Hearing Aids Are About to Become as Common as Reading Glasses
Updated regulations and new technology from headphone makers are pushing hearing solutions into the mainstream.
The HP Hearing Pro earbuds (left) and Sennheiser All-Day Clear Slim hearing aid.
Photographer: Hannah Whitaker for Bloomberg Businessweek.
When friends I hadn’t seen in years passed through New York recently, I knew the perfect place for a late-night catch-up: Bar Goto on the Lower East Side. The Japanese-style cocktail lounge’s amber lighting makes everyone look good, and the drinks are some of the best in the city.
And the music? Well, it’s usually subdued, but when my highball was served, Motörhead’s God Was Never on Your Side thrummed over the speakers. Although it played at nowhere near the ear-splitting volume the band was famous for, I still strained to hear what was being said three seats down the bar. Having a conversation in the din of a night out can be a struggle for me these days, thanks in part to countless nights spent in noisy clubs and too many Motörhead concerts.