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Custom SlimTip Ear Molds - first impression

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After nearly 15 years wearing hearing aids, and only ever having had the rubber domes, starting with open domes and finally power domes, I recently had a set of Phonak SlimTips fitted to my Lumity L90-RLs.

As many posters on this forum have stated it transforms the quality of sound one hears. Everything is just that much clearer, sharper and more crisp. Streamed music is definitely way better with full rich sound.

I wish I had gotten them years ago. Only one year ago an Audiologist I went to said he didn’t think they were worth it. He said getting them to fit right was very difficult. Fortunately, I found a different audiologist who certainly did recommend them and had a 3-D scanner. This seems to have worked out quite well because they fit nicely and I’m not having any issues with them.

When the Phonak Infinio Spheres came out I tried the I-90s but did not find them that much better than the Lumity. I posted about that at the time, but I was using rubber domes. As some people suggested custom molds might’ve been the reason why they were having success and I was not. I look forward to eventually trying the Spheres again with the molds to see if I hear better in noisy environments.

In summary, I highly recommend anybody who can to try custom molds.

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I also cannot wait for my cShells with 0.6mm vent!

I have power domes and for 1:1 situation in noisy restaurants my Sphere worked surprisingly well, despite being underamplifies in high frequencies due to feedback threshold. In meetings like ~15 people in ~25 sq meters it was less efficient, but I’ll see How will it be after mentioned cShells.

Glad you found your Spheres works better with cuatoms! Sometimes someone have to be a bit lucky for power domes to be enough, like @JordanK, who have made absolutely terrific topic about deep diving into Sphere experiences!

Then it’s probably a good thing that you were able to significantly improve the performance of your current hearing aid with a relatively inexpensive investment.

I am waiting for the same cShell shape for my old Audeo Paradise P90-RT to make a comparison and have a spare .

@platypus said:

Only one year ago an Audiologist I went to said he didn’t think they were worth it

Clinicians who don’t do don’t understand the importance of custom tips because they have no idea their power domes are so frequently underfit.

the connector end is different than the luminity receivers … if you get molds that the receievers are replaceable then you can put the molds on the sphere the in ear end is the same.

In reply to @Neville

@Neville said:

those two hearing aids share the same receiver

I thought lumity takes v4 or v5 receivers (with pins) while infinios take v6 (with the 8 conductor flat connector) ??

I know the infinio isn’t compatible with receivers from paradise and marvel audeo . Lumity I’m not certain, but…

WH

In reply to @Sequoia_Woman

@Sequoia_Woman said:

Are custom molds interchangeable to new hearing aids , like from lumity to Infinio’s?

I would say the molds are interchangeable unless you go to the highest power receivers where the receivers are not removable from the molds. I think the infinios take a different receiver version than previous models. If you can remove the old receiver and put a new one in the mold, you’re good. If the receiver is permanently fixed into the mold, you’re stuck remaking them.

WH

In reply to @Sequoia_Woman

I got new moulded inserts about 4 months ago. Wonderful people here had recommended that I get them. I should have listened to them.

They are so much better!

I used
I had tried power domes.

I have Phonak Slimfits and PowerReceivers.

Why are they better?

I hear better
I don’t constantly check for feedback
I don’t stick an index finger in each ear to see if the volume increases

I even had a closed dome lost in my right ear for 3 weeks. Got an ear infection.

I’m old and stubborn. Should have listened. :wink:

I have Paradise hearing aids. They are 3-1/2 years old. I’m really happy I have moulded inserts. I do have issues changing .

Hope this helps. :smiley:

Edited

In reply to @WhiteHat

I’ll share my experience and then state a guess. Molds from my KS9 with medium receivers (~Marvel) fit on Medium receivers for Infinio Sphere. The receivers had different connectors but the part that fit into the mold was the same (or at least close enough). I’m guessing if you try a switch to a different sized receiver you’re going to have a problem.

In reply to @WhiteHat

Yes, sorry, the top is different but the bottom is the same. The OP has a slim tip, so it’s removable. As long as the receiver strength is the same, you can just swap it over. But the UP is encased and wouldn’t be compatible across generations, and some people need an encased mold just because of the shape of their ear, which wouldn’t be compatible.

Edited
@platypus said:

Fortunately, I found a different audiologist who certainly did recommend them and had a 3-D scanner. This seems to have worked out quite well because they fit nicely and I’m not having any issues with them.

Wow, 3D scanning! If I recall correctly, that scanner costs like a small car. May I ask what the prices of scanning and making SlimTips were separately?
3D scanning helps to obtain much deeper digital impressions, similar to a deep silicone impression reaching at least 5 mm beyond the second bend of the ear canal, which facilitates the production of deeply seated earplugs.

This definitely:

  • reduce the occlusion effect if the earmold rests on the bony part of the ear canal. The patient can have a smaller vent, which improves music listening, especially for bass.

  • receiver closer to eardrum - more accurate, crispier sound

  • reduction of ear canal volume between mold and eardrum = additional “free” gain,

EDIT:
It is reportedly +6 dB with the halving of ear canal volume.

I was hoping the was up to 3d scanning to replace the injection impression taking method for this latest pair of molds. Ah, well.

WH

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