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Does the hearing aid model matter if it’s for Unilateral hearing loss given not all main functions work?

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Hello!

Question is: Would any of these three models below perform just about the same considering that the speech in noise type functionalities are only effective with fittings and not unilateral?

For context, I’ve got moderate to severe unilateral hearing loss due to Ménière’s disease and most important factor in is to be able to understand voices better in noisy environments (e.g., restaurants, conferences).

Currently considering the Phonak Sphere Infinio with custom SlimTip earmold (and either with or without the Active Vent- can trial both) at L90 tech level even though “Speech in Loud Noise” and “SpeechSensor” are NOT compatible with unilateral fittings but the “Speech Enhancer” is (which is the difference with L70). This is my understanding based on feedback from my own audiologist and well-known audiologists YouTubers (from their comments section).

That said, the Sphere is certainly a bigger aid than the Starkey Genesis or Edge AI which is why I’m hesitating.

So for unilateral fittings, has anyone experienced better results in noisy environments with the “latest and greatest” tech, particularly comparing the Phonak Sphere Infinio L90, Starkey Genesis or Edge AI 24 hearing aids, or would I achieve about the same results irrespective of the brand/model? Basically is it worth paying premium for the latest and greatest tech if it’s for one HA?

Thanks all, much appreciated!

Note: Cost, ability to stream, take calls, colors, etc… are not important factors. Only ability to hear better in noisy environments and somewhat its size/comfort level are my priorities.

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Sphere program doesn’t depend on a second aid. You can probably get by with 70 level if you get a manual program to go into sphere. 70 won’t go into spherical mode automatically.

WH

Hey, please read my analyse:

Phonak Infineo Sphere for single sided deafness
Yes, it’s me. Thanks for remembering. I’ll respond later. However, @villager, it might be useful to enter your audiogram to facilitate better advice… This is not true Agree with @WhiteHat. Spheric AI program requires only one hearing aid: . . . And Dr Cliff video:

From above, the one postbis especially useful:

First Timer - Going with Phonak Sphere
Thank you. I am considering buying LACE AI Pro from Dr. Cliff’s discount link because of its reportedly scientifically proven additional +6 dB SNR after training, which is massive, but it is quite expensive. Regarding Resound, I did my research long ago and again after the Resound Vivia announcement, but I have found no benefit from their binaural offering (EDIT: this is in my case, YMMV. END OF EDIT). Their solution is only binaural streaming, which is not useful in my case, as I want to isol…

In reply to @WhiteHat

@WhiteHat said:

Sphere program doesn’t depend on a second aid.

The efficacy of the ‘Spheric function’ may entirely depend on use though. So, yes it’ll happily sit there ‘burning cycles’ for degrees of an effect that you can’t experience without both ears in play…

This really needs someone to go back to the Madaffari paper and look at whether the parameters of one aid vs two have altered under new processing ability in different environmental situations.

There’s also the situation of one ear normal/aided and one ear dead/aided. I don’t believe there’s a option in play here.

@Um_bongo said:

The efficacy of the ‘Spheric function’ may entirely depend on Binaural use though

You meant the individual auditory tract and brain processing?

For what I know, in use case, in Spheric Speech Programme isn’t cooperating with the in the HA in the second ear sith the same program in the way as in traditional beamforming like in StereoZoom 1.0/2.0?

Effectively providing sound to each side of your head for your brain to do the determination/directionality stuff. They might not be actively forming an array for the Spheric function, but the effect of both aids giving their best in parallel in the same phase might be critical.

This could be why they don’t work so well when combined with a ‘live’ signal. So good ear/aided ear combo: struggling. Aided ear/dead ear great as monaural on the good side provided they are sufficiently occluded in the canal.

It’s not necessarily going to be obvious how each case would find them.

@Um_bongo said:

They might not be actively forming an array for the Spheric function, but the effect of both aids giving their best SNR in parallel in the same phase might be critical.

Indeed, it is probably the same issue as in hearing. There is probably necessity to equalize the loudness between and side.

At least I noticed that louder CI side is not necessarily better than a bit quieter, but more equal to the HA side.

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