Hearing Speech in Background Noise

That doesn’t surprise me, our hearing loses differ and we have different priorities. Slopping audiograms are notoriously hard to fit properly.

YES, you are spot-on with that! Looks like you’ve done a great job taking control of your challenge. :slightly_smiling_face:

Hello Reginald, that is a really interesting post (to me as a Signia 7 AX user as well, Pure Charge & Go, though). I am a bit frustrated after almost a year of trying to get the settings right for noisy environments and tempted to try self-programming, but have no tech background whatsoever. I feel that the Universal program is best for most situations and can’t get much out of the other programs (noise, reverberant rooms, outdoors…). The only thing that really helps is Mask Mode in the Universal program. I think I’ll give the audiologist another chance and then take the plunge! It’s really good to read of someone who achieved great results setting up his own programs. It gives me a little hope. Thank you!

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7AX Pure Charge & Go and Stylettos have identical innards and capabilities. Just different packaging.

Mask mode raises treble/sharpness significantly, which means that you’re under amplified in that regard.
I would force them to switch you from the default AXFit fitting formula to DSLv5 .
AXFit uses compression obscenely and I found that it’s really problematic in noisy situations and with lowered voices. DSLv5 is very conservative when it comes to compression.
You may encounter some resistance from them, because the less experienced fitters/audis are afraid of changing manufacturer’s defaults.

You have to remember that manufacturers defaults are made to fit most people and to decrease the rejection possibility (and to increase sales). They’re bad for fine tuned specific cases. And they seem to be also bad for high frequency losses, because the high frequency band is the most jarring and hardest to get accustomed to, so they underamplify you.

Some programs are obsolete at 7AX levels, like “reverberant rooms”. Because they have AI based ‘echo cancel’ feature enabled that is applied to all modes/programs.

Did you have your firmware updated recently? Or could you check in the app which version you’re on? Because they introduced some significant improvements in the last months.

(you should read this too Hearing Speech in Background Noise - #76 by Reginald )

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@Reginald

I’m very frustrated with my own performance with hearing aids.
I’ve worn them for almost 25 years.
Almost two years ago I got my current hearing aids; they didn’t work for me until I replaced my audiologist with a skilled hearing aid practitioner , at my audiologists request. I have Phonak Audeo Paradise P90R’s and with his setup they just plain didn’t work.

I truly appreciate your skill and posts here. I confirm that modified programs using the mask Phonak program did help me. My audiologist that quit scrubbed my hearing aids, and the modified programs that he had modified at my request. They are gone.

If I remember right, those programs had increased mid and high frequencies and reduced bass.

I have Phonak Audeo Paradise P90R’s. I shall discuss the fitting algorithm used and intend to have my hearing tested soon.

Please keep the comments coming. I’m excited about learning more from them.

Sincerely
DaveL

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I’m going to quote something

DSLv5.0 stands for “Desired Sensation Level” and is a fitting formula which aims at calculating the best possible loudness balancing. Especially with high-frequency hearing losses, this leads to a significant increase of the not clearly audible frequencies. This may not be a good choice for people who have lived with a hearing loss for a while and use a hearing device for the first time, they can be overwhelmed with the sensory overload and this again may lead to discomfort. However, for patients who have been wearing a hearing device for a while and who are used to higher gain values, DSLv5 can be the best choice. Moreover, this formula also takes the measured levels of discomfort into account and the MPO of the hearing device is adjusted accordingly.

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@Reginald

Thanks! I’m learning something new.

Much appreciated.

DaveL

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So yeah DSLv5.0 is very rarely used, you can get similar results by programming other formula, it’s been used for children in the beginning(they tolerate a lot more loudness overall than us for some reason) and there’s also an adult option, actually severe/profound losses like this formula because it gives them the “analogue” sounding/feel that some of them prefer, this is of course because of less compression, you definitely notice the difference straight away when changing between the formulas, personally I couldn’t get used to it myself, the tv and in the car was hard to take regardless of the amount of adjustments I did, I settled on NAL- NL2 which is similar to DSLv5.0 in a way, but of course with more compression especially in the lower frequencys for me.

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It’s actually possible to have one program in DSLv5 and others with different fitting formulas, which I did for testing purposes.
It takes some manual effort though, which very few audis could muster, I’m quite certain.

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Really? It’s just tuning and transferring the values.

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Oh don’t even get me started, anything that deviates from manufacturer’s defaults turns into an insurmountable task.

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I could get really into my dislike for DSL adult. I’ll withhold my vent just in case my Audi visits here.

@Reginald

I believe that this is a fatal flaw in our attempts to hear using hearing aids.

With the audiologist that supplied my Phonak Audeo Paradise P90R any request resulted in a call to Phonak with me on speaker phone. There’s more, but…

DaveL

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We’re talking about DSLv5 in the context of steep high frequency loses, which yours is not. Some of us have unaffected (or close to) hearing at lower frequencies, and moderate to severe in high. Such cases require different fitting approaches.

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Thanks Reginald!

I find it very difficult learning skills to improve my hearing with the hearing aids I have.
Part of the issue is jargon; a large part is setup.

I considered self programming. A major disadvantage–age/limited skill. A minor disadvantage–I have an iMac with no budget to replace it with a pc.

The forum is somewhat helpful. However, I find I have to spend lots of time to learn a little bit. I’m inclined to read a lot here.

Thanks for your response and patience.

DaveL
Toronto

ps I expect a more accurate audiogram soon; my audi reported significant improvement in my hearing when we parted company. He should pattent his method. :wink:

DL

My app version says 2.6.51.12979.

Do audiologists always use AXFit as a default fitting formula for Signia? And is it difficult to switch to a different formula? I am really curious now as in how it would all sound on a different formula!

steep high frequency 115DB at 4K is pretty steep.

I think he’s saying “steep” ski slopes, as in good down lows, but dropping steeply in the higher frequencies, so yes 115 is profound loss, but your lows start at 80dB (severe)

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@Markem
Thank you, yes that’s what I meant.

It is not difficult.
Not the app version, firmware’s