LAST UPDATED: September 17th, 2021 | BY: Stacy Merci
Shortlisting products that are intended to make life better can sometimes be challenging. You may come across multiple products with impressive features, making it difficult to pick one. There’s always a simple solution – identify one that fits your needs. Dissect the listed out features to see if it is the one you really want, and make an informed decision.
More often than not, you will find Kirkland to be one among the leading choices of individuals looking for a hearing aid. The reason is pretty simple – Kirkland signature 8.0 hearing aid has a rock solid reputation as a product from a company that specializes in superior digital hearing instruments.
Let’s get straight to understanding all about a digital hearing aid, and the features of Kirkland hearing aids that make it a good choice. This will help you understand if you really need these features and if it the product is cost effective.
Costco Kirkland Hearing Aids: Review, Prices, And Alternatives
At Costco, you’ll find sealed concrete floors, cheap pricing, and 64 oz. jelly beans in jars. Costco also sells hearing aids, which it distributes in 11% of all hearing aids sold in the United States. It’s the second-largest supplier of hearing aids after the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA).
What Are The Standout Features Of Kirkland 8.0 Hearing Aid?
The top features of Kirkland 8.0 hearing aid include :
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Receiver in the Canal design
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Number of channels – 48
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Connects to Android devices directly
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Seamless audio streaming with iPhone
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Power on delay
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Smart Direct App for remote control of hearing aid
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Industry standard 312 battery
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Airplane mode
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That’s a list of some of the top features in the hearing aid. Let us look at what each feature means to see how it can make a difference to the quality of sound amplification.
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Receiver in the canal design means that you get a discreet hearing aid, with the added benefit of the model not picking up any wind noise, especially if you are travelling.
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Receiver in the canal/ear designs typically use 312 batteries with dimensions of 7.9 mm x 3.6 mm, which means that hearing aids remained powered for longer durations.
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Airplane mode permits you to turn off Bluetooth under certain circumstances. For instance, aboard an aircraft you may sometimes be asked to switch off Bluetooth devices. You can turn on airplane mode, which will allow you to use the digital hearing aid for all purposes, except Bluetooth connectivity.
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Smart Direct App gives you the power to control the hearing aid from the app. You get a whole load of options, including deactivating of signal tones and creating various sound profiles. This will help you to choose a particular sound profile as per the circumstances/surroundings.
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The power on delay option gives you the advantage of avoiding feedback whistling that typically occurs when you turn the power on in a hearing aid.
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Typically digital hearing aids amplify sounds in the frequency of 125 Hz to 8000 H. Hearing aids with more number of channels permits the splitting of these frequency ranges, which in turn helps to intelligently calculate the amount of amplification required in each frequency range.
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The hearing aid connects with iPhone and Android devices directly, with the advantage of direct audio streaming from iPhones.
What’s so good about the Kirkland 8.0 hearing aid?
The product comes with many standout features that make it appealing and extremely useful. To begin with, multi-channel processing means that you get better digital sound processing. Effectively, this means that the sounds will be crystal clear and more importantly, frequencies are amplified as per the typical requirements.
Finer channel resolution helps the digital hearing aid to determine and process the input levels across the channels. Let’s put it this way, a hearing aid will not restore your hearing, it only amplifies the sounds. Therefore, you need a hearing aid that amplifies sounds that you are having trouble hearing. With a multi-channel hearing aid, you get better sound levels.
This is the digital era where most if not all devices have Bluetooth connectivity. Rather than having to amplify the sounds from the speaker output of the devices, it makes more sense to directly connect over Bluetooth and get better output. The Kirkland 8.0 is made for iPhone, which effectively means that you can directly get calls and stream music audio in the hearing aid.
The rocker switch on the Kirkland 8.0 helps you to change volume easily and also get to know when the volume is at the default levels through optional signal tones. Every time you turn on the hearing aid, the previously used volume and profile are re automatically set, eliminating the need for you to choose it every time you turn on the hearing aid.
In public places such as theaters, audio induction loops help individuals with hearing impairment to listen through audio direct signals. This removes all the surrounding noise from the environment giving an exceptional experience.
How does Kirkland 8.0 compare with other models?
Kirkland 8.0 hearing aid compares favorably with other models – it is effectively, more of a best- in-breed product. Here are some of the advantages of the model over same category models.
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Great noise filtering.
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Industry standard battery.
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Remote as well as Smart Direct App ensure that you are in full control.
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Intuitive technology, helps in quickly adjusting profile as per environment.
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Small, sleek design ensures that it is discreet, with lesser exposure to dust/moisture.
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Telecoil for audio induction loops ensures that a great listening experience in theaters.
What about service/audiologist?
Among the gripes of customers, one of the most common is the need for an annual membership. This means that the unit cannot be handled by your regular audiologist. You need to sign up with the company. While this may sometimes come across as a challenge, it is in fact a great option.
The service is exemplary and more importantly it also indicates that the company is involved in the after sales service. The dedicated team comprises specially trained audiologists who possess complete knowledge of the device. You can be sure that your hearing will improve with professional service.
What you need to do after you purchase a hearing aid?
Regardless of the model chosen, it is mandatory that you visit your chosen Hearing Care Professional for fitting, programming/configuring the hearing aid to meet your needs. There is no alternative way to do this, and has to be followed for best results.
This will also prevent your hearing abilities from being impaired further. The User manual is for the purpose of understanding the features and functionalities, which you may require to use for routine adjustments and for troubleshooting. Remember, the user manual that comes with any hearing aid is not a substitute for a hearing care professional.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q1. Are Costco Hearing Aids Good?
Ans: Yes, for most people looking for hearing aids, Costco is a fantastic option. Costco sells excellent hearing aids from four of the company’s leading brands, as well as its own Kirkland brand.
Q2. I’m Using An Android Device. Is It Possible For Me To Utilize Kirkland Signature 6.0?
Ans: Yes, absolutely! Whether or not you have an iPhone, you will profit from Kirkland Signature 6.0’s sophisticated audiological features. You may also use the Phone Clip+ to stream stereo audio from your Android phone and issue easy remote control instructions. For more extensive remote control capabilities download the free Kirkland Signature Navigator App.
Q3. I Have An Iphone 4s. Is It Possible To Pair It With Kirkland Signature 6.0?
Ans: Due to issues with sound performance and streaming that do not meet standards Kirkland Signature 6.0 does not support the iPhone 4S, even with iOS 7 loaded. Please see the compatibility list above for a complete list of equipment.
Q4. Which Devices Are Kirkland Signature 6.0 Compatible With?
Ans: Kirkland Signature 6.0 is compatible with Apple device running iOS 7.0.3 or later:
1. iPhone 5s, iPhone 5c, iPhone 6 Plus, and iPhone 5
2. iPad (4th generation), iPad Air, and iPad Air 2 are all iPad models.
3. iPad mini, iPad mini with Retina display, and iPad mini 3 are all versions of the iPad mini.
4. iPod shuffle (5th generation)
Q5. What Should Be Done If The Kirkland Signature 6.0 Isn’t Making Any Sound Or Is Making A Poor Sound?
Ans: Your hearing devices may not produce any sound or sound feeble due to a variety of circumstances, including:
1. The battery is dead.
2. Because the battery was not correctly inserted the battery door was not fully closed.
3. The receiver port or earmold is blocked by wax or dirt.
Alternatives