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User Review of Whisper Hearing Aids

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Thanks. Just starting her last round of chemo and has responded VERY well to it. Your encouragement is appreciated very much!

Whisper has released V1.5 of their software. Improved feedback management, support for earmolds (which I was already using), and fitting range extended to 90dB loss. I got mine updated on Friday. Also a new Android app.

Thank you so much! Can you hear the difference versus 1.4?

I’ve noticed that version 2 of the Whisper app for iOS removed the indication of firmware version number – and also the ability to perform firmware upgrades oneself. I wonder whether users were “bricking” (funny metaphor in the case of hearing aids!) their hearing aids?

Whisper Brain System Version is available in System Information on app version 2.0, but it doesn’t show up right away. I think this, and other info synced from the Brain such as Setting and Volume, are showing up or being updated faster with 1.5.

There was one more change in 1.5 that I couldn’t remember, and you reminded me of it: Remote firmware upgrades. They weren’t available before, even if the old app did show them. I guess a new app for iOS will be necessary before we can see them now.

I didn’t have feedback problems before, even on my right ear, what with my unvented molds. Previously my right-ear output curves were in the gray feedback-danger area. The gray area shrank quite a bit when feedback calibration was run with 1.5. My hasn’t changed the gain settings, but she says that the aids are allowing more high-frequency gain now that the gray area is smaller. An obvious change is that when I take out my right aid without turning it off, I get warbling feedback rather than a steady sound. I can’t say anything with confidence about overall changes in sound, but I’m happy with how they’re working.

I received the latest upgrade yesterday, v. 1.5, the one that was just released.

Wow!

As soon as Dr. Bauman put my hearing aids back on, I instantly noticed the difference just sitting in his office. Everything just seemed cleaner and crisper. That was yesterday afternoon and it has remained the same through this morning. Hard to explain, but just a better listening experience.

One of the reasons that I signed on with Whisper was because of the upgrades. Now I feel validated in that decision. I’ve been wearing this pair for 6 months. If I were 6 months into a different set of hearing aids, I’d be airing another 3-5 years to get the benefit of their latest research.

Edited

That’s good news!

By the way, version 1.5 can be installed remotely by users:

To upgrade at home, visit care.whisper.ai/upgrade3. The site will guide you through the upgrade process. You’ll need to have the Whisper Brain (charged), the earpieces, your white Whisper USB cable, a computer, and the Chrome or Microsoft Edge browser.

I have to say that I’ve found remembering to bring the Brain along to be a pain. If I have my backpack with me, no problem, but otherwise it’s not so easy.

So the two improvements I’d like to see are:

  1. Rechargeable batteries
  2. Size reduction or elimination of the Brain

I realize that #1 is likely to happen before #2.

@happymach said:

I have to say that I’ve found remembering to bring the Brain along to be a pain. If I have my backpack with me, no problem, but otherwise it’s not so easy.

I started wearing pants with two hidden cargo pockets a few years ago. With them it’s no problem to carry the Brain without resorting to a bag.

In reply to @happymach

My tells me that the date for rechargeable earpieces keeps getting pushed back. It would seem to be a technical challenge, given that battery life on the big 675 size isn’t very long. Presumably, Whisper clients will be able to switch right away at no cost when rechargeables come out.

She told Whisper that at least one of her clients (me) is vocal about not wanting rechargeables, and they assured her that disposables would remain an option.

Let’s be clear about something: the battery life of the 675 size is about 2-3 days.

The problems for me are that there’s no indication of the battery charge remaining (unlike for the Brain), so you don’t know when you’ll hear the “battery low” warning.

Did you state what the new expected date for rechargeable earpieces is?

If there’s a problem with the rechargeables, it might be because of current consumption. They might have to move the processing units in the earpieces to a smaller process … maybe rechargeability will come with a hardware change as well?

I don’t understand why someone wouldn’t want rechargeables!

P.S. I upgraded the firmware to version 1.5 by myself without a hitch.

It’s all horses for courses @happymach…. You have a fairly mild/moderate loss, which if given the choice, I would bite my arm off for! I have had rechargeable aids in the past, Phonak M 90R’s, nice aids with 105db receivers, but in adverse and exceptionally cold (minus zero) conditions they will cut out, and won’t reboot until they are in the charger, and if you are, “out in the sticks”, with 5 exceptionally challenging, “Criminal Justice” clients, intent on causing you grief, you are in for a potentially bad day! This happened twice to me in very cold weather, and I swore I would never use rechargeable aids ever again, I was fortunate on both occasions to be able to control my 5 clients, but anxiety levels were through the roof…. On the second occasion, the following day, I went straight to my A.uD, and demanded she changed these aids immediately for a P13 battery type, even though I was past my trial period, she agreed as this is a known issue with Li-on batteries, if you work outside in sub zero conditions, you do not want rechargeable aids…… Now, you might possibly get away with your aids cutting out, but with my level of loss, I am to all intensive purposes Deaf, and incommunicado…. Cheers Kev :wink:

Thanks for pointing out that special-use case, @kevels55 ! However, in exceptionally cold weather, aren’t people wearing pull-over hats? And with the hearing aid behind the ear, surely it would keep warm enough under those circumstances?

Hi @happymach, I have maybe 10 different hats, but I have to actually try not to make it more difficult by completely covering my aids, as that’s going to make it even more challenging for me to hear, and constant feedback can be problematic if you completely cover your aids…… I recall someone else on this forum, complaining that removing their earmuffs (just for seconds, I believe) in subzero weather, caused them to cutout and they were unable to reboot until placed in the charging dock…… All rechargeable aids will have a battery management system built into their aids, a prerequisite of Li-on batteries is, you can’t normally use them in subzero environments or you can damage the batteries, unless you use external battery heaters…… Having read a fair bit about Li-on batteries, as most of my Dewalt power tools are powered using them, you should not charge or discharge them, in subzero temperatures…. Zinc/Air do not have this problem, but hearing aid manufacturers are aware that Li-on rechargeable aids have this anomaly…. They just decline to inform the end users! Cheers Kev :wink:

In reply to @happymach

I find that battery life varies with the brand. I’ve had my best results with RAYOVAC, but they are sometimes hard to find. Even they seem to vary, and I suspect that it depends on the age of the batch that the store has on hand at any given time.

Has anyone else found variability with brand. If so, what brand(s)?

I get Rayovacs for my Whisper aids from Hearing Tracker Shop right here on this site. They’re drop-shipped from Oaktree Products, the professional audiology supply place, so they’re fresh. Shipping is fast and prices are good.

Only other brand I’ve tried in Whisper are Costco. Unfortunately there were at least two bad batteries (died the first day) in the package of 48.

In reply to @x475aws

I ordered my new batteries from this site as you suggested a couple of days ago. Unbelievable deal! $19 for 60 of them!! I was previously paying $6 for 6 of them, or triple the price charged here. Thank you so much!

Edited

Does anyone know what has become of the Whisper gang? I haven’t seen hide nor hair of them in ages! Are they still satisfied customers? (@billgem ) I’d like to hear some more news, if any if them still feel like sharing …

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