hearing Test
The first time you try the IQbuds Boost set, you’ll be prompted to take a hearing test (called EarID). The test is similar to hearing tests you would take with an audiologist to customize hearing aids to your needs. You’ll listen to high and low pitched sounds at different volumes and tap the screen to confirm when you hear them. Your results are shown in rings, with gaps indicating levels of hearing loss.
Another benefit to the test is knowing the eartips you selected are the right fit. Nuheara generously includes eight pairs of silicone tips and three pairs of Comply foam tips. I have tiny ears, and even the extra small silicone tips were too tight for me. But I found the Comply foam tips comfortable, and they add noise isolation, which improves the performance of the earbuds.
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Source : Nuheara IQbuds Boost Review: Potentially Life-Changing
