How should the domes actually fit in the ear?

Hearing Aids
#1

I’m new to hearing instruments, just wearing my Oticon Dual XWs for a couple months now. Still not totally comfortable with how the domes fit in the ear. What I’m finding is that if I just hold on to the cable and push them in, I can get them in so far, but if I take a finger nail and kind of angle them and push in on the piece the dome attaches to, I can angle the dome up and in and slide it in further. If I go to far it’s uncomfortable, but I find if I go in just a little, I seem to hear a bit better. Maybe that’s because the sound is just a little louder since the dome is now closer to the eardrum. I’m not sure.

But, it won’t stay there. It slowly works it’s way back out to the original position.

I’m not sure where these are designed to sit. Should it be at the point before it goes up and deeper into the canal, or should I try to get it a bit further back? And if the latter, is it possible to actually get it to stay?

I hear people talk about “I forget I’m wearing them.” well, I never forget I’m wearing them. It always feels like I have something stuck in my ear. Maybe that goes away after a few more months, but as of now, it’s still very noticeable to me. Not uncomfortable, just noticeable. I mean, I DO have something sticking in my ear.

#2

I find that domes usually ‘hook’ around a ‘corner’ in the ear canal, and so stay firmly seated.

However a dead straight canal - or worse still a narrowing conical canal - can cause the dome to work out.

A ‘sports lock’ can help … but some of these aren’t too well designed.

#3

i have the phonak open fit domes. there is an optimal position where it rests… not too deep and not too loose. first make sure u have the right size domes. ur audi should be able to advise u where it should sit properly. maybe ur domes are too small and dont have sufficient ‘grip’ in ur canal?

my question to the seniors here: do domes fit universally among different brands? i wish my dome size is somewhere between what i have now (small) and next size up (medium) which is way too large.

thanks

#4

my question to the seniors here: do domes fit universally among different brands? i wish my dome size is somewhere between what i have now (small) and next size up (medium) which is way too large.

Correct - we certainly need more ‘standard’ sizes!

#6

I have had this issue as well. I’m wearing the tulip-shaped domes, and there seems to be a “sweet” spot that is just inside the ear canal opening.

Too far in may be louder, but moving my jaw seems to cut off the sound at times (I suspect the dome opening is making contact with the ear canal wall).

Too far out and I get minimal benefit from the aids, along with more incidents of feedback.

And, like you, I find it difficult to keep them in place. Eating, in particular, seems to force them outward.

#7

Its funny, they sell 6000+ aids, but they cant design more sizes and shapes for something witch cost under 1 dollar each… For selling, not giving it to peoples… I mean, with ite headphones i get more “domes”… And they are under 100$ ones… not 6000 ones :slight_smile:

#8

exactly. maybe, compared to a consumer electronic goods company like Sony, Phonak and others in the HA industry are light years behind? In a performance/style oriented electronics industry they have to adapt or die. would be nice if the HA industry is the subjected to the same standards.

#9

Maybe it will become like that. More and more peoples use HA. With leatest designs (not banana, flesh colored ones witch squeel if you even think about it w/o turning it on:) and quality there is less reason for not wear ones.
Bigger market, more players = lower prices and bigger offer (more options).

I hate when they sold to us 10 y old techology. I mean, if i took apart my t100 creative player without batery its small circuit boart. tiny. On micro sd card there is 8 gb+ easly… Why streamer or my pilot/icom doesnt have ones integrated?

Answer is simply - they want to slowly introduce technology, so they dont have to do or die invent new things and to make us upgrade sooner.

#10

Most top end hearing aids come from Switzerland or Denmark.

European designers do NOT have the same background, goals or outlook as Japanese or US designers!

#11

Answer is simply - they want to slowly introduce technology,

Answer is simply - only 6.5 million aids are made worldwide each year … but HUNDREDS of millions of MP3 players are made. This has a big influence on designs etc.

#12

yes, but a walkman doesnt cost 6000USD. :slight_smile:

#13

True.

It’s all part of the same problem: low hearing aid sales volumes.

Low volumes = high prices AND limited design options.

#14

Now i twisted tulip domes so its almost horisontal from recomended biger/smaller parts (l/r biger diametar of elipse) … and i find it most comfortable… i will see if they keep coming out that way, but i almost did not feel it. My canal thave that shape, obvious…