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BTE vs. RIC - General difference?

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Yeah, that’s the thought, but maybe something a bit more gender appropriate lol.

That’s crazy. When I go to the optician there are about 900 different frames of every style imaginable to choose from. But only 6 colours, all boring, for a ? Where is the justice? The optician would go out of business if that was all they were offering.

The market of the glasses is definitely larger and the sophisticated electronic components do not need to fit inside.

In reply to @Keithy

@Keithy said:

The optician would go out of business

This was at the . And the selection of frames at the optical clinic at the VA isn’t light years better either. At least they aren’t as bad as my BCGs were when I was active duty! But the price is right. I can live with a reduced selection for free (to me) as long as the basic needs get met.

WH

In reply to @Bimodal_user

@Bimodal_user said:

@1Bluejay is very experienced in using cool-looking hearing aids!

YOU BETCHA! Altho I’ve seen some of Zebra’s creative work on her aids, and they inspired me to get more colorful! Etsy has all kinds of options for jazzing up aids: charms that hang off the wire, twisties that wrap around the ear tubes, colorful stickers for the unit.

I’m thrilled with my Precious Pink and Caribbean Pirate Phonak Lumity Life 312s. They are like functional ear jewels, and I will even pop them out at a restaurant to show them off.

Pink

Caribbean Pirate

I waited for chestnut color (I use this since 2014 - Bolero Q, Bolero V in 2017 and Audeo Paradise in tge end of 2020). However, the Sphere still isn’t available with that, so I have surrendered and bought dark grey.

Still very elegant and aesthetic, though.

In reply to @WhiteHat

Sounds exactly like the old Phonak Lumity Life lineup BEFORE pink, turquoise and emerald green were introduced. Yes, even to oldsters like ME, I don’t want to sling a BMW on the back of my ear. I’ve outgrown that. Or retrogressed from that staid look, more likely.

In reply to @PeterH

OMG: RED! BLUE! I’ll take one of each. Your other two are the identical colors as my 2 pairs of rechargeables: champagne and silver. Now retired to the mothballs mainly for being rechargeable and not 312 battery.

Edited

There is a huge difference! It really depends on your physiological needs, SERIOUSLY. I was diagnosed with Meniere’s disease in my left ear in 2012. My audiologist recommended a device and continued to confirm it was the latest & greatest. However, it was not working for me….and I felt hopeless.

New town, new doctor. I learned (tube) with a molded ear piece was my ideal solution. What a difference! I can actually hear again.

Key Learning:

  • BTE is for more profound/serious hearing loss. The devices are slightly larger, but provide more power.
  • Don’t think about BTE vs RIC in terms of buying the “latest” technology. It all depends on YOUR situation.
Edited

In reply to @Um_bongo

I agree is more widely used. However, it does have mechanical feedback when tuned (higher volume) for severe hearing loss like in my case. if this happens, I would recommend a fitted ear piece. I switched to recently…but my situation is different.

@mpb said:

However, it does have mechanical feedback when tuned for severe hearing loss (like in my case).

I don’t think this was because it was a , but rather due to a leaky earmould. Regardless of RIC or style, the accuracy of ear impressions and earmould manufacturing is key to reducing feedback.

Edited

@Bimodal_user: There are limits on how far you push the in-ear receiver settings before you start getting sound leakage & feedback.

When my audiologist increased the volume on my RIC device, I started getting feedback. The only fix was a power dome or custom mold. The power dome is like putting cotton in your ear.

Regardless, /RIC devices and inserts depend on the severity of your hearing loss.

@mpb said:

Regardless, BTE/RIC devices and inserts depend on the severity of your hearing loss.

And the shape of your ear. Sometimes with a pretty big ear canal you can get a UP receiver really nicely into a well-fitted custom tip and get nearly the same feedback management and gain function with a as a . But I agree that there are many ears for which a BTE earmold is critical when you need a lot of gain.

In reply to @mpb

@mpb said:

However, it does have mechanical feedback

Unlikely as the receiver isn’t physically attached to the mic case, other than by the wire which doesn’t tend to act as a good connection.

Once you’re driving over 40dB of gain, you’re going to get transmission via the skull as well as huge acoustic transmission back out of the canal, which will be far greater intensity than any mechanical feedback within the device. You might not have realised the distinction.

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