Again. Not knocking Costco. But a 15 min walk around in the store I would consider a joke. But if you’re happy. Great
I trialed two different aids at the same time when I got my first aids, and going back and forth didn’t change my mind from my initial impressions. Maybe now that I’ve worn aids for more than 5 years that would be different, but I suspect not.
IMO a fitter or audi who sets a customer up with what they think is best when the customer has no opinions isn’t doing anything wrong. If the audi argues instead of explaining about other feature when you inquire or is reluctant to add or modify something when you request it, then yes, you should go somewhere else.
Sure, hass5744, you’re knocking Costco and people who are happy with their service. The fact is the short walkaround is just that to make sure the initial fit is decent out of the sound booth and give the customer an idea of the aids. The fact is at Costco in the U.S. you have 180 days to return aids for full refund and I understand in other countries you have 90 days. If any private practice audis offer that, I never encountered them. The one I tried you had 2 weeks and didn’t even have that initial 15-minute walk around. It was just a few minutes of more b.s. in the audi’s office about how I’d get Alzheimer’s if I didn’t buy those $7,000 aids.
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Agreed. When I got aids for the first time 5 years ago, I paid $6500 and I was not offered any brand choices nor was I allowed to walk around with the aids in the office.
I agree. I have tried numerous brands but always go back to Resound because they allow me to adjust them to my needs. I will pick up new Preza Resounds this week. I have recently tried Signia.X which have a horrible app and rely somewhat on auto adjusting and sensors. Great if all hearing loss is the same. Not good for people with variable hearing or for me hearing distortion within my ears.
If the All Around program is working properly all you should notice is that you hear well, which I do. I put the aids on and forget about it, which is the way an All Around program should work.
I have Resound Preza aids from Costco and I love the amount of customization available through the smartphone app. It’s great to have when you really want to fine tune speech focus, noise reduction or sound equalization. That said, the All Around program does the job just fine most of the time without needing any adjustment, and you can easily switch between programs or change the level of amplification without using the app.
On my aids (61 size) a short press on the right aid button raises amplification and a short press on the left aid button lowers amplification for both aids. A long press on either button cycles through the four program modes (All Around/Restaurant/Outdoors/Music). Those defaults can be changed by your Costco fitter.
I’m not knocking anybody and I’ve already said that Costco prices can be hard to beat. My problem is that for anyone with a substantial loss, a 30 minute walk around the store is a joke. And full payment up front makes me very leary. I would appreciate it if people didn’t interpret what I say. In this country its called freedom of speech. It’s okay for someone to express their opinion even if it conflicts. Please don’t think that a difference of opinion means they’re putting anyone down. We’re all in this together. If we all agreed on everything we wouldn’t need this forum
If rem fitting is done first and then they go walk around, that’s actually very informative, much more than sitting in a quiet office.
Money upfront plus 6 months of return vs free trial for 1-2 months, I think that’s irrelevant if you get proper fit.
Your concerns would be much more important if costco would be unknown and potential scammer. But they are not.
We’ve been down this road but I’ll say it again. I don’t test hearing aids in a quiet office. I don’t test hearing aids in my audiologists office. I trial aids for at least 2 weeks outside in the real world in all different situations. Again I’m not knocking anyone. My point is that considering the cost of hearing aids trying them for 30 minutes in an environment that doesn’t change proves nothing except that I can or can’t hear in Costco. I don’t have to pay in full up front while I’m trying to aids. I consider myself fortunate. But I also know that considering the severity of my loss I know a 30 minute test run is ridiculous. Just as ridiculous as sitting in my aydus office and carrying on a conversation with him for 30 minutes. I’ve even mentioned that to him because his office is set up for people to hear in. But to each his own. When I pay 5000 for something it’s nice to know it will help me before I shell out the money. Think of a first time user being told to walk around Costco for 30 minutes. Boy everything sure sounds louder. Come on
Re “from the other room”–I like the phrase: “Whoever starts the conversation, owns it.” It’s the starter’s job to make sure they can be heard. If you want an answer, put yourself where your receiver can hear you!"
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In costco you have 6 months for trial, but yes, you have to give money first, but you’ll get it back.
I really don’t get which part exactly you don’t approve? Money up front? Or something else?
I’m not disapproving of anything. You seem to be the one trying to prove something. I’m just saying that 30 minute walk around proves nothing. That was my whole point.
Hey, no problem. Remember, you can buy the aids at Costco, and if you decide in less then 6 months that you don’t want them you can get your money back. Now, that’s a trial period.
Answer to: “Are ReSound Prezas locked by Costco?”
Yes, they are: Are Costco ReSound Prezas Locked For Self Programming
Answer to whether ReSound HA’s have automatic switching.
AFAIK, the only thing that allows automatic switching is to create a customized version of a basic program and have it tied a GPS location. Within a given program, certain settings related to wind or noise reduction or sound directionality or hearing aid volume may automatically change BUT, AFAIK, if you have been using the Outdoors program and walk into a restaurant, other than the GPS trigger, the HA’s in conjunction with the smartphone app won’t automatically switch you to the restaurant program. My mind may be making this up, but I think ReSound actually claimed somewhere that their users prefer the greater individual manual control and manual tunability that the Smart 3D app provides rather than depending on software-made choices. I spend >95% of my time in the All-Around program and most of the time, if I feel that I need the Restaurant program or the Outdoors program, it’s not a big deal to switch either using a long-press on a HA button or the Smart 3D app. AFAIK, ReSound doesn’t have anything like Phonak’s Autosense but I think most of the available in-program changes in the All-Around program in HA directionality, noise suppression, HA volume, etc., should take care of most environment changes and my own experience is that in the most extreme, difficult hearing situations, you really need something like a remote microphone to conquer the environment. A program change is not going to bail you out. There are other differences between ReSound programs but the Restaurant program basically gives you more control over focused binaural directionality than the All-Around program and the Outdoor program, because the mics are in omnidirectional mode in that program, gives you better outdoor wind suppression than the All-Around program. And the Music program is better for music listening than any other ReSound HA program but how does the Smart 3D app know if you’re listening to pure noise or heavy metal music??? - some types of music, at least, have to be the user’s ID. But I would say if you’re going to Costco, trial both the KS9 and the Preza and find out about these things yourself and see what makes a difference. I think unless you just want to learn about HA’s inside and out after you get the right HA for your preferences and the right fit, you wont’ find a whole bunch of use for DIY on into the future, especially if you’re going to a place like Costco where you can get a REM determination after every fitting adjustment, which just isn’t possible going the DIY route.
There are serious differences between the four basic ReSound programs, All-Around, Restaurant, Outdoors, and Music and although environmental cues may trigger performance differences within a program, they don’t change the performance parameters of any one program into another or cause the HA’s to switch from program to another (save by GPS cues). The All-Around program usually lives up to its name.
Not quite how it sounded in your previous posts. Since you constantly dismiss the fact that trial is for 6 months basically and you keep fixating on those 30 minutes.
I think no one ever said that this 30 mins are valuable as trial, ever. I think I’ve only said they are enough to see if something is catastrophic.
Plus, if rem fitted first, then even 30 min in store can give you some feedback (as opposed to 30 min in the office) and if something is way of it can be fixed immediately. So, it’s first fit + first tweak. No one said you have to have first tweak after a week.
But still, it’s not trial, and no one implied that ever. Trial with costco lasts 6 months.
Which is even more than you get. So, if your 2 weeks are enough for you, why being dismissive to costco and their 6 months by focusing on those 30 min?
Because when you keep telling about 30 min, people might misunderstand the costco process, and idea is that we share as precise information as we can.
If I sounded otherwise than I mistated. But for people with a severe or profound loss or for that matter a new user, a 30 minute walk through a noisy store proves nothing. Unless you live there
I am working with a new provider who is allowing me to demo EVERY major brand and it is fantastic. I keep each one for a couple of weeks so I can really adjust to that aid. (Unfortunately because of pandemic, I cannot really test speech in noise) I am replacing 2015 Resound Linx also. I originally went with the 2015 Resound because they had the best Bluetooth to iPhone connection. I did/do not really like iPhone (I am a Google person) but I am leaning strongly to picking MFI aids again because I have found the “classic Bluetooth” aids do not stay connected as well. If I put the phone in my pocket, they cut in and out much more than my old Resound aids. Bluetooth to phone is a major decision maker for me.
Thanks much for the good answer to my question. I currently use Resound Linx 2. Today I picked up my new ReSound Prezza aids at Costco. When I was driving home from Costco listening to music in my car, I noticed I could hear symbols much better and the music sounded brighter and better as compared to my old Linx 2. At home now for a few hours I notice better sound quality in the higher frequencies…which is where my hearing loss is. So my initial impression is that the Prezza aids sound better than the Linx 2 aids.
They also control feedback better. I like to turn up the treble on the ReSound app, and when I would do that the Linx 2 would often squeal if my ear got within a few feet of a wall. The Prezzas do a better job of suppressing feedback.
While I was waiting to pick up my new ReSounds, I wished that I would have trialed the KS9 instead of the ReSound Prezza, even though my audiologist wanted me to try the Prezza first. The automatic program switching of the KS9 appealed to me, as did the idea of trying a different brand…
After reading various posts on this and other forums, it seems that almost as many people have issues with the automatic program switching as people that are happy with it. So maybe ReSound’s approach to set up automatic program changes based on GPS location is as good or better than the KS9 approach.
I have not tested the Prezza aids yet to see how well I can hear speech in background noise.
My Costco audiologist did a REM test on me today. I will be back in two weeks for my first followup visit. She did set up the aids so that the aids can be programmed remotely.
I got a new Resound Streamer 2 off Ebay for about $70. Its a huge improvement in my ability to hear TV dialogue. Wish I would have done this years ago when I got my Linx 2.
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Sounds good! If possible, I’d follow through in time on your plan to trial the KS9’s, too. That way you’ll settle on the HA that you think works best for you and won’t have any buyer’s remorse down the line.
The one thing that I thought made a big difference for me was getting custom silicone molds made by ReSound (mine say “ReSound” with a serial number on each mold). When you settle on a brand you like best, I’d try a mold if you haven’t already used them in the past. Phonak also makes good molds. And if you read various threads on the forums, most, but not all, HT members have felt that a properly fitted mold adds greatly to the hearing experience. I like the Select-a-Vent option. Costco may not use either ReSound or Phonak but I’ve read on the forum that molds made by Costco’s are relatively inexpensive, $50 per mold (mine were $100 each 1.5 yrs ago made by ReSound). The skill of the impression taker will have something to do with the quality of the mold as well as the vagaries in your own ear canal structure, so YMMV.
It’s always interesting to hear what people think about various HA’s and fittings, molds vs. domes, so I’m looking forward to continuing chapters in your HA journey.