"Crackling" sound in one ear with Widex Clear

OK so I went to pick up my Widex Clear 330 HAs just now, very excited.

I tried them on, and it’s AMAZING how comfortable, lightweight and virtually unnoticeable they are.

HOWEVER, in one ear (the worse of the two), there’s a “crackling” noise when I move my head to one side (or up and down). The other ear/HA doesn’t have this problem at all. The “bad” ear is the one with tinnitus as well.

I didn’t take them home because they’re very expensive and I want them to be as perfect as possible. We tried all kinds of things, a longer tube, different cones, settings in the software, the audiologist even called Widex for some assistance. Nothing seemed to help.

She “thinks” that the microphone on that side is just so sensitive that it’s picking up on my hair on the side of my head. However, why wouldn’t that happen to the other side as well, since my hair length is the same on both sides? Also, I have very short and thin hair.

She was reluctant to send them back, which bothered me a bit. I’m wondering if anyone reading this forum has experienced the same kind of ‘crackling’…it’s like a small bit of static but it’s just annoying enough to make it not acceptable.

Also, could it be the HA itself, and/or would a different brand (maybe Phonak, for example) be a better idea?

Thanks, everyone. Love this forum.

I was going to suggest “hair” as the problem - but you covered that.
Very ccasionally, I’ll get a crakling. It is always caused by either hair will be pushed down when I wear a cap, or, when my eye glass ear piece somehow flexes and rubs against the HA resting behind my ear.

…mike

Thanks, Mike. What doesn’t make sense, though, is yes I do wear glasses (metal frames) so why would it only happen on one side, and coincidentally the ear that suffers from tinnitus as well.

Anyway I’m investigating further and will see what happens when it comes back from Widex.

I hope this doesn’t mean that all HAs will have the same issue, meaning I won’t be able to wear them.

I am also currently facing exactly same problem - crackling / rustling sounds when I make jaw movement or move my head with left sivantos ( Siemens Orion 2 ) HA. The aid was sent to the repair centre. They did the factory reset with a remark that setting by the audiologist were incorrect. Some specialists opine that it could be a lose receiver / microphone but no solution yet. I am thinking to demand replacement of the left HA by Sivantos.

S K Puri

Sounds like either a bad contact with the battery or a bad receiver or a moisture issue.

It could be something mechanical with the aid, but it could also be hair IN the ear. I’ve had that problem where a single hair (or maybe some peachfuzz) inside my ear canal rubs against the receiver and makes a crackle.

Even my hubs who wears NO aids has had the same sensation in ONE ear only. Turns out, he had a looooooong ear hair that had literally wrapped itself around the eardrum, crackling every time he chewed. The air was tweezed out and voila! No more crackle.

Hope you resolve the problem so you can continue to enjoy the AIDS!

  1. Try jiggling the receiver wire where it connects the aid to see if that is the source.
  2. Try removing and re-installing the battery to see if that is the source.