Starkey Otolens - my review

Any reliability problems yet? It’s a great sounding aid, but we have had multiple failures here of both the mic tubing and the receiver reducing in sensitivity. Usually starts to happen from about 6-9months in.

Sorry to be negative about what should have been a great product.

I havent noticed anything, but I am not happy with them because i think the noise reduction is far from good enough. When i use them in a loud enviroment with many people talking at the same time + other noises it is very difficult for me to understeand what people are saying. Do you have any experiences with the otolens aid vs “be by resound” in how it filtering the sound and keep out the noice? I also have problem to understeand what people are saying in bigger groups, like classmeetings ect. Maybe its not enough output power for my hearingloss… Hopefully the otolens will work better as they goes even deeper into the ear canal, hard to tell… I think i will get them a try, only problem is that they are not supported by the insurance here in norway so i will have to pay it from my own pocket pluss If im not happy with them I still will have to pay a pretty big amount of money when i deliver them back:mad:

In terms of performance, I’m not sure if anybody has tried the two side-by-side, especailly as they are quite different products. The less expensive versions of Otolens (Sound lens) should provide some better marked comparisons. However it really all depends on the shape of your ear canal and level of loss to work out if you are suitable.

I agree with Um Bongo. Many patients have had reliability issues with the BE, and their remote mic CIC is actually a much better product from Resound. As Um Bongo mentioned, it really does depend on your canals. My guess however, is that if a BE will fit that deeply in our ear, that an OtoLens (SoundLens) would also. I have OtoLens made to fit my ears but the BE barely fits in my ear at all.

Good luck!

dr. amy

@Um_bongo said:

Starkey does tend to divide opinion amongst dispensers (even on here ). As a whole they are a good bunch and if you want to have an Otolens/Soundlens don’t be put off. However any deep fitted CIC has failure potential (return to Manufacturer) of between 10 and 17 times that of the equivalent RIC model - though the Otolens may have better individual figures than this.

If you can live with that and appreciate that from time to time you will need to go to the Audiologist’s office to get it serviced or sent back to the manufacturer, then there’s no issue.

One other potential pit-fall is candidacy - not everyone is suitable, and even if they are settling such a deep fit can be difficult. However, you won’t find that out until you try one

Couldn’t have said it better myself

I’ve been trialling two Otolens since last August and have suffered from quite severe feedback problems (I get feedback from no discernible reason even in total silence with no head movement) but have nothing but praise for the way Starkey have gone about trying to resolve the problems I have experienced. Apparently my ear canals go very narrow very quickly and it is thought that is resulting in rather bad fit and this is causing feedback. In conjunction with my audiologist and Starkey we are in fact STILL trying to resolve the probs!!

My first set were returned to Starkey due to the feedback probs and were returned to me with an applied soft coating but still had the feedback probs! Starkey then made two completely new aids but from the original impressions (I was allowed to keep the soft coated aids whilst this was done) but unfortunately feedback was still a problem!! Starkey then requested my audiologist to make new impressions and so they could make two more aids!! Two representatives from Starkey then actually flew down to my area with the new aids and fitted and set them up and asked me the try them for a couple of weeks. It became immediately obvious that there had been a slight improvement in the left aid aid but no difference in the right one… then within 3 days the right one gave up the ghost completely!! It just died!! Off it went back to Starkey for repair but it was now just before Christmas so there was a break for holidays before I received it back! It came back repaired but also with a toilet seat type cover over the speaker vent. Unfortunately NO difference or improvement with the feedback though!!! My audiologist then contacted me prior to my next appointment with him and informed me that Starkey wanted to fly back down to attend that appointment and wanted to make two new impressions themselves because they were determined to get the fit right!!

That’s the stage I’m at now, I’ve met them again, they have taken two new impressions and I’m awaiting arrival of two more! One thing is for sure… I’m an expert at having impressions done!!

YES it may turn out that the problems are impossible to resolve and YES it’s been a very frustrating time… but WOW! What dedication from my audiologist and what a service from Starkey! They have both stated that they are determined not to be beaten by my my stupid shaped ear canals!! I’m hoping as much for THEIR sake as much as my own that they succeed!! I’ll lettcha know how I get on! By- the -way… I’m told I have fairly severe loss in both ears, something I already knew, but the Otolens (when not causing feedback) are tremendous in my experience… a vast improvement in my ability to hear alongside the holy grail… invisibility!!! Don.

Thank you, Dontay, for the great report. Bummed to hear that you’re having feedback problems like that, but very encouraged by how diligently your Audiologist and the Starkey folks are trying to work through them. That definitely gives me greater confidence in trying them out myself.

Please do continue to report back as your progress continues.

Also, would you mind sharing where in the country (or the world?) you’re located. Curious about where the Starkey team is traveling from and how far. And, on the chance that you’re in my neck of the woods (or at least for others who are) I’d love to know who your audiologist is. Sounds like he’s very committed to problem solving, and to the SoundLens in particular. If you’re comfortable sharing his contact info or link to his website, I think it would be a valuable referral.

Much thanks!

@dr.amy said:

I agree with Um Bongo. Many patients have had reliability issues with the BE, and their remote mic CIC is actually a much better product from Resound. As Um Bongo mentioned, it really does depend on your canals. My guess however, is that if a BE will fit that deeply in our ear, that an OtoLens (SoundLens) would also. I have OtoLens made to fit my ears but the BE barely fits in my ear at all.

Good luck!

dr. amy

Thanks for the reply! I got my audiogram sendt from my audiologist a couple of days ago, but I don’t understeand what it says. To make it simple; based on this diagram, is the soundlens something for my hearingloss?

@dontay said:

Hi, I live on the south coast in Bournemouth, Dorset in the UK, Starkey’s factory is in the north of England in Cheshire near Manchester, a distance of about 250 miles. Unlike most HA ‘shops’ which somewhere in the background if you check far enough are affiliated or franchised from a major manufacturer my audiologist is completely independent and only deals and specialises in premium level and therefore expensive digital hearing aids. They proscribe HA’s from all the worlds major manufacturers and price wise they simply can’t be beaten. Believe me… I’ve tried!!! The companies name is ‘Digitone’ there are only two branches which are both local to my area. If YOU live in the UK then I hope that info helps… if you live anywhere near Dorset then you simply will not find a better company to deal with, plus they have totally modern purpose built branches, very experienced and have been in business for many years… I’ve needed HA’s for around 40 years… Iv’e checked out other companies on the times that I have updated just for the hell of it more than anything… I’ve never been afraid to get quotes… but no-one else has ever even come close! So there you go… I can’t praise them highly enough. Hope all that maybe of help for yourself or anyone else and quite happy to answer any other questions about my practicable experiences with the Otolens. Best regards, Don.

There are quite a few of us independents, not just Glen.

@Noreg said:

Thanks for the reply! I got my audiogram sendt from my audiologist a couple of days ago, but I don’t understeand what it says. To make it simple; based on this diagram, is the soundlens something for my hearingloss?

sure is

dr.amy

@ZCT said:

Very interesting information. My boss used to live in Bournemouth when I first qualified, and he was a great mentor. I have fond memories of travelling down there for training visits on many occasions. I’ve also been to the Starkey lab in the north, in fact I am still occasionally in touch with the rep there, who has worked there for 30 years!

I have a couple of comments on what you wrote. First, cheap is not always good. Generally when you buy hearing aids, some of the money goes to the lab, some goes to pay the hearing professional, some pays for the overheads, some pays for the services you get, and some goes to the owners/shareholders.

That equation is set in stone. No matter how you slice it, every hearing aid clinic has a hearing professional, overheads, services for you, and an owner who wants a return on his investment. Every aid sold has to be purchased from the lab. So on that basis I worry about the cheapest dispensing offices. My concern is where that saving is coming from, because it has to be from one of those areas I just mentioned.

In the best case scenario the clinic is doing so well through word of mouth that their advertising budget is minimal, and through shear volume of sales they can be cheap. Then if the owner is also the dispenser, that saves some more money.

My second comment on what you said is about the different manufacturers. Unless you are a national company, you are always going to get better wholesale prices if you sell more volume or enter into an exclusive arrangement with a manufacturer. So if you only have a couple of offices and buy from four different factories, then you will not be on their premium wholesale prices.

Also, if you are dealing with say four manufacturers, it is unlikely that you will be able to learn every little quirk, idiosyncrasy, and trick for every single model of every single product that you sell. It is unlikely that you are going to be able to attend product seminars and training for every single manufacturer.

So from a consumer standpoint, having more choice may seem great, but I worry that a hearing professional that offers too much choice is not able to master every single product that he provides.

But those are just my comments. Despite what I have said, I am pleased you have found a reputable and high quality hearing professional to service your hearing needs. Good luck!

Thank you for your comments. I can see your point about jack of all trades & master of none! But I’m not SURE!? How would we get on if we had NO choice? With so MUCH choice & ALSO so much hype from manufacturer’s (which I think raise expectations to an unreasonable high level!) how do we explore or find out which is best for our hearing loss? I’ve tried Siemens, Widex, Oticon & Starkey aids over the years, I usually update around every 4/5 years to take advantage of the latest (claimed) increases in technology & they ALL have great science fiction sounding ‘bits’ in them… but I do wonder! They ALL claim to ensure you hear speech in noisy surroundings, (they DON’T… they HELP!)they all claim to have eliminated feedback (they DON’T… unless you don’t need much gain) etc. etc. up until recently they all claimed that CIC aids were virtually invisible… (I suppose they are if your blind as well as deaf… I better not mention stupid!) Surly the only one who can help us sort out the choices is an experienced audiologist with a wide range of knowledge of what’s around on the market but also can trust & are comfortable with. Also when a new product (example IIC aids & bluetooth products) come onto the market then audiologists are on quite a learning curve as well. More than anything I think it’s TEAMWORK, you & your audiologist working together gets the best results! DO agree that cheap may not be the best and I certainly understand what you say about ‘on-costs’ but when you consider that Starkey Otolens/Soundlens prices that I was quoted ranged from £1800 each to £2700 each (and I need TWO!!)forgive me for stating the obvious but THAT’S a difference of £900 PER aid!!!for the SAME aids!! Sorry… but there is my humble opinion… “no matter how you slice it”… some ripping of going on! OR some places have horrendous on-costs!! But yes, I do understand the point you made… and as in all things, cheap doesn’t necessarily mean good, but it IS possible… if people would only treat searching for the right aids for their hearing loss as a medium term project… to get a Rolls Royce service at a Mini Minor price!!! P.S. I paid £2000 each… not the cheapest quote I had but I’m definitely getting a Rolls Royce service… I’m 7 months into my 30 day trial!! 4 remakes!!! & they have liaised very closely with Starkey to try to sort my fit/feedback problems AND audiologist threw in an extra 4 years warranty!!! I wonder what service I would have had if I’d accepted the very first quote I had. (£2,700 each!!! PHEW!!!) Best regards, Don

My experience with Siemens 701 does not correlate with your assertion.

I have no feedback problem with my Pure 701 BTE RIC (with the smallest open domes) even on the music program where feedback stopper has been turned completely off. OK my hearing loss is not very bad but even if I cup my hands on my ears, there is no feedback except if I get the volume to maximum where feedback finally gets through. I trailed Oticon Agile and Phonak Smart III and neither performed better on feedback rejection.

Hey, glad you don’t suffer feedback problems! But the point I was trying to make is that people that are at the more severe end of the hearing loss scale invariably DO have feedback DESPITE manufacturers terms like Siemens ‘feedback stopper’ & Starkey’s ‘Pure Waveform Eliminator’. ALL of them have very grand science fiction sounding names for their algorithms but no-one as yet can truthfully claim that feedback has been ELIMINATED! Because of the nature & physics of reflected sound waves I doubt they ever will!! But anyone new to the game wouldn’t realise it. Expectations of people at the moderate to severe end then turn into disappointment simply because of manufacturers hype! I expect you don’t suffer from the problem because you don’t need your gains set at higher levels, even on your max overall volume setting. I think the main point to realise is that hearing aids are just that… an aid & a help, not a cure! I just wish the manufactures hype & ‘bumf’ would make that point clear instead of concentrating on making the point that their particular aids are the puppy dogs privates of all hearing aids!!

Hi Dontay,

My comment was not referring to your post but to Dr.Amy’s 03/08 caricatural comment on Siemens allegedly poorer feedback rejection than Oticon’s or Phonak’s:

Siemens Pure??? Not hardly - unless he likes listening to a constant high-pitched feedback…

Sorry that my Q-Reply could not be posted after his own message which I should have clearly quoted.

As for feedback rejection hypes from hearing aid manufacturers, I agree with you that their solutions are not full proof but they certainly make a difference, up to a point. If you ask for extreme amplification, the shorter the distance between the microphone and the speaker, the more feedback will be a problem whatever one does to prevent it. More so with CIC aids.