The Britzgo 1704, or Britzgo Aria as the company likes to call it, is Britzgo’s newest model. It follows the trend of hearing amplifiers that have the receiver in ear (RIC), promising a much better listening experience than models using a listening tube. The Aria comes in characteristic “Britzgo blue” and is available in the price range of $100 – $200.
Whether this new model lives up to expectations is always the question. In this review, you’ll find the answer. We’ll look at key features, see who should and shouldn’t buy the Britzgo, and assess how well it works in practice. Before giving you a final buying recommendation, I’ll give some alternative hearing amplifiers to consider as well. As always, I have summarized my findings in a visual 30-second review that you can find at the bottom of this post.
Links in this article pointing to another website might be affiliate links. If you purchase something on those websites, I could receive a small commission. This doesn’t affect your price nor my review.
Key features of the Britzgo 1704
The first key feature of the Britzo Aria is that it’s rechargeable. The German-engineered battery can be charged overnight and gives you 50 hours of use for a night of charging. This feature saves you money on batteries. If you run out at an inconvenient time, you just need to charge it instead of waiting for new batteries to arrive or running to the closest pharmacy.
Another key feature of the Britzgo 1704 is the model type. The RIC technology that has been a standard option with prescription hearing aids for years is slowly trickling into the hearing amplifier market. This design has a microphone behind the ear, which transfers the sound through the device and a wire directly into the ear channel. Most other models use a conventional BTE (behind-the-ear) design, where sound is transferred into a small tube that leads to an earpiece plugged into the ear. Using a wire instead of a tube gives a more direct delivery of sound, thereby eliminating background noises.
Lastly, the Britzgo is easy to use. It has three buttons: higher volume, lower volume, and an on/off switch. Better yet, the volume buttons are nice and big, so you don’t need delicate little fingers to operate this hearing amplifier.
Who is this for?
The Britzgo 1704 is designed for age-related hearing loss. This type of hearing loss is common from age 50 and up, and becomes more common as people get older. Just as your eyes will probably need reading glasses past middle age, your ears will probably need hearing amplifiers. Age-related hearing loss follows a predictable pattern where higher frequencies are lost first. Because the Britzgo 1704 focuses on amplifying those high frequencies, it’s perfect for this type of hearing loss.
The accessible price and different look (I personally like the blue color, but I know that’s very much a matter of opinion) make this model extra attractive for first-time buyers of hearing amplifiers.
Does the Britzgo 1704 work?
In its daily use, the Britzgo works great. It amplifies and sends the audio signal straight into your ears. Because of the focus on high frequencies, it’s easier to understand conversations, especially the subtleties that are lost with the beginning stages of hearing loss.
The 1704 has a noise cancelling feature on top of the gains that already come from the RIC setup. This ensures that the sound doesn’t only come straight into your ear canal, but is also filtered.
As a sidenote, I always appreciate when products come from a real company. With Britzgo, that’s definitely the case. You can contact them like a real company and find information about the company and their products. It doesn’t mean their hearing amplifiers are any better for it, but it’s always a small plus to me.
What’s not to like?
While the Britzgo is well-designed and uses high-quality components, not everything about it is equally impressive. Some people complain that the sound falls a bit flat. Although the Britzgo has two bands of audio processing, the industry standard is shifting from two to four bands.
Another downside to the Britzgo 1704 is hardly exclusive to this model. Most hearing amplifiers work best on lower volume levels, and the Britzgo Aria is no exception. At a higher volume, the sound quickly becomes distorted. I don’t know why manufacturers keep offering high volumes that don’t work, but it effectively limits the range for this model, too.
Alternatives for the Britzgo 1704
While there is a wide range of alternatives for the Britzgo 1704, Banglijian is the closest competitor. This manufacturer also produces hearing amplifiers at a great price, has a range of rechargeable models, and even offers a RIC model. I also created a comparison post where I discuss all different RIC hearing amplifiers.
With comparable prices and functionality, the Banglijian catalogue is worth checking out. Especially the BLJ-109 and Ziv-201 series are great alternatives for the Britzgo 1704.
If a rechargeable battery is of no concern to you, the LAIWEN LP-01 is a great option, too. It’s a little cheaper than the Britzgo Aria and doesn’t have the RIC configuration but offers a good all-round experience.
Should you buy the Britzgo 1704?
The Britzgo isn’t a great buy. It’s by no means a bad hearing amplifier and it will improve your hearing, but other models offer these same benefits while also giving you a better deal.
Would you like to make better-informed buying decisions? Sign up to our newsletter below and get personalized buying advice, information about life with hearing loss, and the latest information directly to your email.