latest update - going back next week with my single OPN1 to the AUD. I’ve been in at least half a dozen noisy situations and always have to manually raise the volume from ‘0’ on the app, sometimes to 100%
At work where it is relatively quiet, always have to raise it up around 12%. If the HA is designed to adjust automatically then imo it is not happening, They never did a real ear test during the fitting. I’ve decided that having a second HA for my left ‘good’ ear will be best. I’m hoping that I can do a trial on a pair of Resound 3D and a pair of OPN1’s and have both pairs for a few weeks. Right now I’d rate the OPN1 a B- a bit discouraged. They told me that they do have the equipment for the real ear test, but did not have the software to do this with Oticon… we’ll see how this progresses…
if they have REM (Real Ear Measurment) equipment and software they should be able to do this with any brand - the REM equipment runs separately to the hearing aid manufacturer software and the clinician runs both applications at the same time. The OPN is making ‘automatic’ changes all of the time, as does any other digital hearing aid on the market - However sometime the automatic changes may not seem like enough. The clinican has the ability to fine tune the hearing aids automatic feature-set. However plenty of hearing aid users still like to have their own ability to control the hearing aid volume so regardless of hearing aid brand you try you may still get a better result if you retain some control over volume etc.
Most hearing aids, not just the OPN, starts out with an underpower fitting on purpose as not to overwhelm the patient on the first days. It can be scheduled to ramp up to full volume potential over a period of time (as determined by your hearing professional). So it is designed to adjust automatically, but not because of some smart sensor that does it on the fly or anything like that. It’s simply a 3 phase schedule, with phase 1 being the lowest power fitting, phase 2 medium power, and phase 3 full power. But the interval between these phases are programmed in by your hearing professional. People who adapt better and faster may notice this underpower issue sooner than others.
Just ask your hearing professional to do a REM test for you, and accelerate the fitting schedule for you sooner rather than later. In the mean time, just use your volume button to compensate until then, and just remember that this is definitely a fixable issue on your next visit.
You can also go the other way, ask your hearing professional to give you full power right now, and if it’s too overwhelming for you, then just use the volume button to manually dial back the loudness.
It was only after I learned about this feature that I asked my fitter and she said she doesn’t use the acclimatization feature.
I rarely use it either.
thank you for this information - I had no idea a ramp up could be added to the programming. Very interesting indeed. More to come after the next visit…
This has me thinking - what adjustments / features are in the OPN1? (and probably the other higher end mfg’s offerings) Since I’m new to all of this please be gentle. I did learn that the Oticon tinitus app on the iphone, though a free standing app has to be activated in order to use it , blend those sounds into the HA. Is there a document of ‘feature set’ / options that can be activated, adjusted or deactivated? Thank you.
To really get a feel for this, I’d suggest going to the DIY part of the forum and download the Genie2 software. Looking at the fitting software is the only way I know of to get an idea of the full range of adjustments available. It won’t allow you to make the adjustments unless you also purchase necessary hardware, but it will let you know the possibilities.
Have a look on the professional section of the manufacturers website. Most of them have lessons for the audiologist which show how to set the features and make adjustments as well as the set up.
And the unbelievably helpful audiologyonline.com! There are lots of tutorials there, from short and basic, to long and professional. Totally free (unless you want CE credits).
It does seem that if anyone on here says anything contrary about Costco, it upsets some people. Pays to check around and reach your own conclusions.
Opinion please - I head back tomorrow with my single opn1. I find that unless I raise the volume up from what is set as the baseline, it does not help at all, even in quiet settings. The ‘baseline’ is 60% where I hear the HA beep as I move the slider on the ‘triple home key press’ In very noisy situations it needs to be set to 100% or ‘4’ on the app most of the time.
I’m convinced that with a borderline left ear that a second one will not hurt - only assist my understanding of speech better. I’m only concerned with speech and the balance of the surrounding noise.
I’m going to propose that they provide me with the second opn1 and a pair of resound 3d. Now that I’ve had the OPN1 for nearly 3 weeks, I have a good understanding of what it has done for me (with it’s current setting) which I am blind to.
Is it uncommon to ask the aud to have 2 pairs at once to compare? I would of course pay for all of it and then get reimbursed for the set that does not meet my needs.
It is unusual, but if you pay for it all upfront and are comfortable with losing the money for the services associated with the second hearing aid than I don’t imagine it would be a problem.
I’m guessing that with a single OPN 1, your sense of balance is probably upset a little bit because you used to hear better with the left ear. But now with the focus being switched the other way around, getting used to hearing more with the right ear as it is the dominant ear now (with the correction applied) probably throws you off a little.
Maybe your brain has been desensitized to hearing using the right ear all these years (by letting the left ear do most of the work). So you need the extra volume on the right earnow to “wake up” that dormant part of the brain, or even re-wire it.
I can’t see having the second hearing aid will hurt (except your wallet). Maybe with a second hearing aid, it’ll help restore the sense of equilibrium to your hearing balance and reduce the focus on re-sensitizing your right hearing so much so fast.
The visit worked out very well. I’ve ordered the second OPN1 after adjustment was made. They also provided a loaner pair of Linx 3D, which I am trying out now. Interesting and they are quite different.
The only problem they had was pairing the linx 3D with the iphone. I did a forget on the OPN1, but only 1 of the Resounds will pair. They show up individually in the MFi hearing devices but once I pair one the other vanishes. I have not loaded any Resound app yet. Any ideas? perhaps I should post this question in another thread.
The Resounds pair separately with the Iphone - sounds like one wan’t fully paired at inception - put the phone in flight mode, delete the pairing and boot the suspect one first, nearest the Iphone with a 5 minute old battery, then reactivate the bluetooth, confirm the pairing on each side before attempting to do anything else.
Thank you - Um_Bongo I’ve tried your suggestions. I can pair to L or R, but not both. Sometimes they both show up as Wayne’s hearing aids. Other times on shows up as GN and the other shows up as Wayne’s hearing aids
Looks like a glitch either with IOS or the aids. Not one I’ve run into either.
May I ask what is normal when a set of Resound LInx 3D are paired? are both seen as individual aids and does selecting one of the pair connect both…or is it different. I also loaded the app and tried to access the pair of hearing aids through it then turned off the left one (with the right one paired to the phone )and tried again. The app never gets past “please connect your hearing aids” thanks
I called resound and they were great. It’s a problem in the programming at the AUD office. They should be seen as 1 line item (L&R), not 2 (L) ® which is what I experience. I’ll have to head back over and have them “erased” and reprogrammed.