Costco Rexton Trax 42 (Product Information)

@doubledown said:

can anybody please comment on the binaural beamforming tech in this aid? how does the speech in noise performance compare to other aids?

everybody should be trialing multiple brands. I would recommend the phonak brio line as they have the rival stereozoom tech that’s not adaptive so it can only deal with sounds in front of the user.

what is the price for this aid?

Costco site now has this aid on it. http://www.costco.com/rexton.html

original post that regarding this aid Hearing Aid Forum - Active Hearing Loss Community

I’ve only had the Rexton Trax 42 for a day now, but I love it already (especially compared to the Phonak Brio aids I had before!). I can’t tell a difference yet between these aids and the Siemens Binax ones I tried a few months ago, so that seems to be awesome (the Binax cost was ~2x the cost of the Costco aids). The sound is much, much clearer/crisper/cleaner to me (it sounds normal, like I don’t feel like I’m hearing the extra sound I did with the Phonaks that was unhelpful). I didn’t buy the Bluetooth streamer, but probably will next time (would prefer the http://www.rexton.com/us/en/accessories/mini-blu-rcu/16 , so that I don’t need anything hanging around my neck , if Costco carries it?).

I also tried the Android App (Smart Remote, I think) today. It worked relatively well. I was able to change volume and programs with my cell phone itself (no bluetooth, no streamer). My high-frequency hearing is good enough to still hear the high-pitched tones it uses to communicate with the hearing aids though, so I don’t know how much I’ll be using it.

@mjd2k said:

PIP,

• I have talked with an audiologist again and they were not overly excited about it but they agreed to let me trial the ks6 if I want. So that’s nice
• they apparently do not have demos In our costco. I’m going to maybe complain about that on Friday when I go back in for a hardware meeting, which I should have had the first appt.
• in fairness to our Costco, they just had the training on the trax last week.

This location is lying about not having demo’s. Every Costco is given a set of demos from each manufacturer for each test booth they have. I think this person or location is just lazy.

Agree with PIP all Costco stores have demos.

I’ve enjoyed the streamer…very light around the neck…excellent sound quality for streaming music. The battery easily lasts an entire day. In comparison the the Phonak iCom, this is a much more useful device. A nice feature of the app (on iPhone) is that they give you battery life information (aids and bluetooth). How accurate this is has yet to be determined, but it is a nice feature (probably more useful with rechargeable batteries).

Speaking of batteries, I got a full week of use, with streaming added, from a pair of 312 batteries with these HA’s. That’s as good as I ever got from my old Phonaks with size 13 batteries. I’m impressed by that. Especially since I heard the Phonak Brio’s are a battery killer.

I need some program tweeking though. Often get a very short echo on long tones (feedback system?) that’s a little irritating. Worse on some programs than other, depending on the situation.

And I’m definitely going to have to get custom molds done. The tulip domes that I have now will not stay in my right side ear canal very well at all! Nothing new there though as I had custom molds with my old Phonaks. Sadly, these molds don’t have the right fitting for the Rexton receivers. C’est la vie! Who does Costco use for molds? Rexton? Seimens? Westone?

Evil.

@eek said:

Me too, and I’m really surprised. I tried it earlier today and it wouldn’t connect, but then after I changed the batteries, it did. Does anyone know what it’s using to communicate with the aids? It’s definitely not bluetooth.

I believe it uses very high-frequency tones to communicate with the hearing aids. I was told by audiologist previously that the program won’t work if my phone is on silent because it needs to be able to play the sounds aloud. I can also hear the tones the program sends (and then hear short delay before the tones in my hearing aid play to confirm settings change), so am pretty sure that’s it…

As I said I only tried the ks6 for an hour but the sound is so much better to me with the trax 42. I am very happy and so is my family. Batteries are rechargeable, the dryer works, and if you go to throw aways, they are 312s and are to last a week, I have not tested that.

I’m really excited for next Sunday when I get the trax.

Pip. I actually asked again if I could demo the aids and was told they are inoperable but I could try them on if I wanted. Oh well, guess I’ll wait.

Oth, the audiologist had taken the trax unit home and on her own time learned how all the accessories work.
I went with the Bluetooth only because it’s the only way to lock in the directional mic feature. At least that’s what I was told and I think I would use that feature. The AIDS will auto lock to a certain direction but apparently it takes 9 seconds and can be interrupted and then needs to start over.

@Chiroman said:

Ok, so if the Costco Rexton Trax 42 is a rebranded Rexton Emerald S 80 4c, and the Emerald S 80 4c is essentially a Seimens binax Pure 7bx, what gives? The Seimens binax was released on October 27th, 2014, and would seem to represent the latest technology from Seimens, or at least Rexton, why does Costco have it? Costco seems to have a history of having products that are one generation old, leaving the “latest and greatest” for the private audio clinics, but this is no longer the case with the Trax 42. Now don’t get me wrong, Costco having the Trax is fantastic for us, it just seems odd. Rexton may be responding to ReSound releasing the Linx under the KS6 brand, given that the previous Rexton quintra’s are now over 2 years old. However, Resound has the new Linx2, what does Rexton/Seimens have that is better than the binax? Granted, the Trax 42 does not have tinnitus management, but none of Costco’s HAs have tinnitus management. Overall, this seems to be a fantastic deal for the Costco consumer. I’m sure the private audio clinics that are charging twice as much or more for the Seimens binax are fuming. I am currently in my 90 day trial of the KS6, now I am thinking of possibly switching to the Trax 42.
A note on Demo units: The Costco that I went to in Edmonton, Canada, also does not have demo units to try. They have non-functioning samples. Perhaps demos are not available at the Canadian Costco’s, just in the US or possibly other countries. Fellow Canadians, what has been your experience?

These changes are the beginnings of a change in the delivery and distribution models. For some of the private audiologists this will be a tough environment, others will find ways to survive and prosper. Many of the medications that required a prescription from a physician 10-20 years ago are now available over the counter without a prescription. Telephone service was available only from your local telephone provider and you may or may not have had a choice of the long distance provider. Technology and deregulation drove the change in the telephone market. Access to Costco’s customers is driving this business model change.

@Chiroman said:

Costco seems to have a history of having products that are one generation old, leaving the “latest and greatest” for the private audio clinics,

Costco’s products aren’t always older than what’s available to private dispensers. For example, when Phonak started selling in Costco last year, their products were current-generation. And back in November, Bernafon started selling their latest product in Costco before it became available to private accounts.

@Evil_Scientist said:

And I’m definitely going to have to get custom molds done. The tulip domes that I have now will not stay in my right side ear canal very well at all! Nothing new there though as I had custom molds with my old Phonaks. Sadly, these molds don’t have the right fitting for the Rexton receivers. C’est la vie! Who does Costco use for molds? Rexton? Seimens? Westone?

Costco can use Rexton or Westone. Can also use Resound and Bernafon but we are told to only use the manufacturers to make molds for their own products.

@KenP said:

If they aren’t functional, how could she take them home and use them?

I knew someone would ask. Being stupidly polite, I did not state the obvious

@pip said:

Is there another Costco nearby? There is no way they could have take the Trax home to learn about it if it is not a real product. Also taking it home would get them in a ton of trouble too.

What you were told was not true about the directional mics. The buttons on one side can be set to control mic direction in program 1. Every 15 min it reassesses the need for the directional mics and can reset or continue for up to 45 min. If you want your mics to be locked in a forward direction just have program 2 set up as a noise/party program and the mics can be locked in.

pip

Thanks pip.
I’m not quite sure what you are saying but I get the gist of it. Seems like an excellent workaround. I’ll ask for it when I go for fitting.

Also, if I can control the directional mic with the rocker, I’ll prob drop the Bluetooth. I have Bt in my truck and lots of technology alternatives, so I’m fine with the rocker. I use earbuds and have AirPlay speakers everywhere so I seldom use BT other than in my truck.

Really nice to have people that know the product

@pip said:

The buttons on one side can be set to control mic direction in program 1. Every 15 min it reassesses the need for the directional mics and can reset or continue for up to 45 min. If you want your mics to be locked in a forward direction just have program 2 set up as a noise/party program and the mics can be locked in.

pip

Pip, I edited ur response (above) and will take with me on Sunday.
Thanks

@mjd2k said:

Also, if I can control the directional mic with the rocker, I’ll prob drop the Bluetooth.

The rocker switch can be used to override the automatic program and adjust the directional beam width, but it can’t change the microphone focus to the rear or sides. If you’re interested in that feature, you’ll need the Smart Connect device and app.