Costco Rexton Trax 42 (Product Information)

Hearing Aids
, , ,
#466

I have had my Trax 42 with Smart Connexx for exactly one week now. I watch TV using only blue tooth, and watch it from 6pm thru 10pm several nights and had no problem with battery life. I use rechargeable 13’s and typicaly turn my hearing aids on at 7am and finish with them between 10:30 - 11:00pm. I have yet to hear the low battery life sound, even watching TV several hours in the evening and using the blue tooth (iPhone) throughout the day. That’s been my experience. I don’t stream music so maybe that’s the difference.

250 500 1000 2000 4000 6000 8000
Left 65 70 70 65 75 80 95
Right 45 55 55 60 75 85 95
#467

Today marks one week since I switched from KS-3 (Cobalt 16) to the Rexton 42. Most all of the comparison’s I’ve seen were comparing the KS-6 to the Trax-42 - so I can’t help you there. But my sound quality is better than it has been in quite some time and I can’t say enough how much these new Trax-42’s have improved my life. In August of last year I was pumping a bike tire when i exploded in my right ear (my only good ear). I lost all hearing for two days, but my ENT started me on steroids the second day and I was able to get about half of it back. Previously my hearing loss was mainly in my left ear, but I got both HA’s (KS-3’s) about five years ago. They were doing me fine until the August accident. We tried changing my receiver up to the P-receiver and reset hearing levels about four times since September - none really worked well. I saw this forum and was really excited to read many of the reviews. I didn’t even know Trax-42 existed until I found this forum. Since September I have been reading everything people post in these forums, and in general those with hearing loss close to mine were saying good things about the Trax-42, but again as compared to the KS-6, so I didn’t know what that meant for my situation. I got the Trax-42 with Smart Connexx (free) and charger unit (I bought), and use the rechargeable 13 battery. I typically watch a couple hours of TV a day using my bluetooth receiver, as well I use Smart Connex bluetooth with my iPhone 6 on most all of my calls. I have six settings: Automatic; Noise/Party; Music; Telecoil (and of course the bluetooth for phone and TV). I find the auto setting to cover 80-90% of what I need. I haven’t really used Noise/Party setting as the auto works well even in restaurants I previously had to use Noise/Party setting with my KS-3. I use Music when I play guitar in my Worship team and it really helps. I have tried the telecoil on my iPhone as well as my wireless Panasonic home phone - it really helps. Rexton says the unit will automatically detect the T-Coil and switch to it, but I have so far had to switch via my iPhone app. I understand that I can use the t-coil at some movie theaters - haven’t tried that yet. I downloaded both the Smart Remote and Smart Connexx apps, but I find I use mainly the Smart Connex app (really haven’t needed the Smart Remote app yet). I typically put my HA’s on at 7am, and turn on Smart Connexx and wear it at the same time. The 13’s and the Smart Connexx stay on all day and typically I take them off and recharge at 10:00 - 10:30pm. I am able to understand most everyone, and find even in noisy situations I can still hear them. Friends were being polite before but you could see they were getting tired of having to repeat things to me - now they say I am more like I used to be before the accident. I had especially hard times hearing my 8 year old grandson and his friends. I still find their voices more challenging, but nothing like it was previous to the Trax-42’s. I use Double Dome quick clicks and was having problem with feedback, but a comment from a forum reader last week suggested I try having tech change settings to “fast” before resetting any of my levels. We did that today and the feedback is completely gone and he didn’t have to reset any levels. I have really benefited from this forum and so will be glad to post future findings here as well. Thanks for all your posts - they convinced me that spending the extra $'s and getting these new HA’s could make a difference and I am here to say it did. Thanks.

250 500 1000 2000 4000 6000 8000
Left 65 70 70 65 75 80 95
Right 45 55 55 60 75 85 95
#468

Thanks so much for your post Ratzo you have encourged me to stick it out on my Trax 42 trial period. Still have about 70 days left on my trial so I guess I have time :slight_smile: I have a loss like yours in the high frequencies but low frequenices are normal, and I too have had feedback issues with them. I did not read this entire thread and so missed the note about switching settings to fast, I will certainly ask my audi to do that for me and report back. I am with you this forum has been invaluable to me as a learning reference. On the flip side though I now feel I may have analysis paralysis and want to read every last report on hear before I do anything. But will try this Trax adjustment with optimism. I have not downloaded the apps yet as I my iphone is on the fritz. I’m wondering if you can control the direction of the microphones like with the touchcontrol app that siemens has. Since these are similar products I was thinking the apps may be the same?? Thanks a lot for your help so far

#469

The Trax 42 Connexx Smart Connect app does indeed have the Microphone Pattern Adjustment feature. Apparently, you can also configure one of the rocker switches to also toggle the Microphone Pattern without using the app or a remote.

#470

Thanks for that info. Have you tried the app yet? Does it work well for adjusting microphone pattern? That is interesting about the toggle button, could be very handy, thanks.

#471

I tried it last night at a meeting with 8 people around a dining room table. When the meeting was ending, and everyone was talking, I was struggling to hear people at my end of the table and the person directly opposite me. I set the microphone pattern to narrow-forward and it did seem to help some. Not dramatically, but the conversation around me did subside somewhat. The focus did seem to track when I turned my head to look at each person speaking.

I have noticed the auto tracking under normal circumstances under the automatic setting. For example, was in the kitchen yesterday and had the kettle heating. When I faced the kettle, the sound of water heating became quite apparent. When I turned my back on the kettle, the sound settled into a mild background noise.

#472

I’m in my first month with Trax 42 and Smart Connect. I had a somewhat better experience than CaptainTrips with the directional microphone adjustment. During my first week with them I was at a conference where folks were chatting in the line for the buffet which wrapped around behind and to the sides of me while the speaker was getting started with his presentation. Suffice it to say I could barely hear what the speaker was saying. I went into the Smart Connect app on my Android phone and used the microphone-pattern adjustment to zero in on the speaker. The improvement was dramatic. The noise from behind me virtually went away and it was like being in a relatively quiet room with the speaker. Granted this was an unusual set of circumstances, but it did provide an great first impression of the Trax 42s and Smart Connect app.

In everyday use - around the house and in the car speaking with family members - I feel like I can understand speech significantly better with the Trax 42s than my Resound Futures. What I don’t like, or haven’t adjusted to so far, is how the Smart Connect works during phone calls. I find the Futures and Phone Clip+ provide a better phone call experience for me than the Trax 42s and Smart Connect. The person on the other end of the call can understand me well with either setup, but I can hear the other person better with the Phone Clip+ than with the Smart Connect. I can’t seem to get the volume high enough with the Smart Connect. I wonder if others have experienced this issue. I make a lot of calls. I’m not in love with the around-the-neck arrangement with the Smart Connect, but could adjust to the that if the call quality were there. (I was disappointed to learn that the mini Blu and Blu RCU were not compatible with the Trax 42s, since I suspect those would have provided a phone experience closer to the Phone Clip+.)

#473

Are you turning the external mics off during the phone calls?

#474

I think that there are tuning opportunities to improve the streaming phone mode. I think bumping up the mid-range could help.

#475

I also have high frequency loss. The tech adjusting my HA’s said that 5-10 years ago the HA’s wouldn’t have helped this condition. I tried Oticon Alta Pro’s, Widex 440, and am now trialing Phonak Audeo V’s. They all did a good job for me. As one experienced blogger said, “the tech is the most important component.” I think that’s probably correct. I’m planning on buying the Phonak’s partly because there’s an excellent tech (15+ yrs experience) right here in town. The Phonak’s seem to be doing very well - claiming adaptability to all environments. I still turn the volume up and down occasionally in order to hear better, e.g., when people are farther away, in a big family room.

#476

Thanks for these suggestions:

Are you turning the external mics off during the phone calls?

I have not been able to figure out how to do this. I am using the Smart Connect app on Android and do not see the option. When I’m on a call, the app says “In Call” at the top of the screen, but I don’t see an option to turn off eternal mics.

I think bumping up the mid-range could help.

I also am not certain I know how to do this. In the Smart Connect app there is a single Sound Balance slider with Bass on the left end and Treble on the right end. There is not a separate mid-range control. Am I missing something?

#477

From memory, if you press both volume controls buttons on the Easy Tech together, it will toggle turning off/on the HAs microphones.

I think that ‘bumping up the mid range’ is a customization that your tech will have to do.

#478

As above… your tech will need to make the changes… yep, you need to press but the + and - for a very short time to mute the mics.

#479

I am going in to Costco next week for a demo. I’ll try the trax 42 I got the impression the demo was for a few hours walking around the store. It seems that others have had the"demo" for days. Are there two types of “Demo”

Thanks

#480

Yes, you can get a short, walk around the store demo of the Trax 42 and other aids Costco offers (and a free hearing exam before that so the demo model can be set to your default needs). Then, if you decide you want to have a longer trial of a particular aid, you have to buy it. Your very own aids will then come in a week or two and you have the long trial period. When I got mine that was 90 days. Recent posts here say the trial period is now 180 days. During that time you can have appointments for adjustments and tweaks and by the end of your trial period you either keep the aids and Costco keeps your money, or you return the aids and get a refund.

#481

Thanks Tribal that clears it up. I was told by the tech that the 180 day return was in effect when purchased
Sparky.

#482

I’m new to the forums. I’m curious to know about the Kirkland Signature 6.0 vs. the Rexton Trax 42 in terms of frequency range and frequency lowering capabilities. Can anyone enlighten me? Thanks.

#483

Oh no! That’s like saying ‘Candyman’ into the mirror three times. Give him five minutes and he’ll turn up.

#484

Kirigirl, Every brand has people who say they have never heard clearer. Every brand has people who say its a piece of junk. Quality is very subjective here. You are the only determinant. Much about the specifications is marketing hype.

Someone keeps mentioning more channels. Bernafon brags it is channelless. Everyone of them says they have the best this or that. Some believe the hype while others grimace.

The biggest variable can really be the fitter.

All the hearing aid companies do results testing. And they keep doing so until they get the results they want. Digital hearing aids are the hardware developed for lower power in cellphones coupled to formulas the audio engineers have known for many decades. As the processors available become more powerful, the algorithms get enhanced. Yet you will see remarks here from users that say they like their 7 year old aids better.

So, find what YOU think is best and you’re the new expert.

#485

the trax 42 has
42 channels
10 kHz frequency range
ip67 dust/water resistance
better battery life with the optional battery size 13 XM model
4 microphones with spatial control options

You can probably find the comparable Kirkland data on the other forums