Speech understanding

Understanding speech with hearing aids

Thanks to advanced noise-reduction technology, Amplifon’s latest hearing aids offer improved listening clarity.

Why speech understanding matters

If you often experience difficulty understanding speech (particularly in noisy environments) you are certainly not alone. This is one of the most common and frustrating effects of hearing loss, and it can leave you feeling disconnected during conversations that matter. At Amplifon UK, we believe that hearing well is essential to staying engaged with the people and moments that shape your daily life.

Our approach goes far beyond simply increasing volume; we combine advanced hearing technology with trusted audiology expertise to enhance true speech clarity. For anyone with an active lifestyle seeking quick, reliable improvement, today’s hearing technology delivers powerful support. With advanced features like adaptive noise control and AI-powered processing, alongside our expert guidance, we help you move from simply hearing sounds to truly understanding them.

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What is it called when speech is unclear?

The medical term often used to describe difficulty understanding speech (even when you can hear sounds) is Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), or more generally, reduced speech discrimination.

In many cases, this issue is linked to sensorineural hearing loss, where damage within the inner ear (cochlea) affects how sound signals are sent to the brain. As a result, the brain receives incomplete or distorted information, making it harder to pick out the high-frequency consonants that are essential for speech clarity.

For most adults, however, this is less about a specific “disorder” and more about the brain finding it challenging to separate speech from background noise. This is why you might hear the television perfectly well, yet still struggle to follow what is being said.

Why can I hear people but not understand what they are saying?

This situation is extremely common and usually indicates a loss of clarity rather than a lack of volume. Hearing and understanding are not the same thing, and this is precisely where the speech-enhancing features in today’s hearing aids can help.

You may still detect sounds (the volume), as low-frequency noises (such as vowels and background sounds) are often easier to hear. However, understanding speech relies heavily on high-frequency consonants like s, f, t and k. These are typically the first sounds to deteriorate with age-related hearing loss, which is why conversations may begin to feel blurred or hard to follow.

If this is happening to you, it’s a strong sign that your hearing has changed to a point where professional support could make a significant difference. A personalised hearing solution is designed to bring back those missing high-frequency details and restore clarity.

How do Amplifon improve speech understanding?

AI hearing aids

Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Ampli mini AI

The latest Amplifon hearing aids use AI to learn from your daily listening environments and personal preferences. This enables the device to react instantly, filtering out disruptive sounds (like clattering dishes or busy traffic) before they reach your ear.

Microphones

Adaptive directional microphones

Binaural directionality

Our hearing aids use advanced binaural directionality. The devices communicate with each other to form a focused “beam” that locks onto the voice in front of you while actively reducing distracting noise coming from the sides and behind.

Sound reduction

Digital noise reduction

non-speech sounds

This technology targets steady, non-speech sounds, for example, the hum of an air conditioner or the drone of a fan, making it easier for your brain to concentrate on spoken words.

Do hearing aids need to be programmed and fitted?

Yes - without question. Technology alone is not enough; the fitting process and ongoing professional care are just as essential as the device itself.

Hearing aids are highly sophisticated medical devices that must be individually programmed by a qualified hearing care professional. This ensures they are perfectly matched to your unique hearing profile and daily listening needs. A poorly fitted device can significantly limit your ability to understand speech, no matter how advanced the technology is.

At Amplifon, our trusted expertise ensures a truly precise fit:

1) Personalised Calibration

When you receive your Amplifon hearing aids, our trained professionals carry out an accurate calibration to ensure the device boosts the exact frequencies you struggle with, without unnecessarily amplifying the sounds you already hear.

2) Lifetime Ongoing Care

Our support continues long after your first fitting. We provide free lifetime check-ups and adjustments to keep your hearing aids performing at their best. As someone seeking effective solutions, you’ll appreciate that these follow-up appointments ensure your hearing aids continue to deliver maximum clarity as your hearing needs evolve.

Discover the Amplifon Way

Discover the Amplifon way: from expert hearing tests to ongoing personalised support.

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If you’re searching for a licensed hearing aid fitting near you, Amplifon has clinics located across the UK, ready to offer expert support.

Ready to rediscover clarity?

If you’re tired of straining to keep up with conversations and are looking for a practical, technology-led solution, Amplifon is here to help. Our expert guidance, paired with the latest advanced hearing aids, is designed to bring back clarity and boost your confidence.

We know that choosing to try a hearing aid is an important decision, which is why we provide a risk-free way for you to experience the benefits for yourself.

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