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Crackling sound with ReSound LiNX Quattro and iPhone X

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Hey guys, new to hearing aids. I have high frequency loss and my Audiologist fit me with Resound Linx Quattro’s. I’ve only had them for 3 days and they seem to be great so far. I am not having to say “what did you say” multiple times a day. Very comfortable and I forget I have them on.

The problem I’m hearing is when Streaming YouTube with them things don’t sound as good as regular ear buds. There’s some crackling when a voice in the video hits a certain frequency. It’s like the sound wave is being clipped. When using them for a phone call they don’t sound that great ether. Crackling once in a while, sound artifacts.

I have the iPhone 10x

I also notice a very slight crackling sound when using the hearing aids regularly while watching tv sometimes. It’s not bad but annoying. Regularly meaning not streaming.

Is this just the nature of the beast or is there something wrong with these hearing aids?

I would think for 6k the speakers would be way better than a regular set of $20 ear buds.

Thanks guys!

6 people in this conversation11 min readJump to latest

One of the issues is that you may be near the limits of power for the receivers. If you put your results in your profile we will be able to see what you are up against for loss. So, it might be that your receiver (speaker) is under powered. Another issue is the type of fitting you have. Some fittings used have large vents or holes in them. That allows natural sound to reach your ear drum through the holes in addition to the sound coming through the hearing aids and to your ear drum. So your total boost is the sum of the natural plus receiver sound. However, when you stream direct to the receivers there is no natural sound to help boost the overall signal. This usually causes a loss especially in the bass region. The other issue is that if you have a fitting with larger vents sound leaks out the vents. For that reason the hearing aid fitting software usually has special equalization section where the fitter can boost or cut certain frequencies like in an audio system equalizer. This is pretty much done by trial and error with your input as to what you are hearing. And last another issue can be that if you are in areas where there is a high background noise, the hearing aids will sense that and try to boost your streaming signal. That could also put the sound into the clipping region. Bottom line is ask your fitter about the streaming equalization and what can be done. Also ask if your receiver might be under powered for your loss.

As for the $6K “earbuds”, are you aware that Costco sells the ReSound Preza6 aids which are much like the Quattros for $2500 a pair? They also sell Kirkland Signature KS93 aids which are much like the Phonak Marvel M90 aids for $1500 a pair? They are an even better value.

Thank you very much for your in-depth reply! So are you saying that the audiologist can adjust the amplification?

I see the equalizer in the app. I will have to play with it.

And thanks for the info on the other hearing aids.

I attached my test results.

image

In reply to @Sierra

And would the possible issues you mention cause the crackling Clicking Artifact sounds when streaming? Could it be the Bluetooth causing the issue? If I listen without the streaming the sound is good.

In reply to @perry

That is a pretty significant loss above 2 kHz. You will need at least a medium and perhaps a P (power) receiver. The crackling sounds like something is being over driven. Could also be a defective receiver.

The equalizer in the fitting software should only come into effect when you are streaming. Equalization gains are applied in addition to hear loss gains. Not sure if the app does that.

I don’t have that with mine, so I don’t think it is the nature of the beast. Make notes of what is bothering you and go back to the Audi. I use a Resound TV streamer 2 connected to my computer (and TV) and the sound is pretty good, but you are listening through some very small speakers. When streaming from the phone, I set the EQ to small speakers and it helps a little.

This might not have anything to do with your hearing loss but the crackling sounds you hear is very similar to what I hear in my upper frequencies. It took me years to learn that I am basically deaf in both ears in the upper frequencies. Different audiologists from a number of fittings did not catch this. They tried to fit me with very powerful aids to push gain in these frequencies I can not hear.

So the question is… can you actually hear the different tones in the upper frequencies? If you are really hearing sounds, not pops, crackels or pain, then you need hearing aids to fit that loss. Otherwise you need hearing aids with really good technology. These aids take the sounds from upper frequencies you do not hear and move the sound to lower frequencies that you can hear.

Your hearing loss might actually do well with some frequency lowering.

Good luck

Man I really appreciate this guys!!! Thanks for all the info!!! Where do I find the equalizer for streaming? I don’t see anything where I can change the speaker size.

Edited

Ok guys, I as sitting here and I was 100% hearing the crackling or clicking sound while watching tv. It’s really fast and not constant.

I turned the treble all the way down and the cracking sound is now gone. When I turn the treble all the way up it comes back. I haven’t tried streaming yet.

Do you think the speakers are blown or this is because of my hearing loss and I’m just hearing a certain frequency once in a while that comes across to me as crackling, If that makes any sense?

And if I have the treble all the way down, will that effect my hearing and defeat the purpose of wearing the hearing aids?

Next time you get an see what happens in your upper frequencies. It will be obvious to you if high gains cause the popping and crackling.
For me it took using ultra power aids to prove it. Now that I understand what happening I don’t put gain in those frequencies.

Ok Sierra, so I tried streaming last night and all the artifacts I’m hearing are gone when I turn the Treble down. So do you still think it’s because it’s an under powered receiver? They make the same ’s with different power amps?

I am not totally familiar with the ReSound hearing aids, although I did briefly trial a pair at Costco. Generically, style hearing aids come in 4 power levels. Generally, but it may vary a bit from brand to brand, they seem to use the same hearing aid for the first 3 power levels; S (standard), M (medium), and P (power). In replaceable battery models these all typically use the smaller 312 battery. I suspect they all have the same amplifier power in the hearing aid, but the difference is in the receiver (speaker). It changes to get more power from the same hearing aid. Then most manufacturers have a high power model (HP). With it the receiver is usually physically bigger and requires a custom mold to put it in your ear. This hearing aid also typically has the larger size 13 battery, and is physically bigger. It may also have a higher power amplifier in it.

In your case whether or not there is an easy step up in power will depend on whether or not the receiver can be switched to give you more power. If you are already at the P power receiver, it may require a complete hearing aid upgrade. I would describe what you are experiencing to your fitter and ask them if it could be that the receiver is under powered for your loss and use while streaming.

Sierra, thank you again for taking the time to write this I depth info for me!!

And you You Raudrive and everyone else for all the help!!

I now have enough to go on and will see what my doc says.

Your hearing loss at 75 shows you need the LP receivers or maybe MP receivers.

Popping and crackling could be a bad receiver or some kind of ear damage I mentioned earlier. Hopefully the receiver. You don’t need more powerful receivers from what I see. Look at the Resound receiver charts, put your hearing loss into the chart.

It may not be quite that simple when streaming. First, streaming needs more power than sound originating from the environment, because the receivers have to produce it all. And second if the environment is noisy the receivers have to boost output to overcome that too. I have found my M receivers next to useless for streaming sound in an airplane. By the time you get the volume loud enough to overcome the significant noise in a passenger jet, they seem to be out of jam. I run out of room on my iPhone to further increase volume, and the sound quality is so bad, I don’t want to anyway.

Hey Guys,

Just wanted to update. The audiologist said she believes the crackling I’m hearing from the tv when not streaming is from the frequency loss I have. And the stream crackling is the same and also the fact that the hearing aids aren’t the best at streaming. For 6 grand I would think it would stream better than a $50 pair of wireless ear buds. But what Sierra said makes sense.

Thanks again for all the help guys!!!

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