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Soft sponge-like dome

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I recently noticed when I placed a finger over my ear channel, with the KS9 hearing aid speaker using a tulip dome inserted, the volume distinctly increased. Here I noticed it specifically in my right ear which has profound loss, nothing heard above about 1K Hz. I talked with the Costco fitter and he gave to two sizes of sponge-like domes that fill the ear channel. This reduces ambient noise coming in around the dome and it also increases the volume from the speaker. There may be more benefits, but I can’t discern them, i.e., the smaller/sealed chamber may have better low frequency performance. Welcome any views, thoughts, explanations …

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you really need ear molds that close off your ear canal

I am surprised Costco fit you with KS9 aids. Your hearing loss needs a size 13 battery hearing aid in my opinion. As mentioned custom earmolds too.

I would love to have sponge-like domes!

I recently purchased Starkey Livio 2400’s that had a “custom” dome and could only get 4 - 5 hours of comfortable wear from them. The Audi sent them back to Starkey to replace the mold with a flexible one, which is what I requested in the first place.

When she asked why I prefer something more flexible, I told her to put something hard (stone, marble, whatever) in her ears for a week or so and see how long she could stand it.

I won’t be getting my aids back until next week, but I wonder if the flexible silicone will be enough of an improvement. Foam, in my opinion, would be far more comfortable.

At night I use a Sennheiser TV listening device with foam pads, since wearing hearing aids with the custom domes are so uncomfortable for me by the end of the day.

Please provide updates on your progress with the sponge-like domes. This may be something I would like to pursue.

Universal Soft 3 mm Re-shapeable Memory Foam Ear Tips Earbud Earphone

Capture
I have used these for years in place of the soft plastic domes that came with my hearing aids. I get the grey ones on eBay from sellers in China…a large one in my right ear and a medium sized one in my left ear. I have no idea if they can be purchased locally.
They work perfectly for me and last about 6 months or so.

Thanks, got here checking back. for some reason I don’t get email notice of replays. Not sure why fitter didn’t suggest something more complex. The soft dome is helpful and the smaller size very comfortable.
The picture member6 sent looks similar but mine are more rounded. down side may be this type dome lets more wax pass through to speaker. With the first tried larger dome a wax block occurred in a few days.

In reply to @member6

The hearing aid centre provided me with some custom earmokds, but they whistles! They replaced them, but the problem persists: they don’t stay in place (they’re made of silicone). Do these memory foam “domes” fit well with hearing aids? How can I find the right size? (The standard ones are too big)

@sere said:

The hearing aid centre provided me with some custom earmokds, but they whistles! They replaced them, but the problem persists: they don’t stay in place

Go back and get them to have them remade, they haven’t been made correctly if sounds are leaking out and slipping, what size vent and do they have canal lock to help hold them in place, no point in fitting domes if your are programmed for custom moulds.

In reply to @sere

Nothing works as well as custom molds . If they are whistling, they were not well made for you.

you paid $$$$ for a custom solution tailored for you . Like anything you buy, if it doesn’t work, go back to the seller.

In reply to @sere

@sere said:

They replaced them, but the problem persists: they don’t stay in place (they’re made of silicone).

If they’re from silicone, They should even stick to the ear canal the tightest of all possible materials used in the production of earmolds (acrylic, titanium, polyethylene).

@Jerry_NJ, with your hearing loss, you should have at least power domes from thick silicone (like from Unitron) or Easyguard power from Unitron (probably has thicker silicone than from Phonak).

That dome should be placed deeply to minimise risk of occlusion effect. That may require choosing smaller size.

Nevertheless, the earmolds deep placed with minimal vent (maximum 1mm, but 0.5-0.8 should be better) is the solution which gives the best chances to improve.

Bimodal_user is right. If they slip out they are too big, you need a smaller size so they will go in deeper.

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