Which Costco hearing aid? (here we go again...)

Jabras worked well for me but had three failures in just over one years time. As a result COSTCO made me an offer to return my purchased price and allowed me to purchase PHILIPS 9050 and so far so good.

Because of Philips long experience in the business they were my original choice but was told by the COSTCO audiologist Jabra would be a better choice. When they worked they were good but as to reliability not so good.

I started with KS9, Last year went in and they were pushing Jabra, tried it for 2 months and returned it. Too noisy, too tinny, not natural. Changed to Rexton Reach and love it. No need for app and multiple programs, as everything is automatic. The app lets you control the cone of focus. Try one for a month or so and and try another. I know lots of people like hte Jabra, but it was not for me. Very few people post on the Rexton.

@Bimodal_user said:

There are new hearing aids based on Starkey Edge AI platform, which are decent devices:

https://youtu.be/TDKxFi60U14?si=PmHo6SB-3egrJby0

Thanks a lot for this. Found a local Costco carrying these, will test them out next Monday.

Meantime… Two major (for my little brain) developments:

• Got Airpods Pro 3 and an iPad, did a hearing test with them. Been wearing these AirPods in “hearing aid” mode for the last few days while I am waiting for the repaired KS9 to come back and for a new set.
  • Having a blast! I am hearing sounds - from birds to a variety of hums, chirps, voices a few offices over, to a whole new dimension of my wife’s lovely voice - everything sounds fuller, richer, clearer.
  • Not without issues:
    • Twig snaps, car doors closing, glass clinking, a lot more “sharp” sounds - cause very loud pops, aking to micro-explosions in my head. Not sure what’s up with this - none of my previous HAs did this even with the overcompensation for high frequency loss.
    • They don’t look like HAs - they look like weird antennas sticking out of my ears, with people looking quizzically not being sure if I am on a call or listening to something.
    • They get in the way, can get bumped off my ears, aren’t very comfortable long term.
  • With some sounds, directionality is great, yet with others - a barrel effect, i.e. occlusion.
  • I can hear my own voice better vs. my old KS9.0 yet it sounds somewhat muffled. (Or maybe I just talk like that, lol…)
  • I can make some words when someone is talking in the next office with the door open - yet when someone talks directly to me, there seems to be much less clarity, I still struggle. Don’t know what to make of it - but then I am very early into testing and tuning them.
  • They seem to last nearly all day - or at least 7-8 hours - and that’s “always on” and with substantial amplification.
  • For $250-ish - an amazing device, Airpod Pro. While it’s supposed to be only for mild-to-moderate loss (I am “severe dipping into profound”, I was told), there’s an option to bring up amplification a bit - and they sound close to how KS9.0 do except of course much better (richer, fuller, clearer). Are great for phone calls and watching Netflix on a computer or an iPad.
  • They really saved me over the last few days, since I got them, given I have no other HAs, and none of the Costcos nearby could give me loaners. I can function better at work, at home, feel safer walking around, confident I’ll hear a car behind me before it runs me over. I can hear someone saying “good morning” softly - something my old HAs may not have picked up.
  • (Why I had to get an iPad, too: the only way to take a hearing test with Airpods Pro. Or an iPhone. But an iPhone is more expensive. I’ve been on Android since 2008 G1, never had an i-anything despite being mostly on Macs for the last decade - perhaps it’s time to rethink this.)
• Tested Jabra Pro 30 and Philips 9050 at Costco thinking I’d go with Jabras because their app is better and seems to allow better manual control - but nope. Philips sounded this much better - richer and fuller, more natural. It was immediately apparent. Went with Philips but am also looking forward to testing out SoundGear / Starkeys next Monday.

(Yay, Airpods! )

The problem you describe of not being able to hear the egg cooker or the alarm keypad may well have to do with the setup on the Jabra HAs. You should talk to your audiologist at Costco about these issues and have them check the settings. They set the response curve on your HAs, and it sounds like your Jabras are set up differently from your Kirkland HAs. There is no reason why the Jabras shouldn’t have the ability to compensate for the higher frequencies the same as your Kirkland aids.

I agree about the attention from Costco. I am on my third pair of aids from Costco, over the last .15 years, and skeptical about the knowledge of the latest audio person. She sold me a pair of Jabra Enhanced Pro PM aids, that I tolerate. There is no volume compensation for close or far persons speaking, like in meetings. I have to turn the aids up for across the table, then down for persons next to me. Old technology?? I retired from a career in telecommunications, have a commercial FCC license, so know a little about electronics. The Enhanced Pro aids appear to be old school.. When I asked the Costco audio gal about the problem, she just cranked up the volume. Clueless! Now, I have to regularly turn the volume down for normal conversations. Am I expecting too much? I also found it a little disturbing when looking at numbers - the aids have the name “Janra” printed on them, but Resound model & serial numbers printed on them. However, the serials she wrote on the sales sheet are different. Was I really sold Enhancd Pro models? Bait & switch? I talked to a Jabra rep in Bloomington today, and he said Resound manufactures the aids labeled “Jabra”. I also bought the Jabra TV Steamer, and returned it - mediocre tiny, tinny sound. I have a high frequency haring loss. The bottom line is I no longer give Costco high marks for their service. Who can you trust?.

I’ve had a similar issue although not relating to Jabra aids but relating to the person I was “working” with. she too seemed not to have a clue. Had to work with her as the person I regularly work with at Costco wasn’t available. It’s about the tech/audiologist completely. Years ago worked with a tech at Costco who was great; then him promoted to corporate. Next tech was horrible. went to diff Costco. Audiologist I saw was terrible; next visit did it with the tech; she was and still is great. I see no one but her & she’s always excellent. Hopefully she won’t be getting “promoted” any time soon! also, during the past yr, I saw an audiologist (not costco) for new aids. that didn’t turn out well either! It’s the person all the time. Just need to find the right one for you. It’s really frustrating. No matter Costco or an independent audi, it’s about the person who you’re working with.

The current Jabra model sold by Costco is the Pro 30, not ‘PM’. I recommend going back and asking to speak to a manager.

issues with HAs tend to be about the fitting–or the fitter–rather than the aids, when it comes to major brands. Costco sells major brands. My guess is that Costco fitters are paid less than in the private market; and/or that many are going on to get a degree in audiology and are making ends meet at Costco. But yes, there are also very good fitters at Costco based on what I’ve read here. But they tend to come and go. I’m lucky in that the audis where I buy my HA every six years or so have been very knowledgable and most have stayed around for some time. And they have notes and records of my entire HA history. this is very important! The next fitter will have all that to get a sense of my particular needs and desires.

Re: ggreenone’s post: Same experience here. Two years with unknowledgeable audiologists at Costco before I found one that adjusted my Jabras to make a real difference in my hearing. I wasted two years of mediocre experience with the HAs before I got the proper adjustment. It’s all about the skill of the audiologist you work with at Costco. And yes, unfortunately, it is a revolving door for audiologists.

I don’t have confidence that the fitters at the Costcos in my area (minimum 20 miles away) are knowledgeable or well qualified. I’m torn between the Jabra Pro 30 and the Philips 9050. One of the deciding factors could well be that the Jabras are equivalent to the Resound Vivia and use the same fitting software, which would enable me to go to more qualified audiologist to have them adjusted (even if it cost $500 or more, its less than buying Vivias from an Audi) while the Philips requires specialized SW that differs from Oticon.

@user490 said:

Can someone confirm which current Costco options do not need specific software?

ReSound SmartFit (for Jabra) and Phonak target(for Sennheiser) the rest are specific, like Phillips Hearsuite, Rexton flavoured Connexx and Soundgear version of Starkey Profit.

Each of those with specific software can’t be programmed with the regular software? I didn’t realize Costco uses Target or is it just that Target will work?

Well it just depends on what you call regular, as you need each specific flavoured version for it to work with Costco, actually even Rexton is actually sold out side of Costco, it’s not a exclusive to them, and yes it’s the standard version of target for Sennheiser which are just rebranded Lumity models.

What are the Soundgear? (Which Starkey?)