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Cochlear BAHA, hearing aid compatibility?

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A friend has asked me, is there any hearing aids that are compatible with a Cochlear , I assume, in part here for Bluetooth streaming purposes, but in truth I’m unsure? Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated, any folks out there got a similar setup? Although he was rather vague via a text message, he said he had an Oticon aid in his left ear, a Cochlear BAHA in the right ear, and he can’t balance them up? Whatever that means? The NHS, are not being very helpful, basically they have given him a BAHA & Oticon aid, and left him to get on with it… And he is struggling! I will relay any further information I can glean… Cheers Kev :wink:

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If the Cochlear is the same as Cochlear processors it is compatible with certain newer Resound hearing aids. Otherwise they will need an intermediate device to pair with the Baha processor.

@TexOkie will know for sure.

Edited

In reply to @Raudrive

@Raudrive said:

If the Cochlear Baha is the same as Cochlear CI processors it is compatible with certain newer Resound hearing aids

The latest Cochlear is the Osia. The sound processor interfaces with the transducer magnetically the same way the electrodes interface with its processor. The processor that the Osia uses is different from both the Kanso and the Nucleus. The old BAHA 6 processor is also different from the Osia. I’m not certain that the BAHA 6 is even still available.

I have not seen any reference in Cochlear Americas documentation that the Osia will interface with any hearing aid. I’m unclear what it is you are wanting to do with the Resound. Are you wanting to include it in the sound program of the BAHA?

My suggestion would be to contact the local and ask them. If they don’t know, which from my experience is a distinct possibility, call Cochlear America’s Customer Service. They are super helpful and have never failed to answer any question that I have.

tel:1.800.483.3123

https://www.cochlear.com/us/en/connect/contact-us/inquiry5

I have initiated an inquiry for myself regarding this, and I will try to remember to update this thread when I receive an answer. I currently have a Phonak P70In my right ear and the Osia in my left ear, and I can only control one since the iPhone will only connect to one app at a time.

@kevels55 said:

friend has asked me, is there any hearing aids that are compatible with a Cochlear BAHA, I assume, in part here for Bluetooth streaming purposes, but in truth I’m unsure? Any suggestions would be gratefully appreciated, any

https://www.cochlear.com/global/pl/compatibility/compatible-resound-hearing-aids11

From what I see, only (not ) sound processors are compatible with ReSound hearing aids for streaming.

I think Cochlear company might see enabling streaming as problematic or unnecessary (I don’t know really), because /OSIA systems deliver mechanical waves through skull bones not only ipsilaterally but also contralaterally.

Hence, the indication for BAHA/OSIA in some single-sided deafness cases.

In reply to @Bimodal_user

Yeah, I am fairly ignorant about ’s, I know several BAHA users, but since I retired, I rarely see them, if ever? I believe my friend has a Conductive Loss on one side, and a Sensory Neural Loss, on the other side… Hence the mix, he says he has a Cochlear BAHA, and Oticon Hearing Aid, I have no idea which aid it is, he says he can’t balance them up, I was hoping a compatible Hearing Aid, might link up with the BAHA, but in truth, I am unsure if this is feasible? ReSound may indeed be the best option, again I am unsure… Thank you for your input. Cheers Kev

Cochlear America answered that the Osia would have to be controlled through the Cochlear America Remote Control for the Osia and that would leave the phone free to control the hearing aid through the OEMs App.

However, after reading the message thread again, I think I misunderstood the original request. Correct me if I’m wrong, but what the user is wanting to do is stream the audio from his BAHA through his Resound hearing aid mixed with the sound that the Resound picked up. If that is what they are wanting to do, I’m fairly certain that it won’t, but to be sure, they would need to contact CA directly.

Help me understand; why would you want the sound processed by the BAHA relayed to the Resound, mixed and processed a second time before sending it to the ear, when the BAHA could send it direct to the ear after processing it once? I don’t see what there is to gain.

You can do TV and Mic streaming to a Cochlear and Resound hearing aid simultaneously, but things like phones, phone clips, and remote controls only do one or the other. As of right now a true plus BAHA system/compatibility is not available from any manufacturer.

In reply to @TexOkie

To be very honest with you @TexOkie I am unsure what my friend requirements are, he mentioned he can’t get the & Oticon single aid balanced, perhaps latency between the Oticon aid & BAHA, is slightly out of kink, and this might be very annoying? I would visit him to find out the exact problem, but he lives approximately 400 miles away! I thought wrongly, the hearing aids could be linked to the BAHA for streaming cell phone calls simultaneously in both ears, but it would appear, this isn’t possible, thank you @PaulC for that information :grin: Apparently you can only stream into one ear at a time! Cheers Kev :wink:

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