I heard about the Phonak Paradise P9R technology and got hooked. I contacted a local Audiologist/distributor, who advised me to go online, due to the transitory nature of my lifestyle. Contacted TruHearing, who sent me to another local provider - Ohana Hearing. They talked me into buying the new Starkey Livio Edge AI 2400 RIC (on trial); claiming that it had far superior technology. I had not yet researched this model!!! Can anyone give me a realistic assessment and or comparison of these two models? This provider is offering me either of these units at the same pricing.
Theyâre both top end hearing aids. Your hearing loss doesnât suggest an obvious favorite to me. They do handle streaming differently. The Starkey is Made for iPhone and ASHA compatible. Phonak is standard Bluetooth. If youâre a big iPhone fan, that might push it towards Starkey. If you have a non ASHA Android phone, would push it towards Phonak. Otherwise I donât think you can go wrong. Try one out with the expectation that youâll keep it, but if thereâs something thatâs a deal killer, return it and try the other. (Iâm assuming you have some sort of trial period.
1 Like
I agree with @MDB. I am trialing the Paradise P90R right now. Both have great technology but have different features. For example, streaming from different bluetooth devices is really seamless with the Paradise and I have both iPhone and Android devices. I also love the feature to tap twice on the left hearing aid to pause a show Iâm streaming. If I canât get the Paradise adjusted to my liking then Starkey is next in line for me to try.
1 Like
Livio also has the tap feature to turn streaming on/off, this is good when the wife talks. Also can turn edge mode on/off with a double tap.
1 Like
Not sure I understand the Bluetooth feature comparison. I have an iPhone, an iPad a Bluetooth capable laptop, and Bluetooth capable vehicle features. The Paradise touts 8 Bluetooth paring, and the capability of receiving 2 Bluetooth streams at once. Not sure what the Livio Edge AI is capable of, relative to Bluetooth paring capacity and multi functionality.
iPhone will work with Paradise using standard bluetooth, but not made for iPhone features. iPad and laptop âshouldâ work but sometimes there can be driver issues and itâs possible to require getting a new Bluetooth dongle. I wouldnât count on the hearing aids doing much with your vehicleâs bluetooth. Typical vehicle BT is for streaming phonecalls to car speakers.
Starkey should stream great from iPhone and can take advantage of made for iPhone features. I think iPad will also stream to Starkey, but not sure. No laptop (Mac nor Windows) will stream to Starkey unless you use some sort intermediary device. Often a TV connector is used, but I donât know specifics of Starkey. If you anticipate lots of streaming from all of those different devices, Iâd expect to run into some glitches along the way.
I donât think you can go wrong as long as you donât expect perfection.
1 Like
Apple has a web page about made for iPhone hearing devices:
https://support.apple.com/en-us/HT201466
There is a link for MFi hearing devices - it lists the Starkey Livio AI. I did not see Edge but if Starkey says the particular model you have is MFi then it probably is and the Apple page may not have all recent models listed.
Looks like most recent Apple iPhone and iPad models are supported so you can check the above page to ensure your iPhone and iPad are listed.
I have completely different MFi hearing aids - Oticon OPN S 1. They connect to my iPad and my iPhone and both can stream and use apps like Zoom. However, the automatic switching doesnât work well for me so I turn off Bluetooth on the device Iâm not using so the iPhone and iPad donât contend for control of the aids with unpredictable results. I know others on the forum have had similar issues - sometimes it appears that there is finger pointing between the HA manufacturer and Apple.
As for connecting to a computer, MFi doesnât do that so typically you use some sort of intermediary device. In my case, the intermediary device is a ConnectClip - it uses Bluetooth to connect to the computer and MFi to connect to the aids. That allows bi-directional audio for VOIP or Zoom or similar and streaming to the aids. Many hearing aid manufacturers also sell TV adapters - many can be used with a computer however the audio only flows from the computer to the hearing aids so not useful for applications like VOIP or Zoom. There are detail differences between the devices from the different manufacturers.
I have not figured out all the permutations of iPhone settings and the possible interactions with car bluetooth systems. Apple CarPlay and AndroidAuto may add a further layer of complication. I have had phone call audio go directly to my hearing aids and at different times to the car speakers at - Iâm not sure why the phone/car/hearing aids donât operate consistently. I also donât understand what the car does when two (or more) phones that have been paired with the system are in the car, powered on, with Bluetooth on.
I have no experience with Phonak so wonât comment on that.
Iâve had a Livio 2400 and now have the KS9. Streaming from my iphone is much more consistent with my KS9s. I also consistently had trouble with the Starkeyâs breaking and needing repair. Finally, for $1500 at Costco with a 3 year warranty, the much more expensive starkeys canât compare to the cost of the KS9s. I find I hear and understand better with the KS9s, but that might be the quality of the programming, too.
It depends on what you are looking for in a hearing aid. If you want more of a fit bit hearing aid Livio are great. If you want and AI hearing that learns the livio Edge is great. Ai is a very unique experience it is definitely a game changer. It has a tap feature that puts it in or out of modes. Phonak is great to and has great features. The best advice I could give is choose the one that fit what you want in a hearing aid and allows you to hear the best. I tried both and ultimately choose Starkey Livio Edge and the option it gives me hear better. Good luck
Try starkey. If youâre not happy, then try phonak.
From what Iâve gathered here on forum MFI aids really work better with iPhone than phonak regular BT does.
Also, latest starkey has one nice addition - starkey came up with table mic that looks good on paper and is half price of phonak roger select. In case you see that you need help in restaurants and meetings. Roger select is great, and this starkeyâs one looks like it is real competition to it.
If Iâd were iphone user, Iâd definitely try starkey first.
So no, I donât think youâve made bad choice here 
What are the âMade for iPhoneâ features that you speak of.
Donât know. Just know that itâs different.