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Costco Kirkland Signature 6.0

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Hey DD don’t be picking on my boy Kenny… he’s kind of a tender fellow and generally gives good hugs where you are an arrogant ahole.

In reply to @sullylog

@sullylog said:

I understand the KS6 is not compatible with the Apple Watch. What I’m trying to do is be able to control streaming music without pulling out my phone, for puase and play features. My question is, does anyone know if the Apple Watch could be used to control these features and possibly make phone calls. I am not trying to control the hearing aids. I am just trying to control the phone which is linked to the hearing aids. Thanks

The KS6 has nothing to do with controlling music between your iPhone and your Apple Watch. The watch handles that on its own. You might look at Apple’s website for info on doing so. You can start here … Add music to Apple Watch - Apple Support1

I suppose it could be. Except for the fact that I’m carrying a iPhone, icom, and a mypilot now. I would actually be reducing my geek count by one if the watch would work. Hands-free calling and streaming control without taking the phone out of my pocket. That is the goal. I will be picking up a Apple Watch on Thursday. I will report back with my findings.

Edited

And what does the KS 6 have to do with it then? If you have an iCom and a myPilot you have Phonak hearing aids … where does the KS6 come into question? In any case, the iPhone’s own built-in app controls the KS6, as does the add-on Kirkland Choice app. They do not control the iPhone nor its music playing/streaming beyond the volume into the KS6. Siri will control what is played whether spoken to via the Watch or the iPhone. And the Watch has play/pause/skip/last controls on its face when streaming. So what is or was your question?

Sorry for the confusion with my questions. I understand how the KS6 and the Apple Watch function. I’m simply asking, has anyone had any experience with the three together? Is the Apple Watch and the hearing aids capable of being paired together with the iPhone and functioning properly? As for your question what does the KS6 have to do with my Phonak set up, nothing. I was trying to make a funny comment in reply to Doc Jake’s comment on “hipster/geek overkill”. I used to have the Phonaks, I now have the KS6. I’m just trying to avoid purchasing the Apple Watch if someone has experience that it does not work.

Edited

Ahhh, got ya. I have Dr Jake blocked so can’t see his posts, that is why I missed the link :slight_smile: I am waiting for the Apple Watch 2 or 3 or whatever to come out hopefully soon before buying into it. Was going to get one last year but the $700 for the stainless version put me off. My co-worker has had the Sport version since day 1 and I’ve been eating my heart out to get one. Got the money put aside and figured I’ve waited this long, another couple of months won’t kill me … and hopefully it will be improved hardware-wise whenever they release it. Latest rumours point to possibly September, 4 months off. Have been keeping up on it and the user manual though. I would think that the Watch would pair to the aids more through the iPhone than directly, though the next version is supposed to take on more of the music playing on its own verses today’s via controlling/linking to the iPhone. If you get one, I’ll be watching for your comments on it.

CostCo KS6 Aids - Battery Life. I have these for a couple weeks. I have to change the battery in the left every 2 days but the battery in the right HA lasts 5 days. Is the left HA used more by the iPhone or the App causing the drain? Anybody experience a similar problem? New batteries, long life yet, same pack for both HAs. Weird.

2 days seems unusual. The stream from iphone is stereo and shouldn’t impact just one aid. You might rub an eraser over the contact to make sure it isn’t a resistive connection but that unlikely. It is more likely a flawed hearing aid that needs to be replaced. I get about 6 days with each aid and Duracells. Loss on one side is greater but it doesn’t seriously impact battery life.

Edited

Since it started happening I have made sure the battery doors are fully open on both aids. Still the battery is failing in the left one every 2 days. Right one just lasted 6 days. All of my programs and favorites have the same settings for both ears…my hearing loss in each ear is almost identical. So I guess it must be a bad . Bummer.

Hi all - thanks for this very awesome forum. I have owned the Costco K6 aids for about two months now, and am pretty frustrated with them. I’m looking for general advice - is this a programming issue, or a product issue?

The real problem is that they don’t help me hear better in most situations, because they amplify background noise - especially things like air conditioners and fans (which are a constant presence here in Southern California) and make foreground noise, whether the television or conversations, less audible. I especially am frustrated with my inability to make out what my five-year-old son is saying.

I’m a journalist and I often conduct interviews in noisy restaurants. The experience is the same, amplified background noise.

I’ve been in three times for programming, and though some of the modes are better than others, none is really satisfactory. I’ve asked specifically for a mode that I’d use when conducting interviews, where it is hyper-directional, like a shotgun microphone, to the person in front of me, and cancels as best it can everything in the background. I don’t even know if this is possible, but as I watch the technician working the programming software, it seems that at least the commands/features exist - but honestly, no matter what he does, I don’t notice a big practical change.

The aids work best when things are quiet all around, like in the car or when I’m watching television alone. Then, I definitely notice an improvement (on my car radio, for example, the aids let me turn the volume down by about 25%.)

I’ve got an appointment next week for further adjustments, but I am also considering asking for a new pair - maybe the Resound Linx2 that recently is went on sale there for about $800 more. But maybe this is a programming issue. If so, what should I be asking the technician to do?

As far as the product itself, I also have to note that I’m pretty disappointed with the iPhone connectivity on three levels. First, it just seems that if the ability to truly make one’s own adjustments were included, I could possibly get what I need through some careful trial and error (I’m shocked that nobody has hacked these products yet!). Second, the app is poorly made, with frequent crashes and connectivity losses. Third, performance as a Bluetooth headset - for either phone or audio - is awful. I don’t quite understand why a $99 pair of in-ear Bluetooth headphones sound, like, ten zillion times better; audio reproduction on the K6 makes me feel like I’m listening to the Beatles on a transistor radio. A wonderfully nostalgic experience, but…

thanks in advance for your help.

Soulbarn,
I had tried at Costco both the Kirkland K6 and the Rexton Trax42, albeit for a short time (10 minutes or so while shopping), and I had found the K6 tinny. Therefore I decided to buy the Trax42. I cannot tell you much about directionality of the K6, but the Trax42 are pretty good about, when the “noisy environment” program is activated. I actually found out that my ear becomes almost bionic: When I go to a restaurant I can overhear conversations at other tables if I turn my head exactly in that direction. I hope this helps.

It took me and my brain over 90 days to get used to my K5s, two years ago. Age ( mid 60s), severity of hearing loss, and the length of time I delayed had something to do with it.

Posting your hearing chart might help the forum experts with more informed advice.

I think you should at least try the Rexton Trax 42s. I trialed the KS6 for the full 90 days that Costco gave at the time (last summer), and I never got used to the amplification of background noises. I didn’t find the programs such as Party that supposedly reduced background noises helpful at all. I show dogs, and in one situation in a large metal building with a lot background noise from people talking, the cooling system in the building, dryers blowing on dogs, etc., I found the KS6 unbearable and had to take them out.

For the last 3 weeks of the KS6 trial, I also had the Trax 42s. I found them blissfully peaceful in comparison. The Noise/Party program was very effective, and in the beginning I used it a lot in situations like driving. As time has passed, I hardly ever need it any more and leave the aids in the Automatic program. During the time I had both the KS6 and Trax, my best efforts to discern which pair actually helped me understand speech better led me to conclude that in ordinary situations such as one on one conversation and restaurants, both aids were about the same. So I went with the Trax.

From posts here, I understand the Trax are not as good for phones and other Blue Tooth devices because they require an extra intermediate device, but since I don’t even own a smart phone, that wasn’t a factor for me. Anyway, since Costco is generous in allowing trials, I think you should try other aids.

I was also unhappy about the KS6 as far as background noise. The Trax 42 microphone pattern adjustment works very well for me.

In reply to @gciriani

Hi if i have missed this info please forgive me.
Are you on open domes tulip or closed. I found exactly the same with my Verso’s on open domes. the programming just could not hold the amount of background suppression that i needed. A change to tulip domes cured most of that.If its really bad i switch to car mode for maximum background suppression or better still use my mini mic. That realy is a shotgun style remote mic and works very well.

Also i have full trial report of the of the trax vs the linx2 and couple of other aids. PM me and i will send you a copy. In my case the Trax (remember what is good for one person is not always the same for everyone) considerably out performed the others with speech in very noisy situations. The Linx2 was better than the linx (KS6) but only just.

I’m a bit like you in that i find the Iphone connectivity a nice to have feature but the quality of sound with open domes is no way near as good as the same setup using the bluetooth hands free unit. Also i find that it does not have the depth of controls i would like.

regards Ian

c

@gciriani said:

Soulbarn,
I had tried at Costco both the Kirkland K6 and the Rexton Trax42, albeit for a short time (10 minutes or so while shopping), and I had found the K6 tinny. Therefore I decided to buy the Trax42. I cannot tell you much about directionality of the K6, but the Trax42 are pretty good about, when the “noisy environment” program is activated. I actually found out that my ear becomes almost bionic: When I go to a restaurant I can overhear conversations at other tables if I turn my head exactly in that direction. I hope this helps.

@Ian_brittain said:

I’m a bit like you in that i find the Iphone connectivity a nice to have feature but the quality of sound with open domes is no way near as good as the same setup using the bluetooth hands free unit. Also i find that it does not have the depth of controls i would like.

regards Ian

c

That was one of the things that surprised me the most about the Trax. The main appeal to me of the KS6, other than price, was to be able to use my ’s to listen to music from my iPhone. With open domes, I couldn’t stand to listen to it. With the Trax, I actually enjoy listening. I don’t know why the sound is so much deeper and clearer than on the KS6; but it is quite acceptable. Not as good as quality headphones, of course.

I had an Android and Phone Clip. I now use an iPhone direct. The Android was clear/crisper. I attributed it to the greater bandwidth that has over BLe.

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