Is it possible to upgrade to higher performance levels?

Hearing Aids
#43

No, it’s not that it can’t be done, it’s just that there will be a ‘standard’ separation of about 5-6mm in the SW, so even if you wanted to move the mics further apart on a one off basis, you couldn’t as that’s the way the faceplates arrive from China in your local shell shop, predetermined by your SW expected gap/inbuilt delay separation.

The other problem with increasing the mic gap is that you increase the definition of the directional sensitivity in the vertical plane too. If your horizontal is out by 15 degrees, on both sides in different directions, you’ll lose the benefits of Binaural Summation in the directional field (Stereo Effect).

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#44

Especially from the perspective that whatever we others write, hearing some issue is different than reading about it. We all focus on different things.

I decided to live with distorted sound in both ears because even that give me better clarity than anything else.

But what I describe as distorted someone describes as natural. Eg I’ve read people saying that marvels sound so great, they’d wear them as headsets. I have one good ear. Sound isn’t marvelous for streams. I guess it depends on the source, Youtube Videos probably don’t have highest quality of it. But tinny speaker just doesn’t give clear sound, no matter the dome or plugging, I hear vibration at the end of every word.
But I’m still buying it. Because I get with two of them so not natural really good results.

Yes, I was disappointed at first, judging by those stellar reviews. Then I talked with myself about reasons. If I want natural sound in good ear, I’ll just remove the aid and use headphones. But if I want synced input and speech comprehension, I’ll stick my HAs in both ears.

Internet info is cool and useful, but real decisions should be done with testing through your lifestyle and needs.

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#45

OPN is a popular choice for many, so apparently the “open” paradigm works for a lot of people, me included. But it doesn’t work for everybody, depending on their hearing loss. I’ve seen some forum members not being successful with the OPN despite giving it a good try, and switch to Phonak Marvels and love them.

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#46

True, but I don’t think prior knowledge can hurt anybody, or anything.
My friend in Brisbane - 2,000 km from where I am - is going to his audiologist to tell her that he is not happy with his new Signia HA. He knows absolutely nothing about HAs, uses his PC, but doesn’t bother finding out. He is 88 yo.
He told me that he has to switch his HA off when he goes to the local mall. The noise is overpowering. But he accepted it without questioning it.
I told him that it should be possible to do something about it, and request it, or walk away. Luckily he hasn’t paid for the HAs yet. Unluckily, that audio only sells Signia. But Signia is one of the top brands, so hopefully he will get satisfactory results.

#47

@jfranek43 Not really sure the point of your anecdote. Your friend has the hearing aids. He can get them adjusted if he shares the issue he’s experiencing with his audiologist. But it’s up to him to communicate that. If they’re his first it’ll take time. But you have to start. He started. That’s good.

(Personally I’ll be happy if I’m alive and know my own name at 88. That’s 48 years from now.)

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#48

The point was that my friend knows absolutely nothing about hearing aids, and his rights under the Aus government scheme.
He was given something, doesn’t like it very much, but accepted that. He says it is too fiddly to operate. He wasn’t told that he could get a remote control. He says the HA is useless in a shopping centre where it is too noisy.
When I told him he can ask for something better or walk away, he was surprised, and said he will do it.
All I am saying is - yes, the audiologist is where it all starts happening, but knowing something beforehand is good.

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#49

I like this! Funny…

#50

We all say that . I am 77.
But when you reach that age you are in no hurry to go if you can still enjoy something.
On the other hand, a cousin of mine, also 88, says he is not sure whether that age is a gift or punishment.
That’s life.

#51

My aunt used to say “getting old ain’t for sissies!”
I’m 65 and have total respect for those that are older.

#52

I was just mentioning what I read in an article on the web.
I am not thinking about modifying anything, or asking for it. I only thought that the larger types, like the HS or ITC, would be better because of the possibility of larger separation of mics on the faceplate.
I am not even sure that the two smallest sizes, the IIC and CIC have two mics.

#53

No, you’re waiting for the Insera Discover. I think Covid pushed the release, but should be any time now.

The Tempus 700 was a nice device. Closer to the Phonak 70 than to the 50, but because Unitron had five levels often cheaper. Unfortunately, they’ll be dropping down to 4 levels (like Phonak) with the Discover.

Unitron manages speech in noise differently than Phonak. Phonak beam-forms, Unitron tries hard to preserve localization cues.

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#54

Thank you, Neville,

Is there any information available on the Discover Insera? Will it have bluetooth?

Does it sounds right to you that the Unitron insera without BT is more expensive than the Phonak Virto with BT? Or does the seller has the pricing wrong? (I can’t find any other prices for the Insera styles.) Or is it the price of having the upgrade possibility?
Unitron is not mentioned when talking about top brands. I expected it to be a lot cheaper than Phonak.

So the Unitron speech management would be similar to the Oticon philosophy? It is interesting that a stablemate of Phonak would follow their competitor’s ideas.

#55

The Unitron Insera 312 has bluetooth capabilities like the Phonak virto Marvel 312.

More info: Información del producto

#56

Thank you very much - good news. And it is in the latest technology platform - Discover Next.

The Australian website doesn’t list it, that’s why I did not see it.
Hopefully we will get it here later on -

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#57

Just have a look at the features on the RIC version (Discover Jump or Move) and the features will be largely identical.

Manufacturers do not give consistent pricing to every audiologist. The audiologist you are looking at may have a discount with Phonak, largely based on the number of units they are able to sell of a particular manufacturer or some other aspect of their relationship. Or they might aquire phonak hearing aids through a buying group that affords them a better price and does not include Unitron. The Unitron people in that area may be more or less interested in trying to push into that market and therefore more or less interested in giving your audiologist a good price. So it can vary quite a bit.

If you were to go to a manufacturer owned clinic, you may find a better price on that manufacturer’s device, but then there are other. . . inconsistent differences between audiologists who work in that environment versus an independant clinic.

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#58

Have you tried contacting HearingSavers to see if they have any information? They might be a bit more local for you. I use them for a lot of accessory purchases, they seem to be pretty good with pricing.

https://www.hearingsavers.com.au/categories/hearing-aids/unitron-hearing-aids/unitron-insera.html?sort=priceasc

#59

Thanks

Today I found out that SpecSavers are in the hearing aid business, and they sell Phonak Marvel 90, 70, and Signia Nx7, Nx5 for very good prices after the government subsidy is applied.
Their prices are very attractive, but they are closed due to Covid.
I think they will be our first stop when they open.

#60

@jfranek43 Not sure where I said I’d be in a hurry to go. I said that with full knowledge of my family’s medical history. It isn’t encouraging. No one in my family that we know of has ever lived past 81. But, my generation is the first that isn’t smokers or alcoholics so we have that going for us, which is nice. But, my generation (me) is also the first to experience the medical issues that I have over the past couple of years so we’re back to being discouraged.

Also, Specsavers in Melbourne is open for audiological appointments right now. I was just on their website. They have a ton of locations. I picked a random one, Camberwell, and it had appointments available for consultations as soon as next Monday.

#61

The “you” wasn’t meant to be You. Just a matter of speaking.

What Specsavers in Camberwell have on their website I do not know, but Specsavers where I live only take urgent cases.
We wouldn’t want to go there anyway at this stage of Covid, face masks or not.

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have a nice day

#62

I just want to second what phobos512 said about wearing whatever device all the time. You hear with your BRAIN. The EAR only collects sound. So if your brain is not used to hearing those sounds, they will only annoy you, not help.
My husband’s family has inherited sensorineural hearing issues and my husband started wearing aids in the 70’s. His dad had waited so long to get hearing aids (and technology was in its infancy in the 50’s) that he wore them ONLY when he had to for his job as an elementary school principal. Which left us dealing with him at home with no aids.
My husband, knowing the issues got aids early and wore them all the time and at times he could hear some things BETTER than I could because of the compression in the aids.
When I started losing MY high frequencies, I also got aids and wore them all day and I feel like I am under water when without them.
I have recently been trying demo aids of different brands prior to getting new hearing aids and find it takes 2 - 5 days of wearing each
new demo aid all day for my brain to adjust and let me tell the what the new demo does.
So if you are not going to wear aids all the time I would suggest you try one of the new “hearables” like the Apple AirPods discussed at the top of this newsletter. MUCH less expensive and if you aren’t wearing aids full time probably will be just as helpful.

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