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12 year user, advice about new-release models

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Hi - I have been reading a lot of threads and the expertise here on the forum is staggering. I’m hoping someone will advise me about about which of the current-release models are likely to be customizable in the way I prefer. I want the opposite of what someone in the forum said about Philips, “their philosophy is put it in your ears and forget it; let the automatic system do its thing.” I place a high value on simplicity and user control.

So - I like physical buttons I can adjust without using a phone or app, I do not want streaming or pairing to my smartphone. And I’ve read people here talking about sets where the functions which they had intentionally deactivated would then switch themselves back on, in various circumstances. I want the changes the tech puts in to be stable, and not revert to factory settings based on the internal software of the product.

And I’m most likely going through Costco. In case background helps, I’ve added my . I started with Phonaks around 2014 or so, then I think I had a ReSound pair, what I have now since end 2019 are Oticons. And all these sets have been fine. I lost a little more hearing and started having more difficulty distinguishing speech last year, then switched from open-cone to tulip domes which really made a difference. With my current pair I like the sound quality and the the own-speech quality, and the 3-channel options I’m using (basic, speech-in-noise, music.) I don’t have to figure out where I left my phone every time I want to adjust volume… it’s all good.

But they’re 7 years old. so I’m researching my options for when this pair gives out and costs hundreds to service if it’s even fixable.

I expect a tech or an audiologist can help me get to the kind of sound quality and the functions I’m looking for. But whatever functions are activated or deactivated, I want them to stay put. I’ll value any information you have to offer about the various brands. Thank you in advance.

16 people in this conversation19 min readJump to latest

All current devices () that I know have automatic programs and bluetooth. You don’t have to use these if you don’t want to. All the aids sold at Costco have buttons (some have two buttons per aid, some only have one). RIC aids without buttons are not common (The only ones I can think of are the Widex SmartRIC and the Signia Styletto: these are not sold at Costco).

You can ask your fitter to add the programs you want (music, speech in noise, etc) to your aids. This way you can select them with the buttons or the phone.

And, if you want to try the automatic program, that will be in the aids too.

In other words, aids these days are like some sports car that have an automatic transmission but have the option to change the gears manually if you want.

Much appreciated thank you. If you have heard of any problems with the automatic functions restarting themselves, in any particular models, (like if the automatic transmission somehow kicks in and starts changing gears for me because it doesn’t like how I handle a stick) - if you’ve heard of any problems I’d be grateful to know about which companies those are. Thank you again!

What about rechargable versus disposable batteries?

Pending on who sets your aids up the automatic controls on aids can be bumpless or almost shocking. All of the aids at Costco are top of the line. It’s difficult to say one is better than the other. Trying them each out would be your best bet.

Rechargeable. And yes indeed, I tried a pair of Oticons end of last year and it was really upsetting cognitively. Almost shocking, and gave me a headache. Thanks for your reply.

With all respect, I am truly amazed you are not interested in streaming. Sound directly delivered to your from a TV, phone or tablet sounds vastly better than what comes over the air, and my Phonaks connect to all those smoothly, while not cutting me off from other people in the room.

But as others said, even if almost all HAs can stream sound, you do not need to use this. To finally answer your question- very happy here with my recent Phonaks (best I ever had), but I have not tried the Intent, which many people here also find very good. I also like that I can fully self-program them (with help in this forum)- the intial configuration was awful.

Phonaks come with volume buttons (like you, I find using the app for this very clumsy) but I never use them. Unlike HAs in the past, those now out amplify sound within closely defined brackets, which is extremely comfortable. When inside I can hear clocks ticking, but when using an extremely noisy grass mower I can simply keep them on.

Thank you! That is really helpful and thoughtful information, and I’ll consider what you have to say about sound quality with streaming. I may even call on the forum for configuration tutoring, which could be helpful since I live in an undersupplied area for medical specialist or audiologists or techs. (My wait time for an intake at Costco was 5 months.) Thank you again for taking time to write.

@bgermain said:

My wait time for an intake at Costco was 5 month

I have never heard of that long of a wait time at any Costco. Where are you if you don’t mind the question.

Central Willamette Valley, in Oregon. Be it said that I requested one specific tech who impressed me at the counter where the other’s did not. When I unfortunately needed to give up that appointment and reschedule it was another two months.

But it is also true that the wait time for many, many medical specialists is months, even if you go to Portland, the one really populous city in the state. It is very surprising, if for instance you need to see a rheumatologist, or a hand surgeon. Oddly there are tons of dentists in my smaller town, including orthodontists and endodontists. That’s odd too.

I think almost any hearing aid can be adjusted to your needs. You mention using Phonak, Oticon, and Resound hearing aids. From what you’ve written, Oticon is your latest. These brands have some differences, especially when it comes to sound quality. Oticon and Resound have a warmer sound quality, but how that feels varies from person to person. Just ask your audiologist to set your hearing aids to three programs and turn off the general automatic settings. Don’t connect your hearing aids to your phone. Ask for the program switch and volume control to be enabled. Ask for hearing aids with a double button on each hearing aid that works independently (the left and right hearing aids must be separated for this adjustment). If you prefer a sharper sound setting, ask for v5.0. If you prefer a softer setting, ask for NL NL 2. Only in Oticon hearing aids can you use different setting methods for each program (I’m not talking about programs for noise, music, etc… one program can be used with the NL NL 2 method and the other with DSL). Find an audiologist who uses measurement to set your hearing aids. It’s best to make a list of what you want, and your audiologist will find the right hearing aid for you. Remember that sometimes you have to compromise, because not all the features are available in a given model - choose the ones that are most important to you. Remember that if you decide to stream, use your iPhone for it. Don’t install an app; this phone has a special overlay for adjusting the hearing aids and has a live listen function, which means using the iPhone microphone as a remote device (example: you go to an office where there is glass, you put your phone under the glass, and it will transfer the conversation to your hearing aids). I hope this will be helpful :grinning_face:

Extraordinarily helpful and specific. Thank you kindly. I should give Oticon another try but with a different human component. First try was with an audiologist who was not the helpful variety. Thank you again.

A lot of people will disagree with me on this but I wouldn’t go to Costco.

I’d find a very good, experienced audiologist who carries multiple brands. This is very important. This way he/she can price you good options. The challenge will be that what you are looking for is not the state of harry and ma not provide the best hearing assistance. So you might consider being open to some of the new technologies- which still provide ample opportunity to customize to your preferences.

Costco offers 5 brands (Sennheiser, Rexton , Phillips , Jabra , Soundgear AMP) . So they do offer multiple options.

These devices are essentially siblings, sharing almost identical features with major brands. For instance, the Sennheiser Rise is a twin of the Phonak Infinio I90. Costco offers , and devices that can address mild to profound hearing loss.

It is true that most Costcos do not have but they have who are legally licensed to prescribe and dispense . It is also true that these HIS cannot treat all types of hearing losses and , in these situations , the HIS will say “I don’t do this, see an Aud” . Example: tinnitus .

I have not heard of any AuDs in private settings that can offers premium highest tech level aids (without insurance ) at the same price as Costco. If you do, please share the name of the office. People in this forum can find this info very useful.

Not everyone likes the Costco experience , I get that . But there is no question, IMHO, that Costco offers the best value /$$$. And not everyone can afford aids that cost thousands of dollars .

In reply to @ellenb18

It seems to me that you can start with Costco. If you are not satisfied, the return period is I believe 90 days. Then you can try a private audiologist.

I am on my first set of hearing aids and went to a private audiologist - who was very good. At that time, two and a half years ago, I did not know that Costco sold premium hearing aids. When I buy another pair, I will try Costco first.

@portage said:

If you are not satisfied, the return period is I believe 90 days.

180 in the US. I can’t speak to other places; I’ve heard some 180 and some 90. Full refund of every dollar, including membership fee if desired.

WH

In reply to @ellenb18

Ellenb18, please believe me, I have tapped out all the audiologists in a reasonable range. Two good ones and one great one I found, at two different practices - each left for various reasons, and one practice later closed. Meanwhile I worked with two bad ones, though they were experienced. Called a big practice 45 minutes away to make an audiology appointment: the receptionist’s first words to me were “what is your insurance?” They asked for a referral, I got one, and never heard back. Talked with a tech who impressed me at Costco: trying that now.

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