Phonak autosense behaviour

Lots of opinions about Phonaks AutoSense. It really is a pretty slick system when set up correctly.
The trick is getting a good fitter. My wife has the Costco KS9 (Phonak Audeo M90) aids, her first ever aids and she loves them. Some people hate AutoSense but I suspect these aids were not set up correctly for that person.

All modern aids are really good when set up right.
Good luck.

I had that exact experience with Phonak Marvels! My loss is a cookie bite which is moderately severe in the mid frequencies and better in the highs and lows. I couldn’t stand my experience with Phonak Marvels because I could hear the switching on and off of Autosense in many environments even without speech present. My audiologist tried to dial it back but it wasn’t something I could ignore. Maybe it’s my unusual loss pattern or maybe it’s Autosense but Phonak was by far the most dramatic with noticing the shift between on and off. I’ve trialed 4 different brands over the past several months. I noticed this problem to a lesser extent with Signia and Oticon OpnS. The ReSound Ones, which I’m trialing now, I don’t have this issue with. My last trial is meant to be Paradise but I’ll rule it out fast if it behaves the same as the Marvels.

I’m having some Bluetooth issues that I need to work out with the ReSounds. Also, comfort-wise the receivers are bigger on the ReSound Ones, so they’ve taken some getting used to. I don’t think that’s a deal breaker for me but it’s taken a month to get used to the feeling and sound.

Oh, I understand. Testing is hell. When I start using a new device the first week there’s only headaches.

I used to test a Resound about a decade ago. Did not like them at all. Prior to the digital age, my favorite brand was widex, with a little step-out to Danavox ( now Resound, or at least part of it). Both failed to impress after going digital.

My gut reaction was that you might like Widex.

Good luck on the journey. I hope you find another patient audiologist. Having someone you can talk to and will take the time to work through issues that arise is so helpful. Update when you select a device, I’ll be interested to hear what you choose. Fingers crossed the ReSound Ones are the endpoint for me.

@jeanettedove1 said:

My last trial is meant to be Paradise but I’ll rule it out fast if it behaves the same as the Marvels

I tried both paradise and marvels, hearing wise they had the same colour of sound and same autosense behaviour, its expect to be the same with you, assuming they’re both fitted in a same way.

I compared them back to back on the same minute of the same Youtube Video, so, no memory or notes involved, same sound color.

I don’t hear autosense clicks, but I have it on fastest transition time. I notice after switch happens but switch itself is equally silent on both.
Maaaaybe paradises are a tiny better with categorising environments, but I got used to them so it might be that as well.

In short, I wouldn’t expect that p will be any different than m for your issues, so you might save yourself some energy

@Blacky said:

I don’t hear autosense clicks, but I have it on fastest transition time. I notice after switch happens but switch itself is equally silent on both.

New HA technology is great - if it works properly. I’ve heard autosense works relatively well in quiet settings but not well in background noise. When you think about it, it must be extremely hard for a haring aid to “autosense adjust” with competing sounds from all directions, along with people talking, background music, etc. Maybe Phonak can pull it off but one has to wonder in noisy settings if autosense might overload or possibly non-function-able. I also wonder how autosense mode might hold up over a period of time, if the marvel/paradise is constantly switching or adjusting to incoming sounds. Could a hearing aid wear out quicker or malfunction earlier then expected due to autosense always working overtime? Don’'t know, but maybe we find out as Marvel aids get older.

I NEVER notice my AutoSense changing with my Phonak Marvel but when I had Phonak Quest, I was always noticing it changing.

@ziploc Thank you for your input. Nice to hear a fellow guitar player. Gosh, I am so glad I found this forum. How do you describe to overall sound color of the Oticon compared to the Phonaks?

@Jim @JBC
It’s not really the switch I am afraid of, although I indeed read some people experience ‘clicks’. But it’s merely… it’s hard to describe, being locked out from certain frequencies. We have autism in the family , so maybe it’s just a matter of me not being able to handle quickly chaning hearing characteristics, but… well, that.

Eric, the Oticon Opn1 HAs sound more natural. The Phonak Audeo Q90’s sound sort of cheap and tinny, especially when I wear them after having worn the Oticons for a long time.
But…there are times when I could swear I understand speech better with the Phonaks. Also keep in mind that there have been four generations of Phonak HAs released since the Q generation HAs I have. The Paradise HAs are almost certainly much better.
The Phonak Q90’s are almost unusable for use while playing music. Once you achieve any substantial volume they will start to clip the signal upon input. So the HA is then processing and amplifying a clipped signal. Maybe Phonak has increased the input headroom in later generations. No one seems to know. But the limited input headroom is a huge issue, especially if you play electric guitar with a band. This does not happen with the Oticons.