Hi
Yes is the short answer. It is definitely preferable to have the settings changed when you change domes. The open domes have a natural sound path for low frequencies (unamplified) where as a cuts that pathway off. Generally I would expect a bass boost to be the main change if they are reset and that gives you a fuller sound.
Was trying to eliminate feedback and have the domes stay put.
Think my loss suggests but they fitted me with open ones. I know the guidance suggests 40dB in the low frequencies as the level required for open domes.
Maybe I’ll try a 10mm open. Perhaps it was the 8mm that was too loose.
You would probably do OK with a closed fit (no occlusion) and there are advantages to having a closed fit. You can get a higher gain without feedback, plus the noise reduction works better. The hearing aid can’t reduce noise that goes straight into the ear.
Yes is the short answer. It is definitely preferable to have the settings changed when you change domes. The open domes have a natural sound path for low frequencies (unamplified) where as a closed dome cuts that pathway off. Generally I would expect a bass boost to be the main change if they are reset and that gives you a fuller sound.
You might want to think about that again. If there’s low frequency ‘leakage’ from an open dome. When you plug the leakage does the bass increase or not?
Your advice is probably the opposite of what the wearer needs, especially if they are experiencing more occlusion as a result of the closed fitting.
Nope. See the ilustration - same loss change from open to . It’s not low frequencies leaking out after being amplified. It’s low frequencies going in naturally so the aid is only amplifying high frequencies when fitted with a truly open dome. If you select the occluded dome in the software it will put more low frequencies in. It will amplify them as they are no longer being received by the completely occluded ear naturally.
How that will sound might not be great if someone has normal hearing in the lows and occlusion might be an issue after the adjustment - but the question wasn’t how do I deal with an occlusion effect. It was should it be reset if the dome is changed. I’m not advising anyone to go and tell their audiologist to add a bass boost, I’m just saying that’s what the software is most likely to do. My answer remains the same - yes it should be reprogrammed.
What you’re looking at there is the response from the aid - occluded keeps more sound in while the vents more of the low frequency - it doesn’t ‘take in more sound from the outside’.
You’re confusing software compensation in the lower frequencies with venting. There’s more LF compensation routinely applied to open fits to stop the aid sounding too tinny.
This is Hearing Aid 101, did you not understand the lecture that forms the basis of your career?
I was told by a couple of the fitters that programming is not required.
What; did they just hand you different domes and send you on your way? Are these two fitters at the same location? Maybe you need to change fitters along with the domes but then, maybe I’m just used to fitters being so accomodating, they would automatically do a quick test.
In response to the earlier replies - the empirical evidence suggests that increasing the occlusion by switching from open to vented bass to double dones progressively increases the bass sound, despite no adjustments made to the programming.
Open domes sounded tinny to me and sticking my fingers in my ears improved the sound. Unfortunately, I found driving with my elbows somewhat difficult!
What you’re looking at there is the response from the aid - occluded keeps more sound in while the open fit vents more of the low frequency - it doesn’t ‘take in more sound from the outside’.
You’re confusing software compensation in the lower frequencies with venting. There’s more LF compensation routinely applied to open fits to stop the aid sounding too tinny.
This is Hearing Aid 101, did you not understand the lecture that forms the basis of your career?
Is it possible that, in the situation for normal hearing of the environment (not streaming)
UKNHS is talking about a hypothetical patient who has perfect low frequency hearing such that not amplification is needed in the low end, and the allows the patient to hear the lows through the venting,
while Um_bongo is talking about a patient who doesn’t have perfect low frequency hearing, but maybe only slight or moderate low frequency hearing, such that a little bit of amplification in the low is still applied, and actually a little bit more than normal even by the software, to compensate for the leak due to the open fit?
Of course, in the situation of streaming, the vent doesn’t let any sound in, but instead it leaks out the streaming sound, especially the streaming low sounds.
The open domes have a natural sound path for low frequencies (unamplified) where as a closed dome cuts that pathway off. Generally I would expect a bass boost to be the main change if they are reset and that gives you a fuller sound.
Nope. See the ilustration - same loss change from open to closed dome. It’s not low frequencies leaking out after being amplified. It’s low frequencies going in naturally so the aid is only amplifying high frequencies when fitted with a truly open dome. If you select the occluded dome in the software it will put more low frequencies in. It will amplify them as they are no longer being received by the completely occluded ear naturally.
That specific sentence there - it’s totally wrong. The software does exactly the opposite of that. The more occlusive the fittng the LESS relative gain is applied in the LF. You stick more LF gain in with greater vent size to compensate for the leakage.
Moreso it shows a lack of understanding of the Physics of the mechanism involved, which is a bit critical if you want to fit hearing aids properly.
The open domes have a natural sound path for low frequencies (unamplified) where as a closed dome cuts that pathway off. Generally I would expect a bass boost to be the main change if they are reset and that gives you a fuller sound.
Nope. See the ilustration - same loss change from open to closed dome. It’s not low frequencies leaking out after being amplified. It’s low frequencies going in naturally so the aid is only amplifying high frequencies when fitted with a truly open dome. If you select the occluded dome in the software it will put more low frequencies in. It will amplify them as they are no longer being received by the completely occluded ear naturally.
That specific sentence there - it’s totally wrong. The software does exactly the opposite of that. The more occlusive the fittng the LESS relative gain is applied in the LF. You stick more LF gain in with greater vent size to compensate for the leakage.
Moreso it shows a lack of understanding of the Physics of the mechanism involved, which is a bit critical if you want to fit hearing aids properly.
OK, thanks for the clarification. I got it now. Yes, I agree that with more occluded dome, the software would not want to put in more low frequencies. It’d be the opposite, if any.
I used to be with “closed” domes, the tip with only a few holes in them. When my audiologist programmed my new into my aids, I got immediate feed back, so she changed me to power domes (the double dome type). That eliminated the feedback, but it does give me a bit of occlusion. My own voice sounds like it has a cold. It might be a matter of time to get used to the aids sounding differently. My audiogram is not that different from yours.
Wales, UK
