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Costco Kirkland Signature 5.0

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In reply to @edsandra

@edsandra said:

My Au,D has not been able to get the Premium Music program to work on my Bernafon Acriva 9’s after six weeks of trial. When I switch to this program it is almost like I turned the mute on. We exchanged the aids but it did not fix the problem. Music sounds good in the Muilti-Enviorment program. The Bernafon support has been of no help to my Costco Au,D. She is hoping to get answers at the conference she attending this week.

My Au,D built me a music program by coping the Muilti-Environment program and then turning several features like wind noise off and tweeking several other pramaters. I must say that the result is very good for listening to music on my suround sound system. The KS 5.0’s that I will be trialing in two weeks will have to be very very good to beat it.

Any suggestions on noise management for the Acrivas? I’m still having issues with that, although I like a lot of things about the aids. They don’t sell a microphone system I don’t think. I have troubles in noisy rooms with a lot of people talking. Also, my audi at Costco turned down the one aid because the compression was causing a tinny sound, much like my phonak aids did. I’m just wondering if the compression can be shut off and then the volume raised again.

Any thoughts on this anyone?

In reply to @WillyA

You do get used to the tube. The gives you a more occlusive feeling and you get more moisture in your ear from sweating. I have had both and prefer the , but my hearing is worse so I now have aids.

In reply to @revcarlag

@revcarlag said:

Any suggestions on noise management for the Acrivas? I’m still having issues with that, although I like a lot of things about the aids. They don’t sell a microphone system I don’t think. I have troubles in noisy rooms with a lot of people talking. Also, my audi at Costco turned down the one aid because the compression was causing a tinny sound, much like my phonak aids did. I’m just wondering if the compression can be shut off and then the volume raised again.

Any thoughts on this anyone?

One advantage that the Acriva’s have is frequency transposition where higher frequency sounds can be transfered to lower frequency sounds. Based on your this looks like it would be helpful to you,

My 18 month old ReSound Remote Mic aids from Costco have developed issues in the last few weeks. In August the left one stopped putting out the right sound levels, and was repaired under warranty. Today I went to Costco because the right is doing the same thing. It’s being repaired under warranty.

While I was there, I was able to buy a pair of Kirkland 5.0 aids, which they had in stock. I already had all the accessories with my other aids that are being repaired, so I didn’t have to buy or order those (phone clip+, TV streamers). So far I really like these aids, and if they hold up to perspiration, they may become my primary aids.

It’s also nice to have streaming music through the phone clip + in stereo, and have control over whether or not the mics on the aids are muted or not. My Remote Mic aids stream music in mono to both ears, and the external mics are muted. I have no control over that.

So far I think the only change I need is to reprogram the third program from t-coil/phone, which I don’t really need, to something more useful.

The other cool thing is that TV streaming is much easier to activate, and you can do it with the rocker switch on the aids. With my remote mic aids I could switch to only Streamer A from holding the program button on the aid down. I had to use the remote to switch to B or C, and it took two or three pushes of the streaming button on the remote to get to Streamer B or C. These new aids just need one button push on the aid or the remote, and start streaming the streamer you’re closest to. Nice improvement!

Does someone have a list of the factory programs available for the K5s? The fitter at my local Costco is, shall we say, eccentric. He insists I just need Auto, Noise, and Telephone. I’d like to know what the options for programs are so that I can go in and ask for something specific.

Edited

Here’s the list for the Verso 9. I can’t say for sure that the KS5 uses the same names but it’s very likely.

Acoustic Phone, Basic, Basic + Softswitching, DAI, Music, Directionality, Outdoor, Party, Test, Restaurant, Loop + Mic, Telecoil + Mic, Traffic

In reply to @PastorJeff

@PastorJeff said:

…

Would anyone here who is using the Verso phone clip and/or TV accessory please let me know your experience?

Thanks,
Jeff

I’ve use the Phone Clip + and TV streamers for quite a while now with my ReSound Future aids, and they work well. Since Friday afternoon I’ve been using the same accessories with KS 5.0 aids, and the accessories work even better with them. TV sounds better through the streamer than in does through my Bose setup. And the Phone Clip + is great for streaming music in stereo from my iPhone. I think they are well worth the money.

@jay_man2 said:

I’ve use the Phone Clip + and TV streamers for quite a while now with my ReSound Future aids, and they work well. Since Friday afternoon I’ve been using the same accessories with KS 5.0 aids, and the accessories work even better with them. TV sounds better through the streamer than in does through my Bose setup. And the Phone Clip + is great for streaming music in stereo from my iPhone. I think they are well worth the money.

I’ve heard that the batteries get quickly drained using the streaming accessories. What’s your experience with this?

@MoHearing said:

I’ve heard that the batteries get quickly drained using the streaming accessories. What’s your experience with this?

I haven’t had the KS5’s long enough to comment, but my ReSound aids would go 4-5 days with a moderate amount of streaming, and 6-7 with little to no streaming. At 22.5 cents per battery from Costco, it’s still less than $50 a year at 3.5 days battery life.

Can anyone comment on how the rechargeable batteries compare to the non-rechargeable, both for regular use and for streaming? How many months can I expect to get out of the rechargeable?

Edited

Click on “Settings” in the upper right of the screen, next to the “Log Out.” On the next screen, in the column on the left click on “Edit Signature” under “My Settings” then enter whatever you want as your signature. Then Click on “Save Signature” in the lower right of that screen and your will appear at the bottom of posts like mine does.

I’ve now had my KS5 for 24 hours. I’ll give a more thorough review when I’ve had them a while longer, but here are my impressions so far.

  1. These are miles ahead of the KS3s I had been wearing until yesterday. Although my old HAs had gotten pretty bad over time, I can safely say that the KS5s are significantly better for me than the KS3s ever were. Although larger, they are very comfortable and no more noticeable than the others. The sound in the primary program has a full, rich quality, and speech definition is remarkable. My daughters even remarked that I hadn’t asked them to repeat themselves all afternoon, and at dinner I had to keep asking my youngest teenage daughter to speak more softly - please! Riding in the car with an open window I had none of the wind-on-a-microphone sound that I got with my old aids, and I could still carry on a conversation with others in the car. The entire experience is liberating, and I have to attribute it to the HAs because it has been the same fitter working with me from the beginning. The speech in noise program sounds just the same as the automatic program, except that the microphones are directional toward the front.

  2. The Phone Clip+ seems like it’s going to be a great tool. I’ve only received one phone call so far, most of which was spent saying “Ok, now let me try this… now this…,” but the sound quality was good. As noted by others regarding the Verso, the music streaming is somewhat tinny, like listening to an old transistor radio. I guess that’s not surprising since hearing aids are designed primarily to enhance speech recognition, not to provide a headphone-like musical experience. Still, it was fun listening to pop music as I took a short walk. I also spent some time listening to a podcast, and found it easy to follow without needing excessive volume.

  3. The TV Streamer is amazing. For the last few years I’ve been using TV Ears, which provide good sound but are uncomfortable, awkward, and effectively cut you off from everyone else in the room. Last night my wife and I were able to watch a favorite comedy and enjoy hearing each other laugh and make comments, while I could still make out every word on the show. As shipped the volume from the TV Streamer was way too loud, and I couldn’t lower it using the remote. After reading a bit I discovered that the best thing to do is lower the master volume on the streamer itself until it is right for me, and then the streamer will remember that setting for the future. I think I’ll like it a lot.

As I’ve mentioned in other posts, the fitter at my Costco is “eccentric.” So far he’s only programmed channels 1 & 2, because “that’s all you really need.” Although he was quite reluctant to order the accessories, he seems eager to hear how they work out for me, and he gave me an extra supply of receiver domes because he didn’t have many, and wanted to be sure that I have what I need! A little quirky, but he’s determined to give his customers the best value for their dollar.

That’s it for now. I’ll be glad to answer any questions, and will certainly have more to share after I’ve had them for a week or two.

-Jeff

In reply to @jay_man2

I see that you have the Kirkland . I am wondering how the receiver in canal compares with conventional with sound traveling through the tube. Do you have an opinion?
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Thanks for the report, Pastor Jeff. I look forward to reading your next update. Hopefully, everything will still being as positive for you as it seems to be now.

Grandpa

For those of you with the Kirkland 5.0 aids, how is your Program 1 set up? Mine is set for “Basic + Softswitching.” I have “Restaurant” in 2, “ Directionality” in 3, and “Music” in 4. Initially I had “Telephone/” in 3, and swapped it out to try Binaural Directionality. Now I’m trying to decide if I want that to become Program 1.

Binaural Directionality appears to me to be the next evolution of “Natural Directionality,” which designates one aid as the monitor ear (omni-directional mic) and the other as the focus ear (directional mic), but adds in communication between the two aids to optimize for the listening situation. Perhaps one of the professionals familiar with the ReSound Verso can elaborate.

Edited

Directionality is the default Program 1. It allows 4 different responses: One side can be omni or directional, the other side can be omni or directional, or both sides can be omni or directional. Synchronized SoftSwitching only allows 2 responses: both sides are omni or both sides are directional.

You most likely got Basic + SoftSwitching because your fitter didn’t click Yes in the box that comes up at end of the initial setup process which asks if you want P1 to be Binaural Directionality.

@rasmus_braun said:

Binaural Directionality is the default Program 1. It allows 4 different responses: One side can be omni or directional, the other side can be omni or directional, or both sides can be omni or directional. Synchronized SoftSwitching only allows 2 responses: both sides are omni or both sides are directional.

You most likely got Basic + SoftSwitching because your fitter didn’t click Yes in the box that comes up at end of the initial setup process which asks if you want P1 to be Binaural Directionality.

Thanks. At my next appointment I think I’ll have Directionality put into Program 1.

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