Bigger and spending more money on R+D doesn’t necessarily mean you end up in the right place. Look at Tesla.
The Bernafon line is one platform behind the Oticon line. For instance, the chip in Bernafon’s Supremia and Saphira product lines use the same physical chip as Oticon’s Alta (aka the Inium platform). The Oticon Alta2 and Dynamo use a newer chip that Oticon refers to as Inium Sense.
But the two companies have different philosophies about how to make hearing better, so the software that they design to take advantage of the hardware is different.
The reason they have the same FCC ID in the Supremia and the Dynamo is because they use the same wireless technology which was certified by the FCC. But that only refers to the wireless system, not the rest of the hardware. Although, they are very similar, and Bernafon Supremia is technologically superior to Oticon Chili, which was based on the previous Rise2 platform, which is quite outdated at this point.
Starting with Bernafon’s Nevara, Bernafon will be using the same chip as Oticon’s Alta2 (Inium Sense). This leads me to believe that Oticon will have a new product line out in Februaryish with new hardware, as they don’t typically allow Bernafon to overlap for very long.
So will the Bernafon Nevara have 24 bit technology?
I don’t know yet. Don’t have a lot of details about it.
Thanks for the detailed replies, and sorry about the misspelling of B’s name in the heading. I’m glad to have stumbled onto this forum. Lots of knowledgeable people. Presently I’m wearing a 6-year old Oticon Epoq XW Rite in my left ear and a 3-year old Phonak Bolero Q70-SP in my right, and considering an upgrade. More volume in my left hear would be helpful. I’m not sure whether I can do much better in my right (mastoidectomy). Any ideas about what product might be helpful? I don’t find the marketing literature of manufacturers very helpful. I’ve considered a CROS setup but everyone thinks no.
| 250 | 500 | 1k | 2k | 3k | 4k | 6k | 8k | |
| Left | 15 | 25 | 35 | 40 | 55 | 65 | 65 | 65 |
| Right | 75 | 90 | 85 | 90 | 110 | 110 | 110 | 105 |
| WRS/SR1 L/R 100-48 |
So then if the ENT gives me clearance after today’s MRI, would I be wise to wait a few months to see what’s on the horizon from Oticon or go with the Alta2? I’m probably not going to be happy if my stuff is old technology in 3 months or so.
Any number of people here succeeded in getting the “old” tech upgrade to the new model in a reasonable time frame. Why not be upfront with the audi and say you’d heard the new tech was just around the corner and if they could upgrade you from the current model, if that’s the case.
Good idea.
Yep, just ask. I know in our office, if I know something new is coming out (Which isn’t always) , I will usually put a pair of demo units on someone until we get the new product in. If not, then just wait a few months. Which I know sucks, but I’m like you, I would rather have the newest one if I know it will be coming out soon.
Right. If you get 4-6 years out of a set, it would bother me knowing that mine were already dated a few months after I got them. I guess I’m getting a bit ahead of myself until I know what the ENT has to say.
But also keep in mind that everything has a shelf life. I mean, if you buy a 2015 Samsung TV right now, does that mean it is completely worthless in 2 months (2016) when the new models come out, any more than if you had bought it 3 months ago or 6 months ago or a year ago when it very first came out? Its easy to get trapped in a cycle of buying the newest model the day it comes out like all of those Apple iPhone lemmings do.
As a Kia driving iPhone lemming, I’m highly offended by JustinHIS’ analogies. 
Of course it does. But this is more like buying a 2015 Explorer at the end of a run knowing that there is a model change over for 2016 that is only a few months away. The current model has the same value and benefits, i.e. it is just as good as it was the day it was sold. It’s qualities haven’t diminished, but now there is a new one that should offer something that improves the current technology. The fly in the ointment is that with cars and many other things the changes have been announced, and specifications released so you can judge whether the wait is worth it. We don’t have to wonder if the changes may all be cosmetic with nothing much new under the hood. What we have with this is an educated guess based on past practices that a new product is on the way. And no doubt it is. But the exact date of arrival is unknown as well as the extent of the changes. Unless you’re holding out on us. 
And you’re only a lemming if you do it because everyone else is doing it. If you’ve got the cash to make the switch whenever you want then why not? I’d sell the Kia though. 
Generally speaking my analogies are MEANT to offend someone. I like to see who chooses to be that someone.
Unless you’re holding out on us. Just wanted to make sure you didn’t miss that.
Also, based on previous experience, Oticon does not tend to release new products that don’t have a noticeable improvement in sound quality. That could be changing, based on the fact their update schedule has accelerated. It used to be a new flagship product every 4 years, but there was only 2 years between Alta and Alta2. If there is a new flagship this February then that would only be a 1 year gap. So if it happens, lets cross our fingers that its not incremental. I hate incremental updates.
I’m new to hearing aids but I work with technology all the time and it would be odd indeed for a company to introduce a new product based on current technology only to outdate the item in a matter of months. Oticon is making the introduction of their new power platform a very big deal, countdown clock and all, based on the Inium Sense chip. Could it be that the Dynamo, et. al. might have some hardware and software (sense 3?) upgrades that will be incorporated into the Alta/Nera/Ria?
I have speculated that they might be bringing their frequency lowering tech into the mainstream product line. That is really the only big thing I can think of off hand. Under the hood improvements are always nice, but not very flashy.
They always do the countdown clock thing. They even did that with Ria a couple years ago.
OK. Thanks