dng: While under the same manufacturer, it would seem it’s more that it’s closest to the Rexton Emerald 80 8C than anything Signia. At least that’s what the KS7’s (the prior version) are.
Costco doesn’t subscribe to doing anything about tinnitus. Probably as a cost-cutting measure but at the end of the day there’s no definitive science on treating tinnitus…yet.
And with modern smartphone streaming you can do some of the masking techniques yourself anyway.
Closest to the Pure 312 Nx. I haven’t compared features in detail (did some time ago with KS7 and px) I would expect a few differences in relatively minor features (although they would go by different names) The most striking difference I noted was in the software. Where the KS7 had either an on or off setting, or maybe 3 levels, the Signia might have 7. So, I would expect a lot more ability to finetune settings of different features in the the Signia. That raises the question of whether your fitter will play with all of those settings. As far as the comparison. Who knows? Signia and Signia owners will claim the KS8 is vastly inferior (how could it not be–they paid $6000-$7000 for their hearing aid) KS8 owners will smugly claim that theirs is just as good and only cost $1599. Both will be blowing smoke.
As far as phone calls, it connects seamlessly and the caller comes into both ears.
Nothing comes out the iPhone headset. But I still have talk into the speaker. I just hold my phone up to my ear like normal. But having 2 ears hearing helps so much with comprehension!
Hey thanks for getting back. So you didn’t see a little sticker saying anything like 80 8C? My KS7’s say 80 6C. I gathered from the OP that these are 8C. The sticker was minuscule (to my old eyes) inside the battery compartment.
Thanks
Fantastic. Well that seems to confirm it. KS8’s are pretty much Rexton Emerald 80 8C. The KS7’s were 6C.
Thanks for looking.
I ordered my KS8 yesterday. I spoke to the technician. They shared that the steaming MAY work with certain Android devices. There are so many Android manufactures (vs 1 iPhone) with varying technical standards that they cannot guarantee the KS8 will work with all Android devices.
I know right! I find their site to be pretty p!$$ poor.
@michaelngm30: Recently learning that Apple made their own secret sauce to come up with mfi for HA’s, there aren’t any Android-OS-running devices that have it.
There is only one HA that will connect directly to any bluetooth device. It goes a step further too. It uses the mic in the HA for you to speak rather than holding up the iphone to your mouth.
Picked up my KS8’s today. These are my first HA’s. Got them around 11:00 and kept them in for about 11 hours non stop. After nearly an hour of fitting and training, etc. I went to lunch with my wife and another couple. It was the first time I’ve been able to fully participate in a full conversation in a busy restaurant in years. The other couple didn’t know I was wearing HA’s until I told them half way through lunch. Totally not recognized by our friends. I do, however, have long hair.
After lunch I drove back to Hilton Head (250 miles or so) by myself. My wife has a birthday party for a friend tomorrow. I got quite a few phone calls and the KS8’s were as good as advertised. Voices came through loud and clear in both ears. You do need to speak through the phone, however. This seems a bit of a question, however, since the units obviously have microphones built in.
The technician put in 6 programs. These are selected via the up/down switches on the left unit. The right unit is for volume. I frankly couldn’t tell the difference between them while traveling but assume that was the function of the ambient noise of a vehicle traveling as fast as you can go on I-95.
When I got home my daughter came over and her first comment was, “You got your hearing aids, didn’t you”? When I asked her why she thought that she said it was because she couldn’t hear the TV standing outside the front door. I don’t think she was kidding. She checked the remote control and the volume was set to 13 instead of the 25 she said I usually have it set to.
First day went well, now just a matter of time to see if I can actually adapt to this. Clearly not like putting on a pair of glasses for the first time. Thanks to this forum for all of the help and advice I’ve been able to gather over the last 10 days or so.
Indeed. There’s only one that uses the HA mic.
Nice. My fitter didn’t do any extra programs initially. Those came afterwards. I have right - volume/program/power and left - tone.
Well, the danged things are now going back, they are driving me to drink. I just played 9 holes af golf. Did you know that there are birds out there singing? While I’m trying to putt?
The heck with it, I’ll keep ‘em and have another Amstel. Remembering some of the things I forgotten that I’ve lost.
The App for the KS8 is called “Connexx Smart Direct” and it shows up on your iPhone as “Smart Direct”. It’s very useful, in fact I would say mandatory. It’s not “Apple-like intuitive”, but simple enough to get through. Allows you to do much more than you can with the adjustment things on the back of the HA units. Also give you usage data and things like battery status (L & R).
I’ve put it into the bottom row of my iPhine so it is visible no matter what page of Apps I’m in.
I am streaming Andrea Bocelli as I write this. It’s very acceptable. One of my set-ups done by the technician was “Listening to Music” and it seems to put in a bit more bass but sounds very good.
Just wish I had had these a week earlier as the iWife and I saw Bocelli in concert in Charlotte.
By the way, while playing with these while walking down the fairway I did something and lost all sound in the right ear. Duh! Took one of the units out, opened the battery door and when re closed it resets everything to the “base” set up as created for me by the technician. Thank goodness or I may have driven back to Charlotte.
If someone buys the new streaming device for Android with the KS 8 I hope they will post their experience with it here. There have been many complaints about EasyTek and Smart Connect streamers in the past.
I’m hoping the new streamer version for the KS 8 will be an improvement.
Won’t the “Phone Clip +” work?
It works with the Resound Forte. I originally got it to go with the KS 5.
Nope. KS8 is made by Rexton. Resound products won’t work with it. It’s been confusing as Kirkland “brand” was made by Rexton for KS4, Resound for KS5 and KS6 and back to Rexton for KS7 and KS8
I guess that applies to the TV streamer as well.
I can’t find any info on KS8 accessories.