Hearing Aids  Bionic Hearing Basics  Wearing hearing aids is
just like wearing glasses, except for the part where they cost
as much as a used car and you wear them inside your head.  As
such, buying hearing aids is complicated and nerve-wracking.
I’ve had lots of practice: I’ll be buying my 8th pair of hearing
aids sometime this summer. These are the basic features I’m
looking for in hearing aids:  1. No Tubing  My primary source of
frustration with behind the ear (BTE) hearing aids is the need
to have them re-tubed. In older model BTEs, the plastic tubing
that runs from the hearing aid to the earmold (the part that
sits inside your ear) gets brittle and dried out. When it’s too
old, it can crack, separate from the mold, or get stiff and
uncomfortable. Usually, BTEs need to be retubed 3 or 4 times per
year, which means too many trips to the audiologist for me.  2.
Moisture Controlled  The biggest cause of hearing aid repairs is
moisture. Humidity can easily build up in the tiny workings of
the hearing aid. Fo