Trying to decide between Phonak and ReSound

I have Resound Vivia 9s and like them very much. They are not bad in noisy environments (I can hear the cashier), but are not perfect either. I do read that Phonac Spheres do well in noisy environments.

I would encourage you to give Bluetooth another try. It can make hearing phone calls and the TV very reliable/consistent. It can turn On/Off automatically, which makes it very transparent & easy to use.

Looking at your audiogram you should not be using anything than level one hearing aids.
I.E. Vivia 9 or Phonak Infinio Ultra Sphere 90.
I trialed those Phonak & have switched to Resound Vivia 7 (required by WSIB as a starting point) but they are not performing well enough & am in the process of getting WSIB to approve the 9’s.
Point to note 7 months ago I was using Jabra Pro 30 for 6 months from Costco which WSIB don’t cover. So far I have been able to return to the performance level of the Jabra… same as Resound Vivia 9.

@MizPrint said:

I am not ready to keep the ReSound as I am hearing a lot of distortion that sounds like Morse code when I try to watch TV, and in person conversation seems muted.

There is a quality to the sound from Resound devices that some people find bothersome if they can perceive it. In my experience, if you’re experiencing this then the only solution is to switch brands. Nothing the clinician can do will resolve the problem.

Where do you get this from? “distortion and conversation seems muted” unique to ReSound? no this is more of a programming and fitting issue.

The exact quote is “I am hearing a lot of distortion that sounds like Morse code when I try to watch TV…”

There’s a ton of good advice here. One low-tech thing I’ll add. Keep a little notebook and write down the experiences you’ve having with any test aid. Give context ( watching tv in quiet room, talking to wife at table, in a busy store, etc). Describe (tv sounds were distorted, had trouble with these words, got feedback that whistled). When you’re sitting in an exam room, it’s harder to remember the specifics.

Also, I’ve worn aids for many years and am devoted to custom molded ear fittings. When well-made, you forget they’re in. And they stay put thru all the normal moves that humans do with their heads. Hats on/off, sudden bumps, you name it. So many times an aid has slipped off but the molds always hold them secure for easy repositioning.

I do a variation of the notebook.

I make the notes on my phone.

My hearing aids are the PHONAK Naída 90L UP and I am very happy with them. Their sound is really fantastic and very natural. People don’t sound like if they are speaking like a robot any more. Why you say: “no Bluetooth because I do not need more frustration”??? Bluetooth is the best function modern hearing aids got. I am very happy thast my L90 got bluetooth. This makes my life sooo much better. I can respond to phone calls with them. I can listen to music while nobody knows it. I can watch TV with them getting the sound directly into my ears, etc.. Bluetooth is a great thing. Once you got accustomed to use it, you won’t loose it again.

I use Resound Vivia 9 & for TV I stream in Auracast using a Avantree device connected to my TV optical out.
For group gatherings I find speech focus works well. I had my audio turn that on in my all around mode.

I made my mind up and returned the ReSounds to the audiologist yesterday and had her order the Phonak Lumity L 90 for me. Due to shipping time, her schedule and mine I will not be able to pick them up and have them programmed for 3 weeks. But I am really looking forward to that day. I thank you all for your comments and suggestions that helped me make my decision. I’ll be back when I can hear again.

I am recommending at least try rechargeables, because a few years ago even I was initially skeptical about rechargeables. Phonak Audeo Infinio Sphere 90 usually can hold battery even for 2 days (30-40 hours) when I don’t need the AI program (that is in normal days).

And in noise AI Spheric program is outstandingly better than best Lumities. It’s literally life-changing for me, not worth to stay with disposables.

There is also a few very good options with disposables, like Starkey Omega AI (24?), Oticon Verit, perhaps Signia, but I am not sure.

I went from Phonak Marvel to Sonnheiser Rite at Costco. They made a good fitting ear mold. It has more power than my Marvel and the streaming is easy and clear. I bought a partner mic which helps and hope to find a roger on soon that is used. The person at Costco spent a lot of time fitting the ear mold and it is one of the best fitting mold I have had in all my years wearing a hearing aid. What I have is not the Sphere but it is the best I can afford right now.

I have now been trialing the Phonak L90s and really like them except for the fit of the domes. The medium are too big, hard to get in my ears and hurt while in there plus causing occlusion. The small ones are too loose and causing some feedback. I gave up over the weekend and traded them out for a pair of Starkey open domes and was quite happy. I cannot use molds! If my only choices are the Phonak domes I might as well stay with the Starkey aids and give up on hearing.

That’s interesting. Based on your audiogram, I would not expect open domes to work for you .

If you switched from a more closed dome (e.g. vented ) to open , your aids need to be reprogrammed/ calibrated .

Some people make a cut on the domes if they feel too big, but I’ve never tried this. I did encounter the same issue with Phonak domes, and I switched to Oticon domes.