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Any experience with Costco audiologists?

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The easyTek (smart connect) is the only around the neck device for the Trac 42.
What are you resetting every night?
Don’t go overboard with programs the universal has sub programs which can be tuned independently. The spatial control only works when in the universal program.

Go to Audiology Online and check the information about the bx7 and the easytek. Exact same things.

Ok this is my second post on this forum. I have been wearing about 9 years. Wound up at Costco. I don’t really know as much about all this stuff as all of you seem to! I had a lengthy hearing test. They recommended Phonak Brio P up. I walked in wanting the Trax42 but she said due to my loss being pretty severe , that the battery life on the Trax would be very short. They were professional and appeared to know what they were talking about. I get my new HAs in a couple of weeks. So far, it’s the best experience I 've had

Older tech usually has heavier battery drain. The Trax have a pretty decent reputation for battery life. The Brio was a popular choice earlier on as it had the most powerful receiver. Others have played catchup game since. I won’t say she is wrong but you do have options should you not care for the Brio. But, give it at least a month before suggesting a different trial.

Sorry, my life got nuts for a bit and I did not have a chance to check back in here. I had to put my purchase of hearing aids on hold because of a possible job change, which is now a definite, and in the end I may have most/all of them paid for by my new company, which is a good thing.

I went back to the audiologist I had originally talked to, when I tried out the Phonak V70/90, and we tried those again, in addition to the Signia Primax 7 and one other brand I can’t recall. I found that for me I actually heard voices much more naturally with the Primax than with the Phonak, and I liked the “ocean wave” tinnitus sound - seems more soothing than the white noises I had heard. The other brand I tried sounded too tinny and just not realistic for me. I told the lady that I had started talking to Costco for price reasons, and she encouraged me to do so. She recommended that I focus on the Phonak and Rexton, and did not recommend the KS6 (please do not take me to task about this - it was her recommendation, and as someone with 30 years in the business, I am inclined to trust her). She said that given that I liked the Signia better, I was also likely to prefer the Rexton, but to try both. I also asked if there was anything she could do on price, and she said she’d talk to her rep, and we’d talk again once I went to Costco.

I did end up going to a different Costco from the one I first went into, and had a much better experience with the person there. I tried the Brio and the Trax 42 in the store, and the other audi was right. I heard everything I wanted to hear with both aids, and fairly well, but I heard all sorts of things I really did NOT need to hear with the Brio. I told the tech at Costco that, and he said that the noise reduction on the Trax is more aggressive out of the box, and that it could be adjusted on the Brio, but overall I just felt the Trax had a more natural sound. We set an appointment for a fitting about 10 days out, but I told him I was still talking to the other place, and he said he’d be amazed if they came down that much.

I got a call back from the other place, and wow, they really did manage to get a lower price. The Trax42 is $2600 at Costco, including a SmartConnect. The price they offered on the Primax 7 at the other place, including the easyTek (which I gather is the same hardware but possibly slightly updated firmware, though I’m not sure about that) and a TV transmitter, is $3600. Their original price just for the units had been $6200. Between the fact that it is newer technology, it includes the tinnitus sounds (which I may or may not need in the end once I start using them, but if I don’t have them then by definition I can’t use them), and that there is simply no way Costco can provide the same service and level of experience I can get from the other place, it is worth the extra $1k to me, so I am going with them. I need to wait until June 1 when I change over to the new benefits, and I am counting the days!

All that said, I would happily have bought from Costco had the other place not come down so much on price. I would say I had a positive experience with them, and would likely have been happy with the Trax42, but since I could go with newer tech for a price I could live with, it just made sense to go that route.

I’ll post my soon - I don’t have it with me at the moment. It is fairly straightforward high-frequency hearing loss, with the low point firmly in the “moderate to severe” range, nearly identical in both ears.

rmingee, GREAT choice!

Mainly because it’s what YOU found works best for you. As many on this forum that do not push particular brands have said, a choice in is very subjective.

I have the Phonak Naida v90s because they performed better for ME in the environments that I live.

Also, in my opinion, your purchasing them from an audiologist that you have faith in is a big plus. I could go the route, but also choose to use a local audiologist because he understands and is responsive to MY needs.

DD will chastise you for your choice, but I’m with you 100%.

RodeoGeorge

In reply to @doubledown

@doubledown said:

the brio up is the probably the most powerful power aid sold at costco. however, trying to fix a loss with a lot of gain is something that people went away from 10 years ago when frequency lowering technology became a thing. the only power aid at costco that has frequency lowering technology that’s different from phonak\resound(ks6)\rexton is found in the bernafon surpermia aid. post your audiogram, I bet the surpremia’s frequency composition can’t even reach your hearing range. you probably need to try the widex audibility extender.

In reply to @wa3pnt

@wa3pnt said:

rmingee, GREAT choice!

Mainly because it’s what YOU found works best for you. As many on this forum that do not push particular brands have said, a choice in HAs is very subjective.

I have the Phonak Naida v90s because they performed better for ME in the environments that I live.

Also, in my opinion, your purchasing them from an audiologist that you have faith in is a big plus. I could go the VA route, but also choose to use a local audiologist because he understands and is responsive to MY needs.

DD will chastise you for your choice, but I’m with you 100%.

RodeoGeorge

Well said, RodeoGeorge!

This is my first post being I just signed up today. I have had a hearing problem in both ears since I was born. I started wearing ’s since I was around 30 (I will be 65 soon). My current HA is a Phonak Nadia due to my hearing loss is labeled severe. What brands/models will Costco have for my hearing loss? I am not a member of Costco and the closest one is an hour drive away. It sounds like getting a membership just for the HA is a good deal. I have only worn one HA being I needed the other ear for the phone and work. I am retired now, so this is not an issue.

Severe loss these days can be address by any brands type aid. This is a fairly recent event. I wear the KS6 – house brand. Other here like the Bernafon and Siemens Trax42. All good aids. I particularly like the KS6 for it iPhone and the excellent phone clip + that streams to Bluetooth devices including Android phones.

I’d suggest the premium membership at $110 over the $55 membership. This gets you a 2% rebate annually from Costco. With your purchase around $2000 or so, you a $40 leg up on getting a nice year end rebate. Make an appointment now as there will be a lead time based on how busy they are with new accounts. The first appointment runs about 1.5 hours. Followups are easy to get set up as they are about 10 minutes or so and they can usually get you in within a couple of days.

@rasmus_braun said:

If you’re comfortable with your Naída and want the same sound quality, Costco sells a line of Phonak hearing aids called Brio. The Brio P-UP is very similar to Naída Q90-UP.

I have been satisfied with my Nadia, but it is about 8 years old now. Many of its features have been disabled due to issues. My Nadia has a custom ear mold. Will the Brio have this and will Costco be able to do custom ear molds?

How would I know if a particular store has a good Audi or not? I am looking at joining Costco mainly for the hearing aid discounts. The closest one to me is about a hour away.

Also what brands would Costco have that will work with severe hearing loss and earmolds? I can’t get into a Costco to check without buying the membership.

The only way to know how good the audiologist is, sadly, trial and error. Your first fitting is normally done by the software followed by . At that point, you have your prescriptive fitting. It is only on future visits that the quality becomes apparent. Do they improve your hearing quality? Are you communicating good info for them to do so? So, beside adjusting it is how well you communicate with each other and the quality of the response.

I want to add/edit here:

What aren’t you looking for? A dictator that knows best and doesn’t communicate the reason. You or I make come up with a dumb request – we aren’t experts. If the response is just a negative, you aren’t being served. They aren’t just fitter; they should be educators. Let’s use Doc Jake as an example. He obviously knows aids and fitting them. But his communication skill rival Attila the Hun. He ignores anything that doesn’t serve his view. Run, don’t walk…

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