Adjusting to Phonak Brio R312T

I am a first-time wearer and have used Costco Phonak Brio R312Ts for about 3 weeks. I have RIC with vented domes. I am bothered by unwanted sounds in my left ear. For example, when I listen to music in the car, there is an overlying “fuzziness”/white noise sound to the music in my left ear. The same issue was present during sermons at church, which might have a pubic T-coil system. At my first adjustment last week, the HIS activated the public T-coil program. I’ve not had the opportunity to test this at church, but it might slightly reduce the fuzziness/white noise in my left when I listen to music in the car. Playing the piano is unpleasant also. It sounds like single notes reverberate for just a short time, almost like a lingering sound (echo?). I also perceive this mostly on the left side. My HIS did not know what to make of this. Since I am his first Phonak customer, he consulted on the phone with Phonak tech support. They made some kind of adjustment, and as I said also added the T-coil program. I hear conversations well, and the HAs have helped considerably, but I certainly hope the noises on the left can be eliminated.
Also, does someone know what usual and optional features are available for this HA? Right now to turn them off I have to open the battery compartment. The only thing the button on the HA does is turn the T-coil program on and off.
Thanks, all, for your input.

I two have noticed that when driving my car and turning up the stereo just a little, my right R-312 T gets more “stereophonic like”, but only for 20 or 30 seconds. Then it goes back to normal. It probably does it on my right side because she has it turned up more, because my loss is worse on that side.

Looks like your loss isn’t near as bad as mine, especially in the high frequency. Mine doesn’t have a T-coil program right now. Seems like phone conversation has been good for me without that. I just have volume up on the right side and volume down on the left. You might want to think about some custom molds. I tryed a double dome on one side while my custom mold was getting fixed and I didn’t like it. Of course I’ve wore custom molds for the last 5 years. Hopefully you’ll get them right. I’m thinking of trying some Brio P UP’s. Good Luck To You.

Thanks for the reply and encouragement.

Sorry to bring up an old post. I’m just wondering how some of you with Phonak R-312 T hearing aids are doing? I’ve had mine about a month and a half and was hoping to be hearing better then I am. I’ve been to Costco several times trying to get my left side custom mold fitted right. Seems like it always feels to big and too tight. I’m on my second one. The first one wouldn’t fit at all. Most of the shinny coating has been polished off of the second one in an attempt to get it to fit. It is tollerable now but could fit better.

Anyway, it just seems that distinguishing speech isn’t what it should be. They’ve been adjusted about 3 times. The lady at Costco listens to me and has done several things to make it better, like the compression shifting etc… Seems like I’m doing some better in my bad right side hear, then with my old Siemens Artis aids but my left good side doesn’t seem as good as with the old aid. I’m sitting hear right now with my old aid in on the left side.

When she ordered my aids from Phonak, she got me the highest power RIC recievers that would work with the R-312 T’s. I’m just wondering if I need to try something else. Maybe the Brio P UP aids or even another brand. The R312’s seem somewhat ocluded compared to my old ones. They look to have the same size vent hole in the mold.

Any comparisons, thoughts, suggestions, advice, is welcomed.:confused: I’d just hopped for better.

I’m on my 4th set of HAs over about a 10- or 12-year period. From molded-to-the-ear-canal Siemens to Bernafon Swiss Ears to Bernafon Veras CP9s, to nothing at all for two years (out of disgust). Yesterday, I took delivery of my new Phonak Brio R 312T aids – and I’m blown away completely. These things are many times better than anything I’ve had before. I NEVER expected to ever again experience hearing as natural-seeming as this. Even my tinnitus seems to have diminished WAY down. This was all totally unexpected.

I think a great deal of it has to do with my current audiologist, Jenny Grootendorst, at the Palm Desert Costco at Highway I-10 and Monterrey. Unlike my impressions of my previous audiologists, SHE knows her profession and is on top of the whole process. Lots of different testing both before ordering my aids and with them after they arrived. Ask her anything; her answers make sense. She knows her business and clearly is dedicated to her clients. My advice: Drive right by your local Costco to Jenny, even if it’s an all-day trip for you. BUT call first and make your appointment with Jenny Grootendorst ONLY. No subs. If she’s away on vacation, wait until she gets back. And the day before your appointment, call to make sure SHE will be there–that she’s not going to be out for some reason. If you get there and she’s called in sick or something, make an reappointment for HER only and wait it out.

I cannot believe how natural these things sound and feel.

Jack

Jack and Jenny sittin’ in a tree
K I S S I N G

OK, I’ll stop reliving 4th grade. :o
Glad you found a great Audi.

Both the ladies from our Merrillville, IN store are in the same mold.

Glad you hit it good with the 312’s Jack. I’m suire they are the berries for some folks but not for me. My Costco audi which seems very knowledgeable, tried everything under the sun with me and it just wasn’t ever what I was hopping. I turned mine back in last week and ordered up some Phonak Brio B13 -SP BTE’s.

I have so much loss in the hi frequency is a lot of my problem. An open tube bte with custom molds will hopefully suit my fancy better, which is what I’m use to with my older Siemens Artis anyway. Glad your doing well with the 312’s. Try to post your test scores.