Having been slightly deaf for years, I was pleased to find some robust new technology that could really make a difference for hearing-impaired people.

The Conversor is a complete lightweight hearing system that works with a conventional hearing aid to enhance sound quality.

It consists of a discreet hand-held microphone unit that employs a radio link to a tiny transmitter worn around the neck.

The transmitter then links to the user's own hearing aid by using FM radio/T-coil.

The idea is to point the directional microphone at the sound source, which is then relayed to the hearing aid.

Having experimented at length with the Conversor, I found it to be particularly useful when watching TV with other people who don't appreciate high volume sound and excellent in restaurants when ambient sound levels are higher than normal.

Batteries are often an issue but not with the Conversor.

The unit comes complete with rechargeable batteries that seem to last for ages.

They can be recharged from any standard mains socket, using the charger provided with the unit, so ongoing costs are kept to a minimum.

Like most hearing devices the Conversor is an acquired taste.

It can take a couple of hours and a fair bit of experimentation to get the best from the unit.

However, when the teething period is over, most users say they would not part with the device.

The manufacturers liken this process to breaking in a new pair of shoes. The longer you wear them, the more comfortable they become.

I accept I like playing with gadgets so I probably had a low resistance to the idea of an additional hearing device but I did not expect it to work quite as well as it did.

It will not suit everyone but I would expect a very igh level of user acceptance.

Price: £355.90
Contact: 028 9034 1707
Rating: 8 out of 10