Testimonials

As a first time user of hearing aids I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. At my first appointment with Shantanu he did a thorough test of my hearing and clearly explained to me what my hearing status was. He recommended a set of hearing aids that would work best for my particular situation. On agreement to proceed with those hearing aids, he completely took care of the process of getting the subsidy that I was entitled to from the Ministry of Health, and that certainly was appreciated. Once the hearing aids arrived at their Carterton clinic, an appointment for the ‘fitting’ was arranged. And after wearing them for a small period of time, I had 2 more follow-up appointments to further fine tune the settings. I really appreciated his commitment and great willingness to work through the fittings process in order to get the hearing aids working really well for me. Since wearing the hearing aids I have noticed a great improvement in my hearing, and so has my family. They had been saying to me that I wasn’t hearing very well, but I sort of ignored it along the way. I really do appreciate having my hearing back, as it’s so much easier to listen to the TV, talk on the phone, talk with my friends and family. I also have noted that I’m not talking as loudly as I used to. It has also improved my level of self-confidence. I highly recommend Oracle Hearing for their great service. In fact I have already recommended them to some of my friends and family. Oracle Hearing have been an absolute pleasure to deal with, were very welcoming and supportive throughout the process, and answered all my questions in great detail.

I finally realised I was missing out on far too much, so I bit the proverbial bullet and made an appointment with Oracle Hearing in Carterton. I came home after getting my hearing aids, and just stood in the garden, listening, for about an hour. Being spring, the birdlife gathers in our trees and the tuis create a wonderful chorus all day. I’m getting accustomed to wearing hearing aids, and am now enjoying listening and talking with others like I used to. Hearing aids certainly help with conversations. They enable me to answer appropriately rather than guessing what was said, and then giving a ’nothing’ answer that cuts off any further communication. Life at home is also ‘quieter’. My wife doesn’t have to shout at me to be heard, and the TV and stereo can be turned right down in volume. Topping all that, stereo sounds are wonderful. I’m again hearing high notes I haven’t heard for a long time. I’m aware my hearing aids can be further enhanced by incorporating other devices, but that will be my next step when l feel braver!   Feeling very happy with himself, as for the first time ever, he is wearing hearing aids.

I needed to replace my previous hearing aid as it had been lost for some time. So, I approached Oracle Hearing and made a booking. My hearing tests were done by Shantanu who provided excellent service throughout the entire process. He was just brilliant with regard to his attitude and the way he did things. His personal approach was just superb and very professional and I fully appreciated how he treated me and looked after me. The total experience was just great. I ended up getting premium level hearing aids that had Bluetooth connectivity. These were fully custom fitted on site by Shantanu. The type of hearing aids I purchased were the ‘receiver in the ear’, which have been superb. I find the new hearing aids very comfortable, to the point I cannot really feel them, which is just superb. I find them to be very nice and discrete and they have really improved my hearing. With the new premium level hearing aids that come with Bluetooth connectivity this feature was certainly appreciated when they accidentally fell out. With putting on and taking off our masks, it’s easy to accidentally drop a hearing aid. The Bluetooth connectivity helped me to quickly and easily locate my hearing aids. It’s a feature I hadn’t quite thought of at the time of purchasing. I would happily recommend Shantanu and Oracle Hearing to any person, as the total experience was just brilliant.

Being correctly fitted, I can comfortably wear all the required safety gear – helmets, ear muffs and glasses I didn’t want people to think that I was impaired or broken, and I was certain that hearing aids would be very visible, so it took me a while to do something about it. Shantanu fitted me with aids that no one could see, but even then, they felt like bricks. It took me about 6 months to feel comfortable wearing them, but you know, most of my colleagues didn’t notice them for 4, 6 and even a year after I got them. Now I have to touch them to remind myself they are in, and if a battery goes flat, I feel imbalanced and my ear feels like it is stuffed with cotton wool. They have made a profound difference to my life. On the first day I wore them I had to ask why the television was so loud. I will never have perfect hearing, but I can now hear my long-suffering wife and son, who nagged me incessantly to do something. And during the morning safety meetings I can tune in to conversations around me and hear everyone. I put them in at 6:15 in the morning and they don’t come out until 9:30 or 10:00 at night. They are fitted so I can comfortably wear all the required safety gear – helmets, ear muffs and glasses.   Paul is a fitter and welder who has worked for years in the heavy steel industry, starting at a time when there was little encouragement to wear hearing protection. He has noise induced hearing loss.

New custom fitted, fully ‘rechargeable’ hearing aids, with new improved technology, makes such a difference. I recently purchased my new set of hearing aids, and I decided to invest in the latest, premium level of hearing aids. I have been a long-time wearer of hearing aids (for 20 years), as my hearing disability showed up in my mid-40s. With this latest level of hearing aids, being the ‘receiver in the ear’ type, I also had to get a custom mould made, due to the shape of my particular ear canal. Minoti throughout the process guided me on my hearing aid options, and took the time to ensure my new custom fitted mould worked exactly for my specific requirements. I have been seeing Minoti for the last 20 years and I have found her very easy to deal with. She is sensitive to the problems I have, and has helped ensure that I have well fitted hearing aids to address my specific issues. She is very approachable, friendly, and I wouldn’t go to anyone else. What I have really appreciated with this new level of technology, is that it comes with smartphone Bluetooth compatibility. This has really made a massive difference for me. Being able to control the volume on your mobile phone has been a real plus. Getting this level of technology has really made such a difference to my life.   Long-term user of hearing aids, who recently invested in the newest level of technology; with fully rechargeable hearing aids, and Bluetooth compatibility.

They were uncomfortable, and all the time it felt as if they were blocked – the sound was muffled so I just couldn’t hear clearly. My family was always on at me to wear my hearing aids. ‘You don’t have them in, do you Mum,’ my daughter would say. But, oh yes I did! I was driving through Carterton when I saw the sign for Oracle Hearing so I decided to see what they could do. Well, they are really excellent; this is definitely the place to come. Minoti and Shantanu were so helpful; it’s good working with them. I’ve even recommended them to someone else who is having trouble with their aids. My new hearing aids are really fantastic, I swear by them. I’ve worn them for a few weeks with no complaints, unlike the others when problems occurred immediately with wind noise – not these ones, they are great. I am now hearing things I’ve never heard before. I can adjust them too, and block out background noise that crowds out what I am trying to hear, I could hear my daughter clear as anything when we were in a noisy café. I also know so much more about how to care for them. Minoti gave me a drying kit and I had to ask, ‘what’s this for?’ I’d never seen one before. ‘It’s for putting your hearing aids in at night to dry them out.’ No one had ever told me that before, or that I could wash the moulds. I didn’t know any different.

The husband and wife team at Oracle Hearing are lovely people and very professional. I can’t praise them enough, and I have been out there spreading the word. I rate them 110%. I am very, very happy with my new hearing aids and their service. Shantanu worked hard to get the best diagnosis and prescription for me. I was put through an amazing suite of tests – more than I have ever had before. I’ve not had such excellent treatment from any other clinic. There was a hearing aid coming onto the market soon that Shantanu said would suit me, so suggested I wait, and I am grateful that I did as it is the best I have ever had. He has been wearing hearing aids for twelve years, and this is his third pair.

I hadn’t seen Minoti for over seven years when she was treating my late husband’s hearing, but she remembered me! Her care of my husband was so very good, patient and caring – such a personal touch. And she hasn’t changed a bit! She’s an amazing lady. Minoti gives a first-class service in such a friendly way that it makes you feel that you are the only one. She has such a calm business-like manner and talks through everything so that it is easy to concentrate and understand. It’s a wonderful experience and ticks all the boxes. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend her. I’ve been wearing hearing aids for four years. I was just coping with the old ones, but the new aids Minoti fitted me with are gorgeous – far more advanced and better. Oracle Hearing’s clinic is only a short walk from my retirement village in Carterton; if I’m worried about anything I can go and knock on her door, and if she can, she will fix it on the spot.

Oracle’s expertise compares favourably with larger clinics. The assessment results were the same, but I liked that Oracle had a different range of hearing aid brands. My hearing needs are fairly standard and I am not at all brand sensitive. Minoti was such a likeable and caring person. I felt very comfortable with her approach. She made sure that I understood everything and was adamant that I should come back anytime if I had a problem. Well I did, and she sorted it out immediately. The other clinic was professional but they had less of the personal touch, I always felt like one more in a long line of clients to be processed. I’ll be staying with Oracle Hearing, and my wife who is chronically deaf, will also be transferring.   He had been attending a Lower Hutt audiology clinic for a number of years, but was enticed by a special offer to visit Oracle Hearing.

I went to the clinic that fitted me with my initial set of hearing aids, that hadn’t worked correctly, even after four years. I needed to buy another new set from the same supplier, but still had problems hearing. After six weeks of trialing and adjustments of this SECOND set I returned them. The clinic was associated with a major hearing aids manufacturer so I thought, okay, I’ll try my chances with an independent clinic, and Oracle Hearing’s name came to mind. After my first consultation with Oracle I was confident that this time it would work, and it did. Minoti and Shantanu asked about the problems I had with the previous aids, and tested to make sure all was okay with the new ones. They heard what I was telling them. I think the previous clinic listened, but didn’t hear; they just seemed to want to sell. Minoti and Shantanu are delightful and so helpful. They were very professional and caring, and worked well with me. I tell my friends that they have the patience to listen and sort out a working solution. Their after-care service is excellent; the door is always open for ongoing care and support. I now hear so much better in so many situations that were difficult earlier – on the speaker phone; at social activities, watching TV, visiting family – it is all good.

It’s a pleasure working with Shantanu and I say that wholeheartedly. Right from the very beginning nothing was any bother. He explained all the hearing tests in detail and what would follow afterwards. The process can be very frustrating, but Oracle Hearing made it right and directed me to the hearing solution I should have rather than the latest ‘gadget’. We even discussed what colour my hearing aids should be. I wanted silver but no, evidently silver would reflect off my bald head. They recommended black, and now when I wear them nobody notices! They always explain the reasons for their decisions. When I walked out of the clinic with my hearing aids in for the first time it was like walking onto the set of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie ‘The Birds’. It was astonishing! And my family just can’t believe that they don’t have to shout now to be heard! I work in civil construction and some of my friends at work have similar hearing issues. I will be recommending that they go to see Oracle Hearing.

I suffered from a loss of hearing attributed to my involvement in the New Zealand Services on overseas duty. I was assessed by Oracle Hearing and they recommended a suitable pair of hearing aids. The gain in my hearing has been quite beneficial especially in places I would avoid such as group activities where I was not aware I was already starting to lip read. I can now hear my cat purr. There are sounds I had forgotten which I can now hear.

I went to get my ears checked, thinking suctioning was needed. A friendly and honest assessment was given. No suctioning was needed but I was offered a hearing test. At the end my results were carefully explained to me. I was stunned when I was told there was no charge for the excellent service I was given. I would certainly recommend Oracle Hearing!!

I found the service provided by Shantanu was excellent. He took the time to explain to me my hearing aid options and answered all my questions thoroughly. With Oracle Hearing I didn’t just feel that I was processed through in a fast manner, but was given a high level of care and attention. As a result of his great service, and the new technology options, I ended up upgrading from my existing hearing aids to a newer and higher level of hearing aids. What’s great is that that the new hearing aids are more effective at managing the background noise, which is important to me. I work part-time as a relief teacher working with younger children, and being able to reduce the background noise has really helped. In addition, one of the features I really like, is that I can easily hone in on one particular person talking, making it much easier to hear that person. This same feature has also helped me with hearing the TV better, and with talking on the phone. What’s more, these new modern hearing aids have a thinner wire, attaching the piece within your ear to the microphone that sits behind the ear. And just to help me out with my decision making, Oracle Hearing gave me a 2 week trial to see if I liked the newer hearing aids. This I appreciated, and at the end of the 2 week trial I happily purchased them. It’s been a great experience to upgrade my hearing aids, and to get the level of support and care throughout the process… they really made it simple and easy for me. I highly recommend Oracle Hearing as they provide a great level of service.

Shantanu at Oracle Hearing is absolutely awesome. I rate him 10/10 for everything. I have a noise-induced hearing loss mainly in my left ear. A while ago I consulted a clinic in Lower Hutt but their solution was expensive. I couldn’t afford it on a pension so I did nothing. A friend recently suggested I go to Oracle Hearing. Shantanu helped me access the ACC funding which was a big help. My new hearing aids are good for watching TV as I can tune them into the set, and hearing when I am driving is greatly improved. We’ve just celebrated my son’s 50th birthday and even in the noisy crowd I could hear the person I was talking with. Shantanu said to come back anytime if I had any problems; it didn’t matter whether it was 2 or 10 years later. What is my advice if you are looking for a hearing clinic? Don’t go anywhere else, just go see Oracle Hearing. I have experienced other clinics and Oracle Hearing is the best.

Trevor purchased his aids from a Masterton clinic, but unhappy with their performance came to Oracle Hearing’s clinic in Carterton to have them tuned. “Shantanu ran tests that I’ve never come across before. He knew what he was doing. I suggested to a friend that he also go see Shantanu, with the same outcome: Shantanu has a knack for achieving results. I never knew that I could switch the aids to tele-loop until Shantanu showed me how. No one had bothered to explain this to me before! Church has a circuit and I only need to push a button twice to bring up the sound. Many smaller hearing clinics that used to be right on the ball are gone now, bought out by hearing aid companies or larger chains. Oracle Hearing gives excellent service and delivers results.

I needed to replace my previous hearing aid as it had been lost for some time.  So, I approached Oracle Hearing and made a booking. My hearing tests were done by Shantanu who provided excellent service throughout the entire process.  He was just brilliant with regard to his attitude and the way he did things.  His personal approach was just superb and very professional and I fully appreciated how he treated me and looked after me.  The total experience was just great. I ended up getting premium level hearing aids that had Bluetooth connectivity.  These were fully custom fitted on site by Shantanu.  The type of hearing aids I purchased were the ‘receiver in the ear’, which have been superb. I find the new hearing aids very comfortable, to the point I cannot really feel them, which is just superb.  I find them to be very nice and discrete and they have really improved my hearing. With the new premium level hearing aids that come with Bluetooth connectivity this feature was certainly appreciated when they accidentally fell out.  With putting on and taking off our masks, it’s easy to accidentally drop a hearing aid.  The Bluetooth connectivity helped me to quickly and easily locate my hearing aids.  It’s a feature I hadn’t quite thought of at the time of purchasing. I would happily recommend Shantanu and Oracle Hearing to any person, as the total experience was just brilliant.

I didn’t want people to think that I was impaired or broken, and I was certain that hearing aids would be very visible, so it took me a while to do something about it. Shantanu fitted me with aids that no one could see, but even then, they felt like bricks. It took me about 6 months to feel comfortable wearing them, but you know, most of my colleagues didn’t notice them for 4, 6 and even a year after I got them. Now I have to touch them to remind myself they are in, and if a battery goes flat, I feel imbalanced and my ear feels like it is stuffed with cotton wool. They have made a profound difference to my life. On the first day I wore them I had to ask why the television was so loud. I will never have perfect hearing, but I can now hear my long-suffering wife and son, who nagged me incessantly to do something. And during the morning safety meetings I can tune in to conversations around me and hear everyone. I put them in at 6:15 in the morning and they don’t come out until 9:30 or 10:00 at night. They are fitted so I can comfortably wear all the required safety gear – helmets, ear muffs and glasses. <em>Paul is a fitter and welder who has worked for years in the heavy steel industry, starting at a time when there was little encouragement to wear hearing protection. He has noise induced hearing loss.</em>