Hart Hearing

What Hart Hearing does

Hart Hearing & Balance Centers is a family-owned audiology practice operating five physical locations across the Rochester, NY metropolitan area (Irondequoit, Brockport, Brighton, Fairport, and Greece), serving patients with hearing loss, vestibular/balance disorders, and tinnitus. Founded by Dr. Stephen T. Hart in 1976, the practice is staffed by multiple Doctors of Audiology offering comprehensive hearing healthcare including diagnostic evaluations, hearing aid dispensing, balance testing, tinnitus management, custom hearing protection, and earwax removal. The business has expanded to ~50 years of continuous operation while remaining independent, with no external investors, parent company, or private equity sponsorship indicated.

The practice operates a hybrid business model combining professional audiology services with hearing-aid hardware sales. Core technology offerings include digital hearing instruments from manufacturers Phonak and Oticon featuring directional microphones, dynamic feedback cancellation, binaural processing, wireless Bluetooth connectivity, CROS/BiCROS systems, open-fit designs, assistive listening devices, and AI-powered sound classification in newer-generation devices. Revenue is generated through direct-to-consumer, in-office appointments at five locations, with quote-based pricing determined during clinical consultations; there are no online sales, resellers, or third-party distribution channels. Multi-year contracts are supported through ongoing device adjustments and follow-up care.

Differentiated assets include nearly 50 years of regional reputation (4.9/5 average across 2,106 first-party reviews), a 2007 NYSSLHA Distinguished Clinical Achievement Award to the founder, and 2022 certification as a Center of Specialty Care by the American Institute of Balance for vestibular diagnostics. The go-to-market motion is exclusively direct-to-consumer via the five offices, supported by content marketing (educational blog, free downloadable hearing-aid buying guide), patient testimonials, and community reputation built over decades of family ownership.

Name

Hart Hearing

Legal name

Hart Hearing & Balance Centers

Website

https://harthearing.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Hart Hearing & Balance Centers is a family-owned audiology practice operating five Rochester, NY-area locations, providing hearing evaluations, hearing aid dispensing (Phonak/Oticon), vestibular testing, tinnitus management, and custom hearing protection to local patients.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Audiology and Hearing Healthcare Services

NAICS

Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (621340), Offices of Physical, Occupational and Speech Therapists, and Audiologists (62134)

SIC

Services-Offices & Clinics Of Doctors Of Medicine (8011)

akta.pro primary industry

Audiology & Hearing Diagnostic Centers (HLAFAKAH)

Keywords

• Audiology services
• Hearing aid dispensing
• Vestibular diagnostics
• Tinnitus management
• Custom hearing protection

Headquarters

HQ city

Rochester

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices5 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Hearing Aid Sales: Sale of hearing instruments from manufacturers Phonak and Oticon, including various technology levels and styles. Revenue is generated from the sale of physical hearing aid devices with associated fitting and programming services.
2. Audiology Services: Professional audiology services including hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, adjustments, vestibular/balance testing, and tinnitus management consultations. Services are provided at five office locations by Doctors of Audiology.
3. Custom Hearing Protection: Custom ear plugs and hearing protection products for swimmers, hunters, musicians, and occupational use. These are custom-molded to fit individual ears.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Hart Hearing & Balance Centers is a multi-location audiology practice providing comprehensive hearing healthcare to individual patients. Its services include diagnostic hearing evaluations, fitting and dispensing of digital hearing aids from Phonak and Oticon, vestibular and balance testing, tinnitus evaluation and management, custom-molded hearing protection, earwax removal, and assistive listening device fittings. The practice operates through five offices staffed by Doctors of Audiology across the Rochester, NY metropolitan area.

Product overview

Hart Hearing & Balance Centers is a multi-location audiology practice offering comprehensive hearing healthcare services. The core offering includes hearing tests, hearing aids from major manufacturers (Phonak and Oticon), vestibular/balance testing, tinnitus management, and custom hearing protection. The practice offers various hearing aid technologies including digital instruments, directional microphones, dynamic feedback cancellation, binaural processing, wireless Bluetooth connectivity, CROS/BiCROS systems, and open-fit hearing aids. Assistive listening devices (ALDs) such as FM systems, infrared systems, and amplified telephones complement the hearing aid offerings. Custom ear plugs are available for swimmers, hunters, and musicians. The practice is certified by the American Institute of Balance (AIB) as a Center of Specialty Care for vestibular disorders.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Hearing Aids - Phonak
• Hearing Aids - Oticon
• Hearing Tests and Evaluations
• Vestibular and Balance Testing
• Tinnitus Management
• Custom Ear Plugs
• Occupational Hearing Protection
• Assistive Listening Devices (ALDs)
• Phonak Roger Pen
• Earwax Removal

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9 out of 5 stars from 2,106 first-party reviews
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration2 records

AI capability3 records

Feature8 records

Partnerships

Three partnerships are on record, tiered core and primary.

• American Institute of Balance (AIB)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerHart Hearing & Balance Centers is a Center of Specialty Care certified by the American Institute of Balance, one of the country's best-known diagnostic, treatment and educational facilities specializing in equilibrium disorders. AIB is widely recognized for providing practitioners with the most current clinical and scientific breakthroughs in dizziness treatment and vertigo treatment.
• PhonakprimaryTechnology or IntegrationPhonak is a major hearing aid manufacturer providing hearing instruments and technology to Hart Hearing. The practice offers the latest Phonak technology including Audeo, Naida, and rechargeable hearing aids, as well as Roger Pen and Roger technology accessories.
• OticonprimaryTechnology or IntegrationOticon is a hearing aid manufacturer providing hearing instruments to Hart Hearing. The practice offers Oticon hearing aids as part of their portfolio of hearing solutions.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• Starkey Hearing Technologies: Major U.S. hearing aid manufacturer and vertically integrated retailer of hearing aids and care. Comparable because Starkey both manufactures devices (like Phonak/Oticon supply Hart) and operates its own retail clinics, representing both a supply alternative and a potential competitor.
• Sonova (Phonak parent): Parent company of Phonak, the primary hearing aid brand dispensed by Hart Hearing. Relevant as a key supplier relationship and as a vertical competitor via Phonak and other owned brands potentially entering the clinic operator space.
• Demant (Oticon parent): Parent company of Oticon, Hart Hearing's other primary hearing aid brand. Comparable to Sonova as a key supplier, and a relevant comparable as one of the world's largest hearing healthcare groups.

Emerging players

• Lexie Hearing: DTC/online hearing aid brand offering self-fit OTC devices with optional remote support. Disrupts the traditional in-office dispensing model that Hart Hearing relies on, particularly for mild-to-moderate hearing loss.
• YourHearing Network / HearingLife: Multi-clinic audiology practice network operating in the U.S. Comparable service offering (testing, hearing aids, tinnitus) and a potential PE-style roll-up acquirer of independent practices like Hart Hearing.

Broad incumbents

• Miracle-Ear: One of the largest hearing aid retail chains in the U.S., with a franchise model that competes directly with Hart Hearing for adult hearing aid patients. Both dispense Phonak/Oticon and similar manufacturer brands through in-person consultations.
• Amplifon: Global hearing care company and parent of Miracle-Ear in the U.S., operating thousands of audiology clinics worldwide. Comparable as a multi-clinic audiology services operator; relevant both as a competitor and as a potential acquirer of regional practices like Hart Hearing.
• HearUSA: Large multi-state audiology practice network (PE-backed) operating full-service audiology clinics. Closely matches Hart Hearing's service model (hearing tests, hearing aids, tinnitus, balance) but at greater scale.
• Beltone: National hearing care franchise network offering hearing evaluations, hearing aid fittings, and ongoing care—directly comparable service model to Hart Hearing but with broader geographic reach and brand recognition.
• Costco Hearing Aid Center: Retail-channel hearing aid dispensary within Costco stores that competes for price-sensitive hearing aid customers in the same Rochester-area market. Represents the lower-priced alternative to Hart Hearing's professional service model.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/HartHearingCenters
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/harthearing

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles16 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Hart Hearing