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Phonak introduces Paradise, a new paradigm in hearing aid sound quality

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In reply to @Blacky

@Blacky said:

Both are level 90.

I just realised, that this additional noise cancelling if it exists only can be in level 90.

That other thing for 90s only, enhanced soft speech in quiet, I’m not sure if I can get/feel that since I lowered soft sounds in quiet since that annoys me. But still crumbling of paper and similar is louder than I’d like. So maybe that’s because of it… Dunno
If it’s really quiet I can do without aids without the problem so it’s hard for me to say if I feel the difference for that feature.

In reply to @BarryH

I was at the audiologist yesterday and asked about the Paradise since I am trialling the Marvels. Even though Phonak have been aggressively marketing for the paradise - with emails saying they can be ordered (as opposed to pre-ordered) - apparently they are not being sent out yet and no indication as to when that will happen! Silly …

In reply to @BarryH

I got kitted out with Roger X transmitters for my Nathos’ and a Select to overcome poor phone call quality by the Compilot. All up costing £2100. It’s incredible a pair of Paradise’ max out at £2900!

In reply to @Demerara

Not sure what country you are in. I am in the USA and have a pair ordered and am scheduled for a fitting in two weeks. My audio ordered them a couple of weeks ago. They are available here in the states. So folks have them already. I do know that my provider does a lot of business with Phonak do that may have something to do with it.

I am in the UK. I know they have sent emails to say the Paradise can be ordered but apparently they haven’t sent them out yet. That said, I know I may sound really cynical but I have been trialling the Marvels and it could be that the provider doesn’t want me to return them which is why they are saying the Audeo P is not yet available!

In reply to @Demerara

@Demerara said:

I was at the audiologist yesterday and asked about the Paradise since I am trialling the Marvels. Even though Phonak have been aggressively marketing for the paradise - with emails saying they can be ordered (as opposed to pre-ordered) - apparently they are not being sent out yet and no indication as to when that will happen! Silly …

I’m in San Diego and my audi originally said he couldn’t get them. After calling they learned that they need to go through Phonak training on the new aid and software before they can order them. The next training is in the beginning of October.

I’m thinking of testing Starkey Livio before Paradise. I’ve tried Widex Moment 440 and am now on Oticon S1. Widex was decent but not great (and I’ve been a Widex wearer for 15 years). I love the sound of Oticon but I’m saying “What?” to my wife way too often. (Getting another tweak in a few days). And the app is very weak with my iPhone and changes volume without warning.

I have just purchased a set of Paradise hearing aids and am trying to use the Google Assistant on my Android phone. While I am able to control phone calls with right side double taps, I cannot get Google Assistant to activate on my Pixel 4XL phone with left double tap. My Android version is 11 and “Hey, Googfle” setting is turned on.

Are there additional settings needed for double tap left to activate Google Assistant?

Thanks

@jwadle said:

Are there additional settings needed for double tap left to activate Google Assistant?

Yes, there’s a little box your clinician needs to check off in the bluetooth settings.

Does anyone here have any experience with the new Phonak Paradise P90s? Tap Control is such an intriguing concept, but I wonder how it works in the real world. (In case you don’t know what this is: You just tap your ear to make and answer phone calls, to pause/mute streaming, or to access Siri or Google.) What happens if you have long hair? (All the reviewers I’ve found are short-haired guys.) If you wear reading glasses or sunglasses that you put on/take off frequently? If you wear a mask and pull it up? Is Tap Control one of those things that’s great in concept but drives real people nuts?

In reply to @seaduck

@seaduck said:

Tap Control is such an intriguing concept, but I wonder how it works in the real world.

Tap is neat. The audio stream pausing works very nicely. Phone call answer is fine.

Phone voice assistant is slow. I don’t think we’re quite in the future yet.

Anyone have any suggestions for getting bluetooth pairing to work on the new Phonak Paradise 90R with a Macbook, so that it functions on Zoom video conference calls? Bluetooth with the works perfectly with iPhone. Macbook recognizes the HAs but drops them once I try to select them on Zoom as my microphone and/or speakers. I’ve even tried shutting off bluetooth on iPhone when in vicinity of Mac, but not luck. Would be great to stream/speak directly to Phonak Paradise from computer when on Zoom calls. Thanks.

In reply to @jmar

No clue.
Maybe finding phonak support and reaching out to them for advice?

I think some people had luck with marvels who refused to connect to the laptops by using dongle, maybe it would work for paradises as well?

I can only say that paradises messed up my zoom job interview call :rofl:
But I found later that I can use them as headphones and use laptop mic as mic, so maybe try that? Both laptop and zoom settings to be synced? I’m on linux, so mac could behave similarly…

In reply to @jmar

@jmar said:

Anyone have any suggestions for getting bluetooth pairing to work on the new Phonak Paradise 90R with a Macbook, so that it functions on Zoom video conference calls?

Caveats - I don’t have Phonak aids and I have to use an intermediary device with my Oticon OPN S 1 aids with my Macs so your results may very well differ from mine.

For reliable bluetooth from an iMac Pro running macOS several different versions of macOS, I have had to use a USB Bluetooth dongle instead of the built-in bluetooth (specified as 5.0) in the Mac. With an older MacBook Pro (2016) with Mojave, I can use the built-in Bluetooth (4.2) without a dongle.

You might try a Bluetooth dongle - Oticon included a Sennheiser BTD 800 USB ML with the ConnectClip intermediary device and suggested it be used with any desktop PC and notebook if they had bluetooth issues. I’ve read where a forum member was able to connect Costco aids (based on Phonak) with a less expensive dongle. I have read that the implementation of Bluetooth hardware/software is sometimes incomplete/buggy such that some devices won’t reliably connect with those implementations. Sennheiser makes headsets for use with PCs in call centers so I expect they make the dongle to ensure their headsets work correctly with PCs without Bluetooth or with flawed Bluetooth implementations.

In reply to @jmar

Not a solution, but an alternative: With my M90s I use a TV Connector with my Mac, for Zoom and other audio output, connected via USB. But it provides output only, not mic input.

A hitch: The first output is suppressed for several seconds while (I guess) the assure themselves that it’s not ambient sound. And the Connector program will stop – the AutoSense program tone will sound – after about 40 seconds of no output – e.g., if you speak on Zoom for 40+ seconds! Then the next output will be like the first output – suppressed for several seconds. A workaround, admittedly a nuisance, is to use a white noise application (I use one called Relax Melodies to provide a rainfall sound loop) to get the TV Connector going before the first sound output, and to avoid dropping the connection after a silent period.

Another hitch: Any sound from my iPhone’s connection with the HAs will override the TV Connector’s output.

I’m trying out the Paradise for a week and so far I have to say that I like them. They are so small and love the bluetooth connection to my computer. The TV adapter for Phonak is also small and works well. Now for the main concern…will they help me understand speech better and the jury is still out on that one. Until I try them with custom molds I don’t think I can adequately come to a conclusion??

I am starting to think that I have oddly or difficult ear canals that are not helping the situation. First off, I know that I have very small ear canals and I actually had surgery about 20 years in one ear to enlarge it. When I push down on the small tubes going into my ears I can hear so much better. No one ever recommended custom molds until now and I am hoping that they will make a difference.

I am also starting to think that all the top of the line hearing aids are pretty much the same and the most important thing is the audiologist. In the past couple of months, I have worn Widex, Phonak Marvel, Resound Quattro, Resound One, and now the Phonak Paradise. I am heading to Costco in a couple weeks to give those a try as well. Would love to hear how everyone else feels? Anyone had experience comparing the Quattro to the Paradise? Or compared to Costco brands? Thank you so much.

I think there are subtle differences among top of the line hearings, but agree that audiologist is much more important. I think one’s adaptability is also key to how much benefit one will gain from hearing aids. I have Costco KS9 and have also tried Phonak Marvel and see essentially no difference.

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