Costco Kirkland Signature 5.0

Hearing Aids
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#205

One of my nine year old Resound RICs got crushed by a car the other day so I ordered the KS5 and should have it on Monday. I ordered the phone clip+ feature for possible music and radio streaming from my iPhone. I have a couple of questions in this regard I am hoping you more experienced users can answer for me.

First, I have never used my HAs while bike riding or doing weights at the gym. The Costco technician told me these new ones have a “moisture barrier” and should be OK with a bit of sweat. Is that true - should I feel free to wear these all the time?

Second, do I use the Resound phone clip+ IOS app to control them from the phone?

Third - is it easy to switch off the iphone clip+ BT connection so the phone will connect to bluetooth in the car? I like to stream my phone through the car speakers when driving.

#206

First - some perspiration is okay for short stints, but I wouldn’t wear them in the gym. Even with the coating, mine get a little wonky when sweat drops onto the microphones.

Second - you can use the app, the clip, or the buttons on the aids to control everything.

Third - just switch the clip off as you’re getting into the car. No worries. I’ve even forgotten it was on, but the car bluetooth would connect during a call like it usually does. I’m not sure about streaming though, if you left the clip connected.

#207

You might want to have your dispenser try a different fitting formula with your Quintras. The Rexfit, the default setting, is based on NAL-NL2, but does not work for everybody. I have switched a couple of my patients to a different fitting, and it made all the difference. We also do RealEar measurement companywide, and this can be a useful tool during adjustments.

#208

What fittiing do you recommend? I am hanging in there with the Quintra’s. The last fitting appt seemed to get closer. My HIS changed the cup on one ear to a tighter seal since I have different loss and that helped a lot.

#210

I don’t want to interfere in my colleague’s care protocol here, but after looking at your numbers, if you were in my office, I would try NAL-NL1 or NAL-NL2. You are sticking with an excellent product. Good luck!

#211

Very interesting article. Just one question: do you REALLY counsel your patients to keep their hearing aids longer than 5 years? Would you keep a 5 year old computer, when the technology is advancing so rapidly? The industry average for people keeping their hearing aids, last I heard, is 5-7 years. This also includes people who replace their instruments every 2-3 years because they want the newest technology. And NO, Costco’s technology is not 2.5 years old! The KS5, introduced last summer, has a newer chip than Forza and more programming options. The Quintra, introduced in September, is also a new product. All of Costco’s locations have demonstrators patients can try before they purchase.

I believe most hearing impaired people would give ANYTHING, within reason ,to hear better. All of us professionals should give them the opportunity to try new products, if there is a chance we can make it better for them.

#212

We’re surprised that you continue to make such self-serving posts.

#213

No offense intended, but based on my own personal experiences, your comment doesn’t make any sense to me except as an effort at a subtle and untrue slam at buying hearing aids from Costco. In effect, you are saying that Costco hearing aids are very good but you’ll be sorry when they are 5 years old.

In my case, I bought then top of the line $6,000 Phonak hearing aids 5 years ago and when I was so frustrated with them a few months ago, every audiologist wanted to sell me new ones said almost the same thing - “What do you expect, they are five years old!” So I took their advice that it was time to replace them but INSTEAD of buying new ones from them I went to Costco and replaced my $6,000 Phonaks with $1899 Costco hearing aids and now I can hear wonderfully.

So what’s your big secret - do you claim to have a magic fountain of youth for hearing aids to turn the clock back when your customers come in wearing hearing aids that YOU sold them 5 years ago? How come the audiologists around where I live don’t know about this magic and instead thought I should buy (their) new hearing aids?

#214

I agree completely. I’m in the process of getting my Costco Kirkland 5s adjusted. I have had far, FAR better service from Costco already than from the audiologists from whom I bought $4k-$6k aids in the past. The private audiology industry for years made a killing off seniors who had a lot of money and didn’t know there were alternatives. So they (in my opinion) were able to take an aid that cost them $400-$500 and sell it for thousands of dollars. Those kind of margins will attract outfits like Costco who can come in, sell at a third the price of the private firms and still make money. They’ve done this in eyeglasses, funeral stuff, gasoline, you name it.

And they treat their employees well. What’s not to like?

The private audios will say that part of the astronomical cost of their aids is the service, but I have had uniformly terrible, reluctant, grouchy service from audios to whom I returned for better fittings (I’m a musician with congenital nerve deafness so I’m a tough fit in the best of circumstances.)

With Costco, so far, so good! I’m the opposite of the original poster – I cannot imagine why a knowledgable customer WOULDN’T go to Costco!

/john

#215

Excellent points, Seb

Thanks for teaching us all.

elijah

#216

Big thanks Costcoinsider!

We are learning a lot

Elijah

#217

I wear a different brand of HA’s but I think the issue of exercise and sweat is more or less the same for all HA’s. I sweat a lot when I exercise, it is often literally dripping off my head. I have purchased protective “socks” from Eargear, http://www.gearforears.com/ and they are quite effective in keeping the sweat off the aids. They are very good when biking, not the least because biking outside in the air actually dries the sweat a lot faster than in the gym. I basically use them all the time for biking, but not so much at the gym. I go to a very noisy gym and I take classes that involve loud music and it is kind of nice to not hear all of it.:slight_smile:

#218

Just wanted to clarify a couple of things:

  1. No Costco location is permitted to clean ears. We do a medical referral out for that.

  2. We still service hearing aids that are over 5 years old. In office procedures are free. If the aid has to go in for repair, it is a $135 charge, and includes a 6 month warranty.

#219

Thanks for clearing up and refuting what “Huston Hearing” was implying regarding 5 year old HAs purchased from Costco.

Sounds like the vaguely implied “You’ll be sorry 5 years from now if you buy from Costco.” is nonsense.

If I misunderstood what HH was implying, I hope he/she will post a clarification.

Best wishes, Nate :smiley:

#220

I’ve been seeing mixed reviews abut Resound Phone Clip+. Curious if anyone is using one, can you please give me some feedback on how they’re working out for you? Especially how is the sound quality to make phone call? Thank you very much.

#221

More reviews abut Phone Clip:

#222

Hi, new here but have been reading since I got my KS5s a month ago. I am interested in the Binaural Directionality and have a question, is that a separate program by that name or is BD incorporated into any existing program?

Thanks, DJK

#223

Binaural Directionality is normally chosen as the default program #1 as it is the most versatile. It CAN be incorporated into any other more specialized program, but it in the default settings for other program options (such as restaurant) it is not preselected.

In general, the basic purpose of the extra programs is best achieved with a fixed directionality - either directional or omni- and the Binaural Directionality programming is designed to let the aids make the directionality selection on their own.

By the way, when in the Binaural Directionality setting, each aid will normally “idle” in an omni setting, and upon presentation of speech signals, the aids will decide if either ( or both) should shift into directional mode.

In my particular case, I use the Binaural Directionality program almost exclusively (95% +), and use a modified “Party” program (fixed directionality + extra noise reduction + extra speech emphasis) in extra noisy environments.

#224

Binaural Directionality is a feature of the hearing aids as well as the name of the program that implements it. The feature is only active when you’re running that particular program. It’s not available in any other program.

#225

My Audiologist has mine set up as:

Program 1 = Binaural Directionality
Program 2 = A copy of Program 1 (also Binaural Directionality), but with a boost to speech sounds and a boost in noise reduction
Program 3 = Party ( directional mics and boost to both speech sounds and noise reduction)
Program 4 = Music (omni mics and no noise reduction).

Are we mistaken about program 2?