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Signia 7AX - Costco Equivalent

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In reply to @Hearing-Club

@Hearing-Club said:

Philips Hearlink 9030’s which are the equivalent to the oticon more

this isn’t quite right, they are more like sonic enchant.

@Hearing-Club said:

Phonak and KS10 which are also made by the same manufacturer (sonova)

I don’t believe there’s anything other then the housing and microphone ports.

@Hearing-Club said:

literally no difference but the Resound Jabra and Beltone

Umm, yeah but more like ReSound Ones, but then beltone imagine is the same as the ones, ok so there all the same.
So yes I’m with you on this, most of these are the same but with different names for their respective features for a different price point…

Edited

There’s a fair bit of “as far as I know” and “seems to be the same except” and “well no, you think it’s one brand but it’s actually closer to another” in all this discussion about Costco aids. Undoubtedly Costco provides excellent aids at much lower prices than others can match. This is a very very good thing. It’s just, claims that one Costco brand is identical to X brand that independent providers carry…except for…maybe not…others say differently…–.clouds the whole picture. In a way, who cares? If you find an aid that performs great for you at Costco; maybe even better than the aid you tried at a private provider, that costs more…go for it! A rose by any other name is a Costco rose, and all that.

p.s. I bought Signia AX7 aids for full price from a private business. Are they the same as Rexton bi-core at Costco? some say yes, some say no. The more I read, the more I think we don’t actually know.
My gut tells me, no.

Edited

In reply to @prodigyplace

Yes your correct, as mentioned.

@jeffrey said:

There’s a fair bit of “as far as I know” and “seems to be the same except” and “well no, you think it’s one brand but it’s actually closer to another

Nope, they are the same as mentioned, no ifs or maybe, possiblity or I think, they are same, but I’m happy for you offer any information that there not, links or attachments, the reason is that the software for all these different brands/ models show the same features and they use the same chips and are made by the same manufacturers.

@jeffrey said:

Are they the same as Rexton bi-core at Costco? some say yes, some say no. The more I read, the more I think we don’t actually know.
My gut tells me, no

They are the same, unless you have some links, attachments that show they are different, same software and chips, they use the same accessories, all this shows they are the same, no ifs.

@jeffrey if you want, you could have the links to the software, you could then check yourself between them and see what some of us are saying.

Well…some say so. but just read this thread alone. Even you disagree with others about the provenance of various Costco aids in terms of other brands. it’s confusing at the least. I suspect its more than that. But you say the signia are identical in every way with Rexton. I respect your opinion. But, we’re all just anonymous folks with opinions on the internet. Again, I don’t know. You’ve always insisted you have all the white papers and specs and insider info to make this assertion.

In reply to @SpudGunner

@SpudGunner said:

We need to tag @Abarsanti and @Volusiano on this one …

I only have a comment that the Philips 9030 is not the same or equivalent to the Oticon More. Although they do share some of the peripheral technologies and sometimes the same accessories (like the TV adapter and the intermediary devices), their core technologies are different although both are based.

The Sonic hearing aids are along a similar vein with the above 2. Since Sonic and Oticon are under the William Demant umbrella, and Philips, although not under WD, licenses the technologies from WD, they share peripheral technologies and accessories, their core technologies are different and that’s why they’re 3 different HA mfgs even though under the same WD umbrella.

I have trial tested the Sonic Enchant 100, which is the previous generation compared to the latest Sonic Radiant models, and for sure the Sonic Enchant is not equivalent to the OPN. So the Philips 9030 and the Oticon More and the Sonic Radiant have many similarities but their cores are all really different.

Bernafon is another WD subsidiary. I don’t know much about the latest Bernafon model (the Alpha?). But upon reviewing the previous Bernafon line and comparing it to the Sonic Enchant line, I see some similarity in their core technologies, but they made sure to use different/separate names for them so it’s not possible to be definitive about whether they were really equivalent or not.

In reply to @jeffrey

Yes absolutely I do agree that we’re just “anonymous folks with opinions on the internet” I don’t actually say they are “identical in every single way” as obviously there’s no way for me to know that, I mean I don’t actually work for these guys, can I put it another way, some are so similar, that I can’t tell them apart.

I wonder if it’s legal to sell the identical under different names through different outlets–well, costco, which is the elephant in the HA market–at radically different prices. Isn’t that patent infraction…? Or something…Sure the manufacturers have made their deals with Costco…but sheesh. this is beyond my level of expertise, but I would have thought there was some sort of law that prevents a major retail outlet from selling an identical product under a different name at radically lower prices than their competitors. And anyway, why doesn’t Costco jsut sell the Signia AX7, the latest aid from Signia, under that name and brag about how it’s $1500.00 cheaper with them. Why all the name changing thing? Keeping the name and radically underselling everyone else would be far better marketing. wouldn’t you buy the latest Honda CRV from an outlet that offered it at $10,000 lower than anyone else? Why would that outlet market it as “Julius Bi-core” when its a Honda CRV? Hmmmm.

In any case, volusiano seems to think there are subtle and not so subtle differences between Costco brands and their “equivalents” in the rest of the market.

@jeffrey said:

Isn’t that patent infraction…? Or something

But not if the company selling the to Costco or any others owns the patent, Signia, Rexton=

Brands

Brands

@jeffrey said:

And anyway, why doesn’t Costco jsut sell the Signia AX7, the latest aid from Signia, under that name and brag about how it’s $1500.00 cheaper with them.

Well in a way they do, only they use this different name, now this isn’t Costco decision, Costco doesn’t get a say in which name/models they will be selling as such, the manufacturer “offers” the premium model, and you can sell if for whatever, only catch is, you can only use this terminology and this “brand name” the manufacturer is making a feeble attempt at “protecting” all the other audiology clinics that have to pay 3 times this amount for the same model, it’s just marketing, and of course “market share”

In reply to @jeffrey

@jeffrey said:

There’s a fair bit of “as far as I know” and “seems to be the same except” and “well no, you think it’s one brand but it’s actually closer to another” in all this discussion about Costco aids.

The major manufacturers choose which of their brands they will sell to Costco, many times with a unique model designation. They want to minimize affecting their other sakes partners while maximizing Costco sales. I know they sometimes change the brand sold to Costco in an attempt to improve sales there.

For unique models we can only depend on data sheets and possibly markings on the aids. For instance, we know exactly what Rexton model is the same as my KS8 because they have the Rexton model on the aids themselves.

Hey guys, i dont claim to know it all, i sure have lots to learn as well. My experience comes from working at private dispensers such as beltone and yes, unfortunately, miracle ear as well. And ive qorked at costco for a fair bit.

I have and still do use the signia software and the costco rexton software and cant find any differences, at all between the fitting software and the internal components between the signia ax and rexton bi core hearing aids. Just giving you my 2 cents based on my experience. I fit both and love both, if anyone has questions about hem, lemme know :slight_smile: id be happy to answer them.

As far as Jabra, Resound and Beltone hearing aids. I can tell you with great confidence, from my experience, they are all the same. Software, hardware. The advanced features have different proprietary names and the fitting software UI has different colors lol. As far as sonova hearing aids (phonak, ks 9,10 series) and Demant Hearing Aids (philips,oticon) im still learning and if ANYONE has solid info on how similar they really are, id love to know. I do know the apps are very similar and use me for info, i currently fit philips (Demant). Id love to help add confusion and more maybe so’s, i dont really know’s haha.

Currently fitting and programming

Rexton
Philips
Signia
Beltone
Resound
Jabra

In reply to @jeffrey

Signia 7AX - Costco Equivalent
Well…some say so. but just read this thread alone. Even you disagree with others about the provenance of various Costco aids in terms of other brands. it’s confusing at the least. I suspect its more than that. But you say the signia are identical in every way with Rexton. I respect your opinion. But, we’re all just anonymous folks with opinions on the internet. Again, I don’t know. You’ve always insisted you have all the white papers and specs and insider info to make this assertion.

Yes we are all anonymous but i currently program both brands. I fit signia hearing aids and tru hearing aids for folks with Tru Hearing benefits and Nations Hearing manage care companies and i fit Rexton as well. Im tellin ya, they may not be exactly the same, but from what ive programmed, i look for differences and personally cant find any.

In reply to @jeffrey

Signia 7AX - Costco Equivalent
There’s a fair bit of “as far as I know” and “seems to be the same except” and “well no, you think it’s one brand but it’s actually closer to another” in all this discussion about Costco aids. Undoubtedly Costco provides excellent aids at much lower prices than others can match. This is a very very good thing. It’s just, claims that one Costco brand is identical to X brand that independent providers carry…except for…maybe not…others say differently…–.clouds the whole picture. In a way, who cares…

I totally agree, find what works. I just want folks to know, there are great alternatives out there, for much cheaper that are very close, if not the same. Just try those as well before you spend 5-10k on hearing aids. Most of my patients say they cant hear a difference. But they feel the financial difference.

In reply to @Hearing-Club

@Hearing-Club said:

I have and still do use the signia software and the costco rexton software and cant find any differences, at all between the fitting software and the internal components between the signia ax and rexton bi core hearing aids. Just giving you my 2 cents based on my experience. I fit both and love both, if anyone has questions about hem, lemme know :slight_smile: id be happy to answer them.

Great to hear from you. I got the Signia AX7 primarily for playing classical guitar. I even ponied up extra cash that I didn’t have to go up to the 7’s, because I could tell a difference with playing music compared to the 5’s. In all other regards, they seemed about a wash, but I didn’t put the two models through all the paces (covid and avoiding noisy crowds). For everyday use, I would have been happy with the 5’s. Did you fit these aids with a dedicated music program (the one Signia has installled needed tweaking for sure)? And did you compare with Rexton aids for this purpose? I mean, next time I might go with Costco, if my provider closes down, etc.

I wonder if Costco sells the Rexton as replicas (knock offs doesn’t seem right) of the Signia AX5 or 3 model rather than the 7? As I mentioned, for everyday use the 5 and 7’s seemed pretty much the same.

In reply to @jeffrey

@jeffrey said:

I wonder if Costco sells the Rexton as replicas (knock offs doesn’t seem right) of the Signia AX5 or 3 model rather than the 7?

As far as I know all Costco aids are the best technology level. At least that has been true for the aids I have purchased from Costco over the last 10 years.

Yes Costco only sell the premium models, it’s a good idea I think, the manufacturer’s should take note, far too many models being offered and can get confusing for some people.

In reply to @jeffrey

Hey Jeff, great question. Now this applies to ALL of the costco hearing aids. You are referring to the technology levels. Costco ONLY carries the premium tech level. How do we know this? Well most costco employees are just told we only offer premium technology or the “premium tier” but since i have worked at many different practices, i can confirm that they carry the premium by looking at the advanced features, the specs of the hearing aids, but the most blatant factor is the amount fitting bands and hearing aid channels. For example, you can get a beltone imagine 6,9 or 17. The costco Jabras are the 17 channel version.

So to amswer your question, they carry the ax7’s

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