Frustration With The Tap Control “Feature” - Crosses Brands/Models

I have Starkey Evolv 2400 RIC HAs. I have had them for 25 months. When I got them, one of the selling points was you could tap them and change the program. This feature sounded interesting, but in practice was a PITA. Take your glasses off, or scratch your ear etc. and the thing was off to the races. Trying to tap it back to normal was a crap shoot on what program would end up on in each ear. In the end, most times I just pulled out my phone and reset both to normal - until the next unintended tap.

In general, I like the HAs, but this feature was annoying. On my last visit, I met with a new AuD at the office. She is right out of school, but seemed to be good at her job. At one point, when I was handling my HAs, they switched and I pulled out my phone and reset them to normal. I also made a polite, but disparaging comment about that feature. She said “I can turn that off or adjust the sensitivity for you”. Music to my ears. I had her turn it off. I can still change programs with my phone, but the HAs no longer change programs on their own. The only exception is that when streaming music, the stream boost program still works, but it goes back to normal when the music is turned off.

Consider this a PSA. If your HAs have this feature and you find it irritating, ask your AuD if it can be turned off.

ETA - the title of this tread has changed. The original Whack-A-Mole title was changed to a brand & model specific generic title. That title completely failed to express the point of this thread, which is the frustration that I had with the tap control feature. Further that I was unaware that this function can be disabled. I revised the title to better state the point of the thread and as noted by others upon this thread, it is not a brand or model-specific issue. Personally, I would like this feature to be available to toggle on and off in the app.

@WhatDidYouSay said:

When I got them, one of the selling points was you could tap them and change the program. This feature sounded interesting, but in practice was a PITA. Take your glasses off, or scratch your ear etc. and the thing was off to the races.

That is one of the reasons why my previous audi of 15 years simply refers those who want Starkey aids to another audi in town. In fairness, he says the tap-change simply does not work well no matter WHO makes the aids - for all the reasons you list here!

I’m happy just pressing the rocker wheel on my Phonak Lumity Life aids to change programs. That way, I can put on my glasses, take 'em off, run fingers through my hair, put a hat ON, then OFF, itch my ear, hey whatever, and not go NUTS with program changes that would then require a dedicated TAP to get them back to the default.

When you have 4 programs like I do, that would be a real PAIN to cycle through them. Even the lame phone apps are better. HA makers mean well, but I wish they’d spend time and money on “HOW TO HEAR IN LOUD PLACES” instead of dreaming up these other so-called benefits that just drive us NUTS.

Want to sell more aids? Develop software that genuinely guarantees a person can HEAR IN LOUD PLACES. Can’t do it? Go back to work and figure it out. That is really all we truly need.

I should. Experience with my audiologist and hearing aids was so bad that this was a minor problem. Now hitting myself upside the head to answer a call is a routine.