Is it a step down? Let me put it this way, at this point, having read what I have read about the KS9 I am happy that I bought the KS8 before the KS9 came along.
I bought my KS8 less than a month ago, so I have a lot of time left before the 180 day trial period is over.
As of now, I see no reason to seriously consider the KS9. I love the clarity of the KS8 in comparison to my KS6’s, especially in restaurant-type loud environments - but really, overall, in the car, watching TV, everywhere, they are noticably clearer. The auto switching is wonderful, I don’t even know when it is happening, most of the time, and I virtually never have to make a manual selection. Also, I am a Apple user and I much prefer the MFI interface that allows me to stay paired with multiple Apple devices.
What would cause me to seriously consider the KS9? Several things: If there are good reports about better speech clarity in noisy environments (never can have too much of this). If hands-free phone calling really does work for the person on the other end when the KS9 user is in a car or loud environment. If the KS8 has reliability problems. This last point is the most important. I had Rexton-made Kirkland aids for a short time, back in the day. There were so many reliability problems during the 90 day trial period (two receivers and one aid failed) that I returned them and bought Resound Futures. If Rexton hasn’t cleaned up its act from a reliabilty standpoint I will turn the KS8’s in for KS9, as I know that Phonak is reliable.
As it stands, I will monitor the comments on the KS9 and continue to enjoy the KS8. For me the KS8 is fantastic, I cannot believe how much better it is than the KS6.
Interesting dialogue regarding the KS9 versus KS8’s. I just got the KS8.0’s while I still could. My Costco HIS said the KS8.0’s will only be sold for another couple weeks. So I decided to try the KS8’s first since my HIS seemed to think they were better. I did a brief in store walk-around and the KS9’s had a lot of very high frequency sound (Like a constant 'Shhhhhhh" sound) Otherwise they seemed fine. I did not check out the App or compare programs or Bluetooth. So far, my Bluetooth connectivity with the kS8.'s is mostly good. But I did get intermittent L-R ear disconnection issues here and there.
I will jump into this discussion also. I have had my KS8’s with the 13 size battery, for about 3 weeks now. So i have 5 months left in the 6 months return period. I want the best hearing aid, so I have the same question others have posted. Do I keep the KS8’s or switch to the KS9’s.
From reading the posts, the KS9’s do not support the apple MFI? Did i get that correct? I understand it’s a low power connection, so will I use up even more of the KS9’s smaller battery? I listen to 20 or more hours of audio book streaming per week, and am getting 8-9 days of battery life on my KS8’s with the #13 battery.
I do have the occasional streaming issue of the aids droping sound in one side or the other, and at times they are out of sync with each other. I have had very good luck with phone calls streaming to my KS8’s, seems very good quality for me and who i am talking with.
I will continue to monitor this thread, and learn from you all. Looking forward to comments from people who decided to switch from the KS8’s to the KS9’s.
Trying to find a better/the best hearing aid is always specific to the individual. I suspect the KS9s are better at somethings than the KS8s. I’m pretty confident they’re better at frequency lowering (Sound Recover 2 is well thought of) and I’d think there’s a good chance that they’re better at speech in noise. For streaming to an iPhone, I think the KS8 is a safer bet. Something to keep in mind is what’s the fun to PIA ratio for trying out and comparing hearing aids. If it’s low or even negative, it would encourage leaving well enough alone.
For those that have tried or purchased the KS9s I have a question.
I tried a pair today and was overall pleased, but did notice that I was not hearing as well from behind as my current KS7s. The fitter feels we can adjust to that. Have other had this same experience or is it just adjustments needed?
I got the KS9’s earlier this week. Here’s what I’ve noticed so far:
The mic is unusable for phone conversations. No one can hear me talk and I have a loud voice. I can hear them fine.
Streaming is a little better that the KS8’s which seemed to drop one side or the other. That said, it does get choppy if you carry your phone in your pocket.
Because it’s straight bluetooth and not MFi you do get the phone ringing in your ear.
Sound does not seem any better/different than the KS8’s.
If these are in fact not defective and are working as designed, they will be returned…sigh.
Anyone know if the microphone sensitivity can be adjusted for phone calls (presumably by the audi)?
Also, apparently there is a chance it was still using the phone mic instead of the hearing aid mic. Found this: “To test whether the call is wirelessly transferred to your hearing aids, speak into your phone. If the other person can hear you better when talking into your phone, route the call to your hearing aids as described above.”
That could be difficult if it uses the same microphones as the HA’s use. It will elevate all background noise. With the KS8’s the reverse is done. By default the microphone sensitivity is DECREASED by 30% when you are talking on the phone.
What these hearing aids and smart phones need to do is switch the smart phone microphone to speaker phone mode while still streaming the incoming phone audio only to the HA’s. If that can be done with the KS8’s, I have not figured out how to do it. The only way I have found is to hold the smart phone microphone end real close to your mouth. Incoming sound is excellent though, at least with an iPhone.
It does sound like a defect. Others have reported that phone use works OK in a fairly quiet environment.
I don’t know of a Bluetooth protocol that would have the incoming sound go to the Bluetooth device but have the outgoing sound still go through the source device microphone (the phone), so if you hear the caller directly in the hearing aids and are sure the sound is not coming from the phone speaker, the call is going through Bluetooth to the hearing aids.
You could give the pro a chance to look around in the settings and contact support. If it is a common thing they have probably heard of it.
While at he store she made a phone call, podcast and some internet stuff. The KS9 aids streamed to both aids perfectly unlike her previous Starkey aids. The phone call went well from both ends of the phone conversation.