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I tried 4 and found "the one" - Phonak Audéo B R B90

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Edited

They already tried to merge a number of years ago and I think the the German anti-competition regulator didn’t approve the deal.

Jordan

Not available through my clinic contract via my insurance. I certainly would have had Oticon in the mix if I could have

My coverage is 20% co-pay + $250. My yearly out of pocket max was burned up via other medical treatments so the hearing aids have been, due to other out of pocket costs, fully covered other than the $250

In reply to @JordanK

Well - after a week with the ReSound LiNX 3’s I can say this - the ReSound technology rocks…BUT they are not processing sound anywhere near as well (for me) as the Phonak did.

The ReSound has too much sharpness in voices, television, and even in general situations – I don’t think I’ve had any moments where I though these really sound good. I end up messing with the program settings a lot more than I’d like to get something that sounds just “OK-ish”. Weird echo/squeals at times. Certain sounds (high pitched) seem to also trigger strange squeal responses from the ReSounds. Phone streaming is tin sounding but VERY effective and makes talking on the phone “fun” again.

While I’ve not had a lot of conference room use yet, the few times I’ve been in that situation with the ReSound has been very frustrating … that is not unique to the ReSound but they are not comparing well to any other aids I’ve tired in this situation – and at the end of the day it is conference room use that I need most and why I decided to get aids in the first place – tomorrow I have a very important meeting in which I need to be on my game and able to hear well the conversation. Honestly I’m kind of dreading it due to the frustrations of hearing aid use, I find myself getting distracted trying to get the aids set so I can hear everyone – old, young, men, women, soft talkers, and accents – it’s seems impossible to find a balance that works for me in this situation.

The ReSound volume levels seem strangely inconsistent ??? – it feels like these “creep” or change volume based (incorrectly) on external sound inputs, volume level seems fine and then suddenly get to high (or low) without me changing anything.

I really want to like the ReSound LiNX3’s, I love the direct phone streaming, Z100 battery technology, and the program control options with my phone, but all said, I think I will be going back to the Phonak’s next week - I will have a consultation with my audiologist first and perhaps try some adjustments before I make a final decision.

If these had the same (for me) quality sound of the Phonak’s I’d be in total love with them…but as it stands today - the great user technology advances can’t make up for the frustrations of the sharp hollow sounds… sad face.

Best regards,
Jim

Jim - while I’m happy as a clam with my Phonak Audeo B-Direct (streams with Android phones), your comment about the conference room hearing situation brought an idea to mind: I read that the iPhone can act as a mic, allowing you to place this in the center of the table, or near a speakerphone perhaps, and possibly be able to hear con-calls. I guess the downside of that is: how would you hear others in the room with you? Not sure how that works cuz I’ve got a completely different set of aids/phone technology. But Resound is definitely on Apple’s list of compatible HAs13. (scroll about half-way down to see all the makers).

Your other comments about sound quality make me cRiNge! It reminds me of the Widex Unique aids I tried out a year ago - just flat & tinny. Plus, perhaps it’s a noise management thing going on, but one aid would SHRIEK out of the blue for a few seconds, as if to YELL over to the other aid: “Yo! Still with me buddy?” That just was unacceptable.

Hope you can get a workable solution for your total listening & work situations.

@1Bluejay said:

your comment about the conference room hearing situation brought an idea to mind: I read that the iPhone can act as a mic, allowing you to place this in the center of the table, or near a speakerphone perhaps, and possibly be able to hear con-calls.

The mic on the iPhone is not an omni mic that can pick up all sounds around it far and wide. Its pick-up pattern is very small and you’d need to have the iPhone situation VERY close to your mouth, like how you’d hold the phone to the side of your head when you’re on the phone.

So it’s not going to work placing it at the center of the table or near a speaker phone.

In reply to @jim_w

Jim,

I might have missed it but what phone are you using?

I ask because I picked up a LiNX II today and they got me the Phone Clip for streaming as well because I am an Android (Google Pixel XL) user and my phone isn’t compatible with the LiNX II without the clip. I just got my hearing aid today but so far I can tell I am not going to like the Phone Clip. It works but it will be a hassle carrying it around. Because I only wear one hearing aid, I can use my phone fine with my other ear. I needed the clip because there is no other way to control the volume and if I want to stream to it.

Of course today they told me that as of 1 NOV the LiNX 3D is on the contract so I can return the LiNX II and get the 3D. I am thinking about going that route.

I also ride motorcycles (Iron Butt Association Member) and recharging is an issue on long trips. Not only the space but power requirements. When staying in the Iron Butt Hotel there isn’t power. But I don’t plan on wearing it in the helmet so in my case I should be fine. Also I am pretty sure that with the 3 you can use a regular battery if the rechargeable goes dead. Just keep the rechargeable one safe as you will have to put it back in when you get back home and need to go back to charging. What I like about it is I can charge at night and not worry about making it mid day and the battery goes dead and having to keep a supply of batteries in the office and at home.

Ah yes, I stay at the Iron Butt motel often myself (IBA 12256 - Team Strange 533) - The Phonak’s also have a remote for streaming and I too do not want extra stuff to carry. The Phonak rechargeable has a “power pack” option that allows normal all day use and charging for about a week without plugging in - I always wear ear plugs when riding so the aid use would be pretty minimal on a road trip - I’m thinking they would run a couple weeks on the power pack if need be - but the unit is fist size or so and certainly is not going to slip into a 'stich pocket like a set of aids in a case could.

I will say - that for me I’m really impressed with the LiNX 3D features, but I think the ReSound LiNX 2’s I tried sounded a bit better?? Regardless, for me the ReSound sound processing is not on par with the Pnonak Audio B R’s that I had (and really liked) other than the remote and sealed rechargeable only battery…if they had the Z100 battery I likely would have loved them and never tried the ReSound LiNX 3D’s.

As it stands I’m really torn - we made some adjustments to the ReSound today and I see little if any improvements on the quality of sound reproduction and the weird squealing has not improved - that is the two areas for me the Phonak really win - I’m going to give it a week - but I sense I’ll be giving up on the better features of the ReSound and go back to the Phonaks for the great sound. Jury is still out - all and all very frustrating.

In reply to @1Bluejay

Thanks! I see the ReSound is on the list and sadly the Phonak is not - I have a app on my IPhone for ReSound that includes a “Live Listen” I’ve only tried it to see if it works - and it does. Monday I will give it a run at our staff meeting.

If I wasn’t so hung up on rechargeable batteries I’d go for the Phonak Audeo B-Direct for the sound and the streaming - and in one ear would be fine - I’ve been having some left ear comfort issues with the ReSound and did some one-ear streaming today…in a way it seemed better than two ear streaming as it gave me a less sharp sound…

How long do your batteries last in real use… on balance to get the great Phonak sound perhaps I’d be better off giving up on the rechargeable battery feature I like to get streaming (no-remote) and “some” of the features I like form the ReSound.

In reply to @jim_w

You have been around IBA much longer than me. I am IBA# 53268. Though most my riding I don’t bother documenting anymore. Are you in MN? Team Strange is a much smaller group. By chance do you know Rich Reid? I also knew Curt Gran pretty well. Over the years I have been on Honda ST bikes. I also ride wearing custom molded ear plugs and started out with StarCom but now run a Sena 20S.

How did the 3D work for you in the conference room setting?

I really don’t want to pass judgement on any of this too soon. I have had my LiNX 2 for less than 24 hrs at this point and it is my first hearing aid but it does sound very tinny and I can hear myself talking a lot more than I am used to. That seems odd to me because I have a conductive hearing loss in that ear so I have always been able to hear myself more than outside surroundings on that side. It looks like with the Android app I can adjust bass and treble a bit on the 3D and there is nothing I can do with the LiNX 2 since I can’t pair it to anything but the phone clip. I have read here that many people suffer from the aid not being set up right and I wonder if I fall in that boat. Not that I am blaming my audiologist, it is going to be tough for them with people new to this. She asked how it sounded and I guess I mentioned those two things and she made some tweaks but maybe not enough. It is hard when you are sitting in a sound proof room trying to make adjustments when you live in the real world. I also wonder how things will be for me as far as only wearing one hearing aid. As I mentioned I have normal hearing on my right side. Because of that I don’t need the phone clip for talking on the phone. I can just use my “good ear” and typically always have.

Is the 3D also limited to the 3 programs?

Edited

In reply to @sennister

Yes I know Rick and Curt (RIP) well. I also don’t document much anymore - BBG during the 2006 MN1000 on a DL1000 is my highlight - I finished 4th overall in the rally and did a BBG - let’s just say we where in some pretty wide open spaces.:slight_smile: One of my rally highlights with Curt is having him come over to me at a bonus and ask to look at my map! He was Mr. EZ Bake and I was known as “Unplugged” we where a total contrast in our approach to rally technology. I also rode an ST1300 for a few years - then I sipped some Kool-Aid and got a '14 R1200GS which I love. (It came with a GPS so I am now - Formally known as “Unplugged” - lol)

This hearing aid stuff is hard and really takes patience and perseverance to get it dialed in - I’ve been at it about 6 months now. The aids of course are never going to be the “real sound” we remember or think we heard. I was pretty happy with the Unitrons right out of the box but got very frustrated with my audiologist who just didn’t seem to want to help me dial them in and couldn’t get the program settings to work and the music part was frustrating…I changed audiologist and have been really happy with how hard my new one is working.

Based on my own experiences trying other aids and as a new comer to this game I think it takes at least two-weeks to know and understand how things are going to work. Things that really bugged me at first with my first Unitrons - now looking back may not have been as bad or “off” as I first thought.

The 3D’s I have now are set up with 4 programs - we added a “Conference Room” option yesterday - essentially just a second all-around program with more volume, the others besides the base all-round setting is outdoor (wind noise) and music; there is a restaurant program available that I dropped to add the second louder all-round setting.

My hearing loss is pretty typical old-guy high frequency loss - even drop in both years. One thing I will say about having been wearing aids for 6 months…I am stunned at how bad my hearing really is. My brain was using way to much energy and focus in the past to hear. As I’ve since learned and can now attest to - there is a brain health issue at play here as well,

Not wearing or using hearing aids can be harmful to ones long term brain health…who knew?

Good Luck!

In reply to @Volusiano

@Volusiano said:

So it’s not going to work placing it at the center of the table or near a speaker phone.

Ack. Good to know, cuz I was going to suggest that my mother-in-law go that route. She has a lot of trouble hearing with her current Oticon Alta Pro aids (4 yrs old) at the dining table in her assisted living place. She has an Apple iPhone 6 but maybe that mic “solution” would not work for her either.

In reply to @jim_w

Yeah loosing Curt was rough. When he was getting ready for that ride he had an issue. I want to say his clutch went out. Part of the replacement required replacing some gaskets around the water pump. He tried ordering them but they were on nation wide back order. He reached out to me as it was known I stocked a lot of parts for the ST1300 as I had one and worked on them for many people from ST-Owners. Sure enough I had a full water pump kit so I overnighted it to him so he could get his bike back on the road for that ride. For a long time I was kicking myself. Had I not had the parts on hand maybe he would have skipped the ride and still be with us. We all know the risks of our hobby but it is never easy.

Yeah I am one of the ST riders with 3 GPSs often a tablet in the tank bag, Spot Messenger as a transponder, CB, WX, GMRS. My 1300 had antennas all over it. Sadly someone making a left in front of me and a 50+ mph collision took that bike. I was lucky in I walked a way with a few broken ribs. I now have a pair of 1100s but have been thinking about a new
bike. The 1200GS is one on my list. I have avoided riding one because I know I will like it. Part of me wants to find another 1300 because I have so many Farkels for it that survived my crash and I know that bike like the back of my hand. I fear working on BMWs are just too complicated. If I got one it would be the watercooled so I could get cruise.

Anyhow back to the discussion.

Did you have to go to the Audiologist to have the programs changed? I had to pick mine but had no idea I would have to do that so I didn’t know what to ask for. I think I have 1. All Around, 2 Restaurant, 3. Party and 4. Traffic

I don’t know that the traffic is worth it. My daily driver is a Subaru WRX so it is pretty loud in there anyhow. Even with stock exhaust it has a deep rumble to it.

In reply to @sennister

Yep - I recall we all congratulated Curt on his resourcefulness and commitment to make the rally at the Friday night “liars banquet” , many riders would have packed it in…of course we all wish he would have now. Did you go to his service - I’ll never forget how surreal the line of quiet motorcycles where as they left the church… I drove a car to bring a few Team Stanger’s that needed a ride. Very sad day…thinking that just 6 months earlier he had got married at that same church. I rode up to the crash site and left Curt that map he needed during the 2009 MN1000 - just another non-descript crossroad in the middle of nowhere. I got the coordinates if you’d like them.

Yes - I go to the audiologist to add or change programs - the 3D’s do allow some nice tweaks to the programs once they are loaded. Interesting that there is a traffic program…I didn’t know that - I drive a Prius as a daily driver and even that is obnoxious on the road ( I also have SLK 2 seater hard top 'vert) and went with the Outdoor program to quell the wind noise…no question the 3D’s have a lot of flexibility…feature wise I think they are the industry leader with the new 3D features - streaming, lots of control options via a phone, rechargeable, a way to track issues (via phone) for your audiologist, etc.

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