May 2022 update: The Neosonic Open Fit is no longer sold by Neosonic. Some leftover devices might still be available on Amazon, but the Open Fit has been replaced with the Neosonic B10. You can find the review for the Neosonic EZ right here.
The Neosonic Open Fit digital hearing amplifier is a unique hearing amplifier from a reputable brand. Neosonic’s behind-the-ear model is one of our favorites on the site, not in the last place due to their customer service, 45-day money back guarantee, and year-long factory warranty. While the Neosonic BTE model is a great choice, it also offers problems to some users who need to wear the device with glasses, and it isn’t the most discrete model.
The open fit model is smaller, leaner, and lighter. These all sound like desirable qualities, but the main question is: how good is the Neosonic Open Fit Digital Hearing Amplifier? Below, we have laid out the most important information to make a buying decision. We’ll go through the model’s key features, performance, downsides and alternatives, before we get to a final recommendation. As always, we’ve put together a visual 30-second review that captures the essentials of this review in one easy-to-grasp image. If you prefer to skip all the reading, you can find the 30-second review right here .
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Key features of the Neosonic Open Fit Digital Hearing Amplifier
The first key feature of the Neosonic Open Fit Hearing Amplifier is right in the name. ‘Open Fit’ means that it’s optimized for early hearing loss. With age, everyone has some degree of hearing loss. Because of the way our ears work, age-related hearing loss begins at the high frequency range. With a conventional hearing amplifier, all frequencies are amplified the same. As a result, the sounds that you’re able to hear normally are amplified as well. This wide-range approach to amplifying frequencies is a common problem for new users of hearing aids, but an open fit model eliminates that.
One more thing to note about high-frequency sounds is that some elements of speech also occur in that range. While someone with mild hearing loss might feel they don’t hear any less, understanding a conversation slowly gets harder as your brain works to ‘fill in the gaps’. Wearing a hearing amplifier at this stage can be compared to putting on reading glasses; you may have downplayed the problem and felt like you were still getting by, but life gets a whole lot easier when the problem is solved for you.
On top of the specific features for mild hearing loss, the model is lightweight, very small, and a lot subtler than its bigger brother, the Neosonic BTE. In its price range, the Neosonic Open Fit is one of the smallest and lightest models around.
Who is the Neosonic Open Fit Digital Hearing Amplifier for?
The key features we just discussed make the Neosonic Open Fit a great first hearing aid. Most people who need to buy a hearing amplifier for the first time have some hurdles to overcome. A smaller hearing amplifier can be easier to start out with than a more noticeable behind-the-ear model. On top of that, the focus on high frequencies ensures that you regain the hearing you’re actually losing.
Another reason the Neosonic Open Fit is made for first-time wearers, is the low power. Power in hearing amplifiers is measured by the decibel increase you gain when wearing the hearing aid. The Neosonic Open Fit provides a 30-decibel peak gain, making it one of the least powerful models in its price category.
How well does the Neosonic work?
When you start using the Open Fit, the most common experience is that you start hearing sounds you haven’t heard in a long time. For some people, this includes certain instruments at a concert, a ticking clock on the wall or finding new depth and clarity in having an everyday conversation.
There are four different listening programs to choose from. Normal mode is used in conversations or meetings. These environments are not necessarily noisy, but they involve a lot of speech. The Neosonic helps to focus on the speech and makes it clearer and easier to understand. For a public area such as a restaurant, the low-noise setting works best. The two other settings (Outdoor and Road) are for respectively medium noises while being outside and high noises, such as crowds or a busy street.
With two-channel processing, the digital sound quality processing is not the highest in the price range. With normal use you won’t be able to distinguish between a two-channel or four-channel processing. The great sound quality is complemented by the excellent noise reduction the open fit model offers.
The ten-day battery life isn’t spectacular, but still excellent by any standards. The Neosonic Open Fit model uses a size 10 battery.
What’s not to like about this Digital Hearing Amplifier?
While the Neosonic is a great digital hearing aid, it lacks the power most people will need. With the unique characteristics of the Open Fit Digital Hearing Amplifier, this model is the single best choice for someone who started noticing the first signs of hearing loss. It’s lightweight, comfortable to wear, discreet, and focuses only on frequencies lost with old age. Because most people take a while to acknowledge their hearing loss, there’s a good chance the Neosonic isn’t powerful enough at the point where hearing loss is a real problem. With a peak decibel gain of 30 decibel, the Neosonic is one of the least powerful hearing amplifiers you’ll find.
Good alternatives for the Neosonic Open Fit
That means a lot of people will have started looking for a hearing amplifier after the initial signs of hearing loss. For those people, the Banglijian Ziv-201 could be a great option. This model offers similar advantages: it is fairly subtle, offers a great customer service experience, and is made for people with mild to moderate hearing loss, offering just a bit more power. You can find a comprehensive review of the Banglijian Ziv-201 on this page.
Curious to see how the Neosonic Open Fit compares to all other hearing amplifiers in the same price range? This comparison article helps you find the best hearing amplifier for less than $200.
Should you buy the Neosonic Open Fit Digital Hearing Amplifier?
I want to start off with a repeat of my update at the top of this post. The Neosonic Open Fit is no longer a supported hearing amplifier. For a better alternative, make sure to check out the Neosonic EZ (review here).
The Neosonic Open Fit Digital Hearing Amplifier might just be the perfect first hearing aid for people with the first signs of hearing loss. It offers a great sound quality, comes from a reputable company with excellent customer service, and is subtle and easy to wear. The main problem lies with the customers. Most people will ignore the first signs of hearing loss and therefore miss out on easing in with the Neosonic Open Fit. For those people, a hearing amplifier for moderate hearing loss will ultimately be a better fit.
