For anyone who has used both, did you find a difference between the two? I know RICs are becoming able to treat a majority of hearing losses but was wondering about the similarities and differences between them.
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BTEs are capable of treating more profound losses and be fit with smaller molds for people with narrow ear canals. RICs tend to come out first and have the more advanced features. RIC would easily cover your loss.
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For whenever it comes time for me to get a new pair of hearing aids I’m assuming my ear canal size will probably be the determining factor since my custom molds are so tiny.
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Yep, I have used both, and still do, I occasionally use my RIC’s with my Phonak Marvel 90’s, using disposable batteries, and 105db custom molds… The upside is the custom acrylic molds are ultra comfortable, the main downside with my loss (severe/profound), I regularly blow RIC receivers, they usually only last me about 11 months approximately, bit of a bummer having to get new RIC impressions made, but I do have a brand new set pre-made for this eventuality… BTE’s (Sound-wise) are clearer, crisper, fuller, and sharper, they just sound much better than the RIC’s… The problem for me is I am allergic to silicone, it’s fairly common, so I use hypoallergenic coated BTE custom molds, again I have 2 sets of molds, (for my Phonak Naida UP P90 BTE’s & Nadia M70 SP BTE’s) and that means the A.uD has their work cut out when doing a BTE custom impression, sometimes 2 or 3 attempts to get the custom molds correct, and you can’t sand them down, as this will remove the nano coating… The Naida P90 UP’s were an upgrade from the Marvel RIC’s, The Naida M70 SP’s where a freebe from the NHS, I started to alternate each set for about 3 months at a time, to help the longevity of each set of aids… Each set sounds slightly different, but the Naida P90 UP’s are far superior in everything they do… Cheers Kev 
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I am fortunate, like Kev, to have both RIC and BTE aids.
The RIC aids are KS10 with custom UP receivers.
The BTE aids are Oticon Dynamo SP 8 with regular ear moulds.
In terms of pure power the Oticon blows away the RIC aids. Music is an emotional experience. Yes, music is excellent when streaming on the KS10s, but it does not shake me in the same way the BTEs do just listening to a stereo. The bass just does not come through with the RIC. I am guessing the thicker tubes of the BTE have something to do with it. That and the fact the Dynamo has 78DB of gain.
I’m guessing this may also only apply to people with severe/profound loss. I would imagine people with a mild/moderate loss have a different experience!
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I have found that my RICs don’t have amazing quality with streaming music but I also have the M30 technology level from phonak plus I enjoy listening to a lot of bass since I can feel it more then higher frequency notes.
Yes, your hearing level is way better than mine!
I expect you have open domes.
I am surprised you say that the streaming isn’t good.
I use vented domes/custom half shell silicone molds and with the molds the music quality is significantly better, It does tend to sound tinny but not sure of that is a receiver or repair issue.
The tinnyness is a classic Phonak symptom. I know from experience as a Phonak wearer and talking to audiologists that the first fit algorithm used to be notorious for underestimating the gain required. This has been improved in recent years but there are still some people that mention the tinnyness, like yourself. It is an interesting point of comparison with Oticon aids, that have the open sound implementation. Some people prefer the Oticons for that reason.
Still, if you have Paradise or Lumity, with programming they could be tweaked to better suit your preferences imo.
I have the Audeo Marvels 30-312T, I’ll talk with my audiologist about it because it’s definitely a crackily/rattling sound with more bass parts of streaming. It could be a volume issue because I can have my phone on only one volume bar and the sound is more like half volume(with earbuds).
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Ok so I’ve been playing with settings and such, so far I have found what improves audio quality is to set my settings in the app as this
Then on my hearing aids to turn the volume as low as it can go
Then use my phone volume to increase the music and that seems to lessen the rattling noise when streaming
There’s a high frequency roll-off through a BTE tube that isn’t necessarily ideal when you have good high frequency hearing. That being said, a subset of people have very small ear canals such that it’s a struggle fitting the receiver block into the ear, and even a custom tip is too clunky. You can get a very nice, comfortable fit with a silicone skeleton earmold for these ears that you cannot get with a RIC. A moderate power BTE really isn’t bigger than a RIC, so it’s just the thicker tube that makes the aesthetics a bit different, but honestly I think this is made up for by a lower-profile earmold for these small ears. Plus, the plastic tube is stiffer than the RIC wire and so the BTE hearing aid is less likely to flip off your ear and you have better control over the length.
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I think if we had taken impressions of my ears before I purchased my hearing aids I probably would have gone with one of the sky marvels from phonak instead of the audeo marvel but I’ll take that into consideration for my next set of aids.
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Which begs the question: what’s the advantage of RIC aids, other than being more discrete?
I’ve never used these, so this is an honest question. My right ear requires a power receiver, so as far as I know, RIC’s aren’t an option for me. Also, due to a lot of surgeries, my ear canals and middle ears are somewhat bizarre. No audi has ever offered RIC’s as an option, so I assume they’re off the table fo me. No problem! if BTE’s provide better sound.
did I read here that some find ITE aids to have more natural sound?
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Yeah @Jeffrey, I would say, BTE’s are the better sounding aids, I think most Audiologist would agree with that sentiment, but perhaps not all? ITE aids, I have only ever had one set, Pre-Digital, so obviously they where analog, I liked them a lot, after approximately 2 years they gave up the ghost, most likely the receivers packed in, maxed out no doubt with my loss? The NHS don’t really do repairs, it probably cheaper for them to give you a new set of aids? Interestingly enough, those ITE aids, where given to me by a NHS A.uD, whom very kindly paid for them out his own pocket, I was unemployed at that particular time, and obviously couldn’t afford private aids… I will never forget that kindness, It meant a lot… Cheers Kev
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I have never worn anything but BTE (no receiver in the ear) with my current BTEs being Resound Enzos. To be honest, I never liked the weight of the larger BTEs nor the largish tubes and I had mentioned this to my HCP in the past.
When I told my HCP I was ready for new HAs, she started me trialing with the Lumity P90s with medium receivers so they would fit into the holes in my my current molds (which were full ear) while waiting on half molds to come back from the factory with larger holes for the power receivers. When the half molds came back, the left half mold ear worked fine with the new power receiver, but the right half mold started rubbing my ear canal raw so I switched back to the full right ear mold with medium L90 receiver. So I currently am wearing what is in the pictures – half left ear mold with power receiver and right full ear mold with medium receiver.
But the main point here is that at no point – whether using all medium L90 power receivers, all full power L90 receivers, or the current mix of one in each ear – could I determine a huge difference in sound from my BTE Enzo Resounds. The Phonak sound was jarring and lively at first, but my HCP has turned them down a bit, which has helped a lot, and the BT streaming seems crystal clear.
I’m planning on trialing the Oticon Real 1 (hopefully using all 1/2 shell molds if we can sand down the left half mold where it’s rubbing the ear canal) next and my HCP is completely fine with that approach.
Given the informative posts in this thread, is there a reason I should also be looking at true BTE aids that have no receiver in the canal? I really do like the BTE RIC smaller size, rechargeability, and lack of tubing, but am wondering – despite the fact I’ve noticed no real difference in L90 sound versus Enzo sound – if I should be looking beyond just the Lumity L90-RLs and Oticon Real 1.
Thanks!
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A hearing professional can fit them in the office without waiting for custom molds. Demonstrating aids is also much easier. RIE are designed to be easier for the customer, not the user. The provider is the customer of the manufacturer.
BTE can also be fitted with domes using slim tubes.
The RIC was designed for the majority market, mild to moderate/severe, BTE for severe to profound.
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If you’re truly getting enough gain from the Lumitys, they could be fine. Looking at your audiogram though makes me think perhaps you’ve been underfit for sometime since you seem to find medium receivers adequate.
Another “advantage” of RICs is that they get the latest technology.