I laughed out loud when I saw this hearing device online, but then I ordered a set!

Everyone knows that you can focus your hearing by cupping your hands at your ears. Indeed some crazy devices were made in the past, some that made people look like cartoon mice. The dixie hear cups are a bit more elegant. 

On a closer look you will notice that they are the size and shape of a small drinking cup. They are made of plastic and have a head band, and a little wooden ball to slide and tighten. The first thing I noticed was that the cord slips off because there is no guide to hold it in place. So I used a pair of small cable clamps and 6-32 bolts anchor the cords to the sides. 

Do they work? Yes! I felt I was getting at least a 3dB boost. But the hard plastic does make sound tinny, and for the effort, I would like a slightly larger cup. The concept is convenient: no batteries or wireless links, and you can move around while wearing them. Unfortunately the few sites that carried this silly device seem to have run out. I suspect that Georgia-Pacific is not happy about the inventor's decision to piggy-back on their brand. You can see the Amazon page here, or do a search to find others.