Thanks for the quick reply. So, it is not my brain going wacky, but rather the sounds coming in through the hearing aids themselves? Starkey makes a generic earmold. I could ask the audiologist about that for both ears. If I were to get one for the left, sounds like I might as well get one for the right, correct? I also play guitar and the higher strings sound very tinny probably because of what you have suggested.
Any thoughts on in-the-ear hearing aids vs. hearing aids?
The audiologist suggested the open dome for the right ear because the hearing is better than the left and the to capture better sound.
Do you have earmolds and how has your sound improved with them?
Starkey makes a generic earmold. I could ask the audiologist about that for both ears. If I were to get one for the left, sounds like I might as well get one for the right, correct?
I don’t have any experience nor knowledge of Starkey generic earmold. However, there is no harm in trying them bilaterally.
There’s higher risk of occlusion effect in right ear, but it is higly individual, personally I don’t have it.
I cannot guarantee that sounds will be ideal, but based on your and your posts, there is high probability to fix your problems.
Ideal earmold should be custom, individual for you with properly adjusted ventilation canal in diameter.
I also play guitar and the higher strings sound very tinny probably because of what you have suggested.
So you have possibility to check in which range of sounds there are “grey zone” - not so tinny, but not ideal and when sounds beginto sound normal. I can be useful info for your Audi. Write down the frequecies and frequency range of gray zone, etc.
Any thoughts on in-the-ear hearing aids vs. RIC hearing aids?
I I have no experience with in-the-ear hearing aids. I would prefer / because of their lower price, usually more features (Bluetooth), and easier maintenance.
If I had an unlimited amount of money, I would consider as a second or for more comfortable laying (I like to lay on my right side, I sleep usually without HA).
The audiologist suggested the open dome for the right ear because the hearing is better than the left and the closed dome to capture better sound.
I don’t think he made a mistake. It is worth giving domes a chance. He proceeded logically, keeping in mind your relatively good hearing in low frequencies.
Ask him - does during fitting based on every target gain was achieved. Maybe, despite REM, there are frequencies under/over amplified due to dome limitations?
My first REM in 2020 did not achieve the target from 1 to 8 kHz because of feedback thresholds. I then had an earmold with a 2.5 mm diameter vent. My did not propose a new earmold with more occluded venting, and I lacked knowledge on that issue, unlike today.
Do you have earmolds and how has your sound improved with them?
I have never had domes. I have skeleton earmold with P receiver and 1mm diameter vent. I have no problem with occlusion effect so it’s better than my previous mold with 2.5 mm diameter vent.
Currently using a Motorola Edge 50 Neo (XT2409-1) Phone with Oticon Intent 1(trailing for a month now). According to Lenovo/Motorola, the phone has ASHA, BT LE, BT LE Audio, LC3 and Auracast support1.
Lot’s of problems, App disconnecting, but phone still connected; one ear not streaming while both ’s are connected directly; Switching to BT sometimes makes things better but sometimes makes it worse; no volume support, etc…
Also with the Oticon streamer it’s not a nice experience… phone, streamer and HA’s need to be very close to eachother and any clothing can block the signal.
Now opted to trail the Starkey Edge 24 RT. I’ll get them this friday and will update…
First experience after 4 days of using the Starkey Edge 24 RT, after using the Oticon Intent 1 for a month (Note: same audi set me up with these as with the oticons):
Positive in the Starkeys:
Long battery life; even with streaming, enough for a day.
Quite a good LE connection (connection holds and doesn’t drop constantly with the phone and App (The oticon’s did that a lot, but I was told an update will be released for the Oticon Intents that should fix that)
Hardly any static noise/white noise from the device in a quiet environment.
Rocker switch on both ’s, so one for volume and one for program switch. (oticon has only one button on each side)
Double tapping the left or right HA can be given a function.
Not so positive in the Starkeys:
when a sound from the phone is streamed, there is quite some background/static noise. After switching back to the HA’s it sometimes mutes the HA Mics for a while
Sound overall isn’t as clear as with Oticon
Sound is a bit higher pitched than with the Oticons
Sudden sounds are sounding harder (seem less blocked) than with Oticon in default settings
Understanding speech at a party in a restaurant is much harder with the Starkeys than with the Oticons
Without doing any additional setup, there is quite some feedback when nearing your ear with a hand or headphone. After tuning it in a quiet room, it got better, but was still worse than the Oticon’s without tuning. If I started whisteling, I even got feedback from that
Not so positive in both; Starkey and Oticon:
Given the fact that these devices cost around € 5.000,- a pair, the bluetooth connectivity could and should be MUCH better for these premium devices; even a couple of cheap $10,- ear buds have much better bluetooth connectivity. There should also be more (technical) information as to what these HA’s need to work correctly with other devices; right now HA manufacturers say it’s a bad implementation of the Phone; phone manufacturers say the same of the HA’s.
No way of pausing and continuing a sound stream from the phone (if you are streaming and someone starts talking it would be nice to have the option to pause the stream from the HA (I know Phonak does this)).
As for connecting with my Motorola Edge 50 Neo:
With both HA’s (Starkey and Oticon) a BT LE connection is made. With the Starkey’s it’s working almost flawless; Oticon is having trouble in keeping the connection, although that should be fiex this month.
Audio streaming is only possible on one very loud volume.
This probably has to do with the absence of the HAP Bluetooth Profile.
The phone supports , but it doesn’t work with this phone and these HA’s.
At the moment I think of switching back to the Oticons, because of the better hearing experience. If BT was substantially better with the Starkey’s I would go for these devices, but if BT is bad in both and the sound is better with the oticons, that scores higher.
Even if with streaming the Oticons won’t always pull trough on one charge and the oticon’s are bulkier with my glasses than the starkeys.
Not sure about not stopping streaming and restarting it from phone.
I can stop the stream and restart from either my watch are phone.
I have a Pixel 6a and a Pixel watch 2.
When you were in the restaurant did you use Edge + mode and choose reduce noise?
Hi Freezerman404,
I know you can stop and start a TV stream, but if you are listening to for example spotify, can you pause and continue by tapping your ?
That’s what I meant. Most Headphones allow you to pase and continue the playback, but with HA’s it’s difficult… Could be my phone and the implementation (or lack thereof) of the HAP too…
Yes, I used the Restaurant profile, with EdgeMode+ in “better speech” and “reduce noise” modes.
I’m now very strongly thinking on buying a Pixel 8 or 9 and trying to get some refund for the Motorola that’s only 4 months old…
I think you have to have the new to stop and start from phone calls from the hearing aids.
iphone can do it.
In the app there is a setting to stop and start streaming.
I tried it and it would not allow me to do that. Actually got a busy signal.
Once again could be the phone.
I tried personal assistant and it worked this time.
It would not work before.
My Motorola Edge 40 Neo is also just a few months old. I’m about to get new hearing aids. So my choices seem to be 1 Phonak and keep my phone or 2 Oticon or Starkey buy a Pixel 8 or 9. I will see what the audiologist says on Friday but am currently thinking Phonak. This is because I believe that all 3 brands can work well for me if properly fitted. In that scenario, may be better to go for Phonak because it works so well with Android.
The manual for Edge says the button can be used to stop/start streaming. My audio tried to set this up (we were remote just B4 Christmas) and said the software said only IOS. I will be getting back to her to see if this is really the case. I have Pixel 8.
I was considering de Phonak Audeo infineo, but seeing that it had an even lower hours of battery use than the Oticon Intents, without streaming and without using the "spheric speech clarity"mode (in which battery life can be reduced to 7 hours…) my day would be too long… But that was just my consideration…
In the fitting software it says tap to stream pause and start. I have the edge streamer and that works fine.
In the fitting software it also states that you can tap to pickup the phone, but there it states that that is only for iOS devices (haven’t tried yet… Will do tomorrow.)
That’s good to hear. I may well have misremembered as we were rushed before both of us left for Christmas. I was asking about the stream and picking up phone.
Connected the ’s as “Hearing Aids” in the Accessibility options (so not trough the MyStarkey App).
When being called, I eventually get the ringtone in my HA’s. When pressing one of the buttons, nothing happens. Picking up the call with BLE (on my android phone) doesn’t work.
I think this text is still valid: only on iPhone. Maybe someone with a Pixel 8 or 9 (these are fulle BT LE supported according to Starkey) can shed more light on this matter.
According to the ProFit manual, only Starting and Stopping Streaming of the TV Streamer works:
So starting and stopping the Phone audiostream cannot be done…
I think your idea on getting the Phonak makes a lot of sense. I currently have the Starkey Edge 24 and constantly have battles with Bluetooth connection either before I wear my hearing aids or after they’re on my wonderful ears.
I’m going to give Phonak a try at the end of this week, but only for a short trial because that’s all the audiologist is giving me. I can’t do anymore because the current hearing aids are paid in full. I have a feeling I will go with the Phonak If for no other reason than to have a reliable connection.
Poland
The Netherlands
