I’ve had the original OPN soon after release (later relabeled as OPN 1), OPN S 1, More 1, and now Real 1 (I have very good insurance coverage for hearing). OPN S 1 had improved connectivity and fewer spontaneous restarts - some improvement in voice recognition with higher power (85) receivers and domes with 2 small vents. More 1 were fitted with vented molds and REM by a new audiologist - I was apparently under fit previously as things were louder and that made it easier to hear soft voices in quiet but no significant improvement for me in really noisy environments. Real 1 are significantly better for wind noise reduction for me - helpful as I commute to work on a bicycle. I haven’t noticed much difference between the Real and More in noisy environments but I tend to avoid noise if possible. I think both More and now Real are improvements for me as compared to the OPN in most situations. I have not tried the Intent or anything from Costco so can’t comment on those.
Switching to new hearing aids can be beneficial, especially with recent technological developments. Many OPN users have upgraded to newer models and have seen significant improvements, especially in noisy environments. It is recommended that you consult with your audiologist and try different models to determine which will best suit your needs and expectations.
I think it’s all relative whether it’s worth upgrading. I bought More 1 to replace my Opn1. It was a little better, but was it worth the several thousand dollars I paid to get that slight improvement? IMO, no.
This will also depend on your finances and your insurance coverage, if any. If you have to eat beans and rice for a year in order to afford new HAs that provide only a slight improvement it’s probably not worth it. If it’s a “WOW!” improvement, maybe it’s worth eating beans and rice.
And it’s a different calculation if you can easily afford new HAs and/or have good insurance coverage.
In the OP’s case, skipping three generations of Oticon releases would probably make a really noticeable difference between Opn1 and Intent.
I had to return my OPN 1 9 mos after I bought them. Oticon’s open hearing paradigm was simply too much for my brain to make sense of. Luckily, my audi was very understanding, and even sold me new aids at a discount when the OPNs were turned in way after trial date ended.
I first had Phonak Audeo B, then Phonak Marvel, and have been wearing Phonak Lumity Life aids the past 2 years. These Life aids are BY FAR the best I’ve ever worn - in particular, because they deliver on “improved speech comprehension”. Yes, they may not be perfect in LOUD places, but in all other cases (speaker behind me, child with soft voice, person with heavy accent, etc.,) I’ve really noticed the improvement in my ability to comprehed what’s being said. So much so, that my confidence in hearing has increased A LOT.
It was a gradual process where I first thought I couldn’t be hearing that right? Then, confirmation: YES, I actually DID hear it right, to I think hubs must’ve heard this right, to NO! I actually heard it right and had to correct hubs!
So, you be the judge. I think all hearing aids today deliver better sound quality and features than models of several years ago. But even more important is to find that particular make & model that let YOU hear your world the way you want to.
Speech comprehension is the ultimate goal, but enjoying music, outdoor activities and social gatherings are also key.
You don’t have an audiogram posted here, but I wonder if Oticon Intent is good for those with a sloping hearing loss? A lot of the posters here have decent to low loss in lower frequencies with a slope that steepens in the higher frequencies.
For my “snake’s belly” audiogram, I don’t know if Oticon would be a good choice. I’d LOVE to try anything that improves speech in all kinds of noisy places, so I keep an open mind.
For now, the Phonak Lumity Life aid has done the best job of improving my speech comprehension.
Started out w/the replaceable battery version. Totally could not determine battery level. Kept having to replace batteries every day or so (according to charge indicator, not sure if they were dead or not). My audi got Oticon to swap @ no charge (commendable). Rechargeable part works great. Now the problem part. Get them adjusted so I can hear as well as can be expected, go home, works ok for a while then starts being muffled (like head in a bucket of cotton), turn volume up enough to hear & clattering starts. Get them reprogrammed & they work for a while & same again. When I leave my audi after programming things are ok then after a few weeks they need adjusting again. I blame the AI that (supposedly) adjusts to accommodate “what you want to hear”, but that is only my opinion.
That’s ridiculous, how could this happen in just one or two day’s of use? The correct way to determine your battery level is by how many hours of use and the size of the battery, but regardless you do get ample time of when to change the disposable battery, the HAs warn you before dieing, just like the rechargeable you get a warning when to recharge.
Wow, that’s a big mystery about it starting to get muffled up after a few weeks. Would there be any chance that each time you visit the audi to get it reprogrammed, he/she happened to change the wax guard on your aids without telling you just because they’re used to do it automatically to make sure it’s not a wax issue? It has every indication of a wax issue that gets cleared up upon the audi’s visit, especially if it takes a few weeks before the problem develops.
I remember I had the same exact problems. I thought that my aids were going bad and brought them in and they cleaned up the opening and changed the wax guard and I was good to go again.
The Oticon AI is not a self-learning setup where it “adjusts to accommodate what you want to hear” type of thing like you think. It’s a passive AI that’s already been trained ahead of time and should reproduce the same response every time for you.
I use the phone app battery indicator for when to change or recharge batteries. I found with the OPN1, 20% meant if you don’t want to have to change batteries @ an inconvenient time, you better do it soon. On disposable batteries MORE1 got to 20% in a couple of days vs around 5 days for OPN1. Probably a fault in the app but still unacceptable to me.
BTW- you come across as very rude in the tone of your comment.
I change the domes & wax guards regularly (at least every 4 weeks, which my audi said was ok), but will start changing more often to see if that helps. However, I don’t see any improvement when I do change them.
@Space-NOLA “However, I don’t see any improvement when I do change them.”
FYI I look at my waxguards by taking a picture in macroview with my cellphone. If they are almost full I’ll change or try to clean. At that time mostly the hearing went worse already till even totally vanished.
Can’t imagine that changing them often would bring you something as your hearing at that time is not decreased as you state. Unfortunately in my case I also have to pay for these guards so don’t want to abuse my wallet.
I think you have clogged vents, not wax guards. Do you use electric dryer for your hearing aids every night?
Just sounds like you’re being paranoid about the battery levels, but you said one or two day’s which is definitely not right, 5 days is “more” like it!
No need to stress or get anxiety mate, just saying it was ridiculous if your getting only 1 or 2 days of usage, but you correctly seen that’s most likely the App giving incorrect information.
I hope you will try the Intents. I love mine and love the clear natural sound and the ability to follow conversation much better. It is so awesome to notice how it follows as I turn to whoever I am talking to in a group or restaurant. And the wind noise reduction is so good. I have played golf in 30 mph wind and could still hear my buddies conversation. Look forward to hearing what you find out
@Lostdeaf Off topic, sorry.
Just quickly took the aids out of my ear to take the picture I would like to show. Just to show how a phone- picture could help for showing something that small I can’t see with the naked eye to evaluate the pollution. Sorry for that, you’re right @Lostdeaf.
But you have to admit it looks similar to the wax guards we were talking about. Your nice picture indeed looks alike my photo. Has teeth instead of gauze and an eye instead of a venting hole.
And no I don’t use my available dryers with and without combined charger every day as I have relative dry ears and play around with my collection of HA’s on a daily base so it will not be necessary. (Haha, that’s the secret why my wallet is empty…)
Ack! Tenkan is a treasure-chest of knowledge, and I just want to give him a shout-out here. Take no offense. I think he was just outraged at the 1 day of battery use. That should not be the case with any model of aid with any size battery. I feel for what you’re going through with the odd “muffling” issue.
While I don’t have Oticon aids, I DID have something similar with my Phonak aids. Had them for a couple days, doing fine, then got inside a rental car (why that one? they sounded okay in my own car) and all of a sudden it was like ALL volume slammed down to barely audible - and that cotton-headed sensation you describe.
My audi basically turned Noise Management close to OFF. It was simply way too aggressive. Now I get some muting when fire engines fly by or in super noisy places, but then I also have a dedicated Speech in Loud Noise program. See if your aids can be tinkered with to dial down their Noise Management setting. Keep us posted on what you find out about the cause.
OW! That EYEBALL got my attention!
Here’s lookin’ at you, kid!
What about your aids’ Noise Management setting? Is it too high?
My apologies, I re-read your comment & realize I took it wrong. Originally I thought you meant it couldn’t be doing that instead of it shouldn’t be doing that.
Again: sorry for being so quick tempered.