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Static in Left Phonak Marvel hearing aid

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In reply to @HomerSimpson

Yeah could still be a issue with the microphone’s regardless, sometimes its better to get the manufacturers to sort the gremlins out, not sure on your warranty rights tho, if phonak did replace the microphone its not a big expense, last one i heard was about $150.

In reply to @HomerSimpson

Yes, the only thing that might be confusing after watching the video is that the rechargable ones have a pin too. It is not only the battery ones. You might assume it was for holding the battery in only, but there is a similar pin for the -R units. You can separate the halves with your fingernail after pushing the pin out. You have to be careful not to lose the pin and the little lock that holds the receiver in. The rubber membrane just peels off. It goes back on okay even though I think there was a little glue gasket that was under it that has no stick left in it.

If I have time this evening I’ll take some photos and post them.

In reply to @GrayGhost

Oh! I didn’t think to try the Target software. If you select them there together, then they will mate with the app? I hope so, because then I can use an M90-R with the M70-R. I’ll have to try it this evening.

Thanks for the tip!

In reply to @rob.frohne

The M90 has more technology than M70.
These differences are why they will not function properly as a pair.

Buying another aid or even another pair of aids off eBay can be very reasonable for the marvel aids. But that’s getting into self programming.

I went ahead and removed the housing…

Shock! Horror! The muck in there was a revelation. These must have never been cleaned internally!

Anyway, I brushed the muck away (very gently) and will leave overnight to see if there’s any improvement…

Photo 1: gunk at receiver end

Phonak Marvel M90-RT - Side View with crustiness around receiver end

Photo 2: gunk on microphone(s)

Phonak Marvel M90-RT - Side View showing Crusty microphone port1

Photo 3: Top view after light brushing. (Sorry abt the blur…)

Phonak Marvel M90-RT - Top View after light brushing

I’m just weighing in here with my own nickel’s worth of advice. When I experienced lots of static in my Phonak Lumity Life aids, I think it was the SPEAKER/RECEIVER in the ear that was the prob.

Reason being is that these aids are “waterproof” (or NOT, as I learned!), and to test that out, I’d taken a 20 min swim in a pool. Well. That did it. Considering the unit is hermetically sealed, it had to be the speaker (and not the mic).

Speakers will fail anyway about every 2-3 years, so that’s my first guess here. And of course that entails a 2-week trip back to the manufacturer to replace them. So I hope you have a suitable pair of backup aids to wear!

Wouldn’t the fact that there’s none of the static, at all, when I am streaming using , suggest that the speaker/receiver is not the problem? Also, as I can vary the level of static depending on the program selected and the settings used in MyPhonak, tells me the issue is in the unit behind the ear, rather than the part in the ear…

Yes. You make a good point here! I will be curious to know what the prob is and how it’s resolved. The static I had in my Life aids was SO bad that I was not able to use it at all - for phone or TV streaming. It was KAPUT.

In reply to @HomerSimpson

@HomerSimpson, I think you are right about the receiver. I assume both of your have static. Only one of mine has the problem. It also has a problem connecting to my phone with Bluetooth. It will connect just fine to Noahlink, and I was able to get it to connect to my phone for the Phonak app only (no music streaming) before I took it apart. Afterward, I was not, but even the first time it was after many many tries. It would get identified, but never finish. I would end up with the left aid with a green check mark and the right one with a red X. When the HA is newly charged, it will be quiet for about an hour, then it starts popping. I highly suspect that this HA was in the water too. I swapped the receivers, but the problem is not with them. I wish I could use an M70 with the good M90, but I see why they would not make that work. Most folk would not need that. I have about given up on this HA. It is a pity, as it appears the battery may be better than my M70’s. If I can’t come up with other things to do I will keep it for the battery. Maybe I can swap it out if I need to in the future. At this point, I get all day with the M70’s, and they work well. The set of M90 HA was only $100, so I’m not unhappy with my purchase.
Rob

@rob.frohne said:

@HomerSimpson, I think you are right about the receiver.

Yep he’s on the right track, that microphone is going to need a bit of work if the drying didn’t displace any moisture possibility.

@rob.frohne said:

It also has a problem connecting to my phone with Bluetooth. It will connect just fine to Noahlink, and I was able to get it to connect to my phone for the Phonak app only (no music streaming)

Yes this because Noahlink and the App use Bluetooth LE and the phone to use classic Bluetooth. Unfortunately i don’t know whats happened after pulling it apart, but as you say at $100 no great loss, just get another pair of eBay (matching set )

I went to check the other and find that the receiver retaining clip is missing. So, it looks like these HAs had been opened previously and one of them not fully re-assembled. The receivers seem to fit tightly enough, but there is evidence of a tiny drop of gloop holding the two halves of the housing together at the receiver end.

I wont go any further until I can source a replacement receiver locking mechanism. Its the grey piece in this photo from the faulty HA. Not sure where to start though…

IMG_20230604_162028

@HomerSimpson said:

the receiver retaining clip is missing. So, it looks like these HAs had been opened previously and one of them not fully re-assembled.

Were these “refurbished” when you bought them? That sounds very odd. Maybe your audi could request a check on the serial numbers for BOTH aids and see if they were new, returned, refurbished, or what-all.

I bought them used. They’ve been with two different audis over their life, both of whom would have claimed to have serviced them. From the condition of the left hand one, they did a lousy job. The previous owner told me he had receivers put in last year. Clearly a shoddy job was done by one or both of them.

I don’t have any come -back with the former owner as I bought them ‘as-is’. I’ll try and pick up a clip somewhere before proceeding.

I have to pick up new drying capsules tomorrow to make further progress on the static. I’m keeping everything crossed that I don’t have to get a device repair done, or the holiday budget may be FUBAR!

In reply to @1Bluejay

@1Bluejay said:

Reason being is that these aids are “waterproof” (or NOT, as I learned!), and to test that out, I’d taken a 20 min swim in a pool. Well. That did it. Considering the BTE unit is hermetically sealed, it had to be the speaker (and not the mic).

I am afraid this is probably faulty logic. The issue is likely that the hermetic sealing on the microphone part of the aid has failed, not that the receiver that is outside the hermetic sealing has failed. Certainly in the two or three instances I had with the Resound LINX Quattro, changing the receiver didn’t help and when the aids went back to Resound for them to fix, they replaced everything.

And actually each time I could tell that it was the rear-facing microphone that had failed since the issue didn’t happen in Music mode (where the rear facing microphone is switched off).

In reply to @HomerSimpson

@HomerSimpson I should have cautioned you to watch out for the receiver retainer clip. I lost mine when I was playing around with it open. If you find a good place to get another, I’d appreciate knowing where and how much it cost you. I don’t really think it is something I will replace, given that I can’t seem to solve the other problems, but knowing where you can get parts like this would be very nice.

Thanks,
Rob

In reply to @HomerSimpson

@HomerSimpson said:

I don’t have any come -back with the former owner as I bought them ‘as-is’.

Yep. Caveat emptor! Geez, I feel for ya. With my hearing, I simply can’t take chances on used aids. Even the BRAND NEW ones have failed on me after a few short months … but then I’m covered under warranty.

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