Getting warble sound with Signia AX hearing aids when in music program

yes that’s been the working assumption. so turn down the gain across the board on the top or just on the higher frequencies, or just on the decibles where it shows me topping out–I may not be topping out across all frequencies…

maybe I need to bring in my guitar and play to get this right. Is the “warble” typical of clipping?

It can be the in coming sounds, and it can be the process of the feedback of the aids trying to prevent feedback. Are you using a music program, most music programs have the feedback either disabled or limited.

Thanks. I just woke up from a nap using my cpap machine. I have intermittent esutachian tube dysfunction. Pressure from the machine can open them up. I played my guitar. It sounded like a cannon, much louder. No warble at all, clear as a bell with the old larger closed domes. maybe the warble has to do with blockage in my eustachian tubes, however unlikely that seems I’m at a loss myself. The warble comes and goes, with no discernible reason. Other than dome fit. I’m not crazy or imagining this! Off now to an appt. with the hearing aid audi.

@jeffrey said:

when I play music in a music program on a pair of trial aids, I will often get a warble. Is it possible the aids are out of synch? Anyone know what that sounds like? can they describe it? thanks

Could you tell us which mfg HA’s you are wearing?
The phenomena you are describing is usually referred to as TITF (talking in the fan), or flutter.
If you use the search box at the top right of the window, and enter one of those terms, you’ll discover quite a bit of knowledge on this topic.

I saw my audi yesterday. she thought the demo Signia AX 7’s were possibly faulty. I was scheduled to trial the AX 5’s so she gave me a new pair. So far, problem solved (less than a day but seems really promising.) Better, the sound quality seems comparable to the 7’s so I can save a thousand bucks getting the 5’s. either the extra processing and features on the 7’s caused the issue, or the demos were indeed faulty.

Tell me about it! Was offered a pair of Signia Motion 13 to try, in place of very obsolete Phonaks.
I’m audio trained (broadcast, not clinical!), so maybe critical but can put it into words: Speech in noise was much improved, voices across a room likewise, background and echo reduced without much on/off gatey effect.
But, oh, live music? Amplitude/phase warble in mid-pitch, volume levelling that takes a bit too long to act so it clicks and hurts… and then jitters because it was, in my practised opinion, designed for speech not music, peaky transducers (may be the mic or the receiver) that add a squeak to nice singers and zigzag the stereo image… Not much bass either, but that’s common to most instruments.
My audiologist is really caring and diligent, likes music, did her best, but even on Music setting these effects persist to some extent, such that the ancient Phonaks do a better job.
Gradually, the industry will catch up! One or two brands do have a good reputation for preserving live music quality and there are bound to be outcomes from the UK Leeds University (Dr Alinka Greasley) big study of the issue. If you are a musical type and half dislodge your aids to let some natural low tones in, or request bigger vents for that, you are by no means alone!

@ellisonvoice said:

but even on Music setting these effects persist to some extent

All of these things you have mentioned are because of incorrect programming in the music program,it seems your audiologist has overlooked something here, the music program has 3 different sub programs to chose from, each has its own respective algorithm, when set up correctly with all the extra features turned off, they are just as good as any others for music, granted bass can be a problem depending on the acoustics used.

Actually I went to a live music concert a few days ago–solo piano and then two small acoustic ensembles. The Live Music program on the AX 7 was brilliant–everything sounded great, with no artifacts at all.
With the new AX 5’s I still can get some flutter when playing single notes: as when tuning. It’s much better and not enough to be a deal breaker so far. I recall reading on a thread here that clear tones confuse the feedback program and can create artifacts? The feedback program is turned down “as far as it can go” on the musician program. I wonder if it still has enough presence to cause minor issues?

edit: and now I realize that tons of road work outside, with constant beep beep beeps going off from two trucks as they back up or work, may be a factor. And yes I realize that I’m obsessing…

I ended up with the AX7 aids, with the feedback manager program turned COMPLETELY OFF. This last is crucial. Having it turned down still created artifacts. It sounds like you’ve already abandoned the AX7. You should try turning the feedback OFF completely on the new aids (or try the AX7s again with this step taken.) It’s very easy to do–the click of a mouse. Suggest to your audi to contact the brand’s specialist on the phone for instructions. And turn off wind and compression as well on this one, dedicated music program. this completely solved all artifact issues for me.

Hi again Jeffrey. Yes - less would seem to be more when it comes to music. My super audiologist had another go at the Phonak M70s, turning off all she could discover among the ‘clever’ stuff, and now I’m really enjoying natural-sounding music (well, almost, as my ears stop at 4k!) and can follow conversation better as well with the full vocal range now coming through.
Useful further adjustment was rolling off response above 4k to prevent inaudible (to me) strong high-tones jittering the compression and possibly perplexing the A-D internals. Homage to a committed, exploratory audiologist!

ellisonvoice thanks!

Along my learning path with my new Phonak Audeo P90 R Paradise Hearing Aids I’ve had my audiologist make some changes. Like you, my hearing ends at 4k or so…at least that’s where my tests end.

First I had him set up my Music program as the default/first program. I asked him to make some changes…not major. So when I turn on my hearing aids they are in Music program.

Then I asked him to set the automatic program as my number two program, with some changes…

But of course I don’t have all the “clever stuff” as you noted.

So I made another change with my PHONAK App. I’ve taken the automatic program and enhanced it…and saved that. Now when I put my hearing aids on I change to the automatic + enhanced program (clarity added) so that I still get some help with the “clever stuff”

I can quickly change from the Music Program to the Automatic enhanced program. My regret is that I can’t determine what program I am in without using my cell phone and the App…I wish I could!

Dave (Toronto)

Ah, that’s interesting Dave. Indeed it is all a learning path! When Covid levels allow more moving around, there might well be occasions when some enhancement would help - maybe in an echoing hall with a distant talker. But I’m not keen on scrabbling around behind my ears! Volume up/down is enough. And the Phonak app that I have is a bit random, not to say very restricted in what it can do, so I deleted it.