NexGen Hearing
Downtown Vancouver Hearing Clinic
Dr. Soltani has been practicing as an audiologist in the Vancouver Lower Mainland area for close to twenty years. He opened an audiology and hearing aid dispensing clinic in the existing downtown Vancouver location in early 2002 and then another three clinics located in Burnaby, Abbotsford and West Broadway. In 2011, Dr. Soltani rebranded his clinics to Mainland Hearing and shortly afterward, partnered with Marke Hambley, president and founder of Nexgen Hearing, expanding the Mainland Hearing locations to Kitsilano, North Vancouver, Squamish, and West Vancouver. In April 2016, the Mainland Hearing brand was amalgamated with it’s sister company NexGen Hearing, which has several locations on Vancouver Island and the Interior of BC. With further growth this year, NexGen Hearing has over 47 locations throughout BC to serve you better. Read More →

Schedule a *Free Hearing Test
*Exclusions to free hearing tests include: pediatric hearing tests, employment requirement testing and specialized testing requirements.
Clinical Services
- Advance Audiological Diagnostic Assessment – Including conventional Audiological assessment, Auditroy Brainstem Response testing (ABR, for adult population only) Oto-acoustic emission, Conventional and multi-frequency impedance tests for the evaluation of middle ear function, Eustachian tube testing, Tinnitus Evaluation and management.
- Hearing aids dispensing, counseling and aural rehabilitation.
- Extended Wear Hearing Aid Fitting – Lyric is the first extended wear hearing device that is 100% invisible. It is comfortably placed in the ear canal by a Lyric trained hearing professional and can be worn 24 hours a day, seven days a week, for up to 4 months at a time.1 No surgery or anesthesia is required.
- Vestibular assessments (referral to Otologist is needed).

Dr. Amir Soltani
Au.D., RAUD, RHIP
Dr. Soltani has been practicing as a clinical audiologist in the Vancouver Lower Mainland area for close to 20 years. He has also been a clinical instructor at the University of British Columbia (UBC) for over 10 years.
Full Bio
Dr. Soltani has trained several Doctors of Audiology and Masters Degree audiology students from Nova Southeastern University of Florida, University of Ottawa, and Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia. Dr. Soltani’s main clinical interests include hearing instrument fitting and counseling, diagnostic audiology, implantable hearing aid fitting and consultation, extended wear hearing aids fitting (Lyric), and electro-physiological and vestibular assessments.

Leah Bradshaw
RHIP
Before getting into hearing health care, Leah worked in many different industries such as marketing, tech support, management, graphics design and as a small business owner. Her well rounded life experiences have given her a versatile view on industries and people and a unique perspective on problem solving.
Full Bio
Her excellent customer service skills are based on personable, realistic approaches and a passionate dedication to helping others. Leah believes a smile is contagious, and laughter truly is the best medicine. Outside of work she enjoys many hobbies including painting, writing, meditation, and nature loving. Most of all she loves spending time with her adorable children Xavier and Skylar.

Dr. Navid Shahnaz
Au.D., RAUD
Navid is an Associate Professor of Audiology in the School of Audiology & Speech Sciences. He began his position at The University of British Columbia in July 2002. Before joining UBC he was an Assistant Professor of Speech and Hearing Sciences at University of Arizona.
Full Bio
He received his M.Sc (1996) and Ph.D. (2000) degree in Audiology and communication sciences and disorders from The School of Communication Sciences and Disorders, McGill University. During his residency at McGill University, he served as a faculty lecturer and clinical supervisor of audiology for 3 years. Before joining McGill University he was working as a clinical audiologist, instructor and researcher for six years at Tehran Medical Sciences University and in other private practice sectors in Tehran, Iran.
Frequently Asked Questions About Hearing Aids in Vancouver
How do I control my hearing aid?
There are different methods to control your hearing aid, one modern method is through your smart phone. Hearing aids with Bluetooth can connect to any Bluetooth compatible device such as phones, computers and more.
Talk to your NexGen Hearing Audiologist for more information on Bluetooth compatible models.
How do I know if I need a hearing aid?
Here, at the NexGen Hearing Center in Downtown Vancouver, we help you every step of the way in deciding if a hearing aid is best for you. We will conduct a free hearing test to determine if you currently have hearing loss. Once the hearing test has been completed, we will help you ascertain how much your hearing loss (if any) is affecting your daily life and/or activities. If you can’t hear as well as you could in the past several aspects of your life could be impacted. Hearing loss can gradually increase without us even realizing, which lends weight to the idea of consistently having your hearing checked.
Our Downtown Vancouver audiologists are experienced in treating a variety of levels of hearing loss and their effects. Don’t go another day wondering if your hearing could be improved. Let our experts help you improve your hearing to its highest levels.
What are the best hearing aid brands?
Choosing the right hearing aid brand is very important to ensure your device is a reliable, effective, and safe. The best brand for you is often dependent on numerous factors relative to your specific situation. There is no one best brand of hearing aid as each case is different. That being said, choosing a well known and trusted brand within the medical community is a good path to take for peace of mind. NexGen Hearing partners with only the highest quality hearing aid manufacturers in the world. Resound, Phonak, and Oticon are only a few of our partners dedicated to providing you with the best hearing possible. Consult with one of our NexGen Hearing audiologists to find out which one works best for you.
How much do hearing aids cost?
Hearing aid prices vary from several hundred dollars up to a few thousand, and it all depends on the advancement of the technology used in each device. Affordable hearing aids as well as more expensive options come with different features. You can think of hearing aids as coming in levels of “gold, silver, or bronze.” If your listening needs are simple, it just might be that even the most basic hearing aid is enough for you. If your life is more active and you find yourself wanting to hear better in more active and noisy listening environments, then a more sophisticated level of hearing aids features will give you more benefit. NexGen Hearing also offers financing options to help you with an affordable option to improve your hearing. Learn more about our lease to hear financing and other hearing aid financing options.
How long do hearing aids last?
Typically a hearing aid will last 5 to 6 years, and with proper maintenance can last much longer. Hearing aids can be repaired or tuned over time as well, talk to a NexGen Hearing audiologist for more information.
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Types of Hearing Loss
There are multiple types or levels of hearing loss that can include sensorineural, conductive and often times even a mix of these. A hearing test at Vancouver Downtown Hearing Clinic can detect if you or your loved one are suffering from any hearing loss, and what the nature and degree of that loss might be. A hearing loss between 16-25 dB is considered minimal and is much the same as gently plugging your ears with your fingers. The next level, Mild Hearing Loss (26-40dB), can lead to missing the ends of words or not hearing shorter words at all. Even Mild loss can make it challenging to separate speech from background noise, and listening devices are advised. Moderate Hearing Loss (41-55 dB) can cause problems with phone conversations and result in a 50% decrease in the ability to understand speech from more than five feet away. This level of hearing loss can cause many to experience feelings of isolation and disconnection. If symptoms are more extreme than any of these, you could be suffering from Severe or perhaps Profound degrees of hearing loss, either of which can cause significant quality of life issues. In addition to all of the above, many individuals also experience High-frequency Hearing Loss (1500Hz-8000Hz). With this condition speech and most other sounds will seem loud enough, but speech will still not be clear and background noise will only make it worse. The most recent styles of hearing aids, including open fit and receiver-in-the-canal, are very good solutions for High-frequency loss. These designs enable the lower frequency sounds to enter the ear naturally, while amplifying and enhancing the higher frequency sounds, improving the clarity of speech significantly.