Finally, it’s easy to follow conversations again
Tune out the background noise with behind-the-ear-hearing aids
It’s exactly what you’re picturing; a small device that sits just behind your ear. Except it’s far more sleek and comfortable than you’d think. Behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids are one of the most powerful hearing solutions available – giving you the clarity you’ve been missing.
Recommended by an expert, chosen by you
Learn about your specific type of hearing loss with a hearing assessment at our mobile hearing clinic. Guided by a hearing care professional, you’ll discover the best hearing aid styles available to you. No uncomfortable waiting rooms or long commutes — it’s ‘to your door’ service.
The latest range of behind-the-ear hearing aids
Behind-the-ear is one of the most popular hearing loss solutions, handling anything from mild to profound hearing loss. With rechargeable batteries and Bluetooth connectivity, you can use them with your smartphone or tablet for great sound quality when streaming music or making calls.
Behind-the-ear with earmold
As with all BTE styles, the microphone and processor are housed in a small plastic device that sits behind the outer ear. This can be shaped to the contour of your ear and colour-matched to your hair or skin tone.
The earmold houses a small speaker and is customized to fit snugly inside the opening of your ear canal. For some wearers, this can result in a “plugged” feeling in the ear. That said, the larger size makes these the easiest hearing aids to handle and clean if you’re not suited to fiddly tasks.
Receiver-in-the-ear (RITE)
This time, the speaker is built into a small, soft dome that can be inserted directly into the ear canal without filling the ear opening. This “open-fit” results in a more natural feeling of sound flowing in and out of the ear. The overall look is also more discreet, using a clear, thin tube to connect each element of the device.
Hearing test services for every budget
With our hearing test services, your initial assessment, fittings, adjustments, and annual check-ups are accessible for everyone. There’s no pressure to purchase a hearing aid either — just a professional recommendation based on your unique case.
Other types of hearing aids
Different styles for all hearing needs. Get advice on all hearing aid solutions, such as:
- Receiver-in-canal (RIC)
- In-the-ear (ITE)
- Completely-in-the-canal (CIC)
- CROS hearing aids
- Analog hearing aids
Where you’ll find us
Discover the latest hearing aid technology
Get support with your hearing health — with fittings and follow-up care
FAQ
Behind-the-ear (BTE) is the most common type of hearing aid. It consists of a small, plastic device that sits just behind the ear and a transmitter or speaker that sits within the ear canal.
BTEs are slightly more visible than some other types of hearing aid. However, their larger size makes them more powerful, as they can accommodate more tech (resulting in better sound amplification, noise isolation, and battery life). It also makes them easier to handle and clean.
With BTE hearing aids, there’s a microphone and processor inside the device that sits behind the ear. This picks up sound and amplifies it, sending it to a speaker that’s encased by an earmold and sits within the ear. Most BTE hearing aids can also process the sound to make it clearer, isolating important sounds even in noisy environments.
If your BTE hearing aid is Bluetooth-enabled, you can connect with your personal devices to amplify sounds directly from your cell phone or tablet. That makes it even easier to follow phone calls, stream videos, or listen to music.
Yes, hearing devices can be worn in different ways, including:
- In the ear (ITE). These hearing aids sit in the bowl (known as the ‘concha’) of your ear.
- Completely in the canal (CIC). These can only be seen by looking directly into the ear canal.
- Invisible in canal (IC). These sit even deeper in the canal and are virtually invisible.
When you have a hearing assessment, the audiologist will recommend the best options, based on your hearing loss and lifestyle. You’ll also get a hearing aid fitting and adjustments to make sure the device fits you comfortably.
BTE hearing aids typically last between five and six years. They have the longest lifespan of all hearing aids because they’re worn outside the ear. This protects them from heat and moisture, which can otherwise damage them. Keep your hearing aid clean to prolong its life.
We highly recommend behind-the-ear hearing aids because they’re generally considered more comfortable. With in-the-ear, the whole device is worn in the bowl of your ear which can leave you feeling plugged up. With BTE, there’s only a small speaker in your ear canal.
The bulkiest part of a BTE device sits comfortably behind your outer ear. This also keeps it relatively clean (less sweat and earwax in the mix) which could prolong its life overall. BTE hearing aids also tend to have better sound quality and more high-tech features since there’s more room for hardware in the device.
