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Roger Select, A Huge Investment - I'm disappointed - Phonak and My Audiologist both failed me

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Edited

UPDATE WEDNESDAY JANUARY 27 2021

So many responses while I’ve been away I hope I can read them all and respond accordingly. Thanks for contributing to the discussion. Well now having been vilified and misunderstood by a few I must clarify that my “thank you” is to those who tried to be helpful and not to the ones advising me to OWN MY MISTAKE.

My mistake was opening this thread because I can figure out that most likely I will be banned for being rude. I try not to be rude but I have tried to explain the mountain of adversity I have had to deal with all while not being able to hear or participate in life - some people choose not to try to understand and my experience with those people is that they prefer the REPORT function over MUTE hands down.

I have a mountain of things I need to tend to so I will take my leave now while I am can choose to do so willingly.

Thanks to those trying to be helpful; I write that with all sincerity.

To the rest NEVER MIND.

AN UPDATE - WEDNESDAY JANUARY 20 2021

I have Audeo M Rechargeables. Today I talked with someone at Phonak Product Support at the phone number left by Phonak in a voice message to me.

The person who answered when I called told that if I’m using my hearing aids to talk to him then I cannot connect to anything else. That sounds incredible and makes no sense but that is the information he gave me. I wish I had recorded the call because he was not helpful but rude and condescending and treated me like I was an idiot to think I could use a Roger Select and my hearing aids together. If I wasn’t using my hearing aids I COULDN’T COMMUNICATE WITH this unhelpful person or ANYONE.

I AM SO FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY - what possible benefit is there to a Roger Select if it doesn’t work with hearing aids.

I got no directions or information when I foolishly paid $1200 for this device and I would like a refund but I’m sure they will tell me that I only had a very short time to try them out and if I didn’t want them to send them back but nobody has told me anything. I have been overwhelmed trying to put my life back in order having moved to a very small town. h a move to a very small town. This move has been stressful because part of the time my hearing aids weren’t working and I had no audiologist and I couldn’t call to find one because I couldn’t hear. And for a while when I moved here I had NO PHONE because of the remote location. I had no internet either but finally have gotten an internet connection. I need very much to connect to the community where I have relocated but its very difficult because of my hearing deficit.

I feel cut off from the world and for all the money I paid for these hearing aids and for the Roger Select, I’m still struggling to hear. I feel hurt and deceived and lied to: they took my money and then gave me a cold shoulder. My audiologist wasn’t working after Covid happened and the one I went to as an alternative was not helpful. I have been struggling trying to find my way and gotten nowhere. I am so anxious and lost that I have a hard time reading and responding to your message and all these messages. I have been abandoned and I cannot be a part of the world other than typing here which has gotten me nowhere because everyone else seems to get along fine but I don’t know how.

I see many people have left comments but to be honest at this time I cannot focus enough to read them or respond because my last hope is gone. I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude but I’m just lost.

My initial post:
I bought a Roger Select last year but got very little information due to Covid which meant my regular audiologist wasn’t available so the audiologist who got it for me basically said “here it is, I don’t know how it works, figure it out”. I’m not at all happy with the situation - I called Phonak and spoke with a Roger Select “expert” and he didn’t even know what came in the box. I want to connect it to my TV but it doesn’t and I don’t know if there’s a way to make it do so. I don’t know if there’s more to this device I’m not getting because of no information provided.
It helps somewhat but based on what I’ve read from others I think I must be missing something. I think the investment I made ($1200 aprox) was not worth it. I still struggle to hear on some phone calls and still depend on close captioning on TV and in a large group, I basically have to “disconnect” and let the group conversation go - not try to follow it or I’m just exhausted. So I think people may misunderstand and think I’m unfriendly or antisocial but its not so. I basically stay home most of the time other than a few times seeing family and a few friends. The investment I made in my hearing aids and now this Roger Device were considerable but not only has the technology failed me but so has Phonak.

17 people in this conversation41 min readJump to latest

You haven’t stated what Phonak aids you are using. I have a Phonak TV Link device which is connected to my tv and the device streams tv sounds to my compilot 2 with neckloop. The compilot 2 send the sounds to my Naida V90 aids. I also have a remote mic that sends to my compilot 2 device. I just tap my compilot to pause tv sounds if l need to talk with other people or use the phone.

I also bought a Roger Select iN just before things got locked down due to the pandemic, so I didn’t get to use it much. What I did find out is that it works great if you’re in a setting with some people and they take turns talking, but I have a large family and they talk over each other so, the Roger select just amplifies all the voices which is not a good thing either. It works great if someone is talking quiet (I call them low talkers). Mine came with two different cables, one is a Light cable for hooking up to your TV, the other is for plugging into your computer head phone socket. It works good hooking up to the TV but I have a TV connector so I don’t use it for that. To be honest if I had it to do over I wouldn’t buy it. I would think for meetings at work it would be a good thing but I’m retired… I don’t know if this helps you much, but there it is.

Edited

1)What hearing aids do you have?
2) If Marvel or Paradise, did you get a Roger Select iN? Did your audiologist manage to pair it to the hearing aids?
3)Roger Select would not be expected to help with phone. If you’re talking cell phone, are you able to stream from your phone to your hearing aids?
4)For TV, the Phonak TVConnect is a more affordable solution. That said, the Select should work. What kind of audio out connections do you have on your TV?
Unfortunately most technology doesn’t “just work” and requires a knowledgeable user or excellent tech support. Tech support should come from your audiologist.

Added: and Word Recognition Scores would also be useful.

Also, what is your wrs? And your loss?

Aids give some kick, select gives a bit more, but if your hearing and comprehension is damaged, no aids can undo it. Some better chances are with cochlear implants if you’re eligible for one.

I think users who have too much damage for aids but to little to be Ci candidates suffer the most… Ig you’re in that group, there’s not much you can do, it won’t be easy :confused:

Your best bet is training your surroundings.

That being said, aids have roger program which can and should be adjusted if default isn’t working for you.
Second, utilise option to click and choose from which direction you want to listen people. Be assertive and tell people to wait until you switch / come closer and whatnot. Talking over each other is useless anyway so you may nudge them in taking turns, or be quieter / sit differently so they don’t have to yell.
Also, invite person you want to talk to to move away from loud table, put noise behind you.

Select is a great device but not all mighty. Difficult situations are difficult. In my case, with select in hardest environment is really difficult but without it is totally impossible.

But being aware what might help and asking for it is also important - turn down the background music, move away from the crowd and put them behind yourself, lip reading, asking for repetition.

Also, you can try putting select around the neck of the one person you want to focus on, and when you’re done, move to another person. In such mode, select indeed takes much less stuff in.

Yes, it’s possible that not all family members will care. Then you can safely decide what they have to say isn’t important to you either, if it isn’t important for them to ensure you got the message. Mutual respect goes two way. And hearing impairment is a disability that won’t go away just because it’s inconvenient for someone else.

I’m sorry to hear that select wasn’t the solution you hoped for. However, I do have a feeling that you might not fully understand the scope of your loss. And with that, we here can help. So, share your data with us, and describe difficult situations, and I’m sure people will chime in with tips and tricks.

Correct me if I’m wrong but for such costly devices like the Roger and Select, shouldn’t “user” have 45 to 60 days to trial before deciding if they want to keep or not? Should either device not live up to expectations, can they be returned for full refund? If such is the case, then there’s really no harm in testing both expensive devices, as long as we have a “solid return policy” with full refund.

I think that’s often the case, but something definitely to be clarified before hand. I suspect some would still charge some sort of a return fee.

In reply to @mazda4me

It depends on your seller.
I do have 3 months for final decision and I don’t have to pay upfront for anything.
Although, there are some devices which I can only buy, like I think remote control or partner mic, I forgot. But aids and roger stuff I can test.

However, my fitter has that option. Some sellers don’t want such hassle or offer you only things they have in stock.

I’m not sure if I’d buy mine if I didn’t have an opportunity to test it during some time in several environments and hear the difference. It is a pricey gadget.

One disadvantage of the Roger Select iN (I assume the Select also has), is the Audio output is Monaural.
Seems like a big oversight for such an expensive accessory.

I think giving it streaming capability was an afterthought. Main function is mic, and there isn’t much difference since mics are all on in the same spot, so you won’t get stereo no matter what you do, you’d need two mics on some proper distance, no?
And select doesn’t work in a network of proper selects (eg lying on table and all mics working) anyway (because then much more expensive table mics wouldn’t sell at all :rofl:)

So, with each device you get something, but there’s no single device that has it all and is perfect.

I bought a Roger Pen for USD 1300. It did not perform as indicated. Sent it back to Phonak to check they replace some hardware, still failed functions.

In reply to @MDB

I have Audeo M Rechargeables. I wasn’t asking for help with my Phone I was asking for INFORMATION for a product I paid $1200 for with no instructions. Now today I talked with someone at Phonak Product Support and was told that if I’m using my hearing aids then I cannot connect to anything else. That sounds incredible and makes no sense but that is the information I got when I called the phone number that was given to me in a message from Phonak. They said they’d be glad to help and left a phone number but I GOT NO HELP AT ALL. He was rude and condescending. He asked if I was using my hearing aids to talk to him which seems like a stupid question because if I wasn’t using my hearing aids I COULDN’T COMMUNICATE WITH ANYONE.

I AM SO FRUSTRATED AND ANGRY - what possible benefit is there to a Roger Select if it doesn’t work with hearing aids.

I got no directions or information when I foolishly paid for this device and I would like a refund but I’m sure they will tell me that I only had a very short time to try them out and if I didn’t want them to send them back but nobody has told me anything. I have been overwhelmed with a move to a very small town. I have struggled to get things organized so I had to focus on that. And for a while when I moved here I had NO PHONE because of the location.

I am cut off from the world and for all the money I paid for these hearing aids and for the Roger Select, I’m still struggling to be a part of the world and my community. I feel hurt and deceived and lied to: they took my money and then gave me a cold shoulder. My audiologist wasn’t working after Covid happened and the one I went to as an alternative was not helpful. I have been struggling trying to find my way and gotten nowhere. I am so anxious and lost that I have a hard time reading and responding to your message and all these messages. I have been abandoned and I cannot be a part of the world other than typing here which has gotten me nowhere because everyone else seems to get along fine but I don’t know how.

In reply to @Terost

My audiologist told me the a Roger Select would
enable me to connect to the TV. I don’t have
or know anything about a compilot. She said this
Roger Select would be all I needed. And I’m having
trouble responding to you because there is a site
notification that has popped up and blocks have my
screen so I’m tired and frustrated and I appreciate
you are trying to help but I can make no sense of
anything. And I’m not an idiot, I was a productive
member of society and held many responsible
positions in my work but not anymore.

Edited

In reply to @Blacky

You are fortunate, Blacky, I had to pay upfront and then after I got them Covid happened and everything fell apart. By the time I managed to talk to the audiologist I got stuck with after my other one disappeared she said you only have a week or two to decide. But with Covid and all the political upheaval and quarantines I cannot remember exactly what was said and what date. You can’t talk to Phonak directly they tell you to talk to your audiologist so this IS A SHELL GAME that rips people off and leaves them out of money and out of luck.

I’m sorry you’ve been under so much stress. Sounds hard.

What I would guess the rep at Phonak was asking was whether you were using your hearing aids connected to your cell phone via bluetooth to talk to them (rather than just wearing your hearing aids while talking on the phone regularly). If you are streaming from your cellphone (or a bluetooth landline phone) directly to your hearing aids, you cannot use the Roger Select at the same time. Do you have your hearing aids connected directly to a cell phone via bluetooth?

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