Phonak titanium molds with Active Vents problems

@newburynewbury said:

My hearing improvement has been great but the itchiness and wax build up are causing me and my doctor concern. I get complete wax blockages that need medical syringeing. There are areas of concern on the canal walls. Therefore I am waiting for an ENT specialist assessment. It can become serious when chronic.

The smaller power receivers and small silicone vented domes push further into the ear canals than the titanium moulds. Maybe this is why I get wax build up that make me totally unable to hear, with or without HAs. This means a visit to the docs to get it cleared out.

I went for the titanium molds option as I believed it would help with the ear canal reaction. They sit much more exteriorly, and they are inert. So no reaction.
And the Active Vents seemed worth trying. I do think they are great. They just won’t stay in the molds.

Oh man, now you have got me worried. After about two months my right ActiveVent came free from the titanium tip. Same as you, broken silicon seal. My audiologist said it needed to go back as well. I little over a week later the other side broke free in the same fashion. That one hasn’t gone back yet. And as a side note I also had an issue with the first tip they sent me being painfully large. It was corrected with the need for a second mold.

Yes TS0711,
it seems that you are having the same problems as me, in relation to Phonak. I had spare power leads to use while the active vents were ‘investigated’. So my hearing experience wasn’t interrupted
It seems that Phonak already knows what the problem is, going by the responses to this thread, and are being disingenuous.

I’m seeing my audiologist on Thursday and I’m going to get the refund offered by Phonak on the active vents. They are not staying in and thus not working in the titanium molds.

I’ll see what are the alternatives. Either normal receivers’ electronics opened and permanently installed inside the titanium molds and then there will be a cost each time they fail which shouldn’t be often The ones I have now are two years old and functioning fine. Or just have acrylic mold made that, apparently don’t have this gasket problem with normal receivers. I will have to be convinced.

Thank you for sharing your experience too because it helps the whole community to decide about trialling these. I find that the honestly and openness of this forum has been a tremendous help.

Thank you to everyone whom have taken the time to share.

Cheers
Anna

@TS0711 Did you see the thread referenced earlier in this thread? You can have your audi order the these parts at a very modest price and fix it yourself in about 2 minutes. Titanium mold sleeve replacement - #4 by raylock1

Please do keep us posted. I like the ActiveVent more than the titian tip, but the synthetic Slim Tip isn’t supposed to be a long-term alternative.

Hi all,
I thought I’d give an update on the situation with the Phonak Active Vents with the titanium tips that have given me no end of problems.

Since December 2023 I have been very patient with the consistent failure of both the receivers AND the titanium tips.

I made the decision to not accept any more offers to return the titanium tips for fixing. Phonak has a definite problem with keeping the Active Vents secured in these tips. I am currently using the silicone generic moulds temporarily.

Also I have had problems with the Active Vent receivers. The left one broke after I’d only used it in my ear for 10 days, and now the right one is failing as well. It works intermittently.

Phonak has agreed to refund this out of pocket costs for the hardware: 2x Active Vent power receivers (AU$90 each) plus 2x titanium tips (AU$90 each).

I am currently waiting for the refund to arrive in my bank account.

I have gone ahead and had new mould impressions made. [NB i was never sure about the spelling, mold or mould?] Because the titanium tips needed to be constantly pushed back into my ear canals I felt a better fit could be achieved if the ear impressions were done with the open jaw position. My audiologist was happy to do this.

My normal Phonak power receivers are S. My audiologist sent that information in with the order for new acrylic thin shell moulds with a retainer extension. The idea is that these are less reactive in the ear canal (less irritation and inflammation) and the normal power receivers can be slotted easily into the moulds. My audiologist has done many of these and has not had any complaints about them.

Yesterday I received a message from Phonak via my audiologist. They are saying that the production team

“Due to the available canal space the original build is compromised and our production team has suggested the following options” •cShell.

So . . . I looked at the cShell alternative paperwork sent by Phonak. A cShell mould has the exposed electronics permanently epoxied into the mould and filled in. So if there is any issues with the power receiver, it would need to be returned to Phonak for repairs or replacement. Rather than just swapping out for a new receiver.

For some reason the power receiver order form sent by Phonak shows the power receiver to be used as M. So it’s not surprising that this might not fit in my narrow ear canal. I checked with my audiologist and she confirms that the order she sent is for the smaller S power receiver. I do know that the diameter of the power receivers increases from S to M to P. S is the smallest and is what I need.

Why have Phonak changed the power receiver in the order form from S to M when that’s not what I need. And then sent an email saying my narrow canal won’t accommodate the power receiver?

I am waiting for a response.

I’ll let you know in the next exciting episode on this experience of mine.

Cheers
Anna

Here is the latest update.

I have received the refund on both the titanium moulds and the M Active Vent receivers. That is the end of that chapter.

Two days ago I picked up the new acrylic shell slim tip moulds with a retainer lock and my audiologist has slotted my own S power receivers into each. This required the use of a pair of needle-nosed pliers.

My audiologist performed the real ear measurements and made a few adjustments to the fine tuning fitting session and I am stoked.

It’s only been a couple of days! I am VERY happy with the fit as well as security of the acrylic ear moulds. I do not have to constantly push the moulds back into the correct position. The titanium moulds were constantly slipping out.

I know I have to give it a few weeks in which any issues MIGHT arise.

There is a strange tenderness, only very slight just superior (towards the outer helix) but below the point where the hearing aid apparatus hangs behind the ear. It’s called the scaphoid fossa. There’s nothing touching in that area so it could be referred by the acrylic retainer lock upwards. It’s a very minor tenderness and hopefully the body will adjust to the new normal. Other than that these fit perfectly.

It is such a relief that the business end of the ‘in ear canal’ receivers are consistently pointed at the eardrum. There is no intermittent blocking episodes where one of the receivers feel like a dud as it sits against the interior ear canal wall. Probably because the titanium moulds used to shift outwards and turn away from the correct position.

I feel quite confident that these acrylic moulds will not cause a skin reaction. Or at least not to the extent that the silicone ones did. Only time will tell.

I am pleased that Phonak were able to fit the small receivers into the acrylic moulds that can be accommodated in my narrow canal. Yes, they acknowledged that error as well.

These acrylic custom fit shell slim tip moulds, with retainer lock cost me AU$55 for each ear. I’m hoping for several years of trouble free hearing experience.

Thank you for all your suggestions and advice. I was heartened by the support given here and felt confident to request the refund on the titanium tips and Active Vents. Phonak agreed that it was their error.

To be honest, the ABSENCE of the audible switching from the Active Vent as it engaged with every single payment transaction, GPS direction, Facebook video and other mobile phone activity, is now very welcome. I dealt with it and it became almost normal but I’m glad it’s gone. One less sound to accommodate.

Cheers and thanks for all your help.
Anna

I almost reached my one year mark using Active Vent.
Lately the click of the closing vent has become much less pronounced.
Is this a (somewhat anticipated) sign that the active vent is at its end of life?
I am also feeling more occlusion, but I’m not sure if it is from my ears or the not opening of the vent.
Looking at a light from the side of the MAV, the tiny vent holes do seem to be open.
Does anyone have experience to share on how to know when to replace them?

I think there is a piece that moves forward and closes a gap inside between those holes you mention and the port output of the receiver. I think wax makes that stick forward. If you blow on it, you move it back and open it again.

WH

Hi everyone,
Just thought I’d give an update after 9 months with the acrylic moulds. I did have one revision on the left acrylic moulds after my last post here. Because the left tenderness in the scaphoid fossa did develop into a tiny lump that was concerning. Since that new acrylic mold fitting in April 2024 I have had no issues at all. No itchiness like I used to get from the silicone generic moulds. No power receiver falling out, no build up of ear wax and no syringing sessions at the doctor’s and no redness or irritation.

Until I can afford the new Spheres I’m very pleased with these Phonak P90 rechargeable.

Cheers
Anna