Phonak Spice

Awesome thread, I’m definitely going to have to reread this thread when I have my new HAs. I just came back from the audi and will get my new Phonak Audeo S Smart IX HAs in a few days. So excited!

I met with my audi today and had the iCom streaming program adjusted. He added some lows and mids and slightly reduced the highs. We are moving in the right direction to getting a more natural and full sound from the iCom when streaming music (bluetooth from iPhone) and TV audio with TV Link.

I’ve had my Ambra MicroP BTEs just over a week now and am very pleased. I have the iCom, TVLink and myPilot and have been very impressed with the performance in a variety of settings. After reading all of the posts in this thread and many others on the forum, and after consulting the audi, I put the following programs in the manual slots: Acoustic Phone (DuoPhone), StereoZoom, ZoomControl (with myPilot control activated), Music, Calm and mute in slot 6 (slot 6 is reserved only for the mute feature if activated). I find myself being very satisfied with the Auto program, but often switch to StereoZoom, which is my favorite manual program so far. Other than the iCom adjustments mentioned above, I continue to use the default settings for all other programs, including Auto.

I am also very pleased with the bluetooth functionality between my iPhone 4, iCom and HAs. Everyone who has listened to my audio through the iCom microphone during a phone call has been complimentary and say that it sounds much better than the Streamer I used with my previous Oticon Epoq BTEs. My only complaint so far is that the iCom battery does not have great life and will require re-charging at least once per day, and maybe more if you are spending a lot of time streaming music and TV. I will also point out that I have worn the iCom beneath my shirt and tie, and the audio reports while on the phone have been good. So, it’s possible to go into “stealth mode” with the iCom.

I am new to the Ambras but would be glad to answer any questios that anyone on the forum may have about these HAs, especially if you are thinking about investing in this great technology.

I plan to go back to the audi in a week or two to do a little more tweaking on the iCom and perhaps in the Music manual program.

I received a pair of Audeo S Smarts about a week ago and so far things are great…big improvement over the old h/a’s. I have gone from dreading daily meetings because I could not hear most conversations in the room to being able to actively participate in the conversations and hearing everything clearly. Even have to tell the wife to quit yelling at me all the time I can hear her.

A couple questions when watching tv it seems kind of muted are the aids blocking the tv or treating it like back ground noise. Should I use the music program or some other program for tv?

Has anyone had success using a two way radio with icom seems like a delay with icom picking up the radio sound.

When I go outsides sounds like I am in a hurricane, I think we forgot to turn wind block on of something. I will have to check into that.

Other wise very happy with the new aids and the open domes are very comfortable to wear I have to keep checking to see if I lost one.

Phil

@AMT said:

Has anyone had success using a two way radio with icom seems like a delay with icom picking up the radio sound.

When using streaming audio with the iCom, the hearing aids revert to the previous mode if streaming stops for 5 seconds. If streaming is coming from the TVLink or an FM remote microphone, it reverts to the previous mode after 60 seconds. The delay in audio streaming when a radio transmission begins again makes two-way radio conversation impossible. However, you can lock audio streaming by pressing the iCom button and simultaneously pressing the iCom off button. It takes a little practice.

There is also a way to lower the hearing aid microphone volume while streaming with the iCom using the MyPilot. Previous submissions on this thread and other iCom threads discuss these issues.

@Stratuscom said:

When using streaming audio with the iCom, the hearing aids revert to the previous mode if streaming stops for 5 seconds. If streaming is coming from the TVLink or an FM remote microphone, it reverts to the previous mode after 60 seconds. The delay in audio streaming when a radio transmission begins again makes two-way radio conversation impossible. However, you can lock audio streaming by pressing the iCom button and simultaneously pressing the iCom off button. It takes a little practice.

That is great. It worked on the first try. How did you find that out?

Thanks.

@Stratuscom said:

There is also a way to lower the hearing aid microphone volume while streaming with the iCom using the MyPilot. Previous submissions on this thread and other iCom threads discuss these issues.

See thread 9032. I tried to post the HTMl link to it but I guess as a “Junior Member” it won’t let me.

@goldenagecomics said:

I met with my audi today and had the iCom streaming program adjusted. He added some lows and mids and slightly reduced the highs. We are moving in the right direction to getting a more natural and full sound from the iCom when streaming music (bluetooth from iPhone) and TV audio with TV Link.

I’ve had my Ambra MicroP BTEs just over a week now and am very pleased. I have the iCom, TVLink and myPilot and have been very impressed with the performance in a variety of settings. After reading all of the posts in this thread and many others on the forum, and after consulting the audi, I put the following programs in the manual slots: Acoustic Phone (DuoPhone), StereoZoom, ZoomControl (with myPilot control activated), Music, Calm and mute in slot 6 (slot 6 is reserved only for the mute feature if activated). I find myself being very satisfied with the Auto program, but often switch to StereoZoom, which is my favorite manual program so far. Other than the iCom adjustments mentioned above, I continue to use the default settings for all other programs, including Auto.

I am also very pleased with the bluetooth functionality between my iPhone 4, iCom and HAs. Everyone who has listened to my audio through the iCom microphone during a phone call has been complimentary and say that it sounds much better than the Streamer I used with my previous Oticon Epoq BTEs. My only complaint so far is that the iCom battery does not have great life and will require re-charging at least once per day, and maybe more if you are spending a lot of time streaming music and TV. I will also point out that I have worn the iCom beneath my shirt and tie, and the audio reports while on the phone have been good. So, it’s possible to go into “stealth mode” with the iCom.

I am new to the Ambras but would be glad to answer any questios that anyone on the forum may have about these HAs, especially if you are thinking about investing in this great technology.

I plan to go back to the audi in a week or two to do a little more tweaking on the iCom and perhaps in the Music manual program.

Hello “goldenagecomics”, I am very happy for you. I have tried to be fitted with Phonak Audeo S Smart IX without success. Audi hadn´t been trained to use Target sorfware. Then one week later Phonak audi tried personally. It was better, but not good enough. Finally he told me that I had wax in the canal, so now I am using a liquid to dissolve the wax, and next week I´ll come back again. These are my first aids, but I should have been using them maybe 10 years ago or more…I am exited and worried at same time, since I am not very confident these aids will help me to have “normal” conversations back again. My audi is similar type than yours, but noticeable different between both sides.
My big question is: do you really have “normal” conversations on “normal” noise places like in the car, restaurant or in the street? I need to know the truth…thanks in advance.
This is my audiogram
…250 500 750 1000 2000 4000 8000
L…15 15 30 55 70 65 60
R …15 25 50 60 90 105 110

Bummer…

I went in for one simple quick setting change today to my Ambras and while the hearing aids were connected to the computer the right aid gave the low battery signal then quit. At first I couldn’t even get it to come back on (after new battery), and then when it did come back it wouldn’t connect to the computer. We tried the iCube and Hi-Pro with no luck. It’s now on its way to Phonak for repair. Just when things were going so well.

Target has a repair hearing ais butoon that can sort out issues like this on the spot. It happened to one of my fittings and the button fixed it.

Can someone explain the difference between Phonak’s Audeo Smart IX and the Ambra line both on he Spice platform? Both seem to have the same technology.

What exactly are the pros and cons of each of these form factors?

I’ll let the Senior members give a better response, however for me, my Audi recommended the RIC because my hearing loss is moderate. I believe the RIC will allow for more natural sounds to be heard and cut down on the occlusion.

@sgogeta4 said:

What exactly are the pros and cons of each of these form factors?

Like NayTatas said, you can benefit from less occlusion with less ‘product’ in your ear, the bigger BTE’s will have more output. The ITE’s are suitable for people who don’t want anything over the ear.

It all depends on how bad your loss is combined with the characteristics of your loss, the physical shape of your ear and the style you prefer.

I opted for in the ear because the BTE kept getting shut down by sweat moisture getting imto the battery.

TerryB