Do you hear static too?

Hearing Aids
#1

First off, a big thanks to this forum community for helping me move on with my life with improved hearing.

I am a first time wearer and just started yesterday with a pair of Oticon dual minis. I know most of you know what its like to go from a isolated world to one full of sounds, but it’s hard to put words to it. I am loving the bright brilliant sounds of paper, gravel and keyboards. I watched a movie last night and understood almost all of the diologue. AMAZING!

My only real issue so far is having moderately loud static (like a radio tuned in between stations). This happens at various times: either a room fan or a bathroom exhaust fan, in my office (due to flourescent lights?) and also if I’m in some loud environments (like a restaurant), riding in a car etc.

So, a few questions. 1) is this normal (and why does this happen)? 2) Can it be programmed out? 3) Will other HAs do better?

Thanks for the help.

#2

Keep accurate notes of when it happens and give it to your audi. He or she can adjust for what you’re hearing. It is not really static. I still get it from my own voice while wearing my cowboy hat. My audi got rid of it from all other sources. My hat brim is so close to the aids that he’d have to back th aids off to far to be realistic.

#3

The question here is whether it’s really static you are hearing or is it something you perceive to be static but really is just background noise of something you are not used to hearing. If it’s background noise, that will eventually fade away as your brain adjust to your aids. My advice is to go back to your audiologist and have him turn something up that will cause the static you are hearing. Then he can connect your aids to a stethescope and tell exactly whether you are misinterpreting something, whether the aids are in some way defective, or whether an adjustment is required.

#4

I’ve had one follow up now and my audi seemed puzzled when I mentioned the issue. I was disappointed when she didn’t seem to have a solution. My conclusion is it is just indiscriminate amplification of of fan noise, road noise, machine noise, etc.

I think I’ve given up on the dual mini’s and am now searching for something different. It seems crazy to accept a HA that helps me when I need it the least (in quiet rooms) and when I need it the most (in the car) it makes things worse.

The next HA needs some form of active noise reduction. The only thing I know of now that advertises that feature is the Phonak YES. Are there others out there?

#5

Funny you should mention this . I had a set of Widex Passion 115 that this was my #1 issue. I now have a set of Dual connect XW. No problem with this issue. My audi is passionate about Widex but i had the Oticon rep fit me with Duals while my audi was present. I mentioned that the static was vastly reduced. This set off some discussion between them as to why. My Audi called it GAIN. My audi felt that the Passions succeeded in Gain compared too the Duals and thus better. In reality the Passions should be the choice to him but i really do not know what to say ? I have no idea what he is talking about since it all seems so top secret ?

I love these Dual XW but not without some stuff that needs to be worked on. I feel positive and actually i had a hard time getting out of the car because damm that stereo sounded fantastic ! Hell i do not mind saying i got all emotional hearing music like that ?

I will go on to say that you know what none of these aids are going too be perfect. Not possible ! I think it is just a matter of finding the best you can get ? The best of two worlds ?

My biggest issue to be defeated compared to the Widex Passion 115 is feedback in my left ear.

#6

Some good tidbits blackmamba. The dual connects were on my radar at one point, but dropped off after a fairly mediocre experience with the dual minis. Maybe I should reconsider.

As for your feedback, I started with a open dome and the duals were very sensitive and squealing all the time. Especially when I was out in the shop and trying to wear ear muffs around loud equipment. WOW. That was ridiculous. I’m beside myself still trying to figure out what to do about hearing protection. Normally in my job I put on and take off ear muffs dozens of times a day. No way do I want to take out HA to put on muffs each time.

#7

You need aids that have a mute function so that with the press of a button they go into powersave mode and the mics turn off. Then it’s just a matter of doing that before putting the muffs on.

The Rexton Gems that I tried from Costco had that feature, and I’d mute them at times when I wanted to cut the sound but not take them off.

#8

Jay_man2 you’re getting me thinking!

I haven’t seem a mute button on any of the HAs I’ve been considering, but I could setup a program which was a mute equivalent, right? Basically dial all the gains down to the bottom. Any reason why this wouldn’t be a solution?

#9

That would on the surface seem like it would work.

#10

pax573 Of course that will work.

I am curious as to what several posters called Static.

Is it a hiss? A continuous noise? Or is it a rapid series of individual crashes?

The technical definition of Static is a series of individual loud crashes on a radio caused by nearby lightening. Ed

#11

Mute can be programed for the Duals

#12

Ed- the best way I can describe the static is to that is sounds just like a radio tuned in between stations. Amplifying a garbage signal? So, it’s not a hum or a constant tone, it is crack-ily (if that can be a word). Your explanation of a series of crashes makes sense. That’s how it sounds.

As an update, I just acquired a Hi pro today. Paid $305 from ebay. I figure if I can design FAA certified aircraft parts, I can program my own d**n HA. Just need some cables…

Has anyone had luck pairing a Hi pro with stand alone fitting software (w/o running Noah)?

#13

You don’t need Noah. All software has optional stand alone.

That static sounds like a malfunctioning component in the aid. Definitely something defective. Get a swap or a repair. Not normal functioning. Ed

#14

I get a static sound sometimes at work when I have my HAs set in the telephone mode. I think it’s from the lights or the computers.

#15

I wear rexton revo+ open fit aids and I sometimes experience some “crackling” due to road noise. No idea what causes it other than that it only seems to happen when listening to music while driving. These aids adjust to environment automatically, so I assume it is something about the combination of music and road noise that causes the issue.

In my case, it usually only happens for a few seconds and then I won’t have any more issues during my drive. Based on that I assume it only happens when the aids are adjusting to the environment. No expert here as I’m a first time HA guy as well.

I don’t have a solution for you, but at least you’re not alone.