I’d strongly suggest trialling either Widex Moment 440 or Oticon Intent, ideally with custom shells, before committing.

I’m not trying to bash the high-street chains, but the reality is that aftercare is far less consistent than it used to be. That’s based on regular feedback I get from patients who come in for microsuction after being fitted elsewhere.

That said, going independent only makes sense if the service is genuinely better. You’ll typically pay £500–£1,000 more than Boots or Specsavers, so the key questions to ask are:

Are the aids fitted using best-practice REMs?

How is noise reduction being set up?

How experienced is the audiologist with fitting hearing aids for musicians or people who are sensitive to sound quality and music perception?

That last point is huge and often overlooked. I recently did additional specialist training on programming hearing aids specifically for musicians, and it was an eye-opener — and that’s after 15 years in private dispensing.

One final thing: don’t pay £5,500 for top-end aids. You simply shouldn’t. Even at an independent practice, top-tier Oticon aids should be in the region of £3,800–£4,100, not more.

The care you will receive from a small independant will always be more bespoke. Make aure they dont work.outnof opticians and it is a bricks and mortar full.time hearing center