I have had Miracle ear M500 hearing aides with genius link android software for 5 years. A big mistake as my loss is severe to profound in both ears. I am a musician that complicates things, and I am 64 years old. They have never worked correctly. All I want to know is what is the best way to have an audiologist in control and get hearing aides that can be used with any computer with the software, including my own? I live in Albuquerque New Mexico. I paid 6000 dollars for these things, and now they will cost me more and it is old technology. It is so hard to find out accurate information. Can anyone point me in the right direction here? These will probably be the last ones, and I would not mind being able to hear people talk and play some more music for the rest of my life. I am just looking for say Siemens with no Proprietary software. No more hearing specialists for me. Is this possible?
Do you mean “proprietary software” as in the software used to program the aids?
Many of the big manufacturers have software available for programming the aids yourself. You would need some connectivity hardware as well.
This site has a whole DIY section you might be interested in.
You can find aids on ebay or classifieds. Some providers might just sell you the aids at a lesser price if you don’t want all the servicing.
Well, I am computer literate but not an audiologist. I would just like to have good aides I could get programmed by any audiologist in any state or country. Miracle ear has on guy in Albuquerque and I think it is him , not the aides. And thank you for the suggestion
. Do you program yours yourself?
In addition to what Z10user2 says, you might want to read articles on the site about Real Ear Measurement and perhaps watch Dr. Cliff’s YouTube video on the subject. I had some insurance coverage and got my premium ReSound HA’s through TruHearing.com at a bit of a discount - the deal allowed only a limited number of fitting visits with an audiologist and I plan on visiting that audiologist once a year for an annual audiogram and Real Ear Measurements on the performance of my HA’s. Deducting insurance coverage, I paid only about $2600 for my HA’s. After a bit of experimentation with DIY, I quickly found a fitting algorithm (NAL-NL2) and a ReSound user profile (experienced nonlinear) that I’m quite happy with, so at least for me, the value of self-fitting quickly wore off - I don’t see myself doing it much in the future as long as I’m using my current HA’s.
Z10user2 has also mentioned in other posts, I think, that for $1500 at Costco you can get the KS9’s, ~equivalent to the original Marvels issued last fall and they’d come with a 3-year warranty and service from Costco. So if you had any insurance coverage that would also be a very worthwhile deal.
I can appreciate that even $1500 might be a giant expense. In August 2020 over-the-counter self-fitting hearing aids for mild to moderate loss will be available in the U.S. So that might be another option not too far ahead where the HA’s are sold with self-fitting in mind and there is actually some support to go along with that idea. OTC HA’s should sell for a lot less ($600?).
But as Z10user2 points out, if you want to go it alone entirely yourself, you can find a lot of helpful information and helpful people on this forum to guide you on your way. Good Luck!
P.S. The other thing that you will find is that HA’s may break down. My original left HA and a brand new replacement furnished by ReSound both broke with only about a half year of use each. Since they came with a 3-year warranty, both HA’s were replaced at no cost to me. Perhaps with eBay, just buying another HA for yourself if you need to will be a relatively inexpensive way to deal with breakdown issues if they crop up but it’s something to factor into the DIY way of doing things.
I have been waiting for that self over the counter fitting thing. Right now I have a battery turning of and on, playing its song, and I can send it in for $250, and I have just had it. Still cannot talk in a crowded bar, I can paty the money, I just need the expertise. A lot better than 6000 dollars. But I have to be able to put them on my own computer, or at least have the software available to any practitioner I choose. It does exist! Thank you, you have given me hope. No one person should have total control over what you hear.
It depends on your HCP. Some of us have questioned our HCP how they feel about any DIY effort before buying anything from them. My particular audi actually said something like “good for you! I wish everybody had the opportunity to do that.” But from what people have written on the forum, you’ll find other HCP’s with the exact opposite view - reset your programming if they find you’ve been doing it, etc. Especially for more complex, more profound hearing losses, a HCP is likely to have the training, experience, and resources to efficiently analyze and deal with a very serious problem. Simpler hearing losses are less challenging and that’s why OTC aids have been allowed to come along. Don’t mean to discourage you - just want to offer you my take after a relatively brief stint at tuning my own HA’s - it’s a lot of fun and an easy way to compare different fitting algorithms to see what you like best - but it takes a lot of work and commitment to thoroughly understand what you’re doing. For using a proprietary fitting program, I find the HA OEM has put a lot of work into having a good interface for the hearing care professional and that benefits me as a DIY user. So it’ll be interesting to see if OTC leads to “open-source” fitting software (Linux for HA’s!). Other HA brand DIY’ers have good words about other proprietary fitting software, too. So although HA’s as medical devices seem terribly expensive, a lot of development work and thought has gone into the products and even DIY’ers can benefit from that. Good Luck again and let us know how your journey goes!
What you’re calling “proprietary” software I think is what most on the forum would refer to as “locked” hearing aids. The aids are “locked” to require software only available to the seller. All hearing aids from Phonak, Oticon, Signia, Widex, Resound and Starkey require software specific to the manufacturer of the hearing aid, but is widely available to audiologists and with some effort to consumers. (See DIY section) A greater problem is finding audiologists that are willing to program hearing aids they didn’t sell for a reasonable price.
Miracle Ear is a re branded Signia device and will be locked so that only Miracle Ear can make adjustments to the fine tuning. The best direct connection to Android right now is the Phonak Marvel which will allow you to make an incredible amount of fine tuning adjustments from the myPhonak app. You also have the option of the Unitron Discover platform which uses the some technology (as they are under the same Sonova umbrella) to stream direct from android. The unitron product will limit your fine tuning abilities in the app but should be cheaper in price. The Marvel is a great product over all.
I got aids from Costco. Afterwards I got into diy. I’m no audiologist either and would identify as some level of computer literate too. I then learned about a 3-level REM that the fitter would do and got that done recently. I haven’t touched that yet.
There do seem to be several terms being thrown around here.
As MDB said, some aids can only be programmed by specific software by specific outlets = locked.
Most aids will need their own software to program them. Most of those are available to be had.
They will all need some way to connect to them for programming. Most of those are standardized to wired or wireless gear. A few have their own connectivity.
Then there are the apps. These do not do the programming. They can do some adjustments inside the limits of what had been programmed.
Some have an internal method where the fitter can do programming remotely via the app. I have not read that that is available to anybody…ie. to just the fitter. I think the fitter has to pay or be licensed or signed up to do that through the manufacturer.
I don’t know about over the counter (OTC) or personal sound amplifier products (PSAP’s). It would seem likely that they would basically have equalizers. I suppose one could say that fitting software is a glorified equalizer as well. How well those lower tier products work for challenging environments is likely a lesser expectation.
Heck even full-on HA’s are still challenging. Always remember…you will never again hear like you once did in your teens.
At least that’s how I understand things. 
I see there are three Costco stores in Albuquerque. Why not go there and get the KS9’s for $1500 a pair. They will adjust the programming as many times as you want for no extra cost.
I am a musician. I recommend the KS9s. I used America Hears aids for a decade and loved them, being able to tweak my own aids. I wanted to see what was new out there and recently tried new aids. I got them fitted at Costco and then got ahold of the software and a Noahlink Wireless and tweaked them to be right for me. I am very happy what I now have (KS9s). They are essentially Phonak Marvel 90s in all the areas that count, at 1/4 the price. Highly recommended.
Caveat: The software is Phonak Target software, designed for use by professionals, so a bit of experience is recommended.
I am just wondering if I can stand these Miracle ear M500’s with a guy who does not know what he is doing. I should not still be saying “what” for 6000 dollars. I have an appointment with Costco, and Worth hearing aids . They have audiologists and the software can be DIY on all of their aids, as well as any audiologist familiar with them of course. I am being careful this time! And no more Bluetooth around my neck. For sure. Straight to Smartphone.
just do not buy “locked” hearing aids. That is where you made your mistake. and probably stuck with hearing aids that weren’t working for you.
The costco locked start at 1500. I believe unlocked ones start at about 2300. I am looking in that direction. You are so right! Thank you!
Thank you, After 5 years and being on this forum and talking to people like you, I think I know what to do now. And especially what not to do.
The Costco $1500 hearing aids (KS9) are not locked. The Costco Resound hearing aids are locked.
z10user2
Thank you and everyone else who have answered my questions. I wish I had knew about this platform when I paid 6000 dollars and only had one provider in Albuquerque that does not know what he is doing, even when he gets on the phone with the experts. I see it as kind of like my first marriage. I am shopping around now making appointments. I would like to wait for the OTC that you can program, but I think you are right about them basically being equalizers. You must be a sound guy and/or musician like I am. I have just one more question…what is a three level REM? And is this an added level of adjustment that can be used with any good aide? And yes, the loss of youth is a bit harder when you have to spend all this time and money to communicate. I always advise younger musicians…do not ever mix with headphones. That is what did me in. The irony in that is the pitch recognition that is lost as well, as happens in many cases including mine.
I have an appointment coming up, Thank you. I will post when I get new ones. Thanks for the heads up.
I learned about what I call the 3 level REM (real ear measurement) from another member here… Sierra.
If I understand it correctly, the fitter makes adjustments that the REM device “hears” based on 1. lower soft sounds, 2. “normal” sounds, 3. loud sounds.
I don’t know what all HA’s can be adjusted this way. I have the now older KS7’s.
I would self-identify as being of a musical brain. Not a sound guy or any kind of professional musician. My preference back in the day was rhythm ie. drums and percussion. It’s very frustrating to listen to long familiar music nowadays realizing that it doesn’t sound right due to my memory telling me it should sound such and such but my ears are hearing so and so.
As z10 says, this is measurement of actual sound levels in the ear canal, when supplied with a signal that should result in 50 dB, 65 db, and 80 dB in the ear. Then they adjust to actually get that. Any of the big six hearing aid manufacturer aids should be able to be adjusted in this manner. It depends more on the equipment the fitter has, and if they are willing to take the time to do it.