There is Feedback (squeal) on my new Jabra EP 20 aids when hand is near ear or walking near a wall. For example it happens in the bathroom , when head is near kitchen cupboards doing the dishes, when opening theRefrigerator, while walking up the stairs , and while walking through a doorway.
There is also a distortion when I speak in a deep voice. Those feedback problems happen in those situations about 60% of the time. The feedback happens in both aids, but it is a lot more noticeable on the right side.
I talked with Costco about my Jabra EP 20 feedback issue and they said it should be an easy fix. On my next appointment In a few weeks the plan is to lower the overall volume and tweak the smart fit software. He did not think the vent size was the problem.
If his fine tuning does not work, let me ask you this question.
Since I have a moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss And kind of like the aids set at the higher volume level, should I be looking more toward the power aid in the Costco Jabra line?
Would an upgrade to a set of power aids handle the feedback better?
Here is a little background on my hearing loss.
My former Audiologist who worked on my older pair of Resound hearing aids said this. “The things that made the most difference for your hearing were lessening the compression and raising MPO for his All-Around program. These changes made the biggest difference, to give you a fuller sound and more access to sound—super important for your hearing!?
Thanks
No I wouldn’t be thinking like you need a power aid as such, your Jabra can more then handle your loss, post your audogram would be helpful for everyone, your issue with feedback is that you’ve got “leakage” from the domes or molds your using, so it’s a simple fix but only if you get a nice snug/tight fit , no leakage= no feedback.
Here is my post, let me know if the cut and paste worked. When I talked with the Audi he did not comment on vent size or earmold fit as being a possiable problem.
Lowering volume a little and software will be the adjustment on the next visit?
Another update and smart fit programing sheet to help with solving feed back issue.
I talked with Costco about my Jabra EP 20 feedback issue and they acted like it should be an easy fix. On my next appointment In a few weeks the plan is to lower the overall volume a little and tweak the smart fit software. He did not think the vent size or fit of the earmold was the problem.
From what I learned so far, I may need to switch to another Costco for better service if my next appointment does not go well?
Here is a little more background info on my hearing loss.
My former Audiologist who worked on my older pair of Resound hearing aids said this. “The things that made the most difference for your hearing were lessening the compression and raising MPO for his All-Around program. These changes made the biggest difference, to give you a fuller sound and more access to sound—super important for your hearing!?
On Tue, Nov 12, 2024 at 5:31 PM Abram Bailey, AuD Help with Feedback problem on new Jabra Enhance Pro 20 ? I am blind and have had a moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss for 40 years. I just got the Costco Jabra Enhance Pro 20 RIC hearing aids With the skeletal CUSTOM Earmolds. They Handled Background Noise well in the store and Car. The Jabra Phone App and streaming is good. Now here is the problem. There is Feedback (squeal) when hand is near ear or walking near a wall. It also distorts when I talk loud. I don’t believe it’s a poor earmold fit or earwax problem. I always clean ears and molds. It may be an earmold vent sizing issue? I am leaning toward it being a fine tuning problem. Since I have to wait 3 weeks for the next appointment, I like to make it count. What adjustments should I ask the Costco Hearing Instrument Specialist to make on the aids? The one I go to is a little understaffed as of late. I want to know accurately what is needed in order the fine tune the aids, so as to get this fixed in a timely and efficient manner. Thanks, Jeremy
Hearing Tracker, Inc
PO Box 40702
Austin, TX 78704
Another update and smart fit programing sheet to help with solving my feedback issue.
I talked with Costco about my Jabra EP 20 feedback issue and they acted like it should be an easy fix.
When I asked about the vent size and earmold fit He acted as though that was not likely the source of my problem.
On my next appointment In a few weeks the plan is to lower the overall volume a little and tweak the smart fit software.
From what I learned so far, I may need to switch to another Costco for better service if my next appointment does not go well?
Here is a little more background info on my hearing loss.
former retired Audiologist who worked on my older pair of Resound hearing aids said this. “The things that made the most difference for your hearing were lessening the compression and raising MPO for his All-Around program. These changes made the biggest difference, to give you a fuller sound and more access to sound—super important for your hearing!?
These are the first and most common things to check and fix “first” by any audiologist worth their salt, any software changes"last" just lowering the gain doesn’t match your target requirements, always try to treat the cause and not the symptoms, and yes having an incorrectly sized vent will also give feedback, ask for the smallest size (or occlusive)
if you can tolerate.
You and the others have been very helpful!
How do they reduce the vent size?
Do I have to ask them to remake a set of new custom skeletal earmolds.
Should I call another Costco in the area to see if they have a better Audi?
What are my options?
Will a Resound dealer or Beltone Hearing Aid Center make adjustments on my Jabra EP 20 aids?
Thank you so much,
Ziby
First I’d get the Costco store from where you brought your HAs from to help sort this out, even if it means getting new molds made, I’d only go to another if you can’t get the Costco rep to sort the feedback, remember they themselves have said “it’s an easy fix” so give them the opportunity to do it.
As for ReSound/Beltone centre’s being able to do adjustments is quite possible, maybe not so much Beltone but ReSound could easily do this if they wanted to, Jabra are rebranded ReSound models, but unfortunately a lot clinic’s don’t like doing it because you “didn’t buy from us” mentality, so you’d need to reach out to them and confirm, it seems easier to just stick with Costco centres for now anyway.
Thanks for the advise. This is an update. I did an experiment in just wearing the left aid and there was no feedback, the sound quality was real good. Then I tried the right aid by itself and it has the feedback problem! So the feedback problems are coming only from the Right Jabra aid. I’ll definitely tell them about this on my next hearing aid appointment. Maybe they have to make another Right side custom skeletal earmold for a better fit?
I am blind and have had a moderate to severe sensorineural hearing loss for several decades.
I require a little higher maximum power output.
I have been using the hard skeletal earmolds for a very long time and never realy had any problems.
Here’s an Update on my Costco journey
with feedback. There is still only feedback in the right. There is no feedback in the left. My vent size is less than .8mm. Costco did a software adjustment that only help a little. Now it seems my streaming off I-Phone is a little to sharp? Does that have any thing to do with the recent software feedback adjustment? My wife also says she can hear my voice in the right aid when I’m. speaking. Sometimes
There is a compression like muff, a down shift in volume when people talk in a loud deep voice , this also happens when a public speaker talks loud in an auditorium. I will ask them to remake the earmold on my next visit in 2 days.
Should I ask for a deeper fit on the skeletal molds?
Should I Have them plug the right vent? Got any suggestions on my feedback and compression issues?
I like the overall natural sound of Jabra and Resound. The multi mic is also very useful!
I had exact same issue of feedback under same circumstances with Jabra 20s. It took many adjustments and remolds over 6 months until jabra just fully encased my receiver in my mold like my ks9 s always were. Feedback gone, everything much louder. Apparently jabra mold makers were not doing this.
Thanks for the awesome info!
Do you know if Costco offers the encased earmold for Jabra in the hard plastic skeletal style?
I am blind, could you describe what your earmold looks like?
Yes they can do this for you. They follow the Costco audiologist instructions. Putting a liquid plastic over the receiver opening with only wire coming out stopped my feedback. It was really strange like you said near walls or in kitchen at the cupboards.
I have ks9 pair with no feedback so I finally figured how to create the feedback in the small office at Costco, by holding a small cereal bowl towards my ear. That’s how I could determine his adjustments were not working on the spot.
I also have them add a partial loop to keep my mold from slipping out. I’m sure they could do a full skeletal for you. If it works, you will also find the are much louder and need adjustment.
Good luck
Again, excellent info provided. This is very helpful. How long have you’ve been wearing hearing aids? Please let me ask this question. How does the occlusion effect of your fully encased earmolds make your own voice sound? Did it take a lot of getting used to? I know you said things will be louder, but I am wondering how differently things will sound?
I have worn hearing aids for 35 years. My loss is in the severe to profound in high frequencies. It is not unusual to have the receiver or speaker encased. Jabra just did not do it and the speaker fit poorly in the hole made in mold. Occlusion should not be a problem as the speaker is not supposed to leak sound outwards. My own voice sounds normal and the increased volume I got when they finally got the fitting right was just that. Starting volume on app was level 8, all I did was lower down to level 3 until getting an adjustment. I still have a normal size vent.
Since I already have skeletal ear molds from Costco, I take it all they have to do is glue over the receiver? Or do they need to totally remake the encased molds?
I had problems inserting my initial molds (with removable receiver) as deeply as the audi (sic) recommended, so she redid the putty deal and ordered receivers with much smaller molds around that actually encase the receiver.
They are much easier to insert into my ears, and they fit closer to my ear drum. I hear significantly better with the smaller molds. Any feedback tells me I haven’t inserted them correctly or I have to get my ears de-waxed. Th passage through my molds are bigger than 1 mm.
I would think that the feedback adjustment in the fitting software would be more effective at taming feedback than adjusting the hole size.
If these are not the molds you have, my reco is to talk with Costco.
I like the Jabra EP 20 aids, think it’s only a matter of a few adjustments, and it will be all good. I will talk about these things on my appointment on Monday with Costco. As a blind person I do not try to remove the receiver from the mold, but a sighted person can.
Hopefully a little glue seal over the receiver and the skeletal hard earmold connection will be the fix. I have a list of things to ask on my upcoming visit to Costco, thanks to you and the others.
My Audi called it a hard silicon cap, but same molds. Good luck in your appointment. I already knew it was the source of leak cause I sealed around the reciever with a removable kind of silly putty sold for your ears for swimming, and feedback was gone.
Here’s an update. I am halfway through my trial with the Jabra Enhance Pro 20 Hearing aids. I TRULY like the overall sound quality OF THE AIDS and THE streaming FEATURE off MY I-Phone. They are trying very hard to fix the feedback problem, even calling the manufacture for assistance. Nevertheless, AFTER 5 APPOINTMENTS, the problem STILL remains.
So, I’m GOING TO TRY TO return the Jabra RIC aids and hopefully start anew 6 month trial with THE BTE version. My research shows the behind the ear hearing aids are less prone to feedback than the receiver in the ear type of hearing aid. What’s your thoughts on this?