Bass Domes

Anyone heard of, or worn, bass domes on their hearing aids? Do all of the hearing aid manufacturers offer them?

Some call single closed domes - Bass domes.
Double bass domes are commonly use with more powerful receivers.

Um_bongo,

Thanks! Do you know whether Resound makes Single Bass domes for the Linx 3D HAs? If not, would another manufacturer’s Single Bass dome fit my Linx 3D 961 HAs?

My Oticon OPN1s were fitted with open domes a year ago. My new audi, after performing my first real ear measurements said I’d get better results with bass domes, and she installed them. She said they were double bass domes, but I can see only one tiny vent.

I gave them an honest trial for 4 days and could never adjust to them. They totally stopped up my canal. All sound had to come through the microphone. So, using a handset telephone does not work—it blocks the sound!. I had to remove my aids every time the phone rang.

They felt terrible. Not just itchy, but sweaty and itchy. I could hear my head turn. I could hear my jaw open. I had to be still, just to hear the wanted sounds. I was constantly pulling on my wire to get them to sound and feel better. I think that was just making them crooked enough to break the air seal.

I believe they’re for people with low frequency loss, which I don’t have. So I put my open domes back on and ran another feedback analysis with my mini-pro for them.

If you don’t have to have them, don’t get them, I say.

My experience with closed domes was more about the lack of pressure release that somehow built up between my ears and the domes. A lot like changing elevation somewhat quickly where you feel all plugged up and your hearing diminishes and it gets very uncomfortable.

I’ve yet to get around to poking a small hole (or more) in a single closed dome to see if that allows the pressure to release. Tulip domes had a much lesser but similar effect so I’m not even sure one vent hole will work to the point of just leaving it at open domes.

I have good experience with my single vent hole bass domes on my OPN. They’re very comfortable for me and don’t make me feel very occluded.

No matter how good or bad experience you hear from people about bass domes, you just gotta try it out for yourself. It’s a very personal thing,

The one I try is a single dome, not a double dome. And it has one tiny vent hole.

We use the Sonova ones on almost everything, because they’re cheaper, especially in long term running costs for the client and the design is about the best from all the manufacturers.

1 Like

Interesting. So @Um_bongo are you saying the Sonova domes will fit other manufacturers and not slip off in the ear like had been mentioned in a thread of a while ago?

z10 a single very tiny hole worked for me.

As long as they use Cerustops or Prowax minifit, the bore will suit. You may split them with wider bore receivers.

How did you manage to get the single small hole in the dome? I’ve tried drilling a hole and punching a hole with an awl. Neither worked for me.

I am still working on a best method. The toughest part is that the dome is fearful of the procedure, and will not hold still for impalement.

Most recently I used a fine nail punch- it worked but it was pretty awkward.

I think I will next experiment with a large safety pin. I realize such a pin hole will largely close when the pin is removed, so it may take more than one such hole.

1 Like

:laughing:

Try just cutting a slit with scissors.

If you’re adamant you need the hole and not the cut in the domes. Get yourself a suitable guage paper clip and un-bend one arm. Put the rest of the loop in a vice -heat the protruding arm and prod it through the dome. Then you can use two hands to hold the dome apart.

Um_bongo,

Thanks! I’ll try the heated up paper clip. I don’t have a vise small enough to hold the double domes!

He said put the wire in the vice. That to avoid burning finger and to give two hands to manipulate the dome.

Have you tried using a scissors to make a single cut in the dome? That is the easy way.

Hmmm, the vise would serve as a big time heat sink for the paper clip! I would have to work very quick!!

Um-bongo- Thank you for this hot tip.

I had been slitting the domes as you mention- but in my particular case I have moved on to the to the hole punch method. The physical integrity of the dome is maintained better - and the dome stays inserted more securely (and I get less feedback) than with the slit.

Then buy a pin vice and use it.

Starkey makes Comfort Buds occlude. These domes have 2 tiny holes, and come in a variety of sizes. I wear them on OPN1 P100 receivers. After years of trial & error - slitting, cutting, hole punching, and trying every dome available, my Audi gave me these to try. The absolute best, most physically comfortable solution to date. If the teeny holes get plugged or turn and hit my canal, I get that stopped up feeling. The small amount of venting is perfect for me and consistent from dome to dome. I also wash them daily, unplug the holes with the black plastic wire tool to keep the vents open.