How to Use "Test Device" in ReSound Smart Fit 1.7

[jim_lewis]

I have a problem with my high-frequency microphone input on my left ReSound Quattro 961 device.

I noticed that in the Smart Fit v1.7 software (the latest and the greatest) that there is a Test Device option in the dropdown menu on the right side of the fitting screen. The software advice is that when in testing mode, the user fitting will be overwritten by test settings but then restored at the end of the test.

So I try that and overall, that’s what happens. However, during the “test,” which seems to require both HA’s be involved, I just get a high-pitched feedback whine out of both tests - the receivers of each HA are outputting high-pitched noise which almost sounds like a feedback squeal (but not as high-pitched on average as actual feedback). When I get tired of listening to the sound and click “RESTORE,” my user settings are restored, a screen quickly flashes by, and I get NO test summary, etc.

And as usual for my defective left HA, when I reinsert my HA’s in each ear, the high-frequency input to the left HA works great for a minute or two before it fades away. The right HA, my original from 2018, continues to work great like a champ. I had hoped that the “Test Device” would actually run a diagnostic on both HA’s and give a full-detailed report as to the state of health of each. No such luck, apparently, unless as a DIY tester here I am missing something a HCP would know to do …

TIA for any advice on how Test Devices is supposed to work …

[Raudrive]

I have ran the test on Phonak aids. It took maybe a minute if I remember correctly. The aids were not worn during the test.

You might try letting the test complete. That should give you some results.

[Raudrive]

Do you have a lead aid that controls both aids? Phonak Marvel aids have a setting to select which aid leads. Default is right but can be changed in the software. I could go look but I think it is the Bluetooth area.

[jim_lewis]

With Phonak, I think one HA has to be dominant (the leader) as BT communication is relayed from the leader to the follower HA. With Quattro’s, both HA’s are ~equal but synchronized to same program settings and receive separate streams from whatever the streaming device is. Just glancing over my settings, I don’t see any setting to give one HA priority.

During the Test Device, there is a first screen where the HA’s are disconnected from the Noahlink Wireless device. Then upon choosing RESTORE, a screen in which both HA’s are connected to the Noahlink device. I let the “test” run about 5 minutes in succession in each state. The “noise” just continued the whole time in each state, no report when I exited the test mode and restored my HA settings. The test settings transferred just said “Full Gain” for Program 1(P1) and no settings for the other three possible programs. It would help if ReSound provided a Progress Meter to any test sequence that is a time series of events/tests…

I’ll just ask my audi how the Test Device mode works the next time I see her. She knows that I’ve adjusted my settings and has supported me doing it on my own. But since the 2nd failed HA, except for performing an in situ audiogram that showed my settings ~matched my hearing threshold for each ear, I have not been messing with any settings. Same as always. ReSound Experienced-Non-Linear Profile with NAL-NL2 fitting algorithm matched to my audiogram readings. The audi says she’s done REM once and found the REM showed the sound output matched the program prescription for both ears except for one ear being a few dB off at 4K (not worth trying to fix, she said).

Thanks for your suggestions, Rick!

[Raudrive]

Does the left aid always mess up now? If it does, can you swap receivers? See if the problem moves with the receiver or stays with the aid.

I know that might not make since with your streaming situation.

[jim_lewis]

On further thought, perhaps the Test Device fitting option is to be used with a HA test box. Test boxes are pretty pricey. An Audioscan Verifit2 test box on eBay used or refurbished goes for $1,700 or more. Yikes!.

I’ll have to go back to Test Device Smart Fit applet and look at the available options in the P1 dropdown but besides Full Gain, I’ll probably find Reference Gain and the other standard output options for characterizing a HA device according to ANSI and IEC standards over the frequency output spectrum. Since it’s INPUT that I’m interested in testing, that’s yet another can of worms to figure out what affordable DIY options there might be for that.

[Blacky]

I checked your posts and find your problems intriguing. Although I believe, they must be insanely frustrating for you.

One idea that occurred to me, in Phonak’s Target I can un-link the HAs and setup each completely differently. Is it possible that there’s such un-link and that they have different values for feedback block or noise block or something similar?

I saw you mentioned that you suspect microphone issue and not receiver issue since streaming has no problem with high frequencies.
About possibility of mics getting clogged, did you test ear gear or some similar cover?

I checked your other posts to see what you’ve tried, and this ‘wiggling makes it better’, could it be that there’s actually a feedback issue or better said anti feedback issue, where positioning of aids might maybe affect if feedback control kick in or not?

Can you maybe test with putting some more barricade between HA and ear canal/receiver, like hand almost perpendicular to your head between two of them and see what then happens with hearing high frequency noises?

What I mean, testing with various ideas could maybe reveal behavior and make it repeatable and explainable and then maybe even repairable.

My next thought was the wire length, since ears grow different length could be needed, and who knows, maybe relative position of mic in HA and receiver in ear change so slightly that they affect each other.

Or if you’re wearing glasses, maybe you changed order of putting them both on the ear so position changed.

I’m throwing wild guesses here in order to find that bug. I got an impression that you’d like to find the cause, that’s why I’m thinking out loud here

[jim_lewis]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think the HA body is just defective although what’s causing it to fail is another matter. I just plan to return it to my audi and ask her to specifically and emphatically ask ReSound for a failure analysis on the HA. If the HA is not replaced or repaired under warranty and my Quattro’s continue to fail on into the future, I will probably be looking at a different major OEM for future HA’s or since I have mostly moderate age-related loss even trying a post-August 2020 over-the-counter HA solution. Why pay $1,000’s for something that doesn’t work reliably, causes weeks of downtime and reasonably lengthy roundtrips to and from the audi. If it were a car, I’d never buy that brand again … Just as Japanese cars forced Detroit to up its car game, I’m hoping that OTC hearing wearables will put lots of pressure on HA OEMs to produce stellar, very reliable products if they’re going to be very expensive.