Phonak Target Tweaks, Tips, Techniques, Troubles and Thoughts!

You’re right, so I will let God Post those. BUT I have some anew each time open Target and I will start adding them here, including some screen shots…
I had some nagging questions… but by the time I tried to find an appropriate thread to post them in…
Uh, but yes - I have searched a bunch of times, and generally get some nice surprises that served mostly as distractions but not clearly referencing the latest models, in DIY ideally targeting Target.

anyone using Target is welcome to document and explain their adjustments here

I’ll start off with one of many useful tips I learned from a course on Audiology Online called “Phonak Target Software: Flexibility Meets Expertise”

https://www.audiologyonline.com/audiology-ceus/course/welcome-to-target-4291881

In the top menu area (dark grey), you’ll find an option called “Client View.” This feature lets you see how your hearing aids perform. You can overlay representations of different vowels and consonants to check if the dominant energy of those sounds is within the hearing aids’ gain range. I could see, for example, that the Sphere’s aren’t able to amplify the frequency range where S lies when I’m wearing domes.

The client view will also show you how the different parts of speech are transposed and by how much (If using SoundRecover2). You can see a different view for each program on the Sphere.

Of note: there should be a degree of skepticism when looking at this view without REM adjustment to see actual gain values vs predicted ones. For myself, REM didn’t change much. YMMV

So in the software, at times I get these dialogues - In this case, after I fine tuned the music program, while listening to a sound coming from my computer speakers of some speeches in a noisy crowd with bad acoustics, but the recording was made directly from connection to the sound system mixing board. Then I copied those settings… to use as a foundation for the several other speech and comfort programs.

In this exercise, I wanted to see if any “program” could help me to understand the people speaking in recordings made acoustically (via microphone) amid the bad noise and architectural sound shaping. I can easily understand the direct recording made from the mixer.

Normal hearing persons describe the mixing board as a ten, and the other recording as a two.

Upon saving and exiting, I get the following dialogues.
Questions - why does it say RESET - “fine tuning etc.” Those are the settings I expected I would be saving. I made them in the MUSIC and copied them over to some other programs.

Also - under what circumstances should the Fourth tic box be checked to RESET PROGRAM OPTIONS. I assume those are like the noise settings and the microphone angles etc.

I’ll add one more tip: There is an upcoming course on audiology online titled “All Around Infinio Sphere”. It’ll be released on April 28th.

The seminar will not only cover the technology behind the Sphere but will also include tips on programming the Sphere in Target. This will likely provide insights into customizing the Sphere mode. Crossing my fingers this one will be well-taught and informative (and not just a thinly veiled advertisement).

All Around Infinio Sphere | 40584 | Hearing Aids - Course 4058431

This course dives into Phonak Infinio Sphere, including how DEEPSONIC was developed, what makes it unique in the industry, proven benefit in lab and real-world application, and programming in the Target fitting software.

Yeah, so the S in a grey circle represents the actual S sound spoken and then the S in a green circle is the amplified one in the hearing aid. Then you can see whether the green graph rises in real time to meet the S sound. Ideally, the green bar reaches up to where your audiogram line is.

Yeah, “calm” is not my favorite name either. What I do notice is that particular program has the most volume and the highest compression values. In the “music mode” compression is much lower and all the noise reduction features are turned off by default. It’s a cleaner sound that isn’t narrowly oriented towards speech. At least thats my limited understanding so far.

I chose to use music for my test above, as I expected it would be more neutral unbiased and then I could see what the other programs might do. When you have such awful conditions as my example above, replayed in a quiet room from two speakers … a foot from me… anyway I will keep experimenting.

IF i decide to update my in SITU audiogram… never did them with these molds, may have further hearing loss… might have someone else administer it to restore the surprise factor…

Do the programs - update automatically to configure around the new audiogram, or does all fine tuning get reset, and the program options - a choice to reset. I think all the fine tuning is lost right, but I forgot? Its a reason I been putting it off.

Regarding my complaint that the software does not create a visible database chart of changes…somewhere in another thread - I decided to just create a log, like in a word.doc file.
Might set up a spread sheet…eventually. Since I use two monitors on my computer, the document approach is just easier, than the lame “NOTE” in target. I think even if you just use a scribble pad and pencil, you be better… than the in target note. ALSO, I am not quite sure ( started testing it once, but got distracted ) what exactly is the difference in functionality between the note via the upper left of screen note icon, and the note prompt upon exit. The exit one, I think is awkward as it is not easily accessible mid adjustment moment… right… only exit, so unlikely be accurate entered from memory so much after leaving a specific adjustment.

@Dave_Morgan said:

Yeah, “calm” is not my favorite name either. What I do notice is that particular program has the most volume and the highest compression values.

You mean “gain” rather than “volume”? Highest compression values is because of more gain in G50 relatively to G80 in “Calm” program?

@IGZO said:

IF i decide to update my in SITU audiogram… never did them with these molds, may have further hearing loss… might have someone else administer it to restore the surprise factor…

Remember also about UCL in situ measurement, but be careful and start from low dB.

Questions:
What is the difference between starting a new session, and instead opening an existing session. I have done both, but don’t recall the difference.
Lately I been opening the last session.
I been doing that starting with about session 32. Now I am at session 46.
Just this morning I was at session 45.
So if the sessions increment anyway, is saving the session just reopened, the same as staring a new session.
Or is starting a new session what the AuD does when wanting to add a NEW Patient?

Also -I had posted a different topic… about Hearing Pros programming their own, fitting and tweaking their own, or only going to other PROS ?
Reason for my asking that question was, that with all the options covered in the software, you figure there would be the simple option of reversing the display.
Some screens have it, the ones to share with the patient, for pros that use a two monitor display.
But why not also have that option in the software for pros who wear aids and time to time want to tweak their own.
I understand that the operator is then already adjusted to the screen but I think it would be different thinking about the patient opposite them and themself facing out.
In my profession - nothing with hearing, I am always referring to the other person’s orientation. Just as a Hearing aid pro does.
But I find that when fitting myself - in the software, the reverse - with Right on MY left is not a positive experience, and would think that pros would if they could just flip the screen when treating themselves.
Something else to complain about - eh?

I have the Phonak Sphere, Seeing a lot of talk about AutoSense and the version of it. Yet on my Target 10.1.1 software, nor in my Phonak App, do I see an obvious version. How may I know what AutoSense version I have?

In the software it 6.0