So what I find most interesting is the fact that this aid will transfer sounds from one aid to the other. I wonder if this will do away with the need for a crosslink for those with one deaf ear. So the technology that uses this is called stereozoom and auto zoomcontrol. But it does not look like the aids are performing any processing with the sound that’s transferred between them.
The previous models (Phonak Audeo Smart IX) already has the ability to transfer sounds from one aid to the other. The feature is called “Duophone”. Basically you hit the button on the hearing aid that you are using to talk on the phone and this hearing aid transmits the same input to the other hearing aid so that you hear the same thing in both ears. So this is not a new feature for the Spice versions. They may however have taken this technology up a step to coordinate microphones to focus on certain sounds and transmit this to both ears…not sure.
I’m honestly beginning to think that Resound really took the market a step forward when they released the Alera with a true wireless solution with no neck loops. My audiologist told me an interesting story regarding the failed merger of Phonak and Resound. He said that the merger was supposed to combine the best of wireless at the time (from Phonak) with the best of sound processing (from Resound). While merger talks progressed to the final stages, Resound dropped all development of their own wireless technologies thinking that they would gain this new technology from Phonak. As we all know, the merger failed and Resound got left out in the cold without a wireless solution. My audiologist feels that this forced Resound to go back to the drawing board and develop an all new, latest generation wireless capability. It took them a bit of time but what they ended up with was a step ahead of the competition. Not sure if this is true but its an interesting theory especially when you consider that Resound owns quite a bit of intellectual capital (i.e. Jabra) in the wireless market. Stands to reason that wireless would be their competitive advantage.
I will definitely trial the new Spice product because hearing better is really what its all about. If I can hear better with Phonak’s new products, I don’t really care how/why it works. I will say I like my Alera aids and that its going to be a hard sell for Phonak if the aids don’t perform.
Jordan.
Toronto, Canada