Audicus Wave vs Costco KS10 - my experience and final decision

Hearing Aids
#12

The SoC may be the same platform, but the hearing aids are not at all the same in software. Judging from the spec sheet it appears the Wave is the counterpart to the lowest level (of four) Paradise, the 30 Essential. The KS 10 is equivalent to the Paradise 90 Premium, the highest level. You should expect the KS 10 to be substantially better.

However, walking around the store tells you very little because that environment is very different than your day-to-day environments. (Unless of course, you work in a Costco or similar big box store.) That’s the purpose of the trial, to see how you fare across environments.

You have mild-to-moderate-to-severe loss, so you definitely want a proper fitting by a skilled HIS or Audi. Costco will have programmed the KS 10’s to “first fit”, which is typically 80% of prescription. So expect a series of adjustments to get to your target and fine-tune to your preferences, which the KS 10’s give you much more of than the Wave’s.

As far as DIY programming, @Edma gave you good advice. I’m only just starting on that path myself (also a retired engineer) and I’ve found that, while the software is certainly not daunting, it does require having a good understanding of the theory of operation in the instruments and particularly the inter-relationships of the settings. You can actually find all that info free online. Suffice it to say that much more is involved than just setting the gains to reach the frequency targets.

Good luck!

#13

My understanding is that Bluetooth on the KS10 is a low power version, designed to minimize battery drain. I noticed this almost immediately using my iWatch playing iTunes while wearing my watch on my left arm. Switching the watch to my right arm solved the problem. I had the Costco audi switch my aid control to the left side for another reason and she correctly told me that would not solve the signal problem. I just wear my watch on the right arm for walks or talks and all is well. As a 25 year user of HAs, you got in at the right time. Three months into using the KS10 and the AI is doing some amazing things in low noise settings. I can now hear the TV at a volume level my rabbit eared spouse cannot. Just a smile and a, “Really? I”ll turn it up for you” brings a :blush:

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#14

UPDATE:

Got my KS10 fitting yesterday. Very thorough and yes they did the REM.

After a several month research and “starts and stops” - here is what I have learned (i.e., my personal perspective, others may beg to differ):

First, The KS10’s are a remarkable Hearing Aid and will work fine for my purposes. Bluetooth works far better than the Audicus Wave.

Secondly, the Internet is a powerful and useful force - however at this point in time I think that having a professional test you and fit you is really the best way to go, period.

Finally, you simply cannot beat the Costco experience in: 1. personnel; 2. product; 3. warranty and service; and 4. overall value

Thank you to everyone who responded to my various posts - learned a lot from all of you and has helped me settle in on my KS10’s.

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#15

I love Costco. Been a member for over 20 years. They even gave me a walk-around-the-store demo of a pair of hearing aids this spring, and I was prepared to consider going there for HAs if the VA claim was denied. But it seems for every positive story like yours, I read of negative ones, too. It really seems to be hit or miss. Good HCP or bad, good day or bad? I don’t know. When a small independent shop is good or bad, it disappears into the weeds. But Costco seems to get a glowing red thumb from getting smashed.

Congrats on your new HAs! I have the cousins, Phonak P-90R. I wish you well in recovering your hearing ability with the excellent new tech!

WH

#16

Thanks WH.

I ran a company years ago that was a vendor to Costco. I learned that you better make a good product because if you don’t you will be put out of business by Costco and their Customers - as you should.

So far been to two Costco in the Austin area and everyone has been friendly and helpful. I’d like to think also it is how you treat the people on the other side of the counter that reflects the level of service you will receive. Not always true, but often enough to matter in my own life and experiences.

Sitting here working with my KS10’s Bluetooth receiving from Spotify on my Mac. Could never get the Audicus to do that. Raining outside today so when I take my walk will take out the KS10’s and put in my Apple Airpods.

Have a great day.

Don

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#17

You are safer with the KS10s in the rain. They are ip68 protected. Unless you have the airpods pro, they aren’t as well protected from the wet…

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#18

By golly, just looked that up and you are correct. Apple AirPods Gen 1 and 2 are NOT water resistant at all. Thanks!

Do you shower with yours in?

This is my first full day with them and they have been great.

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#19

No. And I’m quirky about wanting dry ears before the domes go in. I’m considering going to the Audeo Paradise Life when the VA gets them on contract, with the Activevent receivers. I’m hoping that will give me a better mix of hearing is noisy places and also not feeling occluded when I don’t need it. We’ll see what the audiologist learns in a few weeks when they have the conference on the new contract.

#20

Good luck. I noticed the KS10 do not have an “anti moisture” system in the charging case like the Audicus Wave did. Is that needed in any way?

Also, they have me doing some home ear was removal stuff and warm water flush right now. They said I had a lot of ear wax in left ear so trying to get that out - never thought about it before.

Good luck with the potentials

Don

#21

My audiologist said not to worry about moisture unless I experienced an issue attributable to moisture. My charger case has a pocket to hold a puck that absorbs moisture, but she didn’t order one to fill it. But I have heard of a lot of stories of ppl having moisture problems with their HAs.

I use debrox (a store brand version) and a rubber syringe to clean my ears. More often means less effort each time. But I really don’t like it. But it is far better than what the ENT did last fall when I saw him. That was LOUD!

WH

#22

Dehydration is recommended by Audiologists in particular for patients who perspire a lot and/or live in humid climes. Some chargers include a dehydrator, either with a desiccant or without (in the latter case, then it’s advisable to let the charger occasionally air out). While I live in a fairly humid region, I never saw any indication of moisture and went for a couple years without using a dehydrator at all. But then again you don’t necessarily see the moisture, so I bought a Zephyr which afaict does a good job.

#23

Thank you. When do you use the dryer if your hearing aids are changing over night?

#24

UPDATE:

BTW, spoke too early about KS10 Bluetooth and iPhone - it does falter when I’m walking with it in my pocket. For now, until I have it figured out, will walk with my Airpods.

Puzzling since bluetooth is a well-defined and increasingly reliable communication medium and protocol.

#25

I’m fuzzy on this but I think there is a known issue of signal getting from one ear to another (which isn’t blue tooth) when outside as there’s no walls for signals to bounce off of. Numerous threads on forum discussing this issue, which may not be what you’re talking about.

#26

When I bought my Zephyr, I was using Phonak’s with a battery, not a rechargeable, so that was never an issue. The cycle is 8 hours.

When I got my (short-lived) rechargeable Signia’s which has a non-dehydrating charger, the Audi suggested I use my Zephyr on the week-end or whenever I could fit in the separate cycle once a week. A 3 + 8 hour cycle was inconvenient to say the least. Worst than that though, she did not know, and neither did I until just yesterday when I checked the manufacturer’s web site (prompted by your query, thx!), that the Zephyr model produces too much heat for a rechargeable; it can damage the battery. The same company produces a unit using UV heat (called DryBoost, ~$115) which is safe; you actually place your standard charger inside this unit so the cycles run in parallel but it is still 6 hours. There are other UV drying units such as the PerfectDry Lux (~$60) which has a <1 hour cycle, making for a 3 + 1 hour total cycle.

After switching to Oticon rechargeables, I had the same challenge as you. My Zephyr is now useless. Fortunately Oticon offers a dehydrating “smart charger” for its rechargeables, so that is my solution.

For your KS10’s, good and bad news. The bad - afaict from the literature - is that the Costco charger does not provide dehydration nor does it allow for adding a desiccant, so if you want dehydration that means buying a unit like the DryBoost or the PerfectDry LUX. The good news though is that the Phonak counterpart charger (~$135) does have a compartment for adding a desiccant, and it is highly likely to work fine with your KS10’s (but of course you would need to verify that, and pay a bit more).

If audiologists like Cliff Olson are to be believed, this is not a trivial issue. Apparently moisture getting into HA’s electronics is one of the more frequent causes for repair.

Good luck.

#27

Mingus, great info. Thanks. Moisture with electronics in general is a bad thing we all know.

I have my followup appointment on 24 Nov and that is on my list of questions to ask. They do have a dryer for $40 but want to make sure it is specific to the KS10’s.

Thanks Again, will let you know what I find out.

#28

as far as I can see it Phonak removed that option to make Phonak hearing aids different from Costco hearing aids. The fact that the Costco charger does not support the storage compartment for drying tablets, but that still does not prevent you from holding the tablet next to the hearing aids. Although I admit it’s not as nicer as the built-in compartment

#29

Agree … It is my understanding as well from a good deal of reading (not from Cliff Olson). Even though I live in a high desert area and outside air is rarely humid, I expect that many like me charge HAs in bathroom where humidity from showering will at least for a few hours increase humidity significantly - likely to the detriment of HAs longevity. Note that tablets are dehumidifiers, but that is not the same as drying HAs. I actually use both nearly daily. And as discussed in separate thread rechargeable HAs per mfg specs require lower heat for drying (typically <104F) and so older dryers often need to be replaced to meet that spec or risk damage to the R battery,

#30

I bought a PerfectLux dryer when I got my KS7s, $40 at the time.

I now am using KS10s. My PefectLux on a 1 hour cycle peaked at only 91F.

The PerfectLux isn’t specific to any brand, it’s just a box with a little heat and UV.

#31

Thank you. I have my follow up appointment on November 24 and drying my hearing aids is going to be on my list of things to discuss. I also on my list is I’m still having some Bluetooth problems with a KS10 listening to music and putting my phone in my pocket.

Other than that they’ve been great.

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