If you’re suffering from a hearing problem, a hearing aid can be your best friend. Among the many options, the Siemens Lotus models are worth checking out. But which one should you get between Siemens Lotus 12p vs 23p?
You can use both hearing aids for the treatment of deafness. They have excellent sound amplification. However, they aren’t quite the same. Let’s check which model is the best for you.
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Siemens Lotus 12p and 23p Basics
Siemens has been the pioneer in making hearing aids throughout history. This company offers hearing devices fit for all types of people. The Siemens Lotus 12p and 23p are among the most affordable models on the market.
Before we get to the differences, let’s take a look at the individual devices first.
Siemens Lotus 12p
The official name of the product is Siemens Hearing Aid Lotus 12 P BTE. It was released in September 2013. Siemens released this device to be a budget-friendly model. Thus, this device can fulfill the needs of the commoners.
This device is a BTE or behind the ear type of hearing aid. It means that the bulk of the device stays behind your ears. This ensures that it doesn’t fall off very quickly.
The Siemens Lotus 12p has a small but robust design. It has a curved horn that goes into the ears. The microphone is located at the top of the horn. The device is waterproof, which means you don’t have to worry about your wax or the rain.
This product has a battery slot at the very bottom which can be popped open and snap close. The back of the device has a rocker for volume control.
There is a panel at the back of the device. You can open it to see the trimmers. Get a small 3/64″ jeweler’s screwdriver to tweak these controls in the trimmers.
Doctors use the Siemens Lotus 12p in cases of moderate to severe deafness. And you can rely on it with confidence.
Siemens Lotus 23p
The Siemens Lotus 23p is officially named Siemens Hearing Aid Lotus 33 P BTE. This is another budget-friendly hearing aid with slightly more advanced features. This is a newer model, released in April 2014.
In terms of design, the Siemens Lotus 23p is similar to the Siemens Lotus 12p. However, there is a difference. At the back surface, above the trimmer panel, resides the channel selector. The rest of the features are the same as the Lotus 12p.
Siemens Lotus 12p vs 23p: The Comparison
Now that we’ve taken a brief look at the models let’s get to why you’re here, the comparison. So, we’ll be comparing both the Siemens hearing machine models.
Product Weight and Dimensions
The Siemens Lotus 12p comes in compact packaging. The weight of the entire product is around 240 grams. The dimensions are about 13 x 5 x 22 cm.
The packaging of the Siemens Lotus 23p is also similar. However, it does weigh a bit more. The packaged weight is 291 grams. The dimensions, in this case, are 22.4 x 13 x 5.3 cm.
Both the product packaging comes with all the things you need to operate this device. The contents are:
- Hearing aid: The hearing aid device.
- Battery: It contains the Siemens type 13 zinc-air battery that you need to operate this device. This battery will not die early like the other cheap cells.
- Storage case: A stylish storage case to store the device when you’re not using it, like when sleeping.
- Earplugs: Various sized earplugs are also present inside the packaging. This ensures that different people with different ear sizes can use this device.
- Warranty card: The packaging also contains a warranty card. This ensures that you can safely get the product replaced if it was damaged from the start.
- Product manual: You’ll also get a product manual about the device with the packaging.
Hearing Channels
Channels are essential criteria to consider when it comes to hearing aid.
The Lotus 12p has only one hearing channel. In comparison, the Lotus 23p has dual channels, meaning two channels.
So, how does channel number affect the sound quality? Channel number refers to the different frequencies the device will divide the sound into.
The sound coming in is of different frequencies. The hearing aid has to receive those sounds first. Then, it has to process that sound. After that, the sound is amplified and reproduced at the earpiece.
The sound that is reproduced is split into various individual frequencies. The channel number refers to how many different frequencies the hearing aid splits the sound into.
Usually, a bigger channel number means a better sound quality. Because the sound is split into more frequencies, however, more channel numbers can also slow down the processing speed.
Thus, the Lotus 23p has the advantage in this case. Since it has two channels, it can provide a sound of far superior quality. The Lotus 12p has only one channel. So, it doesn’t quite match when comparing Siemens Lotus 12p vs 23p in terms of sound quality in this regard.
Trimmers
Trimmers provide an ingenious way to control these hearing aids. These can provide various features in otherwise non-programmable trimmers.
The Lotus 12p has two programmable trimmers. They are:
NH low frequency
This control resides at the very top of the programmable trimmers. As the name suggests, it controls the low frequency.
By adjusting this knob, you can boost up the low frequencies. This means that the hearing aid will pick the low frequencies up to more. So, if you have a low-frequency hearing loss, this is what you need to adjust.
MPO control
MPO stands for maximum power output. The function of this trimmer is to control the blast from loud noises.
Typically loud sounds are a problem for you if you have hearing loss. Hence, too loud sounds need to be reduced. This ensures that you can hear others speaking properly over loud sounds.
So, if you need to lower the excessive loud sounds, then this control is what you should be tweaking.
The Lotus 23p also has the two trimmers mentioned above, along with a third trimmer in this device. It is called the G gain control trimmer.
Don’t Forget to Change the Wax Guard of your Hearing Aid
G Gain Control
This is the overall sound control. The other two trimmers were specific for their sound levels and frequencies. However, this last trimmer is for the whole sound volume.
Since the Lotus 23p is non-programmable, it always turns on at the middle volume range. So, if you wish to readjust this default sound range, you can use the G gain control trimmer. By adjusting this, you can have the device set to your desired volume every time you turn it on.
The Lotus 12p, however, doesn’t have this option. So, in this case, the Lotus 23p has an advantage. Because you don’t have to waste time readjusting the volume every time you open the device.
Sound Quality
In terms of sound quality, the Lotus 23p has the upper hand. We’ve already seen that this device has dual bands. In comparison, the Lotus 12p has only one band.
Thus, the Lotus 23p sounds a whole lot better. So, if you pick this, your hearing experience will be better.
Programmability
Both the Lotus 23p and 12p are non-programmable. It means that you can’t plug it into a computer for programming. However, there are trimmer screws for manual programming.
The Lotus 23p is more customizable than the Lotus 12p. The reason is that you can adjust the base volume of the Lotus 23p. The Lotus 12p doesn’t offer this feature.
Thus, the Siemens Lotus 23p is a lot easier to use when comparing Siemens Lotus 12p vs 23p.
Price
So, how do these hearing aids compare in terms of price? As you may have already guessed, the Siemens Lotus 23p costs more than the Siemens Lotus 12p.
The Siemens Lotus 23p has more features than the Siemens Lotus 12p. The product specifications are also better. So, it isn’t a surprise that the cost of the newer model is more.
On eBay, you can get the Siemens Lotus 12p for around a hundred dollars. At the same time, the more expensive Siemens Lotus 23p costs about a hundred and fifty dollars.
Which One Should You Get?
From the comparison above, we can see that the two products aren’t much different physically. They are roughly the same size and have the same appearance.
However, the superior band number and trimmer control give the Lotus 23p an edge over the Lotus 12p. The Lotus 23p is more convenient to use because of the enhanced trimmer controls. It also provides a much better sound quality for the dual-band.
But this improved quality comes at a price, quite literally. The Siemens Lotus 23p would cost fifty dollars more than the Siemens Lotus 12p.
Don’t Forget To Check Some Other High-Quality Hearing Aid Models
The Lotus 12p, although a bit inferior to the Lotus 23p, is still quite an effective device. Like the Lotus 23p, you can use this device for moderate to severe hearing loss as well. So, in terms of medical use, both of the devices are almost similar.
So, if you’re a bit low on cash, then getting the Lotus 12p is a viable option. This device has received lots of positive reviews from customers. The main reason is its affordability with sufficient functional capacity.
However, if you can afford to spend the hundred and fifty dollars, the Siemens Lotus 23p is what you should get. It is, after all, the superior hearing aid when you compare Siemens Lotus 12p vs 23p.
FAQ
What are the four major types of assistive hearing devices?
Personal assistive hearing devices are classified into four major types. They are amplified telephones, personal amplifiers, notification systems, and TV streamers.
What is the best hearing aid on the market today?
There is no definitive best hearing aid. It all depends on your needs and preferences. Your audiologist can help you select the best one for you. However, some of the ‘overall best’ hearing aids include Phonak, Eargo, Signia, ReSound, MDHearingAid, Lexie, Starkey, etc.
What is the difference between a regular hearing aid and a digital hearing aid?
The primary difference between a digital hearing aid and a regular analog hearing aid is between a wired phone and a mobile phone. In a regular analog hearing aid, the sound from the outside is simply amplified. Then it is produced to the ears.
But in a digital hearing aid, the outside sound is transformed into digital signals. Then it is processed and converted into a sound signal. Finally, it is given to the ears. Digital hearing aids are more programmable and easier to use than regular ones.
Conclusion
To sum the Siemens Lotus 12p vs 23p up, we can say that both the hearing aids are fantastic. However, you might prefer the Siemens Lotus 12p if you’re low on budget.
And, if you can go a bit higher, you can get the Siemens Lotus 23p with better specifications.
