Costco Kirkland Signature 8.0 (Product Information)

Nate, Amazon has any number of low-latency transmitters. I think the one I got was around $25. Works great.

Thanks, Ken.
Could you share with us how you implemented it into your setup?
Regards, Nate

I’m assuming KenP is not using his HA’s for his solution. But maybe he is. According to the brands poll he’s using one of the Costco KS HA’s so I kinda doubt it.
Sure any of these transmitters from a source out standard bluetooth to any standard bluetooth reception device (headphones or even intermediate device to HA’s) should work. They wouldn’t exist if they didn’t.

I know he uses KS6, perhaps with a Connect Clip? I would think the Connect Clip would let you use any low latency bluetooth transmitter.

It wandered off but kinda related when NateS mused about other options to connect to the KS8’s.

@z10user2
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@KenP said:

You use a standard BT accessory for your brand.

KS8s could certainly improve your hearing. Will these be your first hearing aids? I think it’s very unlikely that any hearing aid will be able to restore audibility for much of your high frequency hearing. Some sort of frequency lowering may be helpful. The KS8 has a version of frequency lowering, but the Phonak Brio 3 has a more sophisticated version that might be more suitable for you. The big caveat though, is that frequency lowering is not just a turn it on and see if you like it kind of thing. It takes some tinkering to get it right and I don’t know how likely you are to find that Costco (or anyplace else)

@MDB said:

I think it’s very unlikely that any hearing aid will be able to restore audibility for much of your high frequency hearing. Some sort of frequency lowering may be helpful.

On the other hand, I just had my KS5s repaired (after our dog chewed the left one up pretty bad) and at the same time I had high frequencies boosted up on my KS5s to account for additional hearing loss. After having the high frequencies boosted, I tried the new KS8s at the same visit, set the same way, and ended up deciding stick with my KS5s for now because of the dramatic improvement in them. I am really impressed with my old hearing aids now, and for now have deferred the cost of new hearing aids, replacing accessories, etc. A very happy visit to Costco!

Thanks for that additional info, Ken.
There are people on this thread debating whether to buy the KS8s, and the streamer adds about $200 to the cost of the decision, so your info about a low cost alternative certainly seems relevant to the discussion. It was relevant to me when I weighed that decision in my recent trip to Costco Hearing Center.

Nate, I think the most cost effective way to get direct to hearing aids from the TV is the BT accessory coupled to an inexpensive BT transmitter. Not only can you use it there but with other BT capable devices.

I purchased KS 7.0 two weeks ago and they worked fine with my Android phone app. Also the batteries lasted 7-10 days.
I realized last week that the new KS 8.0 were now available with more options and were $100 less. When I talked to the tech at Costco about possibly upgrading he tried to talk me out of it. He said there was a problem with the battery life and with the new KS 8.0 I would be changing batteries every 2-3 days. He also said that other than the ability to handle phone calls without the magnetic strip there was no difference between the KS 8.0 and the KS 7.0.
Can anyone with the new KS 8.0 (and Android phone) shed some light on these comments?
Thanks,

From what I can tell (I don’t have KS8’s)…the primary purpose of the KS8 is to provide mfi. You don’t have an iphone. So then why bother. There might be a couple improvements in internal functioning here and there but you might not notice. (Enter your audiogram here)

I could imagine that battery life could very well be impacted by connecting to an iphone depending on how much you use it for calls and streaming. But I don’t recall reading here what the few people that have them are saying about battery life.

And for you, you could probably airplane mode them and save your battery.

But then even for the sake of saving $100 and not using any more features being offered…why not.

At the risk of seeming to interfere, in what could otherwise be good information; blahakd, which Android phone app are you using and what are it’s functions? Does it just take the place of a costly remote? Do you know, would it work with the KS 8.0?

I have read many reviews on KS/Android apps, mostly negative.

Thanks.

At the risk of going all off-topic but this should all be well hashed out in the KS7 thread.
Assuming his mention of some app is in fact the program from Rexton. It’s called Smart Remote. You can find it in the store and have a look. It’s free. Yes. It’s pretty much a remote. Change programs, change volume, change tone, change mic focus, check batteries, mute mics. The ushe.

I suppose he could be talking about another program but I don’t think there are others that could operate hearing aids. But what do I know.