The Hearing Matters Podcast: Hearing Aids, Hearing Technology and Tinnitus

Send us Fan Mail We dig into how Bluemoth reimagines the path to better hearing by pairing prescription hearing aids with a modern, direct-to-consumer experience that respects privacy, reduces stigma, and preserves clinical outcomes. Born from years of brick-and-mortar practice and leadership in statewide audiology, the model answers a pivotal question: how do we lower the barrier to entry without...

Send us Fan Mail Stigma keeps more people from hearing help than price does, and we’re tackling that head on with a model that puts privacy, speed, and clinical integrity at the center. Blaise sits down with Dr. Melanie Hecker, founder of BLUEMOTH and owner of five brick‑and‑mortar clinics, to unpack a digital prescription approach that feels modern without sacrificing professional care. Think pre...

Send us Fan Mail Stuck in a month where nothing clicks and every push feels like quicksand? We unpack a better way with Dr. Brad Stewart, who built a mobile audiology practice, scaled a high-volume vestibular clinic, and then made the hardest call of all: shut it down to protect his health, marriage, and mission. The story isn’t about chasing hustle—it’s about aligning vision, building systems, an...

Send us Fan Mail Imagine programming hearing aids while the TV is actually on, or fine-tuning a patient’s settings in the middle of a lively social hour—with high ceilings, echo, and live music. That’s the power of mobile audiology, and it’s where our conversation with Dr. Brad Stewart shines: practical, human, and built for better outcomes. We unpack how Brad launched a lean, house-call model out...

Send us Fan Mail What if your patients could watch quality take shape right in front of them? We sat down with a tech-forward dentist, Dr. Michael Walker , to map the playbook hearing clinics can use to boost trust, reduce returns, and deliver faster, more personal care.    We unpack why visible technology changes everything. When patients see a crown modeled on-screen or their own eardrum on a la...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder why some hearing aids feel too loud yet somehow still muddy? We dig into the exact method that fixes that mismatch: real ear measurement. By placing a tiny microphone in the ear canal, we verify whether amplification reaches prescription targets where it matters most—right at the eardrum. No more guessing, no generic presets. Just a precise, research-backed way to make...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a seasoned audio engineer becomes a doctor of audiology? You get a refreshingly clear path from “that sounds tinny” to real, measurable improvements in speech clarity. We sit down with Dr. Steven Taddei to unpack how studio skills—mic placement, EQ, compression, and a careful ear for detail—translate directly into smarter hearing aid programming and better outcom...

Send us Fan Mail Start with a person, not a feature list. That’s the thread that runs through our conversation with Brandon Sawalich and Dr. Dave Fabry about how hearing technology actually improves lives: by putting the patient first, then letting smart tools do the heavy lifting in the background. We dig into how AI moved from a buzzword to a real advantage in tough listening environments, why s...

Send us Fan Mail Want to know what “better hearing in noise” actually sounds like when AI, sensors, and human care work in sync? We bring together Starkey’s president and CEO, Brandon Sawalich , and Chief Hearing Health Officer, Dr. Dave Fabry , for a candid look at Starkey Omega AI —why it exists, what changed from Edge AI, and how it turns hearing aids into confident, 360-degree listening tools...

Send us Fan Mail Dementia is rising, and the toll is personal, social, and economic. From there, we move into a conversation that blends hard data with real life—how hearing loss can quietly erode connection, increase cognitive load, and, according to leading research, contribute to higher dementia risk. Karla Hult joins us with her father’s story—an athlete, a community helper, a devoted dad whos...

Send us Fan Mail Have you ever met someone who says they can hear perfectly fine, but still struggles to understand speech, especially in noisy environments? That puzzling disconnect might be explained by Central Auditory Processing Disorder (CAPD) – a condition affecting what our brains do with the sounds our ears detect. Dr. Angela Alexander reveals a startling finding from the Framingham cohort...

Send us Fan Mail The mysterious disconnect between hearing and understanding affects millions worldwide, yet remains largely undiagnosed and untreated. Dr. Angela Alexander pulls back the curtain on auditory processing disorder (APD), revealing why so many people struggle to understand speech despite normal hearing tests. "One in five adults who report hearing loss actually have normal hearin...

Send us Fan Mail Ray Woodworth takes us on a deep dive into the nuances of hearing aid fittings, sharing insights from his dual perspective as both a 47-year hearing aid wearer and an industry professional. He challenges the notion that real ear measurement alone is enough for optimal fittings, advocating instead for a balanced approach that honors both objective measurements and subjective patien...

Send us Fan Mail Ray Woodworth, a 25-year veteran in hearing healthcare, brings his passion for perfection in ear impressions to this compelling conversation about the art and science of customization. Having been mentored directly by Starkey founder Bill Austin since 2002, Ray shares profound insights that challenge conventional thinking about hearing technology fittings. "The ear is the bos...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder why some hearing healthcare professionals seem so passionate about advocacy while others shy away? Our conversation dives into the heart of building an advocacy culture that transforms not just legislation, but patient care itself. We explore the critical importance of starting advocacy education during AuD and SLP programs. As our guest, Dr. Megan Adams insightfully n...

Send us Fan Mail Jeffery Reagan's journey from surviving a heart transplant to pioneering tinnitus care innovation offers a masterclass in turning personal adversity into meaningful healthcare transformation. After experiencing a heart attack on Mount Kilimanjaro in 2007, followed by a catastrophic cardiac event in 2011 that left him dependent on a mechanical heart for three years, Reagan gai...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder why your ears won't stop ringing? The answer might surprise you.  Welcome to our brand-new Friday Audiogram series! Every week, we'll deliver a concentrated 7-10 minute dose of hearing healthcare wisdom you can enjoy anywhere—even while standing in line at the grocery store. These bite-sized episodes bring you essential insights from our extensive catalog of...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a devastating cancer diagnosis collides with a lifelong passion for audiology? For Dr. Carla "Brandi" Smiley, it became the catalyst for reimagining how hearing healthcare could reach those most often left behind. Diagnosed with bilateral hearing loss at age six, Dr. Smiley's path to becoming an audiologist wasn't straightforward. After teachi...

Send us Fan Mail Ever wonder what happens when a musician's most precious tool—their hearing—begins to fade? Moe Jerant, founding member of the Large Flowerheads and a professional drummer for over 20 years, takes us through her remarkable 15-year journey with hearing technology that saved her career and transformed her life. The wake-up call came unexpectedly during a vocal lesson when Moe c...

Send us Fan Mail Ralph Brote's journey from struggling to hear to rediscovering connection offers powerful insights for musicians and anyone facing hearing challenges. Growing up in the family-owned Nazareth Music Store—a fixture in Pennsylvania for 60 years—Ralph's life has been steeped in sound. As a professional trumpet player and music teacher, his hearing gradually deteriorated from...

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Lindsay Koble takes us on an extraordinary journey from accidental audiologist to successful practice owner in this eye-opening conversation about the realities of audiology entrepreneurship. After a jaw surgery complication left her with a perforated eardrum during college, Lindsay discovered her passion for audiology through her own hearing healthcare experience. This unexpe...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when the demands of managed care clash with a provider's commitment to gold-standard hearing healthcare? For Jaysee Soto, owner of Altamonte Family Hearing in Florida, the answer lies in striking a delicate balance between business sustainability and patient-centered ethics. Growing up in his family's New York City bodega, Jaysee watched his parents build re...

Send us Fan Mail What stands between hearing care professionals and effective advocacy? Dr. Megan Adams shatters common misconceptions with her doctoral research spanning 400 participants across the United States. The surprising truth? It's not time constraints holding us back...it's knowledge. Dr. Adams reveals that 95% of hearing healthcare professionals consider legislative issues cru...

Send us Fan Mail Two hundred episodes. Six years. One hundred twenty-one countries. The Hearing Matters Podcast celebrates a remarkable milestone in its mission to educate and connect the global hearing healthcare community. Host Blaise Delfino's journey from college radio DJ to global hearing healthcare advocate encapsulates the power of finding your purpose. What began in a 400-square-foot...

Send us Fan Mail Crossing the threshold into better hearing often feels overwhelming for patients who've postponed treatment for years. What makes the difference between hesitation and confident decision-making? The answer lies in experiencing transformation firsthand through expertly conducted in-office hearing aid demonstrations. This episode dives deep into why these demonstrations represe...