This is my review of the MDHearing Volt Max
Well, my first impression was not good, because of the
- ripped/used packaging
- very big hearing aids
- problems creating an account to use the app
- very slow and not so helpful support.
So this was my first impression of MD Hearing Aids. How the hearing aids work and what I think about them is coming up. But before I go into detail please like this video and subscribe to my channel, so you won’t miss any of my new videos.
MD Hearing has been in business since 2009 selling hearing devices online. The Volt Max is currently their premium product, a rechargeable hearing aid with Bluetooth and app control for $700 per pair. The app allows users to adjust the amplification to their hearing loss, which is basically a good thing.
But let’s first have a look at the hearing aids.
The hearing aids are pretty huge, even for a rechargeable hearing aid. It is a slim-tube hearing aid that is more visible than a RIC hearing aid but also easier to clean. The hearing aid has one microphone opening, a wheel to adjust the volume, a push-button to switch through hearing programs, and charging contacts. To clean slim-tube hearing aids simply unscrew the tube and stick the enclosed wire through it.
So as mentioned before the Volt Max are pretty huge hearing aids compared to other brands’ rechargeable devices. So this hearing aid is three times the price of the Volt Max, but the Volt Max is three times the size and bigger is not always better! The good thing is, that my ears are huge enough to cover the Volt Max, but they will be visible at smaller ears. The hearing aids don’t sit too well behind my ears, a shorter thin tube would fit better here. Unfortunately, MD Hearing doesn’t ship different tube sizes with their hearing aids, but you can order them online. One thing I have to point out is the ear dome: first I wasn’t sure how they would fit, but they are really comfortable to wear. You can also order other ear dome styles and sizes online.
The Volt Max has four hearing programs:
- Adaptive, which is intended as all-round program
- Quiet
- Social, which focuses on conversations, and
- Restaurant
Before using the hearing aids I strongly recommend creating a personal profile in the app, which allows the hearing aids to adjust the hearing programs to your needs. The creation of the personal hearing profile is what hearing professionals do in In-Situ audiometry, where your hearing gets tested with sounds over the hearing aids. So this is important to adjust the Volt Max to your hearing.
My first impression of the sound quality was, that the Volt Max sound way different than premium prescription hearing aids, and that should not be surprising. You hear pretty much background noise, you can get feedback when turning up the amplification, and voices don’t sound as clear as they do with premium hearing aids.
What they do pretty well is to help understand speech. I was able to follow conversations and understand people talking to me. They also worked fine outdoors when you switch to the right hearing program. One downside for me is, that you have to switch through the hearing programs manually, either by pressing the button on the hearing aid or through the app.
The MDHearing app connects to the Volt Max via Bluetooth. It lets you adjust the volume, switch through hearing programs, create a personal hearing profile, and offers contacts to MD Hearing’s support team. Direct streaming, like taking phone calls from your phone or listening to music, is not possible.
So all in all MD Hearing wants to offer an affordable alternative to prescription hearing aids, and they are pretty good for the price. I was able to follow conversations and use them in different sound environments. The smartphone app makes them easy to adjust and MD Hearing offers some kind of support. What I’m not too happy with is the size of the hearing aids, they are huge, also when compared to other rechargeable devices. I would also be happy if they would send at least one other tube length and other ear dome sizes with the hearing aids. The price of $700 per pair would be ok if the support would be faster and if the package would contain more accessories like tubes and ear domes in different sizes.
My conclusion is that the Volt Max is a good choice for people with mild to moderate hearing loss who want a better product than a standard PSAP but don’t want to spend the money for individually fitted prescription hearing aids from a hearing healthcare professional. What you should definitely have is a smartphone. You won’t be able to stream phone calls directly into the hearing aids, but it is necessary to create a personal hearing profile to get the best hearing out of the Volt Max. As the hearing aids come with a 45-day trial period, you’ll have enough time to try them out.
Please drop your questions in the comments and don't forget to like this video and to subscribe to my channel.
Best,
Dave