RIC hearing aids have undoubtedly dominated the market recently. In 2021, around 80% of all hearing aids sold in the United States were RICs while BTEs and other hearing aid types accounted for the rest.
But when choosing the right hearing aid for you, it’s important to rise above the overwhelming force of public opinion. The winner in the RIC vs. BTE hearing aid matchup depends mostly on your needs and financial situation. Read this article to learn which hearing device best suits your lifestyle and budget.
Before we discuss the performance and cost comparisons of RIC and BTE hearing aids, we must first discover what they actually are.
What is a RIC Hearing Aid?
A receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid is a small and lightweight device that delivers processed sound via a speaker that fits into the ear canal.
A typical RIC device consists of a case and a receiver connected by a thin wire. The case holds electronic parts like the microphone, amplifier, and processor while the receiver contains the speaker covered in a soft, dome-shaped structure called a “dome.”
Domes have been a major topic of discussion among many people with hearing difficulties. Some even talk about using Neosporin to clean these domes. Our article on using Neosporin for cleaning hearing aid domes delves deeper into this discussion.
What is a BTE Hearing Aid?
A behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aid is a device that transmits processed sound through a relatively large hollow tube that connects to a custom-molded earpiece that goes into the ear canal.
Though BTE hearing aid parts are basically the same as their RIC counterparts, there is a difference in the arrangement of these components. Unlike a typical RIC, where the speaker is outside the case, the average BTE case houses the speaker. In other words, the standard BTE case contains the microphone, amplifier, processor, and speaker.
It’s important to note that the differences between RIC vs. BTE hearing aids go beyond variations in parts configurations and sound delivery methods. The next section will further explore the difference between RIC hearing aids and their BTE counterparts.
RIC vs. BTE: Cost Comparison
The price ranges below account for the official websites of hearing aid manufacturers and popular e-commerce stores.
How Much Do RIC Hearing Aids Cost?
RIC systems at the lower end of the price scale can cost from $130 to around $500. Mid-range to high-end receiver-in-canal devices can cost from $1,000 to $3,000. Prescription models potentially cost more depending on advanced features and services included.
It’s important to maintain a critical eye when looking at price. Expensive RIC devices are not always excellent and cheap ones are not always ineffective.
For instance, Ceretone Beacon OTC hearing aids showcase excellent features despite their budget-friendly price tags. For a price of $500 or so, these devices offer cutting-edge features such as self-fitting tech, environment-adaptable sound settings, Bluetooth for calls and music, etc.
How Much Do BTE Hearing Aids Cost?
The prescription BTE hearing aid price range falls somewhere between $1,000 to $6,000 a pair. Given that the ear molds of BTE devices have to be customized, professional services associated with this customization and device fitting affect the cost of BTE hearing aids. However, some OTC BTE hearing aids, such as the Ceretone Nexus, are becoming increasingly popular due to their affordability and ease of access. These devices typically cost around $100, significantly less than prescription hearing aids.
Read More: OTC Hearing Aids vs Prescription
RIC vs. BTE Hearing Aids: Usability and Performance Comparison
RIC and BTE hearing aids have their unique characteristics. These hearing device categories mainly differ in size, ease of use, maintenance required, and sound quality produced.
RIC vs. BTE Hearing Aids: Size
Since BTE cases have speakers built-in, they are usually bigger than RIC cases. This makes BTE hearing aids more obvious than their RIC counterparts. However, recent technological developments have enabled engineers to produce more compact BTEs.
RIC vs. BTE Hearing Aids: Ease of Use
Since BTE earpieces are custom-molded for each user, they fit more naturally than RIC ear domes. The ear domes that come with RIC hearing aids are often over-the-counter, meaning a patient might get domes that are too large or too small.
Ear domes also tend to be much smaller than earpieces, making RIC hearing aids more difficult for people with vision or dexterity issues. Users need clear eyesight and precise finger control to use RICs properly. With BTE hearing devices, such vision or coordination problems are not an issue because custom-built earpieces are easier to hold and insert.
For physically strenuous activities, BTE devices trump RIC systems. The custom molds or earpieces of behind-the-ear hearing aids fit more securely than RIC device domes. Typically, such domes are over-the-counter, meaning they can either be too big or too small for their users.
However, a particular type of RIC device offers users some flexibility in choosing the right-sized hearing dome. The Ceretone Beacon hearing aid provides three sizes of hearing domes in each user pack. The device also features cutting-edge technology such as automated personalization of device settings and Bluetooth streaming.
RIC vs. BTE Hearing Aids: Maintenance Required
A typical RIC hearing aid has two components that may cause maintenance difficulties: its speakers and ear domes.
A RIC listening device’s receiver is in the ear canal. Since the receiver contains the speaker and ear dome, these components have greater exposure to wax in the ear canal, sweat, and other types of moisture. Aside from this, since speakers are delicate electronic components, cleaning RIC hearing aids can be challenging.
BTE devices, on the other hand, are easier to maintain because their speakers do not operate within the ear canal. Hence, BTE hearing systems often need less repair and have longer average lifespans than RIC devices.
Despite the maintenance advantage of BTEs, certain situations require using RIC hearing aids (more on these situations later). In such cases, an RIC listening device with a high waterproof rating and cleaning tools are essential to minimize maintenance costs and effort.
Read More: How Long Do Hearing Aids Last? The Essential Guide to Maximizing Lifespan
RIC vs. BTE Hearing Aids: Sound Quality
Typically, the larger cases of BTE devices can accommodate larger batteries and better amplification systems. Therefore, BTE hearing aid users enjoy a greater volume range than their RIC device counterparts.
However, when it comes to providing clearer sound, RIC hearing aids have the advantage. The speakers of these systems are in the ear canal, providing a more natural sound quality than BTE devices.
Given these differences between RIC vs. BTE hearing aids, which device should you use? The next section answers this question.
RIC vs. BTE Hearing Aids: Which Is Right for You?
To help you select the right device for your particular needs, the table below summarizes the most suitable situations or users for each type of hearing aid.
|
|
Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) |
Behind-the-Ear (BTE) |
|
Mild to moderate hearing impairment |
✅ |
❌ |
|
Severe to profound hearing disability |
❌ |
✅ |
|
People with dexterity or motor skill issues |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Individuals with poor eyesight |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Users who prefer low-maintenance devices |
❌ |
✅ |
|
Patients who want to hide the fact they’re wearing hearing aids |
✅ |
❌ |
|
Physically active individuals |
❌ |
✅ |
Aside from device performance and hearing aid users’ lifestyles, cost also has a bearing when selecting the right hearing device. Read on to learn about the price ranges of RIC vs. BTE hearing devices.
Conclusion
Though RIC and BTE hearing devices mostly have similar components, their parts are arranged differently. These variations in parts configuration lead to performance, usability, and cost differences.
Given their differences, the winner of the RIC vs. BTE matchup depends on your preferences, lifestyle demands, and budget constraints.
In general, BTE devices excel in terms of ease of use and maintenance. They are suitable for people with an active lifestyle and severe to profound hearing disability.
On the other hand, RIC hearing aids are better for people with mild to moderate hearing problems who seek subtlety and a more natural sound quality.
In terms of cost, BTE hearing aids tend to cost more than RIC devices due to the need for ear mold customization. In contrast, RIC hearing devices often come with over-the-counter domes.
Read More:
Completely In Canal CIC Hearing Aids: Everything You Must Know
How Long Do Hearing Aids Last? The Essential Guide to Maximizing Lifespan
Ceretone Core One vs Eargo 7 Hearing Aids: Alternative, Reviews & Price
OTC Hearing Aids vs Prescription
Are Hearing Aids With Rechargeable Batteries More Moisture-Resistant
Can I Use Neosporin in My Hearing Aid Domes?
Why Do My Ears Itch When I Wear My Hearing Aid? Here’s How to Fix It!
FAQs
Behind-the-ear (BTE) and receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aids differ mainly in the location of their speakers and how they channel sound into the ear.
BTE devices have speakers in the casing behind the ear while RIC systems have speakers that go into the ear canal. RIC speakers are covered by small structures called domes, which help preserve sound quality.
A RIC hearing aid is ideal if you suffer from mild to moderate hearing impairment and prefer a more natural sound quality. You will also love it if you prefer subtlety since a RIC device’s case is often smaller than the case of other types of hearing aids.
A BTE hearing aid is suitable if you have severe to profound hearing impairment and/or enjoy an active lifestyle.
The larger casing of a BTE device can accommodate stronger amplification systems and larger batteries, providing the support structure to enable the hearing aid to produce a louder sound for those with grave hearing difficulties.
For people who do not want their devices to fall off their ears during intense activities, BTE hearing aids are ideal because BTE custom ear molds fit snugly into the ear.
In general, BTE devices are also easier to use and maintain than their RIC counterparts.
Receiver-in-canal hearing aids provide a more natural sound quality and better design subtlety.
When RIC devices are connected to open or semi-open ear domes, these hearing aids allow low-frequency sound to escape, enabling users to hear speaking voices better.
Also, unlike the average BTE device, a typical RIC hearing aid’s speaker is separate from its case. This enables RIC device manufacturers to build smaller cases than producers of BTE hearing aids. The smaller the case, the fewer people can see patients’ hearing aids.
BTE hearing aids tend to be more secure, easier to use, and require less maintenance than their RIC counterparts.
BTE custom ear molds do not fall off as easily as RIC ear domes, making BTE devices more securely placed for intense physical or outdoor activities.
It is also easier to wear BTE devices than RIC hearing aids. The customized ear molds of BTEs are larger than RIC ear domes, enabling users with poor finger control or suboptimal eyesight to wear their BTE devices more easily.
Low maintenance is also a plus for BTE devices. Unlike the speakers of RIC hearing aids, BTE speakers operate outside the ear canal. This shields BTE speakers from ear wax, which can damage electronic components. This reduced exposure to such bodily secretions enables patients to use their BTE devices without worrying too much about maintenance.
