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New Oticon Opn 1 hearing aids. Tomorrow is my last day to return them

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This is my first hearing aids. I have had Oticon OPN 1 hearing aids for 28 days. They help me in a lot of ways and I really think I need them. The right one started out clicking, popping and crackling when I got them. It would do it first thing when I put them on or when I went outside and started doing something or even just outside talking to someone. It seems to be caused when I get hot or start sweating. Even if it’s only very light sweat. If I am where it is cool and not sweating they are quiet. The audiologist said they are sweat proof and I can still use them if I am sweating. I live in South Georgia so the temperature and humidity is usually high. She said she didn’t know what was causing it but did not believe it was from sweat. The first time she tried to adjust them and replace the speaker wire. I got a dryer box and they stopped clicking when I put them on in the morning but they still clicked when I get hot. Today I got a new pair of hearing aids. They were working great until I got home and went outside and started working on my golf cart. I was sweating lightly and then went inside. Then the right one started crackling and clicking. The left one clicked some but not really enough to bother me. I only have tomorrow to return them in my 30 day trial. Here is my question. Should I return them and give up or keep them and just try to tolerate the clicking? They are very expensive.They are great when I am inside but I am outside most of the day. The clicking really bothers me but I don’t know if all hearing aids have some kind of problems and you should only wear them inside. Is there another hearing aid I should look at?
Thanks for any advice. Sorry so long. David

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Sorry to hear the trouble you have with the OPN 1. I wear the OPN 1 as well, and I sweat profusely playing tennis outdoors in the summer heat of AZ and never have any click/pop/crack noise from them. It’s relatively dry in AZ but during the monsoon season it does gets pretty humid, too, and I don’t have the problem you have.

I would say that your case is very abnormal and there are a lot of OPN wearers on this forum and this is the first time I’ve heard of this. I wonder if you wear glasses and what you hear is the rubbing against the glass temples?

Since your trial period is almost over and your audi hasn’t been able to figure out what’s wrong with your OPN to correct it, I would advise that you return it, unless the audi is willing to extend the trial a bit longer and help figure out what the problem is in your case.

Thanks for the input. The man that recommended the audiologist said the same thing about his.
My hair is not it, I know what that sounds like. I can take the hearing aid from behind my ear when it’s clicking and let it hang down and it sounds like a string of firecrackers. I am going to call the audiologist first thing in the morning. When she changed the hearing aids she said she also put new wires on them. I think she may have used the old speakers. I am going to ask her about that. Maybe something is wrong with the right side speaker and she didn’t change it. David

@david_e said:

When she changed the hearing aids she said she also put new wires on them. I think she may have used the old speakers. I am going to ask her about that. Maybe something is wrong with the right side speaker and she didn’t change it.

Yeah, if the had been replaced then it’s down to either the wiring or the receiver being the problem. If the audi said she already replaced the wire, usually I think the receiver and the wire go together as part of an assembly, so it would imply that the receiver had also been replaced, although it doesn’t hurt to ask.

Usually the pop/crack/click would seem to indicate a bad wire or bad receiver. Possibly a bad mic, too.

If I were you, I would bring them back tomorrow and ask to return them, unless the audi is willing to extend the trial period until the issue is resolved then reset the trial period from the date when the issue is resolved.

Ask for both to be replaced with new units, there shouldn’t be pops or crackles on either when new (or at all).

Because of the problem and need to have it fixed, INSIST they extend the trial.

I know at times when the receiver moves around in my ears it sounds like a crackle or popping. So it could be a bad fit. Are you using dome tips or molds?

But, yea, if it’s coming from the speaker it self something is wrong and I would not buy them.

I have a different pair of , Starkeys, and I do a lot of my own work on them. I notice that sometimes I get crackling if I have a loose connection between the wire that goes to the device behind my ear. I have that problem now. If I push the wire in and keep it there, the crackling stops. There’s a kind of clip on the piece behind my ear that holds the wires in place. If that clip is not placed just right the crackling will continue.

Hope this helps.
Allen

I’ve never had a problem like that through 3 sets of Phonaks. That’s simply unacceptable. Don’t keep them.

Sounds like a bad wire or receiver or a bad connection. In any case the problem needs to be resolved prior to buying them. Your Audi should be able to contact Oficon tech support directly while you are there to get a consult. Mine calls Oticon frequently to get advice. Don’t feel forced to purchase them. They should be working to your satisfaction.

Update. I did not call today and my 30 days on the paper I got with them ran out. It may have been a mistake. I hope not. The audiologist told me when she ordered the second set of hearing aids, when I got them she would give me a couple more weeks to try them, that it would not be a problem and she wanted me to be satisfied with them. My next appointment is Oct. 16. I am going to wear the new hearing aids 3-4 more days and try to get more clues about what causes the clicking so I can tell her more about it. I will try to see her early next week and suggest calling Oticon for help if she can’t figure it out. Thanks for all the reply’s, David

If you’re happy with everything else about the OPN and would have decided to keep the OPNs if you didn’t have this crackling problem, I wouldn’t worry too much about missing the return deadline because you do have a full 3 year warranty on them and the onus is on Oticon to figure out and fix the problem for you under warranty anyway. If they’re stumped and they can’t fix it, then it should imply a full refund to you anyway at some point when/if they give up. But I’m sure they’ll figure it out for you.

I have had the OPN1 MiniRITE since July and have had the “crackling” maybe three times in that period (plus one spontaneous reboot.) Overall, I love them and often forget they’re in my ears as the hearing just sounds natural. Do have your audiologist make sure that the OPNs have the latest (4.0) firmware, as that cleared up some Bluetooth issues.

I started off with the OPN1 but tried to save money by switching to Costco’s KS7. I returned my OPN1s to my audiologist and purchased the KS7s for $1700. However, the KS7s were not for me.
I then found OPN1s much cheaper online, without audiologist (1\2 the price). So i returned the KS7s and got the online OPNs.
Neither brands cracked or popped…for my reverse slope hearing loss, the opn1 are the best.

If I were you, I’d return them, and purchase a pair online (factory direct hearing). If the new pair still cracks, look into different dome sizes.

Just my opinion :blush:

If I could make a suggestion to those interested in the OPN 1. Try the OPN 3. While on paper it is a better hearing aid, our patients could not tell a difference. The OPN 1 is $1795 and the 3 is $1495.

Popping noise seems like a bad receiver. They are a bit fragile and even new units can go bad without warning. I would also suggest a really powerful dehumidifier to combat that moisture. The Dry & Store Global II is the best option there.

-Audiometrix

@user1 said:

If I could make a suggestion to those interested in the OPN 1. Try the OPN 3. While on paper it is a better hearing aid, our patients could not tell a difference. The OPN 1 is $1795 and the 3 is $1495.

I think this depends. In quiet environments, that may be true. But in noisy environment, the difference can probably be more easily noticed. There had been a few members on this forum who tried both the 3 and the 1 and opted for the 1 because they could tell the difference. So it’s really subjective depending on the use model of the patient.

Your quoted price is really good from what I can tell. It’s good to see more online presence. It can only be a win-win for customers.

The other specialists and myself have also tried the two and we couldn’t tell a difference, but I definitely agree it’s very subjective.

Just figured I would throw it out there.

Yes there are not a lot of us online guys because the local practices hate our prices. When they complain to the manufacturer’s it can be a big headache. We’ve been navigating those seas for a long time. Hopefully with the new hearing aids it will become less restrictive.

@user1 said:

The other specialists and myself have also tried the two and we couldn’t tell a difference, but I definitely agree it’s very subjective.

This is interesting. So you and the other specialists on your team are actual hearing aids wearers? Would you be willing to post your on your profile? I think if the dispenser is a hearing aids wearer then it lends some more credibility to what they’re doing, especially in the area of having more patient’s empathy, I guess.

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