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Oticon More1 vs Phonak P90 - | PROS and CONS | [2021/11]

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Edited

I the last weeks I read as much as possible about hearing aids and users’ experience of them, here on the forum hearing tracker, on Reddit, on YouTube videos comments, and blogs.
I concluded what Oticon More and Phonak P90 are the better hearings aids on the market right now(2021/11), and both will be good for me. (you can see my in my avatar profile)

  • My experience with Oticon OPN S2

I have the possibility just to test psychically just one hearing aid, which is Oticon OPN S2.
I was very pleased with the sound quality, very soft, pleasant, natural sound.
Didn’t observe a very big increase in loudness, it’s was like my natural hearing level, but I started to hear cars from outside, the sirenes, the computer fans near me, which don’t was disturbing at all.
I am just was aware of it.
In meantime, I was listening to a podcast on my phone speaker.
Before connecting the , I heard the voice of the guy talking, but I don’t understand what he is saying.(only 5-10%)
When I connected the HA, I instantly started to understand what he is saying, all 99% of words.
This test was with Oticon OPN S2.
So the Oticon More1 will have to be just as good, maybe even a little better.

Now, I did for myself a little comparison for Oticon More1 vs Phonak P90 (unfortunately I don’t have the possibility to test one psychically)

| This is my 2 cents: |

#Oticon More 1

PROS:

  1. Rechargeable batteries can be changed easy and fast
  2. Open sound paradigm(it’s built for hearing better in 360 degrees, you don’t have any limits, no problem if someone is talking to you from behind or you drive a car and have a conversation with your child in the backseat)
  3. Sound is very pleasant and natural(you forget what you have HA connected)
  4. Compatible directly for streaming with Android () and iPhone, also you can use the iPhone microphone for speaking in a difficult situation.
  5. IFTTT is a cool gimmick feature.(it allows you to automate some things, like change a program by your geolocation or to hear a voice that is saying what is raining outside)

CONS:

  1. bluetooth is not compatible directly with laptops or other non-smartphone devices
  2. fewer settings in Oticon ON app regarding tunning sound

==================

#Phonak Paradise P90

PROS:

  1. All Bluetooth (>5.0) devices compatible
  2. Better noise cancelation
  3. Useful manual options in myPhonak app like speech enhancer, noise removal, equalizer
  4. You have more manual control of sounds around you (for example if want to turn off all disturbing noise and hear only the voice of your child(which would be better if it sit in front of you), you can do this, if you want to hear everything, including your neighbors arguing, you can do this)
  5. Tap Control - a gimmick feature, allow you to send commands to your voice assistant(Google, Alexa), hands-free calling (useful in no noise situation)

CONS:

  1. sound seems not so pleasant and natural like Oticon (based on users reviews)
  2. is designed to work in beam directionality, so you can hear more from the front, and less from behind, which sometimes, on rare occasions is not good, I see this as a limitation
  3. rechargeable battery is hard to change, it needs to be sent to Phonak center

==========

Now, I need your help to improve this comparison - PROS and CONS

Please let in comments your opinions, your trials, and your experience with these HA.
I will update the topic accordingly.

Let’s create here a good decision guide for people who don’t have the possibility to test the HA locally, but want to buy/order one from distance.

14 people in this conversation40 min readJump to latest
Edited

In reply to #2

Thank you for your feedback.

This is not my assumption, it was said by one audiologist, who is working with these 2 brands, based on his clients’ profile.
But you are right, this note is misleading, I will reformulate it.

I am happy for you that More1 is helping you hear better, regarding your hearing loss and age.
This means they are doing the job.

How they are performing for you with hearing whispers in a quiet environment?
What about speech intelligibility in a noisy environment, like in a restaurant?

Edited

@habasescu.nicu: Regarding your questions:

  1. It depends on who’s doing the whispering and the frequency of their voice; (When you’re 72, people yell at you - they don’t whisper.)
  2. It depends on how noisy the restaurant is and the frequency of the voices of the people speaking to me.

[I’m sorry, but anyone’s subjective impressions are unlikely to be much use to you, since everyone has a different hearing loss, to which their brains react differently.]

[What brands are available in your country (Rumania?)]

I want really to know if someone find useful on daily basis these options from Phonak app, like noise removal, speech enhancer, dynamic range.

Or about Oticon MoreSound booster, and the programs, how often they switch trough them, is practical this 360 degrees sound paradigm on a daily basis?

@SpudGunner said:

[What brands are available in your country (Rumania?).]

I am located now in Moldova, here we have just Rexton and Oticon.
Tried Rexton too, but don’t like it.
My opinion: Too loud and too “cold” sound. They seem powerful but not natural. I was thinking what I am killing my ears with them.

Edited

A good fitter should be able to adjust the Rexton aids so they’re not as harsh as you describe. You’re describing a fitting issue, not a brand issue.

That’s why I asked where you live. I believe that to get the best performance from the hearing aids, you’ll need to find a competent audiologist, with whom you can work on a long-term basis to fine tune your aids and continue to respond to changes in your hearing. And you need to buy a make that the audiologist has experience with (and can make a profit on by being an approved reseller of the brand).

Edited

I didn’t have a chance to adjust Rexton aids, because I don’t have the software and equipment for this specifically brand.
It was a trial last year with an audiologist.
After it, I never tried them.
I am sure they are good, powerful, with the right fitting they can do the job.
But is not for me, due to lack of some functions, the smartphone app is limited, incompatibility with android, etc.

So I am focusing now only on these 2 brands(Oticon and Phonak).

Edited
@habasescu.nicu said:

But is not for me, due to lack of some functions, the smartphone app is limited, incompatibility with android, etc.

I understand - I was responding to what you initially said, which was different than this.

[Perhaps that statement is also misleading to others who might be reading?]

The truth is what you seems now to misleading.

I said in earlier post what I will fine-tune the aids (will be it Oticon or Phonak)

You assumed by that post what I fitted in the past the Rexton aids and you said indirectly to me what I don’t have enough knowledge because they were sounding harsh.

Maybe because I said “I have software for each brand” was misleading you, and you thinked what I have for Rexton too(not only for these 2 brands: Oticon and Phonak)

In this case, even if I had an equipment for Rexton, you can’t asume and be sure what I fitted them.

Would be correct if you asked me first, if did I tried to adjust the Rexton aids before trial them.

With all due respect.
I hope now all is clear.

PS: Sorry for this off topic

Let’s keep discuss only about these 2 ’s mentioned in the head of the topic

I’m not trying to argue with you. You made a statement about Rexton aids without providing a context at the time. Others reading your posts, who may be considering Rexton (same parent company as Widex) might get the wrong impression or be put off by your statement.

I feel that if you’re going to say something strongly negative about a good brand that gives satisfaction to many customers, you should provide an accurate context at the time of first reading, instead of after someone like me challenges you.

(Hearing aids are very personal. I like Oticon. Some people HATE Oticon. It’s personal and subjective. Arguments about them have no winners. I’m just holding the mirror up to what you wrote so that it’s clear to other new members what is your basis in fact.)

I also said in the next post about them what they can do the good job if they are fiting correctly.

I also can mention what I was wearing rexton day 6, an old model,(around 10 years old) until this year, and they really helped me to hear better, and understand speech. It’s not comparable with the curent modern Oticon, but was doing the job.

But agree, would be more effective if I mentioned this in a single message all together to not misleading others.

Hope the users will read this message too, in order to have a more complete ideea about Rexton brand.

Edited
@habasescu.nicu said:

about Oticon MoreSound booster, and the programs, how often they switch trough them, is practical this 360 degrees sound paradigm on a daily basis?

I rarely switch programs on the More 1; unless I am in a noisy environment with lots of noise and or voices, then I go to the Speech in Noise program, otherwise I stay in Program 1. I also find that whether I am in the default program or in the program that I use in a noisy environment, I hear all of the voices in close proximity, clearly. Sometimes, I also hear others a ways away clearly in those environments. It depends on the frequencies and the kind of noise that is present. They are very effective and very natural.

The other evening I attended a meeting and I could hear the speakers clearly in front of me and I could pick up the sounds of the person sitting to my left using his phone. His phone would make a small chime as he cycled through his texts/emails. I could also pick up the sounds of people walking around. My brain could then choose which of those sounds to focus on.

Edited

@jdc1117 Thank you for the feedback.
So in your case, the first program is doing almost all the job.

It’s fantastic how you describe the hearing of the sounds around you.

Would be very useful for us to know your .
Can you share it with us?
https://www.hearingtracker.com/audios1

PS: I just saw the values of your audiogram in your profile description
What MiniFit Speaker are you using? 85db or more?

Edited

@habasescu.nicu:

To answer perhaps some of your questions:

  1. I’m still trying to figure out what MoreSoundBooster does. It does seem to block out noises coming from behind and to the sides, allowing me to focus better on what’s in front, but the effect doesn’t seem to be equally pronounced in every situation [Edit: The longer I experiment with this feature, the less it seems to do - and I can’t explain why that is so!];
  2. I use the default program 80->90% of the time (I use this to the exclusion of MyMusic, which I don’t like);
  3. The other 10-20% of the time I use Speech in Sound, which I find very effective, even if it is a bit shrill (it doesn’t respond like a traditional beam-former, IMO), as well as a smattering of and Remote Mic 1&2;
  4. The simple equalizer in the ON app is good enough to provide okay trimming of my streaming audio. I don’t need anything more.

I hope this provides you with some information.

My post on another thread: Anyone tried Widex Moment vs Signia AX ? (or Phonak Paradise) - #17 by jcw11

Someone else’s comparative review: Comparative Review of KS10, Oticon Opn S 1 & Oticon More 1

Other similar threads:
https://forum.hearingtracker.com/t/has-anyone-trialed-both-oticon-more-and-phonak-paradise/63421?u=jcw11 (member archive)

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@habasescu.nicu said:

#Phonak Paradise P90

CONS:
2. is designed to work in beam directionality, so you can hear more from the front, and less from behind, which sometimes, on rare occasions is not good, I see this as a limitation

==========

Now, I need your help to improve this comparison - PROS and CONS

Please let in comments your opinions, your trials, and your experience with these HA.

Just to clarify this Phonak P90 con #2, while it’s design to work using front beam forming, I think that this is probably only activated when there’s speech in noise, right? I don’t think that it’s always front beam forming 100% of the time. So it’s not necessarily a limitation for normal usage in general if it’s not activated. But I agree that it’s a limitation in a noisy environment when Autosense automatically activates it, and you want to be aware of more things going on behind you or on your sides, like a waiter asking you something when he’s behind you or on your side. or be able to hear background music better, etc.

@habasescu.nicu said:

Let’s create here a good decision guide for people who don’t have the possibility to test the HA locally, but want to buy/order one from distance.

But why? You mention you have read through the boards here and there are many different review posts for each of these as well as them together. And further to the point - the biggest issue is that it is practically impossible to say what aid will work best (given that is such a varied term) with any individual person. An aid could sound amazing for me and terrible for the next person with an identical loss. I get asking questions and doing just an individual review, which I have done as well. I do not think we need a guide which will just get lost in the fray eventually.

Edited

Yes, this gets into the brain part of the equation. How long has the person been without hearing? How well will the brain re-acquaint itself with the hearing input and make sense of it? No two people are the same. And an issue that one may accept and work through/around, another may not. How many hearing aids have we heard about that got stuffed in drawers because the new owner got frustrated and quit? I know I’ve heard of a surprising number. Motivation, shame, and probably number of other social issues for which I have no awareness, probably come into play.

Edit: spelling

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