Oticon Epoq binaural Bluetooth headset doubles as hearing aid

Oticon's no alien to the niche world of overly useful hearing aids, and while it's been a few years since we've seen anything fresh from the company, its newest offering looks to help those aging ears deal with hearing loss while staying connected to modern technology. The Epoq lineup of "hearing instruments" allows a pair of Bluetooth earpieces to be worn simultaneously, and proprietary binaural high speed wireless technology allows the pair "to communicate at data transfer speeds 100 faster than hearing instruments now on the marker." In essence, the devices transmits "stereophonic auditory information that is in sync with a user's visual experience," and it also tries its hand(s) at being a Bluetooth headset that enables handsfree calling and music streaming when used with the "Streamer" add-on. Oticon will reportedly be rolling out the Epoq W (about $8,000) and Epoq XW (closer to $9,000) early next month.

[Via Slashphone, photo courtesy of Stuff]

[PJK @ May 30th 2007 6:51AM]

It might be work sticking my head inside my subwoofer to damage my hearing enough to get these through my health insurance. I can't see any more reasonable way to be able to afford them.

[Scooter @ May 30th 2007 7:31AM]

forget them at this price point. Most deafies are oldies and won't adopt them. Nice idea though.

[Christine @ Jun 10th 2007 7:16AM]

It is not true that most people that need hearing aids are 'oldies' and that they won't adopt these. Many of my patients are younger and younger.

Many older patients love technology. It actually gives me hope...that us younger folks might age well.

And this hearing aid works well as a hearing aid! :)

[Kathy @ Aug 6th 2007 2:58PM]

WRONG! My Dad is 80, he's been wearing a loaner pair for 3 days and he's had no problem adapting. He's been wearing aids about 20 years, not nearly as long as me (37 years, since I was 15) and he's hearing better than since his hearing was damaged in WWII. They are pricey and Mom and Dad are far from rich, but they both said if he can hear then they are well worth it. Perhaps we need to lobby Congress to get expensive medical devices such as these fully covered by insurance or fully deductible from taxes.

[CT A @ May 30th 2007 7:58AM]

For some reason, they look like boob tazzlers

[Maggie @ Jun 10th 2007 8:59PM]

This is interesting! I like to get these pair. I am not a "oldie" grin. I have been searching information about headsets to be compitable with listening audiotapes, cds or mp3, or audiobooks. This may be it unless those audioplayers don't have bluetooth..then we are out of luck :(

[fredbillie @ Jun 13th 2007 6:22AM]

The Hearing Aid Headsets are NOT Bluetooth, Rather, a streamer around the neck translates Bluetooth signals and then transmits them by a new broadband stream (read the literature) to the hearing aids. Still a great feature which uses much less power of the hearing aids than Bluetooth would.

[AJ @ Jun 16th 2007 4:02AM]

I am getting ready to order a pair in this week. You don't have to have bluetooth on your mp3 cause you can plug it straight into the streamer. These will be a very helpful hearing aide and are years ahead of the other hearing aides out there today. I am 19 years old so you don't need to be calling everybody "oldies." I can't wait to get these new babies to play with.

[Kathy @ Jun 16th 2007 5:03AM]

I decided last month that my hearing aids needed to be replaced. I've been wearing binaural aids for 37 years. For the last 25 I've had in the ear models, but knew I was not getting the power I needed and would likely have to go the BTE route. Having very flat against the head ears I wasn't looking forward to that. I asked my audiologist if there was anything bluetooth yet, for use with my cellphone. She told me about the Epoq. We ordered the EWs with streamer. Picked them up yesterday morning, I am hearing stuff I've never heard before. Stereo phone calls are wonderful--I'm not straining to hear. I am now looking for a bluetooth cordless phone to use at home--Uniden makes one, but I want to do a little more research. I also have a small FM radio that plugs into the streamer, the music sounds wonderful. My last hearing aids cost $6000 five years ago, but for the additional price these are well worth it. They are small and fit comfortably behind the ear. I have the Receiver in the Ear (RITE) model, so that for the first time in 37 years my outer ear is not filled with a mold or the shell of a hearing aid. The receiver is in a mold, rather than on the hearing aide with sound sent through a small tube. It is about 1/2 inch long and completely in the ear canal. My mom commented she barely see the small wire from the hearing aid into my ears. The only problem with these aids is the color combinations are not the greatest. With dark brown hair I chose black with bronze.

[Tammye @ Feb 4th 2008 3:00PM]

I have mine on order. I only need one due to being totally deaf since birth in one ear. I wanted to know what cell phones work the best with streamer. I am due for a new one and I want to get the one that works best.

Thanks!

[Kathy @ Feb 5th 2008 8:46PM]

It shouldn't matter which cellphone you use as long as it is bluetooth. I have a Motorola RAZR 3VM. You should also check the Epoq website for land line phones which are also compatible with the streamer. I purchased the Panasonic TH111 as it was the only one available last July. It also works great with the streamer. Both link wirelessly and put the sound right in your inner ears. Both make phone calls a pleasure. I have never heard better on the phones. Good Luck!

[Kathy @ Jun 16th 2007 5:18PM]

See my comments and go for it!

[Maggie @ Jun 28th 2007 8:01PM]

This maybe best technology to offer. I hate having to stick things on my head when I already have hearing aids and eyeglasses, and headband to keep my hair out of my face! By the way I ain't an oldie...I would love to try these set of hearing aids. I have been searching for infomation on hearing aid compitable headsets to listent to music, audiobooks, on my blackberry.

[Giulio @ Jul 3rd 2007 11:55AM]

Yes, kathy, we're not "oldies" and these aids rock!
I'm 37, being fitted and I love them, comfortable (now I don't even "feel" them) and bluetooth is working great.
fredbillie is right, the aids themselves are not bluetooth, you need the streamer, which translates the signal and gives other features, for 200 €.
Quite expensive, but if you have an insurance are the way to go(my opinion...).

[Ruben @ Jul 13th 2007 5:07PM]

I have purchased the Epoqs and will be getting them in 3 weeks. I tested the loaners and WOW. I'm looking forward to wearing them. I've been wearing hearing aids for 27 years. Expensive, but it's your life... I have a question for any and all of your and hope you guys can help me. I'll be having my employer check out bluetooth audio device (telephone) and will be getting a new cell phone, but does anyone know where I can get a bluetooth adapter for my iPOD?

[Kathy @ Aug 6th 2007 3:00PM]

They should come with a 3.5 mini to 2.5 mini cable that should plug between your ipod and your streamer. Unfortunately, I haven't found a music device that is bluetooth.

BTW, the only landline telephone that is compatible is the Panasonic TH111S. Instructions for contecting it to both your cell phone and the streamer are posted on the website. I have also found that they are very sensitive to sweat, but have found that the Eargear mini square (www.gearforears.com) work well at keeping the moisture out. The Hearing Aid "Sweat Band" by VanB also works but are more difficult to get on. Eargear are made from spandex and stretch to fit over the micro mold. I just slip them off down over the battery compartment when I remove them. For the $3 difference in price Eargear is the
better solution.

My dad, who is 80 was so impressed with mine, he's
now wearing loaners and will be getting his own in a few weeks. I noticed immediately that he was hearing much better with these than with his "old" aids. With the streamer and bilateral aids, I paid
about $7500 in the SF Bay Area, where most things seem to run higher. My last aids cost me around $6000 five years ago, and there's no comparison.

[Mike @ Jul 24th 2007 12:57PM]

Just got a pair to try and so far I like them (been wearing them about 5 days now) My old ones are Resound BTEs also and these are a bit larger but the battery is supposed to last longer. Getting a phone call on them is a bit funky, and it is cool that you hear it in both ears and I finally can listen to my iPOD in comfort, I will agree that the sound is probably not as good as speakers but it is great if you have a noisy truck like me, you can actually hear the iPOD and not strain.

So far the biggest mark against is price, twice the price of my Resounds, but I am hearing a bit more I believe (some things I really don't want to, like computer fans) and the BT is really cool and finally you don't have to be left out of technology and while everyone is stuffing earbuds in their ears, you can hit a button and listen to music, books, radio or the phone.

[Kathy @ Aug 16th 2007 6:04AM]

Just got the shock of my life, my insurance covered them for all but $1950! So, check with your insurance. Would have covered more if I'd gone with an in-network provider, but decided to stay with my current audiologist. I haven't paid this little out of pocket for hearing aids for over 25 years. My employer just added this coverage a year ago, so check it out.

Update on my 80 year old father, he bought his today. He's been on a loaner pair for two weeks. He's adapted just fine. Mom's not yelling at him any more and we're both telling her to turn down the TV instead of the other way around! Dad didn't get the streamer, and I just ordered the Panasonic TH-111S. I'll post information on how well it works once I get it next week.

Only real problem I've had with these aids is that they are not sweat proof. I sweat alot. So when doing housework, exercise, etc. I am using my Eargear which do keep them dry. I also have an electric dryer that I use at night. I live in SF Bay Area where humidity is very low, so if you live in a more humid climate or where it rains year round you may also have this kind of problem.