Ultra/Super Power Hearing Aids with Semi-Linear option

I wear Phonak Naida P-90 UP. I also DIY and now have Target 8.0.1. It offers “Prescribed Compression”, Semi-Linear" and “Linear”. I use “Prescribed Compression” and as I understand things one progresses to that, but everyone is different. Seems to be the idea of progression from Linear to Prescribed. Have you tried Prescribed or is there such a thing in Connexx - maybe Xfit? I cannot address the MPO issue in Target.

• Linear compression: It makes the hearing air behave more like an analog hearing aid.
• Semilinear: Something in between linear and prescribed.
• Prescribed: The exact amount of compression for each band calculated for your specific hearing loss.

Your hearing loss is similar to mine but yours is a bit better. I used to be on Linear for a decade. I switched to Prescribed with Signia and it really is excellent in a silent room. However, when I am outside in a car or a restaurant, it can be so difficult to hear because the soft sound is far greater than the loud sound. Any type of background sound suppression is not helping and if I shift to Noisy Environment mode, the hearing is just not as good. I really wish Signia had a Semilinear option but they don’t, unfortunately. It’s frustrating. This is why I am looking to try other brands that have the Semilinear option.

My theory is that with Semilinear, I will get a better ratio where soft sounds are slightly less and loud sound is slightly amplified. This will help a profound user like me more, especially if I am in a noisy environment.

I’m pretty sure if one knows what one is doing with the software, one can pretty much do whatever one wants with the compression ratios. Semi-Linear is just a shortcut.

I admire your willingness to try different solutions. I think I tend to go with the standard line. Would be interesting if you could apply different compression to a different program, but the compression is set at the Global level so applies to the hearing aids regardless of program selection. Your low frequency loss is challenging. In Phonak Naida Paradise, you would not want PR but would need to move to UP. Behind-the-Ear Hearing Aid - Naída Paradise | Phonak2
I don’t have the Signia fitting range chart.

I have not had Signia HA’s in sometime as I moved back to Phonak and BTE, first the Naida Marvel SP and now the Naida Paradise UP. I am able to accommodate a small 0.8mm vent in custom molds. I assume you must have custom molds for the RIC aids. If not, I am sure they would be an improvement over domes

Lastly, you might find improvement using remote microphones in challenging conditions of noise. Certainly, Phonak leads the field with the Roger devices.

@TallRobocop said:

Neville, I agree that Roger On will help but I am not sure if that is compatible with Signia hearing aids. But I think the issue is that the noise is more than the signal in any noisy environment, I will try to fix that first. Any ideas on what I should try?

You can connect the Roger On to a Signia hearing aid via the telecoil with a MyRoger neckloop. The signal isn’t as good as direct connection to a Phonak hearing aid.

Hearing aids alone do not do a great job reducing noise sufficiently for someone with your hearing loss. You’ve got the right idea already, but make sure you are activating the directional microphones.

However, looking into a cochlear implant, as suggested above, would probably be your most powerful intervention at this point. Cochlear implants can also be paired with Roger devices in noise.

I actually believe the speech can be better in noise. The hearing aid I had before this one was an old Siemens Nitro SP and although the setting was Linear, when I was in a Noisy situation, I used the Noisy mode and the voice became crisp and clear and noise reduced to 10-20%. I think maybe it happened because soft sound got reduced and loud ones got amplified?

In Target, you can change the values for MPO. Go to the Gain & MPO tab and you will see 5 columns, MPO, All, G80,G65, G50. Click on the top one ‘MPO’ each 3,6,10 or 20 bands, you can adjust in each band.

I looked at your hearing aids in Signia fitting software and it doesn’t have enough gain to boost your mid and high freqs. I will snap the Target MPO when l get home. For your hearing loss, your Paradise aid gain should be at 110 percent with full shell ear molds. My aids are set at 100 gain.
I know your Signia aids are rechargeables and l was just saying that none of the Signia aids with the 13 type battery have enough gain for your hearing loss at mid and high freqs. Signia aids with the large 675 battery has more gain for your hearing loss.

You can click on each band to increase or decrease the gain.

Ok got it. I thought you were using Signia Charge & Go 7X SP aids.

@TallRobocop

Do you have the software?

You’ll be able to check the software yourself.

Yes, I do. I have been configuring my Signia aids for a year now. I have seen max output written in the specs sheet which is equal or slightly more than Phonak Paradise UP’s specs sheet which is why I am confused how come @Terost found out that the gain for medium to high frequencies is not good for my Signia aids. Where exactly am I supposed to look? Would be super appreciative of whoever can show me. This will help me compare and purchase the right aids with most gain.

@TallRobocop

Have you looked at the fitting range?

For example Phonak SP Aids fit to 110 dB only.

Sorry if l got you confused. You had better hearing when you used your older Signia aids. Your current Signia motion aids have enough gain. However as you get older your 1k to 2k fitting range could go down to 120 dB.
The Phonak P UP aids fitting range go down to 120 dB. When you tried the Phonak UP aids, which fitting formula, gain level, occusion compensation and compression did you use? You don’t need to play with the MPO bands. You should get a REM to get better fitting to your hearing loss.