RCA RPSA05 Symphonix Battery Operated Personal Sound Amplifier

My husband ordered this for me due to my loss of hearing. While I have never had hearing aids, this amplifier does enable me to hear things I could not before. It definitely is an adjustment per everything sounds just like the title; amplified. However, I can now watch tv and without the volume being on max, and I can hear conversations I couldn't in the past. He went with the battery operated vs rechargeable due to the reviews on another website of the rechargeable going dead in the middle of the day; apparently they take many hours to charge. The batteries seem to be a fairly good deal on Amazon. All in all, I am pleased with the performance and would recommend. As to the reviewer who said they are not returnable once opened, my husband looked closely before purchasing and found that they were. Worth the try.

Really does help my hearing even though it makes almost all sounds louder, not just speech. I use it as a second hearing aid (even though I know it is not a HEARING AID, just a sound enhancer). Now I don't have to get the subtitling device when I go to the movies.Terrific when I think it saved me about $1500 which is the cheapest my audiologist sells. It only came with 2 sizes of ear buds instead of the 3 advertised on the box, but the seller refunded me some money, so I am very happy about that. I did have to go to the manufacturer's site to buy the smallest earbud (I have been told I have pediatric sized ear canals) and a shorter wire, but even with that this is a terrifically cost effective device.

I only use this when watching certain TV shows where I had to turn the volume way up in the past to catch all the dialogue. I now am able to keep the volume down, from about 30 on the TV volume scale to 18-20 depending on the program. My wife is very pleased with this purchase because the high volume used to upset her. I'm not sure if I could wear it all the time because it seems too good, picking up noises in the next room etc. Since past reviews addressed this product, especially the rechargeable model, breaking down shortly after the warranty period, I'm anxious to see how it lasts.

My husband liked the two sound amplyfiers purchased except for the tubes being too short, reorder set had same problems. The transaction was problematical. Both boxes appeared scuffed/shopworn and to have been previously opened. Assorted paperwork within seemed adequate. One box had a sticker on it which stated ...intended for sale at CVS, if found at other outlets call (toll free # on sticker). I'm ill at ease about those circumstances. After experiencing a numerous hour power failure, it's reassuring to have hearing aids that don't require electricity to charge up/function. Amazon delivery was scheduled for Saturday but delivered days earlier on Thursday! Thanks Amazon.

The functioning of this amplifier is satisfactory. It amplifies mainly the higher frequencies, which is just what I need. The main problem with it is that it comes in three pieces and they do not hold together securely. After having it fall apart on me dozens of times by now, the joints have become so loose that I am considering some kind of adhesive, like "super glue". If I use that, there won't be any more adjusting it, and it will be difficult to clean out. But unless my unit was highly atypical, anyone buying this model will have to deal with this problem. Example: I had it in my "good" ear to watch TV, and when I got up to do something, it fell apart and fell out of my ear at the same time. Luckily, I was able to find it in a cluttered room with a flashlight - both pieces of it. But I can't pop it into my ear, then jump in the car and go somewhere. It requires extreme caution. Shouldn't be that way!

great! much better than expected. I have been using the RCA RPSA10 Symphonix Personal Sound Amplifier, which are great and maybe a little better electronically; but the rechargeable battery in it lasts a couple years and are not replaceable. I bought 50 batteries for the RCA RPSA05 and replace once a week. So I am paying about $50 per year for as long as the RCA RPSA05 lasts. If RCA puts a replaceable battery in the RCA RPSA10, I will go back . But the RPSA05 is fine for now

I think it's a great product. It definitely helps me hear better. However, it does fall apart occasionally. It's not a big deal though, you just pop it back together. Also, I can't/don't wear it in loud places because it's too loud for my ear, even on the lowest setting, and everything sounds muffled. But overall, for the price, I would definitely recommend this. It's small, conspicuous, and does the job!.

RCA Symphonics makes two sound amplifier devices. The better model is RPSA10, and this lesser model is RPSA05. The RPSA05 uses #312 batteries instead of rechargeable, which is fine with me. The RPSA05 has a "thick" sound tube which accepts a thick "dome" necessitating two different sizes in order to accommodate most ear canals.I briefly tried the RPSA05 on my right ear while also wearing a hearing amplifier on my left ear made by a company which is named after "birdies singing," hereafter referred to as the SB device. I have been looking for a less expensive replacement hearing amplifier since the SB recently DOUBLED in price!The most noticeable difference was that ALL sound had to be routed through the sound amplifier since the so-called "dome" completely blocks the ear canal. The SB and the better RPSA10 have an improved, smaller sound tube and "delicate" dome which are designed to pass lower frequency speech. I can answer the telephone and listen to headphones or ear-buds while simultaneously wearing the SB! Good design! The sound amplifier only boosts frequencies around 1000 to 2000 Hz (what I call the female voice range :) I have noticed the RPSA10 has this improved sound tube and dome design but it is unknown to me whether it is as successful as the SB.The RPSA05 had a very noticeable volume boost compared with the SB, much more than necessary for mild hearing loss. Running water, distance traffic, fan motors and such which were normally not noticed with the SB were boosted so as to be annoying. And this on the default, lowest volume. This is obviously an inferior design.I would certainly give the three hundred dollar RPSA10 a try since it has the improved sound tube/dome design similar to the SB. But - the company that supplied the RPSA05 to Amazon DOESN'T GIVE REFUNDS for a device in an opened box! I always trusted Amazon precisely because of the excellent return policy and somehow missed this gotcha. I am out one hundred fifty dollars - buyer beware! This was an expensive lesson and a nasty surprise. My recommendation? Do not buy this device! I am not convinced the RPSA10 is equal to the SB. If I could try it with a right to return I would do that.-=Ken=-