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Sudden Sound Problem with my Costco Rexton Bicore R Li

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I have an ongoing problem with my new Rexton Bicore R Li hearing aids bought at Costco. When there is a sudden sound, the volume of mid-to-high frequencies drop and then slowly return over a second or so. This can be caused by a spoon clinking on a dish, the chopping of an onion, placing a cereal box on the counter, my own voice when I raise it to speak to someone across the room. Essentially, almost anything with a sudden sound - not necessarily loud. It is particularly noticeable when music is playing in the background - the volume of mid-to-high frequencies will go up and down with other sounds I make while preparing dinner, say. It does not depend on the settings through the app on my phone (i.e. it happens for automatic, three different music settings, a noise setting etc.).

I have gone back to have the hearing aids refitted several times over several months, I have had the pair replaced with a pair of new ones with different serial numbers and slightly updated firmware (20.19.818.2 to 20.19.852.2). The same problem occurs. I can’t imagine that this is normal. I have worn Trax 42’s for over 8 years.

Some history to help diagnose the problem, which I believe must be a software issue.

  • My Costco hearing instrument specialist () is one I’ve worked with for over 8 years, and she seems keen to do whatever she can to improve the fit.
  • in the summer, I had a new hearing test and updated the fitting on my Trax 42’s.
  • in the fall I decided to switch out my Trax 42’s as one was opening, and a new outer shell could not be found
  • I originally got the BiCore R312’s and went through some adjustments - different domes and settings - over 3 or so visits and was fairly happy with the fit and very happy with the bluetooth. There was no sudden sound artifact like the one I described above.
  • I decided to exchange the R 312’s for the R Li’s as the use of bluetooth made the battery changing of the R 312’s very irregular.
  • The R Li’s were fit on Dec 29 and immediately I noticed the drop in volume with the sudden sound artifact.
  • I went back on Jan 2 to get an adjustment and my Costco HIS decided to just put the settings image from the last fitting of my R 312’s onto my R Li’s. This sounded very different from my R 312s when I last had them. The R Li’s with apparently the same settings as the R 312’s seemed much more muted. In any event, the sudden sound artifact was still present.
  • on Jan 11 the HIS checked what I was hearing with the R 312 settings and said that it did not look right. She said it was possibly some issue with a configuration difference on the R Li’s with what was on the R 312’s. She decided to do another fitting with a more linear compression algorithm to see if that did anything to the artifact. It did not. The fit was not good either - echoey.
  • on Feb 5 the audiologist tried another fitting but the sudden sound problem remained
  • on Feb 8 the audiologist talked with a Rep on my visit, and they decided that a good test would be to put the image from my trax 42 fitting on the BiCore R Li’s to help eliminate any settings issue causing the sudden sound problem. The sudden sound artifact remained.
  • On a Feb 11 visit, my HIS decided that it must be a hardware problem and put in for a swap for a new pair. She said once they arrived she would put the Trax 42 image on them for me and I could just pick them up to test.
  • on Feb 27 I picked the new BiCore R Li’s and there was still the same sudden sound problem as I mentioned at the beginning.

I really like the R Li hearing aids. Aside from the very irritating sudden sound problem, they are a big improvement over the Trax 42’s. To me, it must now be a firmware issue or a settings issue. I have the latest firmware, and it is different on this new set, so I am thinking that it must be a settings issue of some sort. It is not clear to me that just putting a settings image from a previous fitting wipes out all the settings. For example, with apparently the same settings, the R Li’s sounded much more muted than the R 312’s, which were quite harsh. Perhaps there are hardware differences between the Li’s and 312’s?

If anyone has any ideas or suggestions as to what I could get my HIS to try at my next visit, I would be very grateful.

Thanks

12 people in this conversation27 min readJump to latest

I have no idea what the cause of your problem is or how to fix it, but I do have some information which may be helpful to you.

Rexton Bi-Core has been replaced with a new generation called the Rexton Reach. Hopefully the sudden noise problem has been eliminated in the new generation. It was introduced in Europe last month. When I corresponded with WSA, Rexton’s parent company a few weeks ago, I was told that the new Reach is expected in the United States “in mid March”. Since Costco is the only outlet selling Rextons in the US with a few exceptions, I expect that the Reach will be in Costco some time later this month.

My suggestion is that you meet with your at Costco and discuss a return of your Bi-Cores for a replacement with a pair of the Reach. When I talk to the staff at Costco, they always tell me that they don’t know about new products until a day or two before they’re in the store. So, your HIS will probably not know anything about this if you talk to them today.

You can find information about the reach on Rexton’s global website:

https://www.rexton.com/en/hearing-aids/reach/35

I have them for like 3 or 4 months and I love it, They are way better than the previous ones, I hope the problem will be solved with resetting them

In reply to @billgem

Thanks very much for the heads-up on the updated version. I am in Canada and so may not get it quite as quickly as in the US. I have until late June till I can return the BiCores. If nothing can be done, I will just return them and muddle along with my Trax 42s until the Reach is available then give them a try.

In reply to @Danuta

Thanks @Danuta. I assume you have the BiCore R Li’s. Just curious, if you turn on the faucet in your kitchen and just drop a spoon on the counter, do you notice an immediate drop in volume that recovers in about a second or so? I find it noticeable in all modes, but very noticeable in automatic with direction changed to 360 degrees in the app on my phone. What is the firmware on your ?

It’s a programming issue, the most likely one being the “SoundSmoothing” as Signia call it (Rexton call it plan old noise reduction) have them turn it off to confirm, although even with it turned off, it’s still working in a very limited way in the background, you shouldn’t notice it at all tho.

20240305_055310
20240305_055256

And as @billgem has mentioned, you may as well trade in for the Reach when available.

Thanks very much @tenkan! I assume that the software used by Costco to do the fitting will have the same options in your images?

Yes, I will carefully consider the upgrade to the Reach before my 6 months expires. I have an appointment on Mar 21 and will report back afterwards. I talked with my over the phone yesterday, and she is eager to work with me to understand if it is something that she is causing by the usual settings she uses.

In reply to @Member204

yes , and I love it, I usually use first program , and it seamlessly lovers the noises. Reacts pretty fast
I am in Canada too , it is bi-core, I keep buying rexton for few years already , every 36 months, So far they seem the best . I used once the second on but the sound (speech) was tiny, I did not like it
I have a moderate hearing loss but can not go anywhere without them, :slight_smile:
My audiologist in Costco is pretty good, She fitted for me already 4th pair

In reply to @Danuta

Thanks @Danuta. I find the automatic setting to also provide very seamless lowering of background noise. However, what I have identified is something very different, I think. If you have had 4 pairs of you have enough experience to identify the sort of problem I have identified. It sounds like you do not have the problem I have.

Could you tell me the firmware version of your hearing aids? Just go to the Rexton app on your phone, under the menu select “settings” then select “Versions”. It will be beside “Firmware version”.

As I mentioned in the description, I had the BiCore R 312’s a couple of months ago and these did not have this problem. I didn’t think about looking at the firmware number before exchanging them for the rechargeable R Li versions. My suggested that, while she could not select an old firmware to see if this solved the problem, she might be able to send them back and request a downgrade to an earlier firmware. If you are not having the issue, then I might request your firmware version. Thanks

Sorry can not help with that, My audio set it up, I found the way to set it up to my liking, Just tear a paper if is very sharp she knows what to do, I do not use my phone with the ,

Edited

I had my appointment yesterday. @tenkan it was not the Automatic Noise Reduction. The setting that caused the problem was the feature below, “Microphone Management”. When this was turned on I got the issue, when it was turned off the issue went away. There are several options under the Microphone Management, but any or all of them caused the same issue. The only way to eliminate it was to turn this feature off. Does anyone have an understanding as to why Microphone Management would cause the issue I have outlined in this topic? What am I missing by turning this feature off?

Oh ok so you could notice the changes that much,as in the changes were that noticeable between the directional beam of the microphones that it had the effect of lowering the volume, because going from all around to say front focus would give this impression.What that setting does is turn of automated switching between the directional beam, from say all around to front focus etc.
You now get the option to switch yourself with the app at a time that suits you, what are you missing, well only you’ll notice this, I guess you’ll be spending more time with the App for one.

@tenkan What you say would make sense if the issue went away when I set my from “auto” directional hearing to “360 degree” in the app on my phone. In fact, the 360 degree mode was the mode where the issue was most apparent and was the mode I was using while the was adjusting different settings. Also, while testing, I gave her one of the HAs and she plugged it into a stethoscope device to hear the effect for herself.

Microphone management does not seem to be operating as intended - at least on my HAs. In a noisy restaurant the HAs seem to now work better since every clink of dishes and glassware does not suppress the volume of mid-to-high frequencies from my companion’s conversations. As I mentioned above, I had the 312s and this was not an issue - although I do not know if Microphone management was engaged on those or what the firmware version was compared to Li’s I have been using.

On another note, have you heard anything about the Rexton Reach? Are they at Costco yet in the US? I live in Canada and my HIS said that they have some delay between US and Canadian releases at Costco - like 6 months :frowning_face:

Edited

I have the Costco Rexton Bi-Core and I’m nearing the end of my 6 month trial. I had a problem with one always showing a lower battery life than the other. I am using disposable batteries. The difference would after be as much as 30%-40%, i.e., one would show 40% life and the other 70%. I know from reading so much in the forum that my eyes bleed😧that the Rexton app (I’m using Android) is more accurate with rechargeable batteries.

The reason I decided to comment her is two fold. I had the HA replaced and the firmware is at least two versions behind what @Member204 posted in their first comment. I find this odd as I would think that my new replacement HA’s would be up to date. Especially since their post was made on Mar 2nd and I just received my replacements Mar 19th.

My 2nd reason for posting here is that I am experiencing the same difference in battery life indications as I saw with my original pair. Changed batteries today after getting a low battery warning and the app was showing 40/80. And, it’s the same side as before. I talked with Costco and they are contacting Rexton and I have an appointment for next Monday.

Guess I’m tossing this out for comments or opinions as well as info regarding firmware updates.

@sour_mash I had the Trax42 and the BiCore 312. I could never get any accurate reading for disposable battery remaining (although the difference between L&R is troubling).

If you look in the app, is the serial numbers of the new and old different?

In any event, this would bother me too. One option you have is to return the BiCore 312s and purchase the BiCore R Li’s. I purchased the 312s because I didn’t think I would use the Bluetooth and I didn’t mind changing batteries once a week on the same day if it meant getting 8 years out of the HAs like I did with my Trax42’s. Also, I was told that the rechargeable Li batteries are just like smartphone batteries. This was not comforting as cell phone batteries last significantly shorter than 8 years.

However, I started using the Bluetooth for phone calls and podcasts. This made the battery life not last a week and be very irregular. That was a pain. I was then told that the batteries on the R Li’s are replaceable. so I made the jump to the R Li’s. They are identical to the 312’s and this might give you more peace of mind in terms of battery remaining. If you like your current settings on the 312’s just make sure they put the exact same settings on your R Li’s so you don’t run into the same problems I did.

Good Luck!

Yes, the S/N’s are different. It’s one of the first things I check. As asked if they got any feedback about what was wrong with my original pair by apparently they don’t. I don’t stream but do use Bluetooth for calls. The Rexton app does do well with my Android Pixel 4a. I’m going to have to replace my phone as it’s no longer getting security updates.

I too was concerned about the rechargeable batteries which is why I went with the 312. I have been wearing for about 5 years. My first pair was gifted to me; Phonak Bolero V90-P. The Phonak used a 13 battery so it was an adjustment to get used to the Rexton with the 312. The Phonak are around 9 years old and still work. Guess that’s a testament to their quality. Still good to know that the R L’s can have the batteries replaced. I may go that route.

My settings were supposed to be saved and downloaded into my replacement HA’s. It was a different fitter that set these up and unfortunately, the receiver was changed to a more powerful one and my domes were changed which may have been too many changes happening at one time. I had worn Jabra Pro10’s for loaners for around a month. I thought the Rextons were pretty good and I could definitely hear better coming from the 9 year old Phonaks. Now I’m in a quandary about which of the two, Rexton or Jabra give me the best over all hearing. I definitely need to go back to my original domes. I’m going to push for a more through adjustment when I go in for my appointment next Monday.

Thanks much for your info and reply. Good luck to you as well.

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