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Best Costco options instead of KS10

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The good news about here is there are many people to help. There’s an entire DIY forum that can assist you with finding the right software, along with the right hardware you need to connect your hearing aids to your computer for programming. I would highly recommend you check it out.

Everyone in the DIY forum is awesome in the sense that many have been doing it for years, and there are even some audi’s that can provide answers to DIY questions too.

In reply to @prodigyplace

@prodigyplace said:

I really wonder about that. I tried DIY many years ago and got discouraged spending a lot of money and not being able to get the wired adapters for my aids at that time.

Yeah that was a bit of a hassle using/setting up the HiPro, but that was yesteryear, now it’s so much easier using a single wireless device so no need for all those cables and flex connecters. Those KS8 are Signia using Connexx software.

@prodigyplace said:

examined by an otologist at Duke University. He thinks properly adjusted hearing aids are my solution

Yes absolutely, as you have your appointment all set you should finally have a solution, I find the clinics at any Uni department very good, it’s usually run by a professor with PhD audiologists and of course the intern’s.

Unfortunately, I have exhausted all local audiology resources, includng a practice run by an audiology professor.

i was impressed with the thorough hearing test from the audiology department at Duke. If they do not think my current KS8 can be adjusted, I guess I need to spend the extra to purchase aids from them.

@prodigyplace said:

If they do not think my current KS8 can be adjusted, I guess I need to spend the extra to purchase aids from them.

Well I do hope all goes well for you, but if not, remember you don’t have to buy from them, it’s always good to get a few quotes first before paying anything, including trial period.

I realize I do not need to buy from them but I feel I need their expertise. I have tried most everyone locally. I thought my experiences at 2 different Costcos were reasonable but my from Duke were about 30% higher on each ear. That was compared to 2 different Costco locations. If they cannot consistently get that test right, I wonder what other deficiencies lurk.

I did find out Duke sells Phonak, Signia, and Oticon. Due to my KS8 firmware experiences I will likely avoid Signia.

Fair enough, I think your on the right track, you got quite a difference in your results between Costco and Duke so makes sense to go with the expertise, as for going or not for Signia( it’s one of my favourites) you should at least give a trial, I’m not exactly sure what happened with firmware issue, but your used to that brand and the AX is far better then the older version KS8, both Phonak and Oticon are really different in the way they possess sounds, so you’ll have a learning curve to go through, but they could well be what you’ve been looking for, trial period are essential.
Good luck.

I’ve been researching Coscto hearing aid options for my wife.

I have the KS 10’s which is what we intended to buy for my wife as I really like mine. This will be her first hearing aids. The KS 10’s are the best hearing aids I’ve had in 17 years. After her audio gram, the KS 10’s were no longer available.

I think that the Philips 9030’s look like they might be the best choice and are the ones that Costco recommends for her but have a question that I can’t find the answer to.

I really like the ability to take one of the provided programs that come with the ’s, make some changes and save the program under a new name and would like the option to be able to do this.
Can this be done with the Philips?

@rjs said:

I think that the Philips 9030’s look like they might be the best choice and are the ones that Costco recommends for her but have a question that I can’t find the answer to.

Why? I mean there’s no way to know what’s “best” untill you’ve tried them, there’s other good choices from Costco right now, Jaba (ReSound) Rexton (Signia) to consider.

@rjs said:

I really like the ability to take one of the provided programs that come with the HA’s, make some changes and save the program under a new name and would like the option to be able to do this.
Can this be done with the Philips?

Yes and all of the others as well, this is done within an App from your phone, nice feature plus as well an equaliser, bass,mid, treble, I guess you’ve tried the Phonak version at some stage.

I was in similar situation - have worn KS9s successfully for several years and was intending to get KS10s this fall … but alas not gonna happen.

I looked at both Phillips and Jabra from Costco. I didn’t feel strongly about Jabra vs. Phillips, but went with Jabra. I wrote up initial impressions (and comparison to KS9s) in a separate post. Overall I am finding both some benefits and some drawbacks.

My intention currently is to give these couple of months and then decide if they provide sufficient new value for me to keep them, or return under trial period. I’m so far leaning towards latter … in which case I’ll need to decide if I return to KS9s full time, or give the Phillips a try. I’ll be interested in experience with you and your wife if you go with Phillips.

In reply to @tenkan

Thanks, tenkan. I spent a lot of time researching Costco offerings but it wasn’t apparent to me that other manufacturers offered the custom programming by the user via a smartphone app similar to the Phonak/KS 10.

I like the KS 10 app quite a bit though I don’t know how much my wife would use this feature on any hearing aid. As an old time fiddle player, the ability to custom program was a necessity for me!

I bought the Phillips, tried them for six months, took them back and got the KS10’s. To me there is no comparison. The sound quality in the Phillips was not good, and listening to music was so bad as to be painful – especially violin and soprano voice. When I complained about that at a fitting, my Costco tech called Phillips support and was told that is because the algorithm for music is completely different, and I was supposed to be changing programs to listen to music – and I mean like my car stereo. Maybe not. The Phillips were recommended for me, because they are supposed to be better for speech at a distance. Well, I admit I could hear Judges in courtrooms better, but I still couldn’t understand half of what they said – kind of a problem for a lawyer. The KS 10’s have been AMAZING. I would try the Jabra. I would also consider sitting out a month or two and seeing if a new Kirkland model is introduced. I would also consider searching online for a good price for the Phonak P90’s. Yea, even a good price is still about $3g more, but the difference for me has been like night and day.

I have the Jabra Enhance Pro, have been wearing them for several weeks now. I wrote up some initial impressions in a separate post - search [Jabra Enhance Pro – initial experience]. Overall I’m planning to give it a couple of months for trial, but I’m still on the fence about keeping these or going back to KS9s until a new KS11 is released hopefully next spring.

I find the Jabras to be more comfortable to wear than KS9s, marginally better but noticeable. Sound of Jabras is nice - it is brighter and “crisper” than KS9 and has an open feel. But both in crowds and at home, I’m not sure that I have any better hearing discrimination and speech understanding.

Streaming with Android is not nearly as good as KS/Phonak. I think iPhone users should expect much better streaming experience with Jabra (and Phillips) but Phonak seems to have Android streaming nailed down the best.

BTW, I so far really like the rechargeable vs. battery model. Works well for me, I use all day with some streaming and still have 40-50% battery left at end of day. Check out my other post, and then I’m happy to answer any further questions if you have them.

Costco now offers the Jabra Enhance Pro 10. From another thread I got the impression that they were introduced towards the end of December and were an updated version of the previous Enhance Pro.

Since you have had your for several weeks, I am guessing that you have the previous version.

This was posted by @MDB in another thread.

Stopped off at Costco today. Tech referred to the new Jabras as an “update.” She said they’re supposed to do better with speech and last 30 hours on a charge. In the brochure, it claims “150i% improvement in speech understanding” in loud locations which sounds suspiciously like the claim of the Resound Omnia.

Edited

It would be nice if Costco ditched the whole renaming/rebranding thing. It’s confusing. It may be that manufacturers insist on the renaming however. and then of course, once one deciphers which Costco is selling under another name, and which iteration of that HA…are there other differences? is the KS10 just a renamed…X brand aid? (I’ve lost track of who makes the KS10). Many here insist that any Costco brand is strictly equivalent to the same year’s brand by X manufacturer. But no one claims it’s the identical product under a new name. Is it? I have no idea.

My guess is that a manufacturer makes 100,000 HA’s as a certain new release, and then after one or two years, allows the left overs to be sold to Costco. They inflate the number of the initial run knowing there will be a market at Costco. Or better put: they factor in the Costco market in the initial run, that will be released at Costco in a year or two’s time.

OR: they make a slightly different, “lesser” aid that will be released to Costco and no one else.

Edited

I think the ks9 was introduced just months after the audeo marvel line was introduced, and similarly for the ks10/audeo paradise lines. They are slightly different, but so similar that the difference is insignificant. These aren’t old aids, except that aids are sold for a couple years before new ones come out. They were still selling ks10 even as Lumity was released. But we’ve been watching for a new Kirkland signature brand all the same.

I don’t think any of the lines of aids sold by Costco are “old”. Point out one that is?

WH

I have the Jabra Enhance Pro 10, newest model. Picked them up Nov 30th. The Enhance Pro 10 model is essentially equivalent to the Resound One.

The KS9s and 10s are essentially equivalent to Phonak Marvel 90 (KS9), and Phonak Paradise 90 (KS10). I was intending to move up to KS10 (with expanded streaming support) from KS9, but waited about 6 weeks too long and are then giving the Jabra Enhanced Pro 10s a go.

As I’ve stated previously, I like the sound - brighter and crisper in my experience vs. KS9s. But I have not experienced the “150% improvement in speech understanding”. I don’t yet find it to be improved over KS9 for speech understanding at home or in crowds. My KS9s are currently in for repair/update under warranty, and when I have them returned later this month I’ll attempt some back-to-back comparisons and update with my experience.

@pckretz said:

The Enhance Pro 10 model is essentially equivalent to the Resound One

A bit different isn’t it? wasn’t the original Jabra Enhance Pro the same as One, this latest version should be like OMNIA, strangely enough I can’t find a data sheet to confirm, anyone have a link.

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