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User Review of Whisper Hearing Aids

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In reply to @user52

I don’t see an for you, but Whispers have a fairly limited fitting range. If your loss in the highs is greater than 70dB, I believe you’d be outside of the fitting range. I trialed a pair for a study and using domes instead of my typical custom molds I was not favorably impressed. I realize it was not a fair comparison to my current aids since I wasn’t using custom molds. Dealing with profound high frequency loss present multiple challenges. 1)Getting enough high frequency gain to the ear without generating feedback. 2) If one succeeds, the limited dynamic range makes high frequencies more of an “on/off” thing as you may not hear the frequency until it’s 90dB and anything over 100dB may be too loud. 3) Some of the frequencies may actually be deadspots so no amount of gain is going to help. which is an option in some aids is not available in Whispers.

In reply to @SpudGunner

Aye Jim…Seems to have all went relatively quiet on the “Whisper” front… No pun intended! TBH, I was very hopeful, and I had envisaged great strides/advance’s with this new concept, seems to have promised much, and perhaps delivered very little? I am ever hopeful this may change, and the Whisper manufacturers are busy beavering away in the background, making those promises from their enterprise, come to fruition… You would think, by advertising or at the very least speaking up about Whisper, that they may entice more subscribers to come onboard, then they could invest more in their research? Perhaps some of their subscribers will be kind enough to update the forum on what’s happening, if anything? Cheers Kev :wink:

According to their website it’s been awhile since a software update (March of 2022) There was a previous one in December of 2021. I’m guessing they’re overdue for a software update or coming out with a new model. Always the possibility that they’re having financial issues, but I have no evidence for that.

Thank you @MDB for that update… There could indeed be financial issues, especially if they haven’t reached their subscribers targets? Perhaps the Banks/Investors have them on a tight rein, and they are unable to manoeuvre/update their software? Who knows… Cheers Kev :wink:

Edited
@kevels55 said:

Perhaps the Banks/Investors have them on a tight rein

@kevels55: Och! You’ve a keen and piercing ken, laddie. Some of their venture capitalist backers are noted for their inappetence for non-performance.

(I discovered this when, early on in this saga, a list of financial backers was published. I googled a few - most are risk-takers, but their patience with non-productive investments is limited.)

I just scrolled through this lengthy thread hoping this might be suitable for me. Still having lack of streaming support is a big roadblock. Since 2020 most of my meetings have been virtual. I currently either stream directly to my aids from my iPhone or use a Bluetooth phone clip to a laptop with audio streamed to my aids. It has been 9 months since their last firmware update. If they are truly working on releasing new hardware, their current advertising does not obligate them to release an update for v1 after the new hardware release.

Next month I have an appointment with Duke Health to attempt to program my 4 year old KS8s. If they cannot do that I will likely need to purchase new aids.

Edited

Whisper has mixed advertising claims.

This link says you get continuous system improvements so you always have the latest technology.
https://whisper.ai/why-whisper/

Their home page says
Regular software upgrades are supported until the next generation of hardware is released.

According to his page they have already violated their advertising claims

https://whisper.ai/how-it-works/

Every few months, you’ll receive software upgrades that offer improvements to your system, from new features to better sound processing.

But It appears to me that those who bought into the latest technology advertising likely actually ended up with aids with shorter firmware support than the major manufacturers. As Bluetooth and phone capabilities change, many times firmware updates are needed to maintain connectivity capabilities.

I am really disappointed.No social media posts since May.

Edited

I am kind of hoping some of their staff is listening in to get the real impressions of prospective users.

They admit that the average hearing aid user keeps their aids for over 6 years while basically admitting their solution becomes static within less than the 3 year loan to purchase.

They also mention up to 90 hearing loss. I guess my loss is a little beyond that anyway.

In reply to @SpudGunner

Personally Jim, it always seemed some “Whisper” users. were perhaps overprotective of their hearing aids, perhaps I am way off base? But, that was the impression I got… I am acutely aware, we all like to tout our own preferred hearing aid brand as the latest, and greatest, knowing full well, every hearing aid has some merit, but they usually have some faults as well, which we are usually obliged to overlook, probably because we prefer that sound? And the occasional blip, is outweighed by the overall sound experience, nothing is ever absolutely perfect, there is always a wee nagging idiosyncrasy to throw the odd spanner in the works… Constructive criticism IMO, wasn’t acceptable, perhaps it’s human nature, in that, if you are a “Whisper” user, you can be critical, because you are an end user, but woe betide if you are one of the profane non-whisper users, it was open season, and you were shot down in flames, if you asked what you deemed was a legitimate or responsible question… I do hope, this hearing aid does eventually take off though, not for myself, I am way beyond the threshold of which it covers, but the concept was different, and variety is the spice of life… As always, YMMV…

Well it’s perhaps all conjecture @prodigyplace, there was an assumption that this hearing aid would be regularly & frequently updated as they worked on, and improved the software, this was one of the major selling points, or rental points… But according to @MDB the last update was March this year, I think they dropped the rental price at some point as well… No one is actually saying there is financial problems, there was some talk of new hardware, so it is feasible they are working on this, perhaps the original hardware was not compatible, with the development of the software, but you would imagine you would be keeping your clients up to date via their website at least? Cheers Kev :wink:

Edited
@kevels55 said:

there was an assumption that this hearing aid would be regularly & frequently updated

They stated that and still claim that

Every few months, you’ll receive software upgrades that offer improvements to your system, from new features to better sound processing.

As a learning hearing system, Whisper keeps getting better and better over time. From new features to improved sound processing, regular software upgrades ensure you always have the latest technology.

In reply to @kevels55

I just got off the phone with a Whisper concierge. He didn’t mention the subscription nor leasing option. He quoted an exact price for two aids and a brain. It’s over 5K if you use a live audiologist that sells Whisper. It’s over 2K if you use their telehealth option for hearing test and fitting. I will learn more tomorrow and will probably sign up for the trial.

In reply to @prodigyplace

I have not been very happy with my ReSound aids, after 3.5 years of giving the college try. The big joy was the streaming. To be able to take calls and stream internet radio and podcasts has been a wonderful boon. I’d miss that.

The past 4 years I have had Rexton KS8. In my opinion they failed Costco by not releasing firmware updates for compatibility with the newer iPhone software versions. It used to be I could change from streaming from my Bluetooth phone clip back to the phone with no issues. Remote support has not worked for several versions either and is a known issue for Costco. Their official advice to my HUS was to have me unpair and re-pair my aids to my phone. I discovered a little less intrusive approach but it is still very inconvenient. My next will likely not be from their brands.

I even asked another Costco to try remote support. As soon as they knew I had an iPhone 12, they refused to even try.

In reply to @prodigyplace

@prodigyplace said:

But It appears to me that those who bought into the latest technology advertising likely actually ended up with aids with shorter firmware support than the major manufacturers.

I first heard about Whisper via a postcard from my audiologist’s office. This is a large and ethical practice that is focused on their patients’ needs, sells lots of hearing aid brands and doesn’t need another one, and has never promoted anything to their patients during my few years of experience with them. So I knew that they consider Whisper something special. Combine that with Whisper having recruited Oticon’s chief audiologist as well as the engineer who led development of noise reduction on the Oticon More line, and it’s clear that Whisper has bona fides. But at this point they’re definitely more than a little late with the upgrades.

As the saying goes, the people who know aren’t talking, and the people who are talking don’t know. So I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens.

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