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Costco Kirkland Signature 5.0

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KS5 is on par with ReSound’s current premium product (LinX), with the exception of direct to cellphone bluetooth pairing. The rest is MARKETING by other clinics who want to charge you thousands of dollars in mark-ups.

Source: I am a clinician at Costco’s hearing centre, I have also worked at THREE other clinics, all of which made my stomach turn due to the mark-ups.

I am awaiting an appointment with them. (3 month wait) When I get the aids, I’ll wait to see if I need them. I have an audio bar that emphasizes voice and think/hope I won’t need the added cost/complexity.

In reply to @miller1744

@miller1744 said:

New to Hearing Aids - purchasing KS5’s Monday. Has anyone used the TV Streamer? What is the cost? Is it really necessary?

I have the Resound TV transmitter. It is easier to use than the bluetooth transmitter I used previously, and works better. It is a very robust connection (so yes I can go to the bathroom and still hear TV). If I have any problems understanding speech I turn it on because speech is more understandable with the TV transmitter and there are several shows I watch where I can’t understand certain actors. With the TV transmitter I can understand everything.

To activate I do a long press on the volume down of either hearing aid and it connects almost instantly. Long press on volume up goes back to the previous hearing aid program. So it is very easy and quick to start/stop.

The pro set mine to have the mics on when the transmitter is on, so I can still hear room sounds (I can hear the wife or others in the room) and the remote has the option of turning down the mics if you want.

I think it is $250 range and to me very worth it.

Just returned from Costco hearing exam. The hearing aid fitter told me that new Kirkland hearing aids are due out the end of March - April at the latest. He advised me to wait until the new ones as they will certainly incorporate the new technology. I.e. the direct connection to your phone without an intermediary device and possibly smaller. He didn’t think there would be a price increase. He also said that Costco would be updating the other hearing aids supplied by the other brands.

Sorry, the Costco hearing aid fitter did not know exactly what the new aids would include but was certain that they would include the direct connection to your smart phone. I am also hoping that they will have a smaller, sleeker look. I would also like them to include a t-coil even though the original links do not as I would like to be able to use the loop at church and in theaters. I would hope they would be the same as the new Link2.

@miller1744 said:

I would hope they would be the same as the new Link2.

While I’m not certain I would expect they will be similar to the Linx 1. The model that seems to have been settled into by manufacturers is to have Costco aids about a generation behind their newest product. They’ll end up with the Linx 2 when resound is onto their next release in the future.

Went to an audiologist last week, and trialed an Oticon Alta Pro in just one ear. It was priced at $4K, which I believe is well over MSRP. I decided to go to Costco. Got all their information, and will make an appointment with them next week. I’m sure, after reading this thread, I’ll choose the KS5. I was pleasantly surprised at their features for the price. I’ll hope the new Kirkland aids are introduced within my 90 day trial, then decide if I want/need to switch. Good information on this forum, but I can’t figure out what the abbreviation means. was pretty obvious.

In reply to @miller1744

After reading your post called my fitter in FL and he was not aware of change. He did say his vender was due in Tues. He would try to find out if he had any information and call me. I had just ordered the 5.0 Kirklands on the 5th!

Edited

I would not hang my hat on this but this is what I was told when I called a Costco near me about a week ago and specifically asked about any pending updates in the near horizon. Person that answered phone put me on hold and said she would ask one of the audiologists… she then came back and volunteered that there were indications the Kirkland (KS5, I assume) Signature aid would be most likely refreshed within the next month. I also asked about the Brio line and she said that they were only aware of possible updates to the Kirkland Signature aids at this time.

Based on this, I would guess sometime in April, which would dovetail with the Q2-2015 Resound Annual Report reference.

Does this qualify as a rumbling?

Some truly great comments in that article.

  1. “What’s more, unlike the major differences between the Verso and LiNX/First, the upcoming LiNX² series presents only minor improvements, essentially eliminating any real advantage over the Big Box offerings.” So the Costco model will be really close to the top of the line ReSound Linx. Audiologically, the new LiNX² has little difference to the earlier LiNX: They will be selling two versions at the Big Box store, an “LiNX 6″ in between the 5 & 7 versions, and a “LiNX 8″ in between the 7 & 9 versions.

  2. #13 batteries!

  • The one long-overdue feature the LiNX² will have is that given the push from lousy #312 “mercury free” cells trying to keep up when streaming audio, Denmark finally got the message after almost 5 years that they need #13 battery power across their wireless product line, including for ’s. As we detailed on August 31[SUP]st[/SUP] of last year when [the conventional #13 LiNX was released](http://thehearingblog.com/archives/3189), we do not recommend a 312 battery for use in UHF streaming. Starkey got the memo a year ago and only offers their Halo in a #13 version, and has good user satisfaction;

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