‘I began using hearing aids as a seven year-old but since I got my Epoq instruments, I can localise voices and sounds perfectly which is new for me, and my own voice no longer resonates. I totally forget that I’m even wearing them.

At work I have no problem at all with noises and I can even wear a helmet over my hearing aids. In my everyday life I can hear a wider variety of sounds, and I enjoy clearer and more natural speech, even in noisy environments, much more clearly than before.

I’m very thrilled with my new Epoq hearing aids, and I hope to enjoy them for a long time to come.’

Juan Ramón Moliner

"At my friend’s recommendation, I did have my hearing tested and obtained hearing aids that were fairly comfortable and helped me hear conversation more clearly. However, they didn’t really work with the telephone or mobile phone.

I counsel parents and discuss private student matters with other educators and school administrators.  How can you help solve someone’s problems when you are obviously not able to solve your own?

My new hearing aids are terrific. I put them on in the morning and forget about them.  With my earlier hearing aids, I was always playing with them, fussing because I was very conscious I had them on.  I wear them for long periods of time because they are so comfortable.  

Things just seem sharper and clearer.  Conversations are easier and I’m beginning to enjoy the socializing that I missed!

Recently, I went for a walk with my neighbourhood walking group and I could hear the conversation going on behind me.  I even turned around and commented on something someone said and my friends had such surprised looks on their faces.  Suddenly, I’m one of the group again and really joining in the fun of group walks and gatherings.

I no longer struggle to hear what people are saying.  I didn’t realize how much work it was until I started wearing my new hearing aids.  Now I don’t work so hard and I still understand what is going on. And I’m not as tired at the end of the day.

I also realized how loudly I was speaking.  Now I speak in a more normal range and people aren’t always telling me that I’m yelling at them. When I’m wearing my new hearing aids, the sound is very pure and natural.

The biggest change that I’ve experienced since I starting wearing my Epoqs is my attitude about my hearing loss. I have a hearing loss and if I don’t take care of it, I am annoying my fellow workers, my friends and family and even myself! If I had know what a difference advanced technology hearing aids could make in my life, I wouldn’t have resisted taking care of my hearing for so long.  I won’t say they changed my life – but in many ways I’m a different person than I was before I got my hearing aids.  Before I was nervous, frustrated and constantly straining to hear, now I am more relaxed and open.

My family notices the difference and so do my friends.  “It’s never too late to make a positive difference in your life.” I’m glad I did."

At the age of 70, ex-civil engineer Dan Rebild spends his days energetically pursuing a wide range of hobbies - from computers to photography, hunting and fishing. Such an outgoing lifestyle would be hard to maintain without advanced hearing devices and they hardly get more sophisticated than Oticon Dual Connect XW.

“Where frequency range is concerned, these devices have a much broader reach, so I can hear far more than I did before. One of the greatest auditory challenges has been catching the start of sentences – particularly in groups or busy environments. With Dual Connect I can get on board quicker and catch more of the conversation. I’m also hearing better in noisy situations.”

Talking on the mobile is easier
“Getting the sound sent to both ears makes talking on a mobile much easier – especially when it’s noisy. I also use the Streamer to switch programs with the simple push of a button, and change the volume in my hearing devices. I can even plug an iPod shuffle into it and listen to music. Dual Connect and Streamer is a very handy set to have.”

Music sounds fantastic
“Previously, listening to music was like being stuck on the wrong side of a door to a music room. But, with Dual Connect, I can open that door and walk all the way in. It’s fantastic. I’m a great fan of Yo Yo Ma, and when he’s playing the cello with an entire orchestra behind him, I just float on a sea of sound. Everything sounds clearer and more vibrant.”

I can wear them and forget them
“I put them on in the morning and wear them all day long. I’ve even gone to bed in them - because it’s so easy to forget they’re there. And cosmetically, they are so discreet that no one else notices them either.”

“Being able to act naturally and understand what people are saying makes all the difference in the world. I wouldn’t be able to cope without these devices – or get as much out of life as I do now. They are a pleasure to wear every day.”


Deborah Dempesy is Doctor of Audiology with All Ears Hearing Center in Massachusetts in the U.S. She has been an audiologist for 27 years and has had a hearing loss for about 15 years.

Since hearing is her business she has experienced many different types of hearing solutions over those 15 years, always trading up as new technologies were introduced.

Nothing prepared me for the Dual Connect devices
“I was usually among the first to try advances and as part of my work, I would train other hearing care professionals on customizing the newest breakthroughs to suit their patients’ needs and preferences. But nothing prepared me for the experience I had with the new Dual Connect hearing devices that I was asked to help introduce at a major convention of hearing care professionals. As usual, I had the new devices programmed to address my particular hearing loss and wore them throughout the convention.”

I was experiencing spatial sound
“My job was to explain the technology to other audiologists and teach them how to fit the new hearing devices. Somewhere along the way, I realized that I wasn’t having the trouble doing my job that I usually had. I could hear clearly even in the cavernous convention hall with conversations going on all around me. Even better, I was experiencing 'spatial sound' – the ability to hear where sounds were coming from. If someone approached me from behind or called to me from across the exhibit area, I could quickly identify where the sound was coming from, something I hadn’t been able to do since I began experiencing hearing loss. The change was amazing! This time, I wore my hearing instruments the way I advised my patients.They were on my ears constantly and were so comfortable, I forgot I had them on.”

It’s like having my hearing back to normal
“It’s been several months since I had my Dual Connects. I am now a full-time hearing instrument wearer, wearing my devices 16 hours a day. I am still stunned by how much clearer and crisper sounds are – even in very noisy situations like restaurants and social gatherings. It just seems that I am picking up sounds much more normally. It’s like having my hearing back to normal.”

With the Streamer, sounds come directly from my phones
“I also use the Streamer optional accessory all the time, especially when talking on the cell phone in my car. I’ve also paired the Streamer to my landline phone. With the Streamer, sounds come directly from my phones or other Bluetooth-enabled devices like my iPod directly into my ears through my Dual Connect hearing devices. Everything is just crisper, cleaner and more natural.”

I can easily locate where sounds are coming from
“The spatial sound quality is like hearing in 3D instead of 2D. My brain used to work so hard to try to separate the speech from the noise. Now spatial sound does a lot of the work for me and I can easily locate where sounds are coming from. In a restaurant I can hear conversation going on at another table but the sound is over where it belongs and I can pay attention to the people at my table.”

I’m learning to be my old self again
“My patients are also surprised that I am suddenly more open and chatty. They tell me that they thought I was just quiet and shy. I don’t think my personality has actually changed but I am much more relaxed and able to communicate more easily. Before I would be quiet so I could hear what people were saying. I’d be straining to understand what was going on. If I talked too much, my voice would override the voices around me. I learned to be quiet. Now I’m learning to be my old self again. I can now have free flowing conversation with people without losing what they are saying. It’s wonderful.”

The best possible hearing devices
“I am happy to recommend Dual Connect to my patients. I tell them getting the best possible hearing devices is a no-brainer. Sometimes I divide up the cost of the day-to-day benefits of being an active, “hearing” person and compare it to the cost of a daily Starbucks. When you bring it to that basic level it just makes sense.”

I’m one of them
“Why put up with the frustration of not hearing your grandchildren or struggle in a noisy office or social situation? So many people with hearing loss are very active, very busy – volunteering, living in active communities, dining in large dining rooms. The demands on hearing are tremendous. It is the rare person who cannot benefit from the many advanced technology hearing solutions available today. I know. I’m one of them.”

Having worked for 30 years in a noisy, open-ground nursery, David Burrows ended up with noise-induced hearing loss. He was fitted with advanced Dual XW devices earlier this year.

Sounds come through loud and clear
“I was surprised to hear a lot of sounds that I hadn’t heard for a long time. I used to have difficulty hearing the TV and conversing in noisy situations. I also struggled to hear people who spoke softly - particularly on the phone. With Dual, sounds come through loud and clear now. Watching TV is much better, as I can hear the softer sounds – particularly the ‘s’ sounds. And when I’m out walking I can hear the wind blowing, leaves rustling, birds chirping and road traffic in the distance. I also find it easier to follow a conversation when I’m in a group of people.”

“Wearing soft domes in my ears is very comfortable, and the size and colour of the device itself makes Dual very inconspicuous. My wife has noticed how much my hearing has improved, and other friends who wear older types of hearing aids have been surprised that I’m not having the problems they are experiencing – particularly in noisy situations.”

I use the Streamer a lot with my mobile phone
“When I’m driving it’s great to be able to use a hands-free phone with very good sound clarity. I also use the Streamer with my mp3 player, so I don’t have to wear cables and speakers in my ears.”

Teaching is a tough profession even on a good day. But it gets even tougher when your hearing gets in the way.

Emmy Føns Johnsen is an experienced teacher who, until last year, had zero experience with hearing devices. Like so many people whose hearing deteriorates gradually, at first she didn’t notice it; then she learned to cope with it, until eventually it started getting the better of her. One day Emmy’s husband suggested she try hearing devices.

I wish I’d done it years ago
“Listening was becoming a burden both at home and at school. I used to be pretty intense in class – and probably more strict than other teachers because I needed a certain amount of quiet in order to maintain control and communicate. And I’m sure the kids sensed this.”

Dual has changed the way I teach
“My own class knew me so well that they automatically compensated. Looking back, I feel it must have been quite a burden for them. I hate to think that they might have been afraid to ask questions or express themselves because I seemed defensive or tense. Dual has changed the way I teach. I don’t have to lip read as much, I’m more efficient and more relaxed, and my students can feel that. And where I used to have difficulty keeping up at staff meetings, I can even lead meetings now.”

I can do my job and live a normal life
“A lot of the things I’m doing now I can thank Dual for. Dual is very easy to use. I like the way it sounds and the fact that my own voice sounds natural. When I talk to colleagues about it - some of whom are already having difficulty hearing - they respond really positively. I think that knowing that you can get technology that looks this good and performs this well gives people hope. I´m thrilled with Dual because it helps me do my job, live a normal life and be myself.”

“I love classical music. With Dual, I can hear the sounds I’ve been missing.” Fumio Yamamoto, Japan

One of the first things he noticed after being fitted with a pair of Oticon Dual XW devices was that he could once again hear high-pitched sounds, such as heels clacking on the floor.

The world of music is open again
“High-pitched sounds are important in many ways and they make all the difference when listening to music. I love classical music, but over the years the sound has changed - particularly the high-pitched sound of string instruments. With Dual, I can hear the sounds I’ve been missing; it’s as though the world of music is open to me again.”

Doesn't look like a hearing aid at all
“Dual are very light and so easy to wear that I can forget all about them. My wife thinks that Dual doesn’t look like a hearing aid at all – and we were surprised to see so many colour variations. These devices are so good that I would recommend them to anyone.”

"These instruments allow me to have as much fun as everyone else." Jørgen Nielsen, Denmark

”I feel more secure now because I can hear almost everything that’s being said. I can participate in conversation as soon it starts, and I don’t have to ask people to repeat themselves. My old instruments were very noisy when it was windy and I always felt blocked up and uncomfortable when wearing them.

They were also so big that people could easily see them. I think that design-wise and comfort-wise, these instruments are far superior. They are also easy to use and clean.

The sound quality is nice and clear, and I’ve become better at spotting sounds that come from behind. It’s more relaxing to wear these instruments. I have no problem following a conversation – even if there are five or six people talking back and forth – as long as there isn’t too much background noise.

Another noticeable improvement is the wind noise. I play golf a few times a week and with my old instruments I used to have difficulty communicating with the other players when it was windy. But now I can hear what they are saying. I also play billiards three or four times a week, and if I didn’t wear my instruments the experience would feel very dull. You need sound to feel in contact with the game. 

Everything is better with sound!

When I’m talking on the telephone, whether it’s my cell phone or a land line, I can talk quite normally with the receiver close to my ear. And my own voice sounds quite natural. I actually have difficulty finding situations where they’re not great!

The reduction in wind noise, the design and the comfort are the most important improvements in my opinion. Plus the feeling of security that comes with knowing that, in a conversation, I won’t be saying ‘yes’ at the wrong time. It’s important to participate, because if you don’t, you risk being left out.

These days I can participate in most things. I’m a very active person, and these instruments allow me to have as much fun as everyone else. I am very happy with them. I wear them all day long – and wouldn’t want to be without them.”