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New Sam's hearing aids - Bernafon Encarta 400 & NuEar NXG (Starkey AI 24)

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In reply to @Hearing_Potential

H_P, Thanks for that last comment, although to tell the truth I did not really understand it. SO. I googled temporal vs frequency processing in hearing aids, and found the academic reference which you no doubt have seen. Published in a WSA White Paper, April 2026, "Sound Preference As A Measurable Dimension in Hearing Aid Fitting." Written by a group consisting of several PhD's, the paper is written clearly and understandable to a broad audience. Even I followed it! Lastly, I think after reading it and having seeing a hearing test someone on this forum posted a couple of months ago, that I somewhat prefer frequency processing. Thanks again.

In reply to @comeagain

Well, I have not been able to follow this very well. This "channel" stuff is over my head.

Don't worry to much, it's all "fluff" anyway.

Just tell me one thing. If I were to go the route again

Don't go down this path, your outside the fitting range and your only real option is Costco, pop in to your local store and get the real deal at the best price's in town, trial and error to find the best brands/model that you like, and Costco only sell the premium models so no dicking around with which features to choose from.

In reply to @portage

You're welcome. Some audiologists can instinctively tell what kind of sound processing will better meet the needs of certain personality types as they are associated with how their central nervous systems respond to stimuli, but it isn't reliably predictable for everyone. In such cases the best thing you can do is experience a few different brands that process sound differently to see what your preferences are, how strong they are and if you fall into the 40% with a strong preference this will guide which choices you should make to maximise your chances of long term success.

This may necessarily mean trying out a few different providers if you cannot find a single one that offers brands with different processing strategies. Sound preferences are reasonably stable, but can change and the hearing aid signal processing being offered by a specific brand can change significantly over the 6 year period since you purchased your last aids, so even repeat users may find it worthwhile trialing a different brand or two when making their next purchasing decision.

Some audiologists can instinctively tell what kind of sound processing will better meet the needs of certain personality types as they are associated with how their central nervous systems respond to stimuli, but it isn't reliably predictable for everyone.

Yoyr not serious right, that's just..well crystal ball stuff 🤪

Edited

Personality has a biological basis to at least some extent. Extroverts and introverts respond to stimuli differently on a neurobiological level. This is being discussed in the scientific literature and has become a topic of greater interest recently with regards to audiology.

Some clinicians seem to be able to hone in on aspects of individuals' personality and use it to predict and work out who is more likely to prefer a particular brand based upon this information and their clinical experience. This isn't something that I have personally focused on, but these clinicians seem to be quite good at predicting success. I prefer to use other objective tools to achieve the same thing. There is an "art" to auditory rehabilitation and some people seem to have talents in this area that others don't.

How do you know they are not just good at adapting the person to the sold aid as with salespeople. Like a mind-reader it's performative and people can be molded due to plasticity, emotions, etc.

Maybe for some clients, but also some audiologists push follow-ups hard. After all the client prepaid for them. There are many opportunities to build the relationship and push the client to use the aids so they are happy and buy more aids/accessories/services in the future. The client has no idea whether another aid would be preferable. The sunk cost and possible improvements in technology add complexity to the endless sales and upgrade cycle. Then the client hears about Costco, oh well.

I'm talking about long-term usage. People who are unhappy with the way their devices sound often fail to persist in the long-term. There are plenty of people who want and can afford the latest technology and the most comprehensive care. Costco isn't an option they're considering and its model isn't intended to appeal to them.

So they end up losing out, seems obvious to most there's no difference is service/care but a massive difference in price, so one certainly doesn't get anything better just because they pay way more then Sam's or Costco.

@tenkan said:

seems obvious to most there's no difference is service/care

The US market is the wild west for audiology. The standards of practice are so highly variable that so you cannot say you pay for what you get. The standards of care aren't even consistent across Costco and vary according to the provider that you see and it seems in most places you don't get a choice who that is. The problems are systemic and are largely driven by forces beyond the clinician's control.

If people want high standards of care they're going to have to seek out a provider that consistently provides this and pay what they charge. In many cases this is going to be someone who has control of the business and places a specific focus on the highest standard of clinical care. If your focus solely favours low cost then you will end up with only providers offering a lower standard of care because the economics of the business will drive everyone in that direction.

"...seek out a provider that consistently provides this and pay what they charge"

I am interested in this "higher standard" idea that you mentioned. However, I don't know of any method to find a clinic that "consistently provides this". As a senior, the cost is not a problem, but also I don't get around that much, but I want a reasonable deal if I can find one. Costco is 90 miles away, and there are no "best practices" in my home town.

I'm going to get a new pair of soon, and I am at my wit's end so far. I have no idea where I'm going to go. So for me, its going to be a "hit and miss" deal. I hope I will find something that works, and that "luck of the draw" is on my side.

thanks

Ninety miles to save thousands and get better practices ( at least) doesn't sound that bad. Do some shopping at the same time. Costco will provide you extra supplies and even mail them to you if you are far away so you won't need to go for every little thing. Use the savings to get a dryer, vacuum, and magnifier if you don't have them and you can keep the aids working well.

Thanks to all who contributed to this thread, they have been helpful to me. I'm at a stalemate at present (between Sams and Costco; 8 miles verses 90 miles. I've visited Sam's three times. The one person there is always tied up, after he told me to come by any time to trial some aids in the store. He's written facts down twice concerning my situation (insurance, (which I took with me last time), and models, etc. and promised to call me back, but never did.

I also called Costco, and the lady there seemed rushed, not friendly, and after a question or two, I asked if I could get aids there, and do the rest online. She said, absolutely, no way, that it would take a minimum of 3 visits. Well, that's 350 miles of travel, plus one meal each time, and 15 gal of gas, so a minimum of $105 just to go back and forth 3 times, if I get there. So I guess I'll keep thinking about this (Sams or Costco). Heck, I'll wait a few months, even with no aids, and see what the new year will bring. From posts on here, it seems that a lot of changes will come by 2027. I may just do as I did before and go the otc route (even though some say I shouldn't; my 55 yr. old daughter is opposed to me doing that much travel alone)

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