Straight talk for the hard of hearing
The hearing industry has predators. We name them.
Sound Judgment is written by Scott West, 40 years into hearing loss, for people who live with it too. We evaluate and research hearing devices, hearing & sound technologies, TV sound, captioning tools, and alerting devices. We expose the sellers that prey on the hard of hearing and point you to the technologies that actually work.
No paid reviews. Ever.
A product that fails gets a failing verdict whether or not it pays us. Affiliate links never touch a verdict.
Evidence on every article.
Each piece states how far the evidence goes: records, cross-source, or hands-on. See the method.
Evaluated by a professional.
Scott West is a professional evaluator and data scientist who uses today’s analysis and AI tools to weed through thousands of listings, reviews and records for you. He has also lived with hearing loss for 40 years.
Red Flags
Red Flags
The sales tactics used on people who just want to hear. Learn them once and you will spot them everywhere.
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No address, no phone, no spec sheet: the seller who does not exist
A real hearing device comes with numbers and a real company comes with a door. When a seller cannot produce either, you…
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There is no “Hearing Allocation Notice.” There is no hearing stimulus.
The official-looking envelope, the Medicare benefit update, the federal hearing stimulus banner ad. None of them exist. All of them are lead-generation…
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The “risk-free” trial that has no way back
A 45-day money-back guarantee is only worth what the return process lets you collect. Restocking fees, unreachable phone lines, and RMA numbers…
Watchlist
Case Files
Products and sellers we have documented problems with. Every entry shows the exhibits, the date checked, and a standing right of reply.
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Case File: Nano Hearing Aids and the Vermont Attorney General
The State of Vermont sued Nano Hearing Aids in 2023 over an online “hearing test,” staff posing as specialists, perpetual sales and…
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Case File: Bossa Hearing and the refunds that never came
894 complaints in three years, a Pattern of Complaints alert, and a note that the business is believed closed. The public record…
Real Choices
Real Choices
The hearing aid technology and gear that Scott actually uses and recommends.
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Orb Audio Booster Basic Soundbar: the clearest voices I have found
The speakers I use every day for Zoom, calls, YouTube, sports and TV. With hearing damage, they are about the only ones…
Guides
Guides
Plain-language help with hearing loss, testing, insurance, and getting more from the gear you already own.
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Hearing damage can happen anywhere. Here is where it got me.
A firing line, a truck cab, a ship that never went quiet, a Walkman, a subwoofer, and one bump of a watch…
Been burned by a hearing product?
Send us the listing, your order details and what happened. Dated screenshots are gold. Every Case File on this site started with someone who was tired of being quiet about it.
Why you can trust this site
Every verdict here comes from a professional evaluator and data scientist, not a marketing department. We publish how we evaluate, how we make money, and what we do when we are wrong. Nothing here is medical advice; please read our medical disclaimer. Browse everything we have published.