New Phonak i90's Interesting and to Self Program or Not

I’ve been wearing Phonak Paradise aids for 4 years or so. During the last few months, I was having more issues with speech in noise and understanding speech from people not close to me or with their backs turned. My hearing tests had changed enough that it was time for new technology.

I don’t do single iteration upgrades, so I didn’t think the Lumity would be very helpful. Then I ran across the i90. What I read was interesting, so I decided to try it. I found a new pair from a Phoank authorized audie for around $800 more than the cost of Sennheiser’s at Costco, so I bought them.

Since the audie is out of state, I have three choices in programming–remote, a local audie (Getting adopted ain’t cheap!) or DIY.

I previously managed my aids using Target v7, but a couple of computers later, I don’t know where it went. Right now, I think I’ll get a local audi to program them for me. Currently, I have them set up for M’s with power domes, but my c-shells in 6.0 are on order, so they’ll need a reprogram and an REM when those get plugged in.

My right ear charts moderate about 45 to 2k and moderate to severe around 65 flat to 8K. The left ear is worse. It’s moderate to severe from 500 Hz to 8K.

The power dome M receiver setup has tinny-sounding voices and some floor hiss in some programs. My best guess is the headroom is less in the i90’s, so I’m bumping up against it causing compression issues. Based on a couple of simple occlusion tests, I think the c-shells will help. If not, I’ll have to experiment with P receivers. I hope the c-shells work because I don’t want to spend a bunch of money trying things.

I have a Roger pen and a Select. Setting those up with the i90’s was a real picnic. Thanks for the adventure, Phonak! I also have a partner mic. I have it attached to the speaker on my landline phone, so I can stream those calls also. I haven’t tested the Roger gizmos outside of the house yet.

I’m not a fan of autosense, so I usually disable it and take it off the rotation. With the i90’s I plon on only using 4 programs: Spheric noise, streaming, calm, and a mute. Because I have to do an REM, I’ll have to go to my local audie, who has worked with me off and on for the last 30 years, and compensate him for the faint whiff of Costco that he won’t enjoy.

I use spheric for other things besides speech in loud noise. I turn it on in the theater room when my wife and I watch shows in there. When it’s on, I can hear my wife much better–and that’s important because she talks a lot during movies or binging TV series shows. With the longer battery life, I still have plenty of juice left for restaurants or sitting in the grocery store parking lot with spheric on to block out cart clanging noise so I can hear speech.

I’ve got the Target 11.2 setup on my computer, and I’m relearning it now. I’ll have to get a Noahlink.

Thanks

The version of 7 I had didn’t require a passcode, but the 11 version I downloaded won’t install without one. I tried the Phonak default codes that I had, and they didn’t work.

Basically, I have to find a new source for the 11 that doesn’t need a code, or get a code that works.

My hearing aids aren’t locked. If any audie did that, I would stop the trial and find another audie to supply the i90s.