Domes for Oticon OPN

Hearing Aids
#1

Very confused about which dome to use with my Oticon OPN aids. I don’t know how to tell the difference between the various options, sizes, etc. The ones I was provided with fit well, but I’m not even sure they were meant for the OPNs. The ones I currently have have two small holes in the side, I assume these would be what are called “open domes”. Why would I want them vs closed domes which I assume have no holes.

Is there a nice simple tutorial on domes that will help me decide size, etc.?

Thanks for any advice.

#2

The open dome has very large vents, not two small holes. See the chart below.

I’m guessing you have the Bass dome with double vent.

The decision on the type depends on your hearing loss. If you don’t have low frequency hearing loss, most likely they’ll fit you with an open dome for better occlusion. The drawback is that streaming audio will sound tinny to you because the low frequency sounds will leak out of the vent.

If you have severe loss everywhere, most likely they’ll fit you with the Power dome to keep the loudly amplified sound from leaking out through a vent, causing feedback issues.

If you’re somewhere in between, they’ll fit you with either the bass dome with single vent or double vent. Single vent has a little more occlusion but less feedback than the double vent.

The sizes depends on how well they fit inside your ear canal. You want a comfortable, but nice and snug fit.

Then theres a grip tip for people whose ear canals can’t hold the dome in very well. And then there’s custom molds.

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2 Likes
#3

Hey, thanks for the detailed response. I do not have low frequency hearing loss so I guess the open domes are the right choice. I also did notice a very tinny sound when using the Oticon Connect device. Really didn’t work for me.

Sounds like it doesn’t so much matter who makes the domes, just whether open or closed and sized comfortably.

Appreciate the help.

#4

When I got my OPNs, I was excited about being able to stream music directly into them. The ConnectClip connected just fine, but like yourself, I found the sound was so tinny. I have open domes, so it makes sense that all the bass leaked out the vents. When I put my fingers in my ears to block them, then it sounded much better. For listening to music I have always used around-the-ear type of headphones. Since music is important to me, I did a little test. I tried bass domes with streaming music vs. open domes with headphones. The headphones sounded much better, which is to be expected I guess. So I made the decision that I would stay with the open domes and headphones and get better sound, but the compromise is not having the convenience of direct streaming. Anyway, I just throw this out as one possibility for listening to music while wearing OPNs.

Also, I get no feedback when putting on or listening with headphones.

#5

Sounds like a good alternative. I gave up on the Oticon connect device for the reasons you mentioned. Really waned to like it in hopes of a better telephone/TV experience. But it just didn’t work as well as advertised. Thanks for the suggestions.

#6

I don’t have the Connect Clip so I don’t know how it sounds. I only have direct streaming from the iPhone and the TV Adapter 3.0. Through these two devices, they don’t sound tinny to me at all. I have the bass domes with single vent.

They sound very nice and full when I have the Power Bass setting set in High. Of course the hearing aid tiny receivers are no match compared to much bigger headphones. But there are very adequately full for me that I would rather use direct streaming for all my audio needs to take advantage of the convenience.

I used to own Android phones but I switched to an iPhone to get direct streaming. Given that it sounds like the Connect Clip had tinny sound even with closed domes, I’m glad I switched to the iPhone.

#7

I am trialing the OPN-S HAs with power domes and Connect Clip (via android phone). Streaming sound quality is not terrible, but not great either. Have you (or anyone else) done a side-by-side comparison of the sound quality between the Connect Clip and native iPhone streaming?

Also, I have difficulty hearing the streamed phone call when there is ambient noise. Is there a way to turn down the HA external mics so I can focus on the phone call?

Thanks.

#8

@petermo, Your audiologist can change the settings in the Genie fitting software so that the volume of the HA mics goes down or is muted when you are on the phone. If you have the ConnectClip, a long press on the volume down button will also mute the hearing aids. A short press on the volume up button will undo the muting. Hope this helps.

#9

It’s probably easiest to remember that you can always long press on the OPN button to mute the OPN mics at any time (as long as it’s programmed that way in Genie 2). This works anytime, in regular use, while streaming with the iPhone, or with ConnectClip.

#10

IMHO–iPhone direct streaming is the way to go.
I have a Connect Clip 3.0 available if anyone is interested.

Mike

#11

I have custom ITE aids and I have the TV connect and the connect clip. I have 1.2 mm venting with my aids, to me the sound of streaming using the connect clip sounds the same as using the iPhone direct streaming or using the TV connect streaming. I will say back when I did have my RITe aids and the streamer with open or even power domes that the streaming from the streamer was less than good but usable.