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Are the Newest Models That Much Better, or Is It Just Planned Obsolescence?

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Edited

This is another nagging question I have … I see new Oticon models, but I wonder amid all the word-hype whether they’ll help me hear better.

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The Own aids have the same guts as the More aids the difference is that the OWN are aids and have fine tuning for the microphones being in the ear. I have always preferred ITE aids because to me the sound is more natural and I have always been able to locate sounds much easier.
I should add that everything Oticon has come out with since the More aids has been based on the More platform.

My experience over the years is that while the technology has advanced my ability to hear better has increased at a much slower pace. But I’m an awful example to be judging because during that time frame my hearing has also declined. I’d like to think that for others, technology has improved their ability to hear. I know the manufacturers certainly want us to think it does

Edited

@cvkemp: I do remember you saying that (more or less, minus the microphone details) when the Own first came out … As you know, I know precious little about the other makes, since I am, in truth, an Oticon “fanboy” (forgive me, Mr @Volusiano). I’m intrigued and confused by all the different Phonak variants (@Zebras , can you enlighten, please?)

I’m also aware that ReSound and other makers are introducing update, upgrades, and new models, but - as I’ve admitted - if the news isn’t Oticon-related, I usually don’t pay it much attention.

Are they all really worthy of being given new model status ?

In reply to @hass5744

@hass5744 said:

I’d like to think that for others, technology has improved their ability to hear.

@hass5744: I wholeheartedly agree that the industry has made great strides in the 16 years or so that I’ve been wearing . But I’m wondering whether the deluge of supposedly “new models” is , in truth, so new, or whether the industry marketing cabal is just capitalizing on the affluent younger generation’s proclivity to upgrade (for a $ premium) to that which is claimed to be “new” or "improved ", in the absence of objective proof thereof?

In reply to @SpudGunner

My audiologist told me that resound was his second choice for me, I researched the news resound aids, and the M&Rit sounds interesting. What I like about aids is the more natural sound from the microphones in the ear. I am wondering if the resound M&RIT will give the same type of sound?

The intent with the M& receiver is to use the pinnae to help with sound localization. From looking at your you are outside the recommended fitting range for the M&RIE receiver.

I find both the Philips HearLink and my previous ReSound aids to sound very similar. I briefly tried the More in an audiologist’s office and like its natural sound as well.

I know this kind of hits back to the rechargeable aids, but I believe that disposable battery aids last longer than rechargeable battery aids, because of how the rechargeable batteries are aging out so fast, take it from me it gets tiresome having to send them back to have the batteries changed and I don’t have to pay to have them changed. I can see for the ones getting charged every time for the batteries and the replacement it would get very expensive. Now if the batteries in the aids lasted like my iPhone batteries I would be satisfied, I have my first iPhone last well over 5 years without battery issues.

In reply to @jay_man2

Yes my More1 do sound natural to a point, I can sometimes locate sounds but not near enough. I am pushing for the OWN1 aids as my main aids and my More1 as my backup aids. That way I have disposable batteries in the OWN1 aids and I can use the More1 aids at times to keep the batteries exercised. I am now using my OPNS1 aids while my More1 aids are be checked our and having the batteries replaced and I definitely can tell the difference in the sound and I can tell that my speech understanding is worse.

I don’t doubt for a minute that advances claimed by manufacturers from one model to the next is more hype than anything. Over a longer period of time like 7 to 10 years the advances justify the purchasing of new aids. But every couple of years? No way. Unfortunately it’s easy to get caught up in it

I have lost faith in hearing aid manufactures thinking they can improve noise reduction when it is really your hearing nerves not working properly… they can claim all day but you can’t fix your hair cells… like me for example, I hear far better in a config than with hearing aid in noise… in fact you don’t need advanced beamformer to get the result you need for hearing in noise with a bimodal setup

In reply to @cvkemp

@cvkemp said:

I am pushing for the OWN1 aids as my main aids and my More1 as my backup aids. That way I have disposable batteries in the OWN1 aids and I can use the More1 aids at times to keep the batteries exercised.

If you ever want to use rechargeable hearing aids as a backup pair then you need to think about battery maintenance. You can’t just put them in a desk drawer and forget them. Long term storage may cause Lithium-Ion batteries to stop working. Rechargeable batteries are not meant to be stored without conditioning. The should not be stored with full charge and should not be stored with a low charge.

Oticon fitting software (Genie2) has a (Battery Protection mode tool); Battery protection mode is a mode that preserves battery life and is useful when storing . New Oticon rechargeable HAs come with the battery drawer open and in battery protection mode. To turn off battery protection mode, close the battery drawer and place the instruments in the charger until the instrument LED turns orange. Note that it is also OK (but not necessary) to leave the instruments in the charger until they are fully charged (green LED).

You can do an Internet search for “how to store li-ion battery”, and you will find many sets of instructions. I think that the Internet instructions are not an exact science. But you can get a good idea about how to store your batteries by reading some of the instructions below. My guess is, store at room temperature (partially-charged 50% or so) and perform a full charge every 3 months, before storing again at 50% charge. Instructions from the Internet follow;

  • Storage; Charge 40% to 50% of the battery charge, and store in a dry environment. As long-term storage will cause the battery activity passivation and accelerate the self-discharge rate, the ambient temperature should preferably be between (10 ℃-30 ℃ / 50F-86F), in addition, it is necessary to do a charge/discharge cycle every 3 months to maintain its activity and recovery performance.
  • Storage Measures For Daily Lithium Battery Users; For Lithium-ion batteries which need to be stored for a long time and not used, they should be kept in a state of 50%-60% charge. They should be recharged every 3 months.
  • How long is the battery life? Lithium-ion batteries can be charged up to 1,000 times (depending on capacity). However, these values can only be achieved under optimal conditions. Depending on the handling and maintenance of the battery, the number of cycles may be reduced. During the service life, the capacity will decrease. Generally speaking, when the nominal capacity of the battery is less than 70%, it is called worn-out.

I already have a set of rechargeable aids as backup aids so I am well aware of how to take care of them.

In reply to @pvc

@pvc said:

If you ever want to use rechargeable hearing aids as a backup pair then you need to think about battery maintenance. You can’t just put them in a desk drawer and forget them. Long term storage may cause Lithium-Ion batteries to stop working. Rechargeable batteries are not meant to be stored without conditioning. The should not be stored with full charge and should not be stored with a low charge.

exactly why i only keep disposable battery hearing aid as a backup around because the lithium cell will degrade if it is not used…

I have had rechargeable aids for backup aids for over a year, and I have a set schedule for keeping the batteries as healthy as possible. It just means being disciplined at keeping the schedule.

What! Hearing aid manufacturers are pushing new models for their advanced features, when in reality, they’re only adding a small gizmo or two? Why, no other industry would dare do that! New improved toothpaste? New improved cleansers, with scrubbing bubbles? Detergents with a fresh smell to make your wife fall in love with you all over again?

You see my point. It’s not as if we’re all a bunch of naifs who aren’t familiar with hype. is anyone really shocked that gambling is going on in Rick’s cafe? Of course not. We take an appropriate level of skepticism with us when we go to a car dealership. so has it ever been.

In reply to @SpudGunner

The longest I have been able to wear a set of aids is almost 5 years. They helped but didn’t really give me that good of speech understanding. During that time I did a lot of research and testing with audio generators to figure out why I could hear sounds and tones but not understanding speech. That is when I discovered that I had spots in my hearing that weren’t tested by the hearing test that was way off. Like 50 db loss at 1000 hz and 25 db loss at 1200 hz and 80:db at 1400 hz and at 1500 hz a 60 db loss. Three audiologist at the large clinic in Austin said that was impossible. But the youngest and newest to the clinic did set down with me and I showed her my testing test and she saw it and from there she worked out a fitting solution with a new set of aids. When I moved to Hot Springs my audiologist here has even found other hearing issues that has stumped him and the Oticon audiologist, but they have figured out fittings that helps.

I agree and there shouldn’t be any car salesman type pressure when needing hearing aids that I hear over and over from so many on here and my neighbors here in this retirement community.

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