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Cochlear candidate

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In reply to @jcech

@jcech said:

You can stream from any device that supports BLE.

You are really really sure?
If you say , you mean BlueTooth LE-Audio (since Bluetooth 5.2) in contrast to BlueTooth LE, which exists since BlueTooth 4.0.
and are derived from an early stage of BlueTooth LE-Audio but you may not interchange these names.
As far as I know Medel (i.e. Sonnet 3) is not capable of decoding streams from Bluetooth 5.2 but supports only ASHA and MFi (I do not know about Cochlear).

So you are right: bilateral Medel user using Sonnet 3 (or Sonnet 2 + Audiostream adaptor) may stream audio directly from most modern mid and high end mobiles devices.
For Medel users you may combine Sonnet 3 with some Starkey for direct streaming. But since I am bilateral I cannot say anything about latency.
With Medel’s Audiolink XT bimodal Medel user may combine Sonnet 2+Audiostream or Sonnet 3 together with any HA capable of ASHA or MFi. Latency? No idea.

Cochlear and don’t need a secondary device to stream. AB works pretty much like the Phonak Marvel hearing aids, hands free classic Bluetooth. Cochlear uses Bluetooth LE and now is also ready for . AB has a Link compatible hearing aid for hearing and Cochlear uses compatible Resound hearing aids for bimodal hearing.

In reply to @jcech

The latency test is interesting. I tried it with my and Phonak Link . I hear one beat with regular listening and do detect two beat sounds - each sounds a bit different - when streaming even tho the are linked. BUT I also feel as though I have that when listening without streaming - I was surprised I didn’t notice it for the test. I have always felt that there is a hint of delay between CI and HA, and find that focusing on the CI often results in better comprehension. I may talk with my next time about bumping up the CI overall volume and see if that helps with my focus.

You don’t know how happy I am to finally learn this. Claims of streaming ability to ci and ha have always been a drawn for people how are . It was hard for me to believe that other manufacturers could solve the latency potential and ME could not.

From what I have read sin e then, this appears to be a software or issue with the signal first going to the CI and then to the . I confirmed this by using the latency tester to measure the latency time of each separately.

Thanks you

In reply to @Dani

I have the audiolink XT and use it for TV streaming. Latency isn’t an issue because it doesn’t use . It connects with the TV through the audio out jack and the signal is transmitted to both the and as an fm signal through the in each. Not ideal, but it works well enough. In the latency test it comes through as a single pulse.

It’s the BT protocol (CI first then HA) that creates the effect of latency. I can connect and stream to my Sonnet 2 CI and Widex moment HA without any issue. It’s just that there is a slight delay that prevent clear sound from being perceived. Another poster (@joanhawsey ) confirmed this with the system. Maybe will solve this problem when it comes out.

Edited

Stumbled on this thread and apologies to OP if I should have started new thread. I’d be a candidate per 1st appt with new audiologist, yet am reluctant due to currently limited liife bandwidth for undertaking what seems like would be at very least a multi month learning curve and major life event. Currently have Phonak Infinio Sphere but my word recognition scores have sharply decreased. My actual exp in quiet environment with Roger On mic, or even some moderately noisey restaurants is good for former and frustrating but mostly OK (not enjoyable) for latter. I’ve read most of this very helpful thread; your corrections of my preliminary understanding and comments:

  1. Someone early in thread wrote something to the effect “probably better outcomes for CI, doing it sooner rather than later.” My key ? in this post: is there likely a significant downside in postponing? I imagine that perhaps a prudent approach would be to get CI evaluation and get input/perspective from a professional (but unfortunately on the surface of it, they have some conflict of interest). Downside of postponing, if true is quite motivating. I got 10 years ago at age 71, and wished I had done so earlier. But HAs don’t have the rare but still possible downsides of CI, which could initially or over time negate any residual hearing.

  2. It seems while some of my learning and research on HAs will apply to CI, this is really aa very different realm. Significant time is needed to become a knowledgeable consumer and decision maker in collaboration with a chosen surgeon and rehab specialist. Basically, for the median user experience it’d be a significant life focus for I’d guess 3-5 months, and then less so for an additional 3-5 months. Unlike HAs, adjustments are limited and so quite a number of visits with specialist for tweaks adjustments are part of process. The outcome for speech recognition is quite promising, life changing, but for the median consumer it isn’t a free lunch and that diligence in practicing and doing the training exercises is vital.

  3. True?? Like with many eye surgeries (which I have had), I expect that it is often suggested to consider the pros of initially only doing CI on the poorest side first? I know understand the jargon (of bi modal) which has one temporarily or permanently married to two technologies.

FYI, my scores had improved but then most recently gotten much, much worse.
July 2023 R 76% L 44%
Dec. 2024 R 92. L 48 90
Mar. 2026 R 36 L 32 binaural 40
During this same time frame has been quite stable with typically only 5 DB decline for frequencies >= 1.5K

As always, grateful for the experience and collective insights and wisdom of forum members. I just found out that OHSU in Portland OR where I live has very well trained surgeon who was trained using robotic assistance with excellent track record - that is encouraging. {Edits to add OHSU info}

@Edma said:

I imagine that perhaps a prudent approach would be to get CI evaluation and get input/perspective from a professional

This is key - you can decide NOT to proceed, but at least you have gotten useful input. As for the downside…your hearing will only get worse! And, you could develop additional health issues that would make surgery more difficult. You have a similar as I did when implanted 3 years ago. Yes, a learning curve, but ALL sound is rehab - not JUST the specific rehab apps. Keep radio, audiobooks, TV, music, conversation all going as much as you can so your brain has the input it needs to adjust. Rehab need be maybe an hour most days of the week for a while. It isn’t overwhelming. I lost my residual - didn’t bother me nearly as much as I thought it would because the worked! Good luck with our decision - always welling to message or zoom if a conversation would benefit. I chose Advanced Bionics CI with the Phonak Marvel Link .

In reply to @Edma

I’m in the process of being qualified for a because my word recognition is continuously decreasing, much like yours, and it seems that I have reached the limit of improvement from ’s after 25 years. My thoughts are much like yours in that this is a major life changing event, there is no turning back and positive results can’t be guaranteed. At first, I expected to lose residual hearing completely, but now I think there may be a possibility of retaining some at low frequency. However, I’m getting mixed signals on the likelihood of that and that it will last very long.

I’m doing a lot of research on the three CI brands and that makes the decision to proceed with CI even more difficult because there are significant differences in the pros and cons of each manufacturer.

The inputs on this forum from people with CI experience is a great help, so thanks to those who have replied to this thread.

In reply to @Edma

@joanhawsey Thanks for your info which I find helpful as well as offer to talk or zoom, which I might take you up on at a future date. I do for myself disagree with your assertion “Your hearing will only get worse” or at least the implication that will only get worse. My own history from 2023 to 2024 showed right side improvement from 76% to 92% which can not be accounted for simply by test-retest variability. During that time I was doing some brain processing exercises and training around audio processing. While I do realistically expect that sensory (nerve) response will not improve, actual hearing and processing of speech (as you are directly experiencing with rehab) is significantly a more central brain/mind “activity.”

@joesan I wish you the best with your own process, research, and decision making.

I expect for myself that some of this might be relatively easy to take a 1st step, especially if I can get on list for evaluation at Oregon Health Sciences University which has a very good national rating in numerous health areas, and since the key surgeon there was trained in use of the robotic arm implantation procedures (which from the little I have read) has many pros with few cons (except perhaps cost, and time to get scheduled) perhaps significant parts of my own research and decision making might be greeatly narrowed down.

Again thanks to both of you and to all on this thread. It is very supportive, knowledgeable and helpful. It is really a pleasure for me to be communicating with people who take a keen interest inn their own health choices and educate themselves to increase odds of balancing risk/reward in their favor.

Primarily because I wanted the brand that had the best link between and . is still the o only brand that allows the two to truly work together and to operate with a single app. I liked that the parent company, Senova, is over bothers AB and Phonak. It meant they are in the pairing game for the long haul. Phonak has a great reputation for HAs. AB at the time had the most recent technology upgrade. It is now rumored to have another processor/HA combo coming out this year. I wasn’t impressed with the usefulness of the Med El linger electrode. If it was a game changer it seems all 3 would do it. And not every hear can use the longer length. Lastly, I love that they offer fun colors. I got teal🤪

Thanks. I agree that the link between an is very important. I met with rep yesterday and she did a good job of explaining the differences between the 3 brands. From what I’ve read, the longer electrode may not be necessary and may interfere with residual hearing. Did you retain any of your natural hearing? Do you find the “electronic” hearing differs greatly from HA’s?

The sounds are more clear which makes understanding easier. I could function quite well with just the on my left side and skip the on the right - it does not add clarity. The sound is different, but not in a bad way. Somewhat like an electronic piano vs an acoustic. There are some nuances that the CI can’t quite reproduce, but the clarity is still there. So it allows for better communication. After a few months or more, the brain adapts and the sounds of both CI and HA sort of merge and your brain hears it as one for most people. Our brains are amazingly adaptable. But…one has to wear the CI all day for this to happen…putting it on just when you go out or when another is home doesn’t allow your brain enough time to really start processing all the new things you can hear now with the CI!

@joanhawsey all this talk about ’s link has me curious. I am pretty familiar with Phonak having programmed them for many years. AB is based on the Marvel generation of aids, 2018. The first generation of classic Bluetooth and hands free calling, very nice. The aids would talk to each other based on which program they were in. Is this what you describe as linked? The app has nothing to do with this that I know of.

I am guessing the AB processors and the Link hearing aid are pretty much like the Marvel aids. Is this correct?

Good question. I can switch programs, answer calls, and adjust volume by pressing buttons on either the or and both adjust. No need to fiddle with both. Or, I can use the app to do this. The app also allows me to reduce outside sounds when streaming or “split” the CI and HA volume controls to operate each independently. I often increase the CI volume when watching TV to help with clarity. I can also use Phonak based accessories like the Roger On an it connects to both CI and HA. I found a helpful article (note-sponsored by ) and this excerpt explains the benefits from a fitting perspective.

“Conventional hearing aid formulas fail to align acoustic and electrical signal processing, leading to suboptimal outcomes. The fitting formula intelligently identifies cochlear dead regions, providing more gain below 1000 Hz for typical CI patient hearing loss profiles and cutting off amplification to high-frequency regions where the CI provides input. Research confirms the efficacy of this approach, showing superior speech understanding in noise with the bimodal fitting formula compared to conventional formulas, even eliminating the need for additional testing to identify dead regions. Studies from Italy further validate these findings, demonstrating significantly better speech intelligibility with the Naída Link hearing aid using the APDB fitting formula compared to other setups.”

Link to article https://www.audiologyonline.com/articles/ab-connectivity-and-linked-two-293813

In reply to @joanhawsey

I don’t want to downplay Naida amd I am positively envious about its capabilities, I am also Phonak user in my non-CI ear, however I feel a bit strange because of Sonova still advertising still his 7-8 year? technology. I think it’s time for them to release something new.

Perhaps they want to mature their technology enough to include Sphere chip in their newest sound processors? I don’t know.

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