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Phonak L70 and L90- how do various features work?

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Hello
In the process of looking for information on hearing aids, to buy my first set, I came across the table below setting out the features of each of the Lumity models. Can anybody explain these features: which of them is built in to the hearing aid and always active, which can be switched on optionally, and is that switching on done by the Audi or via the app? I am particularly interested in “Speech in car” (L90) and “Windblock” (all models). Are these features switched on automatically by the aids, regardless of how programmed? or would one go into the app to switch them on? or something else?

phonak lumity features 1
phonak lumity features 2

8 people in this conversation5 min readJump to latest

The simple answer is that the hearing aids typically turn on and operate in an automatic mode in which all of these features turn on/off automatically as needed. This is called “AutoSense 5.0”.

Your audiologist can also setup separate programs which will allow you to force some of these features on for specific use cases. Typical programs are: Speech in Very Loud Noise, Music, Speech in Car, Speech in 360.

You can also go into the app and create your own programs.

Phonak’s Target program is Phonak’s proprietary program a hearing care provider use to setup Phonak’s hearing aids, in this case Phonak Audeo Lumity.

Thank you.
Can I just check: for e.g. Speech in Car, the Phonak Target program
A. specifies how the hearing aid settings are to be modified so that speech in car is more intelligible or
B. enables the audiologist to do this, and gives them discretion in how settings are modified?
If B, presumably this means the Audi has to be pretty skilled in modifying settings and in using Target in general?
Whichever the case, the Speech in Car settings
C. switch on automatically when the hearing aid recognises it is in a car, or
D. the settings have to be switched on by the user via the app?
The same questions arise in relation to WindBlock.

In reply to @Hardofhearing1

B, yes.

C at the 90 level, manual at the 70 level where the audiologist would have to build a manual car program for you.

Windblock turns on and off automatically across all programs but is better at its job at the top level. That said, wind management is better than it was 20 years ago but still a big disappoitnment for new users even at the 90 level. Wind is hard for hearing aids.

I’m confused. I have Phonak Lumity aids, specifically L90-RT. Programs in the myPhonak app are simply Automatic, Public + mic, Restaurant, Music and TV. I don’t see anything like “Speech in Car,” “Windblock,” etc. Within all of them except for T-coil there are further available settings including Equalizer Presets, Volume, Noise Reduction, Speech Focus and Dynamic but I’ve never had reason to try to change any of it nor do I see the parameters in the posted tables distinguishing the various models P90, P70, P50, P30. What’s going on here? Are those only accessible by the audiologists? I’m not much interested in tinkering with fine settings and don’t want to get into the weeds or make a hobby out of this, I just want them to help hear better, which they already do.

Edited

First of all speech in car is an automatic program that activates in Automatic mode. It may be possible to add as a manual program but would only make sense if one was a car passenger.

Windblock is a setting on any individual program within Target. In this case it is set by an audiologist. (or left to the factory default setting).

Other settings will be defaulted in Target and then available in the App in order to give the user some control e.g. speech focus. So in this case the default is usually a wide focus within Target but then the user could move to a narrow focus if they are talking to someone directly in front of them in a noise situation.

Noiseblock functions in a similar fashion. The audiologist can set the default (it might be just the factory default) but the user can then use the slider if they want more or less noise as appropriate.

I agree it’s a bit overwhelming. Certain programs are not automatic e.g. speech in loud noise in the lower technology levels - L70 and below.

Thanks for the explanation. I assume that “Target” is where audiologists and hearing aid hobbyists go to adjust what to the layman are unseen and unknown parameters. That would not be me, lol. Sometimes reading these posts I feel like someone whose only device is an old transistor radio and has stumbled upon a journal of audiophile articles.

In reply to @glucas

If you go into myphonak and click on the automatic and then “adjust program” at the bottom, it will take you to a screen where you can view the settings for the current program automatic has picked for conditions, and make temporary changes. If you find yourself in “speech in loud noise” or “speech in car” or what ever, and want that program selectable from your list of programs, you can hit “save as new” button to add it to the list of programs.

WH

In reply to @WhiteHat

Thanks. I’m doing what you suggested but what comes up is “Adjust Calm situation (Automatic) Program Settings” which below that are Equalizer Presets (Default, Comfort, Clarity, Speech, Surrounding), and then sliders for each of Volume, Noise Reduction, Speech Focus and Dynamic. Each of those has an explanation. However, there is nothing called “speech in loud noise” or “speech in car”.

Edited

If I may respond

When I use tha myPhonak app those names are programs that were chosen by my hearing aid practitioner.

So in the app I choose
“Adjust program”

It jumps to the next page
At the top of the page

In my case right now, it says
Adjust Calm Situation

It could have said
“Adjust Speech in Car”
If that was the program Autosense was in

Edit

Hope this helps.

The button that helps me most is CLARITY

If I push it it boosts mid and high frequencies. I can see that and it helps me a lot

Look at:

EQUALIZER PRESETS

right of that are 3 vertical lines. lll

Another Page comes up

Equalizer
Adjust the pitch of the sound

Bass. Middle. Treble

In reply to @ericlandau

@ericlandau said:

However, there is nothing called “speech in loud noise” or “speech in car”.

What you see is the current program automatic has selected for right then. Go to a really noisy place and see what program is there. You won’t see the car one till you’re in a moving car.

WH

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