Cochlear implant and hearing aid decision-making/brand

Thank you for your reply, FredO! Reading your disappointments and the replies from others was very informative!

Thank you so much for the insurance and auto sense tips! I am checking it out on the website!

According to Which hearing aids are compatible with the myPhonak app?, yes.

However, my audiologist told me that the AB implant’s M90 processor is NOT compatible. I just sent a question to AB about the app.

@Deaf_piper said:

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

Yes, AB does this also. Very helpful to have them work with insurance, rather than me!

Your AuD should have offered you to try/text different “programs” that can be options on the app (or controlled with the buttons on your HA/CI. If they have not, please ask. There about a dozen options and you can have up to 4. I added Speech in Loud Noise, Speech in Car and Off Ear for using my Activity Case while I swim. Also - re your muddled sound - you might request that an AB AuD attend your next mapping so they can guide your adjustments. It can take several visits to adjust things as you get accustomed to the new way of hearing. Not all AuDs are super trained in all three brands, so having a rep from your brand (AB) could be helpful!

@joanhawsey said:

Your AuD should have offered you to try/text different “programs” that can be options on the app (or controlled with the buttons on your HA/CI. If they have not, please ask. There about a dozen options and you can have up to 4.

Great point. Every time I go, I try diff programs. I have a couple that are keepers, but each time I try something new, just to see what it does. That how I discovered “Sound in 360”, which is a great counterpoint to a noise reducing program.

@astrohip said:

That how I discovered “Sound in 360”, which is a great counterpoint to a noise reducing program.

I always liked Phonak. Love their hands free classic Bluetooth. I liked the 360 as well.

All great insights from various CI brand users here! I am an AB user. I chose for the true “linked” compatibility with the Phonak Marvel Link HA, more complex electrode array workings that allow for more elements of sound (I am not technical - your Rep could explain), AB customer service reputation as being excellent (I have found this to be true!), the ability of the internal implant to be updated with new tech. (Cochlear is touting this as new with its newest CI - however it really isn’t new - AB has had it with the Marvel for 5 years. It’s new to Cochlear, but not overall.)

I researched all 3 thoroughly. As others have said, they all work! I found Med El to be behind - they tout their longer electrode array, but there really is no science on that actually being the case that I found. In my case, my ear would have been to small internally to use the longer array, so it would have been useless anyway. Cochlear does “work” with other hearing aids, but not in the same linked way that AB/Phonak do through one app. I find that the CI and HA work together to provide a level up of sound quality for me than I would have with either one.

AB is rumored to have a new version coming sometime in ‘26 but nothing has been announced. I am almost 3 years implanted and my speech understanding was 95% after just a couple months. I have been quite happy with my choice of AB. One can’t really compare, so do your best on research and whatever you decide, you will be on your way to better hearing!

I am happy to connect directly if you want to talk thru some things. I am a volunteer mentor with AB

@joanhawsey said:

the ability of the internal implant to be updated with new tech. (Cochlear is touting this as new with its newest CI - however it really isn’t new - AB has had it with the Marvel for 5 years

All internal implants are updatable, that’s how they are mapped. The new Cochlear Nexa system is unique that it stores mappings to be transferred to a new external processor in the event a processor is lost. AB will not do this. The new Nexa internal implant can also get firmware updates, this is also new to CI implants that AB and MedEll do not do.

The Cochlear bimodal processor and it’s compatible hearing aid are controlled from one phone app, the Nucleus Smart app. Each can be adjusted separately when needed. It’s a pretty nice app, lots of controls to adjust settings as needed.

As mentioned, I am a fan of Phonak and initially wanted AB but my surgeon talked me out of it for reliability reasons.

@FredO said:

I just noticed my AB app shows AutoSense OS 3.0. However, there are no options shown. I do not see anything about noisy or quiet mode.

It’s a program you select. It handles the noise for you, there are no settings (thru the app) once you choose AutoSense. When it’s quiet, it opens the gates wide (so to speak). When it’s noisy, it changes to adapt to that. Hence, AutoSense.

Thank you for the link to the research! All of this is obviously new to me! It seems the coding strategies are key.

Thank you very much, Joan, for all these details and offer to connect! Your post and the reply from Raudrive are very informative. I’m happy for you that you had great success in just a couple of months. I believe from Raudrive’s reply that Cochlear’s system is now what you termed “true ‘linked’ compatibility” ?? thanks!!

@Timely said:

I believe from Raudrive’s reply that Cochlear’s system is now what you termed “true ‘linked’ compatibility” ??

No, the linked Joan talks about is the hearing aid to the processor. AB actually communicates with each other. This can be an advantage for difficult hearing situations, at least on paper. I can see how it could help. The Cochlear processor and the compatible Resound hearing aid do not talk to each other as AB does. Both these brands each have a phone app that controls both hearing aid and processor.

I am bilateral Cochlear. These processors do not talk to each other. The talking to each other takes place in the brain where all sounds are figured out. IMO

@Raudrive said:

The new Cochlear Nexa system is unique that it stores mappings to be transferred to a new external processor in the event a processor is lost. AB will not do this.

I looked into this - you are indeed correct. From what I understand, it sounds cool, but functionally it doesn’t really change much. If you have a “spare” processor, it is usually loaded with the map each time your primary processor is updated - I bring mine each appt. Also, AB and most companies keep a copy of the map in their internal system. So if you lose or damage a processor, don’t have a spare, and need to order a replacement - AB just sends it out already mapped using what they have stored.

@Raudrive said:

The new Nexa internal implant can also get firmware updates, this is also new to CI implants that AB and MedEll do not do.

As to this, I understand it is not the case. Cochlear is claiming to have the first to have upgradable firmware but AB has been able to do this for 20 years. It is the first for Cochlear brand, but not industry wide. In 2006, Current Steering was added via a software update at the audiologist to those who were implanted in the earlier 2000. The hardware had the capacity, but the software was not perfected yet, so they added the feature later using the same processor. Continuous updates have been added over the years including improved battery life; ClearVoice to help with clarity in noise; SoftVoice to help with soft voices. I 2023 they added the ability for remote programming - so someone who got implanted in 2001 could be programmed remotely after getting a firmware update.

I really don’t understand the ins and outs - but just thought I should provide the feedback I learned about to help users know what questions to ask when making there decision. As we all agree - all brands of CI work…just some features are different and individual users can choose what fits their lifestyle the best! Nice to have options.