This all sounds good! regarding the phone: I’m a bit slow, but it finally dawned on me that using the speaker phone really helped with the whole problem we wearers have of positioning the phone right when we talk. Now I just hold the phone in front of me and talk.
@daviskit59, I still haven’t finished reading the entire thread carefully or put appropriate words in screen, but my sense (asssuming it’s worth the financial and opportunity cost/benefit) is that having this kind of individualized attention might not be possible from Costco.
One quick question - apologies if you’ve already answered - why the 330’s and not the 440’s. From what I understand, the biggest cost obstacle is buying into the wider platform to begin with. As a working musician with an active lifestyle and engaging in a very wide array of hearing environments, why not the go for top of the line?
What does the Evoke 440 offer that the 330 does not? Do you need those extras?
Sincere questions - I’m biased but not a shill.
- K
Sounds you like have a gem of an audiologist.
Hi Kermit! I would have loved to get the 440s, but they were like $1,500.00 more. While my insurance is covering part of the 330s, my out of pocket is still several thousand, so coming up with the extra right now is pretty hard (I’m pretty much “ramen-noodling” it for the 330s). What I told my audiologist was that if these don’t work, I would definitely upgrade while I’m still in my trial period, but so far these seem to be working. I raised three daughters on my own and while they are grown now, I’m pretty careful because I’ve learned over the years things happen. I do know I would never have gotten this kind of individualized attention at Costco, and it’s so nice knowing you have an audiologist you feel is bright and cares about your results.
I did meet the Widex rep though in my audiologist’s office on Tuesday. He was great. Engaging and very knowledgeable about the needs of a musician. We discussed working as a solo musician versus working in an actual symphony environment (many instruments, conductors, audience sound, etc.), and that the 330s would probably work fine in my situation. if I need to upgrade, I will, but hoping these will continue to meet my needs as well as they seem to so far.
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She’s great. She’s hard of hearing herself and I think that makes all the difference. I had gone for hearing aids years ago, and my audiologist was not as knowledgeable, and didn’t have the understanding and empathy to help me understand how to use my hearing aids, what to expect, and never got the fitting right - never able to play piano or organ without feedback. I gave up entirely on hearing aids and unfortunately went several years “soundless” which was awful. I can’t say enough how important the relationship can be between someone who is hearing impaired and their audiologist can be. For me, it’s been the difference between hope and hearing, and sad giving up. So several years lost, but better things to come.
You don’t need to be that much joined-at-the-hip with your Audi or Costco fitter. It’s easy to do this yourself without wasting time going to someone else.
I just splash a little common isopropyl alcohol on a clean cloth, or even a clean t-shirt that I am wearing 
. Then I wipe my domes/molds clean keeping them pointed downwards so as not to let any excess alcohol seep into the receiver/speaker. Once the parts that fit into my ears are clean it’s easy to change your wax filters, like this.
PVC, I change out my wax guards assiduously; in fact my HA provider jokes about how often I do it. And of course I wipe them down every night, although your idea of using alcohol is good. My HA person uses a vacuum type machine to extract wax that still manages to get into those fine holes in the aid and possibly the receivers. I have one dome and one ear mold; wax in the mold is harder to get out than the dome, which I just toss and put on a new one. Those picks for cleaning out the tiny sound holes etc. can just jam the wax in tight and require a larger fix I’ve found.
Still, if I can become independent of the shop, that’s all to the better!
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Wow. I didn’t realize it was so much between the 330s and 440s.
I’m making do on the cheap. I picked up a legit pair of Unique Passion 440s on eBay for cheap and went to my audiologist for programming.
Alas, I found out why my audiologist is also inexpensive. Currently, looking for a new provider.
Have a good audi is more important than 330->440, IMO. I’ll keep tabs.
Thanks!
Cheers
K.
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Good luck - let me know how they work for you! That’s wonderful!
No, please don’t do that. First of all, you don’t want to take your dome off repeatedly. It stretches the connection point and creates a greater risk of it coming off in your ear. Anytime you remove a dome, replace it with a fresh one. Secondly, alcohol isn’t good for the medical grade silicone that domes are made of, or any other part of a hearing aid. You can clean them in the morning with your brush and a soft, dry cloth, but they shoul be replaced when you change your wax guard and/or when it’s too waxed to be cleaned anymore.
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Not bs, but you can be as ignorant as you want. It’s not like the purpose of the site is to exchange info and learn about wear and care of hearing aids, or anything like that.
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hello -
Thank you for all your input on here.
I am looking at the Widex beyond 330 too. I want to also pick up an iPhone for the streaming capability.
Was wondering two things - 1) what phone are you using? 2) how are the 330s going?
Thank you and best of luck
BDG
I have just been fitted with the Widex evokes 440 and they are amazing. I use a com dex with android phone for streaming and have not had any issues. These hearing aids are incredibly natural and extremely intelligent without any interference from me so I haven’t used the app yet. Happy days!
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One nice thing about the piano; you can run the keyboard and find the keys that sound bad. Either self tune or go back to the audi knowing the frequency that is probably too much amplification. Regardless of your audiogram, there is some frequency that is not just right. Under normal listening, it does not matter. When you hit A6 (3520hz) and it sounds tinny, you just dial down that frequency a little. Nice thing about doing it yourself, is you do it sitting at your keyboard.
All said and done, hearing aids never match good hearing. I have such a profound hearing loss at higher frequencies, that I cannot hear all the harmonics. Piano playing has never been the same. I am moving next year, so the old Yamaha G3 is going to my daughter’s house.
I love your story, so keep at it.
Thank you for this, I have never had normal hearing but this is the first time it sounds so much like when someone speaks loudly in my ear when I haven’t got my aids in, just very natural. I have had such difficulty getting an audiologist who has the skill to correctly set up my aids prescription wise. This time they were programmed up with a hearing test through the new aids and I could immediately hear extremely well, I usually have some quiet spots but can’t detect any now. I am sorry if you are not able to enjoy your music so much now, and appreciate your response.