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Phillips HearLink 9050 - Bluetooth questions and quality comparison

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I just got Phillips HearLink 9050 from Costco on Monday, and I’m not sure how I feel about them. In terms of fit, I think they work ok but they only help marginally. When the fitter turns them up, my voice sounds tinny and robotic. This might just be my hearing…a little help is better than nothing.

The main issue that annoys me is the Bluetooth streaming. I have a iPhone 13 mini, iOS 18.3.1 (22D72) - but just updated last night, hasn’t changed anything. The right ear always stops streaming and I have to touch it (move it a bit) to get it to stream sound again. Also, about once a day they just stop connecting to my phone, requiring a manual restart. At the appointment, she had a terrible time getting them connected to the computer. The signal just kept dropping over and over. She never made any noise like, “Oh this pair might be defective,” but now that I’m having problems I’m starting to wonder if they might be? Do others with Phillips HearLink 9050’s have Bluetooth streaming/connectivity problems?

She originally wanted to sell me the Jabras. I asked for Phillips because I’m used to Oticon (worn my first pair for 8 years, second pair for 4 years…lost them both times, which is why I’m hesitant to pay $7,000 to an audiologist). But…the Jabras are smaller (I think?) and my ears are tiny. I’m having an issue with the Phillips domes causing my ears to ache, but I’m pretty sure it’s because she didn’t give me the smallest dome size. Easy fix.

Does anyone have opinions on Bluetooth streaming and connectivity quality for Phillips vs. Oticon, and Jabra vs. ReSound? I might be willing to pay more for Oticon/ReSound if a) the Bluetooth connection is more stable, and b) they can connect to my computer (the Phillips cannot). If the Jabra is even marginally better than the Phillips in terms of Bluetooth, I’d like to give those a try first. I am lucky that my insurance covers hearing aids (first time in my life!) but with my deductible they’ll cost at least $4,500 (more if the provider charges >$5,000 - my insurance enforces a $5k limit on coverage).

I am going to see an audiologist in the next couple of weeks. I’m just looking for feedback from other users as to the Bluetooth quality across these various options. I know the audiologist can more properly tune hearing aids to help me more…it’s a question of whether that’s worth the added cost. If it’s limited to $4500, then maybe yes. If they charge over that, then definitely not (as least for me now as a middle income earner).

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Your domes should not be hurting your ears. Some manufactures domes are slightly different in size. So as long as the dome doesn’t come off, you can try a different manufacture’s domes. Get that fixed ASAP.

Also, some folks are allergic to the type of material that the dome is made of, so that’s something to explore too.

Custom molds are another option. Costco molds are pretty reasonable cost wise.

Your fitter shouldn’t have had any issues connecting your hearing aids. So you may be correct in that you have a defective hearing aid set. If possible, I would see if you can borrow a different phone to see if your connection issue remains with different phone.

If Costco doesn’t want to send them back to the manufacture, then either ask to try a different hearing aid brand or get a refund.

Understand, that Bluetooth works best indoors where their are walls for the signal to bounce off and reach both hearing aids. When outdoors, there are no walls and your head is often in the way of the signal, so expect the hearing aid to disconnect occasionally.

My Philips 9040 do pretty well outdoors with a Google Pixel 6a phone, but the hearing aids will loose signal in one hearing aid at times.

Thanks! Yes I know the domes issue needs to be addressed. I should have asked her in-store to use the smallest size since I already know I wear that size comfortably.

Good to know about the Bluetooth outdoors vs. indoors. Honestly, with my Oticons I really never had any Bluetooth connectivity issues. I’m just a little miffed that under my health insurance I’d have to pay at least $4,700 and can’t even get the latest tech if I stick with Oticon (my colleague was quoted $9,000…so any extra $4k out of pocket, after the deductible and the extra 10% up to the $5k insurance limit).

I have a follow-up visit at Costco in 2 weeks. I’m documenting the issues as best I can but I just want to have a realistic idea of what to expect from Costco aids, and to have appropriate expectations.

The right aid stops streaming just about every time I’m listening to anything, especially if I move it. The disconnection issue happens at least once a day so far. Definitely more than “occasional” in my opinion.

Someone was reporting issues with a similar combination of devices on Reddit. Was that you? I don’t think your experience would be any better with Oticon tbh. I’m really liking my experience with streaming to the Philips. My experience with the Jabra was far worse but in both cases that’s with Android, so not directly comparable.

Like you I was an Oticon user. I tried the Jabras and hated the sound. My fitter thinks I got used to the Demant sound and couldn’t adjust. Much happier with the Philips.

Any of the aids you mention (assuming latest versions) should be able to connect directly to an ‘’ Windows laptop or a fairly recent Windows laptop with a dongle (see the FlooGoo topic).

I don’t think it was me (definitely not recently). I just got my Phillips HearLinks on Monday. The last time I had hearing aids was 4 years ago (Oticon OPN3), and I’d been saving all that time to buy a new set of Oticons. I want to get them from the audiologist because the third party “insurance” or whatever (I did it through Hearing Tracker, don’t remember the company) couldn’t find me a clinic with an Oticon specialist. They brought in a specialist to fit my aids but I could never go back for an adjustment because she didn’t work there. So they were $2500 (I think) vs. $6000 (cost of my first pair of Oticons, through a clinic in 2013), but I didn’t hear as well.

Anyways, thank you so much for your input regarding hearing ability for Jabra vs. Phillips/Oticon and streaming in Oticon vs. Phillips. I really appreciate it. I am tempted to try the Jabra in the hopes that my brain has forgotten the “Dermant sound” and can adjust. To be honest, I was absolutely an Oticon loyalist. I loved my Oticons so much…they changed my life and that’s not an exaggeration! That’s why I resisted Costco until I heard of these Phillips that are made by Dermant. But I’m frustrated by the exorbitant prices and having any “average” user shut out of the latest tech despite paying the premium.

My Phillips are supposed to connect to my work computer running Windows 11 22H2+, but they won’t. It can’t even find them…so the Bluetooth isn’t compatible. My other computer runs Windows 10 so it can’t connect for sure to that (according to their website). I’m not familiar with any dongle. I’ll try to look into that. They don’t mention in on the webpage5.

In reply to @jrowell1

Unless your insurance is mandating this audiologist, you need to shop another audiologist for pricing.

You should be able to get a pair of top-on-line hearing aids from an independent audiologist for under $6,000.

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