Does anyone know if any manufacturers are using acoustic beamforming to create directionality?
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Almost all brands/models do it. Some more aggressively than others. It’s used primarily for Speech in Noise programs.
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Thanks for your answer. Is there one brand that you would say was most aggressive?
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Just don’t buy Oticon if you prefer the most aggressive beam forming to block out everything except the front speech. Oticon subscribes to the “open” paradigm and they want to let you hear everything around you as much as possible. In a noisy environment, you can still hear everything, just in a more balanced way with priority given to speech, meaning that you should hear speech more clearly and not muddied with other surrounding sounds, but you still hear the surrounding sounds. They do have beam forming, it’s just used differently than aggressive frontal beam forming.
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I don’t know about aggressive, but Signia’s new IX platform seems to me to be multi-directional beam forming. They don’t exactly say that, but I’m reading between the lines.
Phonak aids – recent models, at least – provide adjustable directionality.
I doubt that anyone can provide an objective comparison among brands as to aggressiveness of directionality.
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Thank you all for the input. I have read about the new Signia devices. In fact their claims about being able to follow multiple sources in a noisy environment prompted me to ask my original question. The only way I could see this being possible is something like what @billgem suggests: multi-directonal beamforming but that seems like it would be a very difficult thing to do. Too bad they’re so expensive: If they weren’t, I’d just give them a try. I will take a look at the Phonak devices @brec. Thanks for the info.
Actually the Rexton Bi-Core hearing aids at Costco are identical to Signia’s Pure Charge&Go AX. At some point in the next few months Rexton will be replacing the Bi-Cores, which are built on the current AX platform, with new hearing aids based on the new IX platform. They too will be Signia hearing aids simply rebranded with the Rexton name. Knowing that, we have much cheaper access to Signia’s latest technology.
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Hi billgem,
Amazing news regarding the Signia IX, Rexton and Costco. Is that Costco in the UK as well? Do you have any idea? Thanks.
Most are to be fair, I would go with Phonak Lumity if you have that option
No idea, but I don’t see why it would be any different. After reading multiple internet sources about the Rexton/Signia substitution, I called Rexton directly and they confirmed that the two are identical. You can do the same by calling their UK home office. I don’t know if they’ll be more circumspect, but it’s worth a try.
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Thanks. I will talk to Costco when I see them next week. I am due to see them to collect a new receiver. I’ll post if they know anything.
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Hi Bob.
In two week trials, each, for comparison between Phonak and Widex, the Phonak ability with directional singling out voices was amazing. Definitely try them.
I’m enjoying Phonak Lumity Life aids for about a year now. I’ve found that over time, the speech comprehension algorithm has “grown” on me. Initially, I felt the aids improved speech comprehension about 10-15%, but over time, I get more confident with how the aids process speech and have found about a 15-20% improvement in my speech comprehension. Not sure why it has gone up, except that it may be a function of brain + ear?
All that said, the only way to find out which aid does the best job is to set the term “beamforming” aside and instead PUT 'EM ON! Yes, see if you can try out 2-3 different brands (Oticon, Phonak, Widex, Costco, etc.,). Hearing is SO individualised and nuanced that only YOU will know when you have found a pair of aids that let you hear your world as you want to.
My last hearing aids were Signia Pure. From the phone app you can shape the cone yourself . In a restaurant I could make a narrow beam and hear my wife ery well. Still had trouble understanding her, cuz it’s just my bad hearing…but I could hear her as well (or as poorly) as if we were at home…
Dan
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Speech in noise? Speech in loud noise? Both? Something else? --I’m on my second day of Lumity 90-R, and speech comprehension is my holy grail, so any hints or tips would be welcome.
Just cut to the chase and go with “Speech in LOUD Noise” as that will ensure the narrowest focus on folks facing you as they talk.
Speech in Loud Noise beam forming is all down to StereoZoom.
Speech in Noise uses UltraZoom so different to StereoZoom.
That is interesting! You are encyclopedic in getting these answers - greatly appreciated.
it is used to improve signal to noise ratio.
It is used in all programs (except for music)
interestingly enough, as industry beam forming as we know it is changing.
Phonak 360 sound, Oticon open sound etc