Sennheiser Sonite R available now at Costco (select locations)

I have worn the KS10s (Phonak Paradise 90s) for 2 1/2 yrs now and loved them. I wanted a backup pair and this past Saturday I got the Phillips 9050s. These Sennheisers were not advertised at Costco until I went to pick these up, my Costco started carrying them that day. If you love your KS-9s you won’t like these Phillips, I’m going to swap them out at my appointment in 2 weeks for the new Sennheisers for many of the reasons you stated. I’ll pay the extra 100 bucks. I have an older Samsung S10e phone, works perfect, does what I need, not buying a $1500 phone so my hearing aids work… The Phillips 9050s aren’t fully compatible and I must use the phone mic when I get calls. They stream the audio, and music, etc, but the mic does not work on calls as the S10e doesn’t have LE audio or Bluetooth 5.3. This is a deal breaker for me. The KS10s would use the hearing aids to both hear the call and transmit your voice, so if I’m using both hands to work on something, or driving, both hands are free. I believe that’s going to be the case with the Sennheisers The app is nowhere near as adjustable as the Phonak and I have severe high and mid frequency loss, the KS10s I could tweak to match my loss much better and there were about 10 different programs and you could make your own. The Phillips only has 4 set programs that can be loaded. These new Sennheisers are compatible with ANY Bluetooth technology back to version 4.2, as the KS10s were. Hope this info helps you. Here’s a link to the Sennheiser Sonite R brochure and specs. https://hearingaids.sennheiser-hearing.com/content/dam/mercury/documents/SN_ProductInformation_Sonite-R_210x280_EN_027-0708-02.pdf99

My Costco in Wilmington, NC just got them Saturday… the day I picked up my new Phillips 9050s, which I’m going to return in 2 weeks and get the Sennheisers. The app looks identical to the Kirkland 10.0s (Phonak Paradise 90, Sonova) Easy Line app that I have and have been very happy with the last 2 1/2 yrs. I sent the KS10s in under warranty for the batteries to be replaced. My older Samsung S10e is not fully hands free with the Phillips as it was with the KS10s, I must use the mic on the phone, only the audio streams, and the Sennsheisers are backward compatible to Bluetooth 4.2 so should work just like my KS10s. I’m definitely going to try them out. The Phillips app is not nearly as adjustable as the Easy Line, KS10 app either.

As I mentioned in another thread, I have the KS10’s which I intended to use as backups, but I’ve decided not to keep the Philips and carry on with Kirkland 10’s. Hopefully we get Sennheisers on this side of the pond soon. Although for that to happen it probably depends on how sales are on your side.

Thanks for the update.
All your reasoning makes such good sense.
Good luck with your new aids.

The few custom programs available on the Phillips don’t really suit my needs. Honestly they all sound pretty much the same other than a change in volume. But I spend time in various different sound environments and the Sonova Easy Line app allowed me to customize a program and save it, in addition to multiple preset programs, where no such option exists with the Phillips. I’ve had these Phillips tweaked once but I find for me, no matter what they do to them, they sound much more “tinny” than the Sonova product. But the big issue for me is not being able to be hands free, I have to hold the phone for the mic. That doesn’t work for me when I’m working with my hands all the time or driving. Sennheiser advertises they work with older phones going back to BT 4.2. I just don’t see the need to spend whatever the cost for a new phone just to be hands free when the one I have is only 4 years old and does everything I need, except for the hearing aid issue. So if Costco is going to allow me to swap them out I’m going to give the Sennheisers a shot. I’ll report on them when I get them.

Return the Phillips. Get your money back.
It’s not an exchange.
Then get the Sennheiser aids

Yep, it’s a refund, not an exchange.

However, nothing in the contract says they have to sell you the Sennheiser after refunding you money on the Philips hearing aid. I haven’t read of that happening, just saying policies can change, and vary at the store level.

@ChuckJ I’ve heard of people being denied purchasing another set of HAs after multiple trials, but not for the first return.

WH

I returned KS6’s some years ago and then KS10s a couple years ago, nothing was said about it being a second return. I have wondered if I had to do it again what would happen but hope not to have to. Maybe the returns being years apart would make another return okay? I’m not going to try the Phillips and am going to wait for the Sennheisers to come to this area because of it, though. I have more confidence that I’ll be happy with the Sennheisers since I really love my KS9s. The only reason to replace them is worry because of their age. I only returned the 10s because they didn’t help me hear any better, although they did as well.

Thanks, this does seem very odd. If it’s a “trial period” and you don’t like them it seems to make sense you’d want to try another brand… They have my KS10s for service so it’s not like I’ve returned any other pair, and I just got these less than a week ago.

Nothing says you cant buy the 2nd set of aids (within the return period for the first set), compare them for a month or more, then return the ones you dont like.

@ChuckJ said:

If it’s a “trial period” and you don’t like them it seems to make sense

Technically, Costco doesn’t offer “trial periods” to the customer. They sell you aids and accept returns for 180 days. They are under no obligation to continue to sell new aids to someone who is a serial returner. The “trial” in this case refers to Costco selling these in a limited number of stores to see how they go. I hope this is a successful experiment.

WH

@user990 said:

However, nothing in the contract says they have to sell you the Sennheiser after refunding you money on the Philips hearing aid…

Nothing except The Americans with Disabilities Act | ADA.gov “The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) protects people with disabilities from discrimination.” Hearing loss is a defined disability under the Act. A customer reported on FaceBook that the local “One Bite at the Apple” Rule invented by a local Costco Store Manager" was withdrawn after she cited the ADA. They then sold her her next chosen pair after returning the first. Avoiding the term “Exchange” and completing the Return first seems to make the difference.

Not e hearing aid department but my wife purchased glasses and wasn’t happy with the results. She asked to have them remade and the store refused. Told her she could get her money back but would have to go somewhere else because they would not remake the glasses. I will be in need of glasses soon and am rethinking whether I use Costco or go somewhere else.

Maybe Costco is trying to cut back on its return policy to improve profits?

If financially able, I would do what others have said, purchase second pair, trial it for 30 days and then return the pair you don’t like.