Williams Sound Pocketalker Ultra Hearing Amplifier | Easy-to-Use Hearing Amplifier for Seniors | Year Supply of Batteries | Amplified Sound Assistive Listening Device with Headphones for Elderly | Hearing Assist Earbuds

Very easy to use for conversation.

Better than over-the-counter or mail order hearing aids to help the hearing impaired. Sure came in handy when I temporarily misplaced my expensive, professionally prescribed hearing aid! I suppose it calls a little attention to oneself, but trust me, if you need these then everyone already knows you have a hearing problem!

Wow! Game changer! This amazingly powerful Williams Sound PockeTalker works better for me than any of the six sets of hearing aids I own (one of which cost $7,000!)If you have profound hearing loss, as I do, and if you decline to consider cochlear implants, as I do, this device is for you! You’ll find it to be “worth its weight in gold.” The huge (40dB) boost in volume will take your breath away!So, why am I giving it only 4 stars instead of 5? Well, there is one big limitation: the microphone must be very close to the sound source; I’d say within about 2 feet.This is not a problem when at your computer or when driving your car (listening to the radio and/or navigation). If you want to converse with your passenger, he/she must hold the mic while they speak.For regular communication, the person talking to you needs to be no more than 2 feet away. If they are across the room, you will not hear them even if they are shouting.What about watching TV from 6-8 feet away? Here’s what I do: I turn the TV volume to max and lay the PockeTalker on the foot of my bed. Works great.If your hearing loss is mild, you may be better off with traditional hearing aids, but if you’ve been living with deafness, you’ll be absolutely thrilled at how this sound-boosting marvel can change your life. You’ll exclaim, as I do, “My hearing is restored!”

I rarely write any reviews, but this product was so life altering for me that I feel I must let others know of my experience. I have a Dad who will be 102 this coming August. He started going deaf in his late 80s, and it has been my great sorrow that for the past decade or so, despite having the best hearing aids that money could buy, our interactions were limited to very short, mundane, routine conversations. I could no longer share my life, or funny stories, or anything meaningful with him because he just could not hear me. He said the hearing aids were loud enough but they distorted everything so much that he couldn't make the words out. So he stopped wearing them. His hearing reached a point that for the past 6 months or so, the only way to communicate with him was to sit right next to him, and every time I wanted to say something, I would have to rise up from my chair, bend over, and speak directly, loudly, and slowly about 3" from his right ear. After about 4 months of that (I visit him every day for an hour or so), I developed a very painful case of Piriformis Syndrome (you may have to look that up, I did.) The piriformis is a muscle in your butt that if overworked in a short period of time like I was doing with every visit with Dad, becomes inflamed and contracted and is really quite excruciating and debilitating. Anyway, I knew I had to stop the activity that was causing it, which meant that the only way I could talk to my Dad was to STAND next to his chair, and lean over slightly to talk into his ear. No more sitting and jumping up to utter every word. This was very uncomfortable for both of us with me looming over him, and meant that my visits became limited to about 20 minutes or so because I, who am no spring chicken, just couldn't stand for that long. So that meant that poor Dad was even MORE cut off and isolated (I am the only family that he has left, so I am his only visitor). After a couple weeks of these uncomfortable, abbreviated visits, through a coincidence, learned of the PockeTalker. Out of desperation, I decided to give it a try. I cannot tell you how life altering it has been! Now when I visit Dad, the first thing I do is put the headphones on him, hit the recliner ACROSS the room from him (because the long wire was included with this purchase), put my feet up, turn the volume of the PockeTalker to about 3 (it goes to 10), and sit comfortably and talk and talk and talk to my Dad like I haven't been able to for the past decade plus! I don't have to yell, I don't have to slow down my speech, I don't have to lower my voice to a timber that is more agreeable to him. I can talk almost normally. We can actually sit and just chat! I wish I knew about this thing in 2006 when Dad first moved from NJ to upstate NY to be closer to me....there were so many things that I wanted to talk to him about but just couldn't because he couldn't hear. If you are undecided about buying this product, DO IT! It will give you your loved one back! Thank you Williams Sound PockeTalker for making my and my Dad's life so much better!

I'm 78 and quit trying to use my $3000 hearing aids more than 8 years ago . I am diagnosed profound hearing loss . I have had no social contact for at least that long . I have tried senior centers and various organizations to avoid being " isolated ". It did not work . The only way I could communicate with anyone was to be facing ONE person no more than 3-4 ft away - no background noise - no speech accent ( think medical professionals ) . Going out to dinner with visiting family was actually a chore. I know there are at least a few of you who understand the situation - NO conversation for the rest of your life.So when I found the "Pocketalker Ultra " on Amazon , I did not have much hope that life was about to change - big time . My stepson and his wife are down for Christmas and last night we went to a Mexican restaurant - a LOUD Mexican restaurant . My stepson and his wife have been married for years. I doubt that I have had a half dozen conversations with her in all those years. Her voice just did not exist for my ears and she has remained somewhat aloof . Last night I placed the Ultra in the center of our table and wore the ear bud. Our table was six feet from the bar and LOUD people galore . She and I talked and talked and talked . I could hear every word with no repeating . ( and, yes, I nearly cried ).When we got home I told my wife how amazing it was. Oh, and my wife and I have had problems for months with me hearing her , making for some strained encounters. Sitting 6 ft from her , she had to yell for me to hear her. I put the Ultra on my chair arm set at 3 , using the ear bud. We talked in normal voice with no misses on my part with the TV on.Most of my professional life has involved electronic systems in the Navy and DOD. I look at the Ultra with wonder. Their engineers have designed a product delivering speech discrimination at this price point. While $3000 hearing aids NEVER involve discrimination circuitry.I recommend the Pocketalker Ultra to everyone with hearing loss .