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Cochlear implant and hearing aid decision-making/brand

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Edited

Hi! I’m a candidate doing my homework–I don’t have my for my better ear yet as I am trying to figure out which of the 3 companies to choose…The CI Center audiologist stated the clinic doesn’t make recommendations but pointed out the longer array on the Med-el device to get the higher frequencies. He said voices initially sound like Mickey Mouse with the other company’s devices, but that our brains figure it out. After reading some of the forum posts, I have the impression that the longer Med-el array really doesn’t have a significant benefit. Is that the general consensus? Also, forum posts emphasize support and connectivity are key. It seems those with Cochlear brand implants are very pleased with support and connectivity. Is that accurate? How is support and connectivity for Med-el and –both for CI and HA? I don’t see as many comments about these companies. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and experience–the process is rather daunting!

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Edited

Do you have a surgeon selected at this time? Their opinion might be very helpful.

Which brand will give you the best support where you live?

My opinion, Cochlear is the most reliable.

has the best hands free Bluetooth, maybe the best solution but the jury is still out on that

MedEl is antiquated compared to the others. Behind in technology. It also takes a separate device to stream your phone. AB and Cochlear are direct streaming with compatible phones, Android and iPhone.

Battery life is a big thing with . Be sure and check that out.

Off the ear is only available with Cochlear and MedEl.

Your audiologist clinic sounds like a sales department.

As far as sound goes, all three brands are pretty much the same. Don’t let any of them tell you different. My opinion from lots of reading

Good luck

Edited

@Timely welcome to the forum. Cochlear also have a hybrid attachment which covers all the higher frequencies. So you don’t have to have Med El to get higher frequencies

We have a few recipients that have and few others that have Med El. But Cochlear is by far the most popular here amongst forum recipients.

I have N8 with compact batteries, they last me about 14-16 hours a day. But battery length is depending upon the amount of streaming you do daily.

Which company has the best most up to date technology, Cochlear gets this gong with the new Nexa system.

Edited - Also check which company/‘s has had the most recalls on the internal electrode array

Good luck to you on your new hearing journey.

I have . I am very happy with them. Customer support is superb. If I have a problem, I just call them, and they next-day FedEx the part to me. I was implanted in 2008, and am on my third upgrade. They release a new external processor (the upgrade) about every 5-7 years.

I think Cochlear and AB are going to be similar, and most people can’t comment on the one they don’t have. One thing AB has going for it, if you have one ear still on a , is the Phonak Link. It’s a hearing aid that works together with the implant. Same app controls both, and they work together, in real time, to manage noisy rooms, etc. They also work together when you’re using Bluetooth (streaming music, or phone calls). I love having the Link in my “still working” ear.

They also make a waterproof case, so you can wear your implant swimming. I use it a couple times a year when we take our grandkids to the beach.

Happy to answer any questions.

Edited

IIRC, @Dani has Med-El device. For what I know, Med-El has releases the new sound processor, not sure about did they release new internal device.

Cochlear just released their newest Nexa system. Reportedly Advanced Bionics is going to release something, because their Naida Marvel is old, but there is no info about their intentions.

In reply to @astrohip

@Timely & astrohip

I have an implant on the L and a Phonak Link on the R, activated 7 months ago @ Mayo Clinic in Phoenix. I should probably go back for adjustments because my speech comprehension is not very good. Streaming sounds better and is much easier to understand than listening via the microphones. For training my hearing, I listen to NY Times articles often “read by an automated voice.” The voice is much easier to understand although it sometimes sounds artificial.

Connecting to my Zenbook computer is a bit of a pain. I must 1) bring up Settings, 2) Choose Bluetooth, 3) Remove Hearing Device, 4) Add Device, 5) Connect battery to implant controller, 6) Choose Bluetooth, 7) Choose hearing device. If I stop using the computer for about 30 min. it loses the connection.

With the implant (but not the HA), I can hear bird chirps but the aid is better for lower frequencies. Unfortunately, speech sounds metallic & buzzy. The Roger microphone can be useful, especially if the person speaking is wearing it.

I wonder whether I would have been better off just getting high-power HA’s instead of the implant. Or maybe Cochlear would have been better.

Disappointments:

Advanced Bionics has a primitive app – no directional controls and very poor battery charge information. When the implant battery is charging, there are just 2 indications: 100% (green light) or <100% blue light, In contrast, my old Costco KS10’s (made by Phonak) indicated 4 levels of charge. (If I remember right, <10%, 10-80%, 80-100%, 100%.) Also, the AB app shows only 100%, 75%, 50% or discharged. Once a few minutes after it showed 50% the implant quit working (discharged).

@FredO sorry to hear about your challenges. I’m happy to report I have none of those issues. It sounds like maybe a new audie may be worth checking out. You shouldn’t be hearing “metallic & buzzy”, certainly not after the first few months.

You mention the app has no directional controls. First question: Are you using AutoSense? Some audies prefer not to use it, but I find it works REALLY well for controlling sounds/noise from different directions.

Bluetooth: I have three devices using it–my phone (most of the time), my Windows laptop, and my Chromebook. I can switch between them easily. I leave off on my laptop & CBook, and ON my phone. That lets my phone be the default. If I want to stream from either of the other devices, I turn BT OFF on my phone, and ON on the laptop, and it automagically connects to it. Easy peasy. Same for the Chromebook.

I use a PartnerMic, works great for one-to-one conversations in noisy settings–restaurants, walking in crowds, etc. I even have my Pilates instructor wear it, and I can hear her “right in my ears”.

Happy to help in any way if I can.

Edited

In reply to @FredO

@FredO said:

7 months ago

7 months in relatively short period of time to get full benefits from . As @Raudrive advices me a few years ago, you should train your CI ear isolated from your better ear, at least on the beginning of your CI journey (whis is still in your case).

I admit this is a pain in the proverbial about your another issues.

I have Advanced bionics. I’m quite happy with my choice. I was quite lucky, I had word understanding over 90% after only a month. I know that is not the average.

My clinic does both Cochlear America and Advanced Bionic. I did a bunch of research before choosing . A couple of the things I like are that the link hearing aid was controlled on the same app as the . Working together, they sound natural to me. I liked that I could get an with the AB CI.

Check out this website to help you compare the different companies.

cochlear implant HELP11

Visit the post for more.

In reply to @astrohip

Thanks for your suggestions. I looked for AutoSense on the iPhone app store but just found apps for cars. I also tried audio sense and audio-sense, finding apps for sound recording. My audiologist told me that the app for the will not work with the implant. So I’ve stuck with Remote.

For streaming, the connection is with the implant controller, which then controls the Link HA.

@FredO said:

I looked for AutoSense

I’m sorry @FredO I should have been more specific. “Autosense” is a program setting on the latest implant, the Naida Marvel. It switches automatically to different settings based on the current sound environment. If it’s noisy, it goes into a noisy mode. If it’s quiet, quiet mode. It’s far more sophisticated than what I just explained, but you get the gist.

It has to be set by your audie. In my case, I chose it to be the default setting, since I think it works really well. Some people prefer to activate it when needed, so they have the audie set it as an option in the app. It’s one of AB’s best features!

I highly suggest, if you decide on AB, that you get the Link hearing aid at the same time. Not just because you can use the same AB app to control both, but also the improvement in your hearing experience will make it worthwhile.

@astrohip said:

I’m sorry @FredO I should have been more specific. “Autosense” is a program setting on the latest AB implant, the Naida Marvel. It switches automatically to different settings based on the current sound environment. If it’s noisy, it goes into a noisy mode. If it’s quiet, quiet mode. It’s far more sophisticated than what I just explained, but you get the gist.

Thanks for the clarification. I have a Ultra 3D v2 SlimJ implant, implanted in January with M90 processor plus a Phonak Naida Link M on the right. I checked the manual and see that it lists Autosense. I’ll ask my audiologist about that system next time I see her.

Fred

@FredO said:

I’ll ask my audiologist about that system next time I see her.

Lots of information about Phonsk’s Autosense here on the forum. The Marvel generation has been out a long time, lots of information about that generation as well. The Costco KS9 aids are Marvel as well. All very good aids.

In reply to @Raudrive

Thank you very much for your reply and insights Raudrive–the prompt about battery life is especially appreciated! I do not have a surgeon. As of end of August, my secondary insurance is no longer in network with the medical center where I planned to have the procedure so I need to work through that process!

In reply to @astrohip

Thank you very much astrohip! I appreciate your input and the specific details about Autosense, the benefit of Phonak Link, and connecting to the app in your replies to me and Fred. Thanks!

In reply to @Timely

With regard to insurance help- If you need help with this, I know Cochlear have a department that will help you work through your insurance issues. I don’t know about the other 2 companies though .

Cochlear also has the auto sense function

  • Automatic environment sensing:

    The SCAN 22 technology within the processor continuously monitors the surrounding soundscape.

  • Smart adjustments:

    Based on the environment, the processor automatically modifies its settings to optimize sound clarity and improve speech understanding.

  • Enhanced experience:

    This automated adjustment allows users to focus on conversations and feel more connected to their world without having to manually change programs.

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