EP20's - Kind of think I may return them

Hearing Aids
#1

I’ve been pretty busy in the past 5 months, so much that I just realized the other day I only have a month before the return window is closed. I started out loving these hearing aids, I reviewed them here. Looking at it, My Jabra Enhance Pro 20 review - Hearing Aids - Hearing Aid Forum - Active Hearing Loss Community (hearingtracker.com) things have really changed.

I got these the week I had a holiday party, and was amazed that I could hear so much better in noise.

Over the past couple of months I have noticed, and apparently my whole family has noticed, that I seem to not be hearing so well. I give them a “HUH?” what seems like more times than not, even in a pretty quiet setting. What really got me thinking about my hearing quality was a banquet a few weeks ago. It wasn’t super loud but at the same time it wasn’t quiet. To the left was my wife and to the right was another woman that my wife was talking to. I could understand 90% of what my wife was saying, but I believe she was used to talking a little loud, the other woman was talking, I was dropping every 3rd word or so but my wife could hear her just fine.

Last night I brought up that I was going in for another fitting appointment today. To my surprise, my wife said she thought I should just return them. She says that in her eyes they have been nothing but trouble, that they seem like a step down from how I was hearing in my Phonak Marvel’s.

At my company party in the first week, I was amazed how well I could hear, now I again dread going to any place that has a lot of noise. Overall it’s depressing as hell. I’m not 50 yet and I feel like my hearing loss is going to anger me the rest of my life. I have mild to moderate loss, and I can’t imagine things being any worse.

I can’t complain about Costco. The fitting appointments went great and they were all helpful.

I have a few weeks until my 6 months. I really want these to work out, I just don’t want to be stuck hearing like crap for the next 3 years util I cough up more money for the newest tech.

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#2

It sure sounds like something has changed.
What you have told us needs to be told to the Costco fitter.

It could be wax in your ears, dirty receivers or microphone covers.
Maybe your hearing has changed.

Have you taken the aids in for cleaning or to be checked out?

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#3

I have changed the wax traps a bunch on the M&RIE and the receivers, have taken them in a few times for them to inspect. Over the past 4 years of my hearing loss journey, my ears aren’t really waxy.

I really hope I can get these going and hearing well again. Maybe there is something wrong with them, maybe something I’m missing. I know at the start the fitters were kind of resistant on putting the M&RIE’s on them, they wanted me to go with regular receivers. I think they said some struggle with feedback, but that has never been an issue with me. Being able to localize sound better has been and still is a strongpoint of these.

I’m dreading going back to my Marvel’s. It will be a definite step back in technology, I know I will hear worse in loud environments, and over time the disposable batteries get annoying. I guess I probably won’t be in the Marvel’s too long, I probably would grab a pair of the Phillips 9050’s when they get to Costco.

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#4

I recently got a pair of Nexia 9 (which are the same as the EP20) and last week got the M&RIE receivers, and would never go back to the Luminity 90’s (which I will keep for backup).

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#5

Your situation sounds exactly like experience with the Pro20. Started out fine (previous ha were KS9) but gradually, seemed like my understanding in one on one situations was getting worse. Along the way, both the left ha (quit working) and the right ha (static) were problems which needed replacement. Like you, I only had a few weeks if I wanted to return them. Decided to return and go back to the KS9. Perhaps my imagination but I seem to hear my wife much better now. Not sure what I will do next. Perhaps the Philips 9050 when they come out. Good Luck!

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#6

Same as user322 and you. My drop dead date is July 7. They’re ‘OK’. I’m on my 3rd set with the other two having issues. I found in my area, it took 4 shots before I found a fitter that took care of me. Even my hearing test in December was poorly done.

My plan is to return them before the 180 days are up and to either get Philips 9040s until the 9050s come out, or more likely, go back to my KS9s.

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#7

Well, this is interesting. I am on my second set of Pro 20’s. The first set worked fine but apparently there was something that Jabra found in early sets that needed replacement. This replacement set worked fine at first, but recently they seemed to have basically stopped working. I thought it might be wax build up, so have been cleaning my ears with wax softener and flushing them every day for a month, but I don’t believe that is the issue. If i stream something, they work fine, but as far as assistance in hearing everyday activities, it’s doing nothing now. I have turned the volume up full and all I hear is a bit of static. When I first got them, I would have to change the program to a favorite that I created as the default setting was too loud and sensitive. Now it basically does nothing. This did not happen suddenly but just a gradual loss in the last month. I have an Costco HA appointment in 2 days but little concerned with them. I should have stayed with the Phillips that I originally had but returned those for the Jabra’s.

#8

This sounds like it could be a microphone issue. Streams fine but no good with hearing environment.
Too many people having the same problem…

#9

That is interesting to me. I returned my Pro 20’s after a few months and multiple adjustment sessions. While I could hear much better in one on one situations, noisy environments were very difficult to catch the conversation. Restaurants were especially difficult. The breaking point was after multiple adjustments, I had a hearing test at a hospital (for a volunteer position), and my hearing at all frequencies was still sub-par compared to the standard hearing range. Color me disappointed. Unclear to me if it was the hearing aids themselves, or the fitters I was initially involved with. Possibly a combination of both.
I went back to my older Resounds, and found a different nearby fitter, who made very significant adjustments to my older hearing aids. Not a perfect solution, but good enough for now.

#10

I tried the Jabra 20 a few weeks ago, and when the fitter took me to a COSTCO area near the checkout counter, I found the noise overwhelming her voice. I am waiting for the Philips 9050. It has been 5 months since they were mentioned as “coming soon”