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Clark Howard's Tips

April 17, 2008

As Clark's mom has aged, she's been struggling with diminished hearing ability. But this problem is not just limited to seniors. The younger iPod generation will probably suffer premature hearing loss because the device's in-ear buds really tax your hearing.

In many countries, there's a volume limit on the iPod and its competitors. Not so in the United States. When Clark is at the gym, two-thirds of the people there have iPods or iPod Shuffles. They play them so loud that he can make out the song the guy on the next machine is listening to while exercising!

Many young and old people alike are very self-conscious about wearing hearing aids. So there's been a lot of time and money spent by companies trying to develop invisible hearing devices that are comfortable to wear.

Clark recently found out about a hearing device called the Lyric that is implanted into the ear canal. The device works for months at a time and then has to be replaced. Installation must be done by a professional, and they actually use a powerful magnet to pop the Lyric out and change it; you can't take it out yourself. So far the Lyric is only available at stores in California, New Jersey and Florida, though it's not a cheap option. You pay an annual subscription fee of $2,500. But if that money means someone who hasn't been able to hear well can hear again, isn't that worth it?

Consumer advice courtesy of