You might try lowering the G80 gain a couple dB across the board.
It has helped me when typical sounds are too loud.
Batteries are really cheap for disposable. Get mine on Amazon.
Hi, I am new to HA. I got the KS8 a few weeks ago and am more or less satisfied with them. I am going to try the KS9 this week. I have a few questions for the long time users here that have used both.
How does the battery life compare? Does streaming from an android phone effect battery life? Same for using the hands free phone connection?
I know it will come down to which one sounds better and that is a matter of many other things.
Anything I should ask about or pay special attention to? I will probably pay for the KS9 so I can try both for a few weeks.
Thanks
There are really no long time users of the KS9 aids. They just came out.
True but I guess I should have said long time KS8 users.
Thanks
My ks8 don’t do too good with back ground noise. Still can’t hear my wife or the blinker in the car. I think I’m going to return them for the ks9
I have used the KS8’s for 6 months. I have a significant loss in my left ear, and I am short of being satisfied with the sound I get from it. I tried a ReSound in Costco as a demo, and it was no better though. My right ear aid is just fine. No complaints. Really hard to say if the issue is my ear, or the aids.
I think the strong points of the KS8 are the Own Voice Processing which recognizes your voice (once trained and turned on). It helps with the sound of your own voice and has three level settings. It also is used as an input to the 3D classifier which determines when you are in conversation and makes adjustments. It also has 3 different choices for music programs, and can store a total of 6 different programs, as well as three more added by the smart phone. I find it works really well with my iPhone, and is my preferred choice for talking on the phone.
The most useful programs are the Automatic, the i360 for use in the car, and the Noise/Party program for use in noisy environments. Unlike harleydmn reports I have no issues hearing blinkers in the car or my wife. Without HA’s I don’t hear the blinkers at all. It is kind of strange as if there is nothing extra for noise or someone talking the aid almost mutes the sound of the blinkers but I still hear them. Then as soon as there is some noise or voice the volume increase to the point that the blinkers are quite loud. Overall I like the noise reduction features in my car and truck. On a smooth road it makes for a very quiet ride. Dealing with a noisy restaurant is not perfect, and I suspect all hearing aids have trouble in that environment. Noise/Party is usually best, but sometimes I use the narrow microphone focus available with the smartphone.
Battery life is about 5-6 days.
No experience with the KS9, but I hear mixed reviews on phone use as it uses the HA mics for talking on the phone instead of the phone mic. Some like it, and some don’t. Program choices seem more limited. Not sure if it has an own voice equivalent or not. But, it is less expensive so all things being equal, it may be the better buy.
Odds are the KS8 aids are not set up right if you can not hear a blinker. I can promise you will hear that blinker with the KS9 aids. I sure can and my hearing is not good.
Your loss is not unlike mine, and I have no trouble hearing car or truck blinkers. Have your aids been adjusted up to full REM verified prescription?
Yes 3 times so far. I’m going back on the 27th for another adjustment. Since the last adjustment when steaming music if I talk or sing along the sound increases and is very annoying
I can hear the blinker going slow but as soon as their is more background noise I can’t hear it at all
Has the Own Voice Processing been set up? If anything it should reduce volume when you talk.
Strange. If anything, mine increase volume too much when there is background noise. If they have you on the SmartFit prescription formula you should ask if they have you at the Experienced level, or New User. New User is quite a bit lower in volume.
Not sure. They changed me to experience level.
Another issue might be the fittings. Are you using open sleeves? Your loss is enough that feedback is likely to be an issue, and especially with open fittings. If they run the Critical Gain test and then do the fit, the software could be cutting back your gain to avoid feedback. With your loss I would expect you would need closed sleeves, or even a custom mold to avoid feedback when the full prescribed gain is used.
My Quattro’s are set by default by ReSound to decrease volume the louder the total noise with no speech present - so turn signals get relatively fainter the more road noise.
I am think of getting k9s and just want to be sure I can use a bluetooth attachment for a dumb TV. Seems they don’t make small TV with bluetooth.
I will talk to them about the close sleeves. Great suggestion.
Harley, see your private messages for a response. It appears this thread is not the place to discuss what your KS8 issues may be about.
For people who have the KS9, do you know if it uses the same app as the Phonak Marvel? More importantly, when the new Phonak app comes out later this month, can somebody confirm if it works with KS9?
Pretty sure the other features of the Marvel 2.0 will not show up KS9 (Roger Direct, ability to pair to two devices)