This thread raises a broader question about what is the best place to buy a product that will inevitably need service throughout the lifetime of the device. If you have concerns about being able to pay for that maintenance you should consider purchasing your HA’s from a place where the follow up service is included in the purchase price, like Costco. Alternatively you could negotiate a price for that with the independent audiologist at the time of the sale. There are trade offs in most purchases in life, Costco is somewhat limited in it’s offerings, but one price gets you a180 day return window, free replacement for the duration of the warranty, and free service at any Costco.
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Or you find a cheap price fir hearing aids - either on-line or at Costco - and take them to your favorite Audi for professional expertise when needed. Lots of alternatives.
You know what they say about putting lipstick on a pig?
Since I’ve already learned how to do self adjustments for my reverse slope hearing loss, investing in and using a little vacuum seems very doable - and necessary based on the feedback here. The only thing I’ll do differently next time (5 years from now), is I’ll seek out an audiologist that has more experience fitting my unique condition.
Some clinics are bundled and some aren’t. Sounds to me like in this case the audiologist is just giving the patient the choice as to whether to get the care plan or not rather than just bundling it in from the get-go and pretending those services are free.
If the care bundle covers annual reassessment and real-ear verification appointments along side the unlimited appointments and cleanings, it’s not a bad deal. Even better if it covers batteries and/or wax removal. Typically care packages are priced towards the average patient, but also priced to promote follow-up (clinicians do actually like their patients to hear optimally and so do like them to come back into the clinic regularly). For people who end up being in constantly, they tend to be a good deal whereas for people who decline their annual appointments they tend to be a bad deal. So it’s a question of how average you are, and how average your ears are. People with ears who hate hearing aids (moist, waxy, extra bendy, generally difficult) often need those extra appointments. Some people are also more able to care for their hearing aids than others, given individual differences in fine motor skills and eyesight.
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My Audi has never charged me for what we are talking about as routine maintenance. You don’t have to go to Costco to receive that. All you have to do is ask ahead of time what is included with the purchase price. A lot of Audis don’t try to nickle and dime you after you buy aids from them.
I remember that thread, too, @jay_man2. I scored a neat, spring-loaded vacuum device from @gorgeguy. It’s like a hypodermic needle in reverse. Hit the trigger and it delivers a single burst of reverse air flow that sucks up the wax.
I produce dry, flaky cerumen, that can get into mic ports and block the sound. My device does a good job at clearing the ports without damaging the mics.
Would this be the thread in which vacuuming was discussed as a possible cause of mic failure or is it another one? ReSound Preza issue If so, thanks if anyone can provide the link.
Not sure where it was discussed, but it’s hugely unlikely to be the actual failure mode.
Nearly all HA mics were designed to withstand explosive decompression, so a few minutes of cannula suctioning isn’t going to cause an issue.
If there’s goretex screens in play, then the material ahead of the mic, might cause a problem. Usually it’s misted sticky or charged particles that cause the greatest problem, either by blocking the fine mesh of the internal mic screen or by stripping the diaphragm/electret of charge.
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The failure mode on the Quattro’s that I’ve had problems with is very odd. Walking, talking, chewing, loud noise all seem to reactivate external mic input but the mic input dies away if I’m just sitting around. All the failed Quattro’s I’ve had, too, worked fine just after booting but die away just sitting around. Jostling the HA body or the receiver wire reactivates the mic, too. Streaming is always stellar, even on a failed device.
One thing that I’ve noticed is that all Quattro’s but my latest left replacement have somehow accumulated gunk internally. When one looks at the bottom of the HA body at the clear plastic window over the internal serial number, on all previous Quattro’s, the inside of the window has accumulated debris like very fine dandruff, dust, dirt, obscuring the serial number. So I’ve also been wondering if as originally manufactured, the Quattro’s don’t have high enough dirt resistance (the IP rating is 58) whereas the Ones have an IP 68 rating as do the Marvels and the Paradises as well. So if dust and dirt had anything to do with the problems I’ve experienced, I’m not sure why walking, talking chewing, and other movements reactivate the sound. Sweat-induced corrosion has been mentioned as a possibility in the past but in the last two years, especially with the pandemic, I haven’t been doing any real sweating and don’t wear the devices outdoors when it’s hot out in Texas.
It’s not the air pressure reduction that’s my concern with a Jodi-Vac. It’s the vibration of the pump transmitted down the tubing to the cannula tip that I think might be a problem. If one puts the canula tip against the back of one’s fingernail, one can feel a decided vibration transmitted from the suction tip to the fingernail. My worry is that I’ve literally been vibrating my HA’s apart with the suction tip. I’m still using the Jodi-Vac but rather than firmly pressing it against the top of the microphone openings, I’m lightly skimming over the openings in hopes of transmitting minimal vibration to the HA body at the point of contact. The thing that’s different about my use vs. a HCP’s use is that I’m vacuuming everyday and in the past, I was pressing the tip very firmly against the outer part of each microphone opening.
Given microcircuitry with dimensions in nanometers, I’m always amazed that smartwatches and smartphones can use serious vibration as a means of alerting the user to alarms and notifications without eventually self-destructing. Don’t know if it requires a special type of microchip construction but I would hope that HA’s are made to the same vibration-resistant standards as smartphones and smartwatches, etc. I’m suspicious that ReSound HA’s are not.
The only thing you’d expose with that sort of vibration is a dry solder joint that would have failed anyway. Bear in mind that full BTE hearing aids (and therefore the standard for all amplifier circuits) are designed to deal with vibration from the receiver at anywhere between 50hz and 10Khz.
A Jody-vac isn’t going to shake anything important; it’s massively unlikely to cause issues. Microphones and Receivers are drop tested from a few metres to evaluate reliability. There’s barely anything to break off a microphone anyway; the bits are physically welded and pressed together.
I’d say you have loads more risk from perspiration blocking the mic screen, getting rid of that with a Jody-Vac makes good sense.
The most common failure we have with Quattros (and we’ve sold a few pairs) is due to the battery and charging system being a bit temperamental. Though some seem to die from sweat ingress too. If you can push for a five year Resound warranty, it might help.
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Thanks very much for the helpful advice. What to you think about gently blowing out microphone openings with compressed air? I’m wondering if that would work and do no harm, why HA cleaning instructions in the manuals for various brands don’t recommend it - since it would certainly be a lot cheaper and easier to implement than getting a Jodi-Vac to clean microphone openings.
I’d advise against that as you’ll push micro-particles onto the inner screen or through to the diaphragm.
The small suction systems are fine.
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Quite some time ago, I bought on Amazon the Serene Innovations HC-200 Hearing Aid Vacuum Cleaner ( about $79.00). It is a little bit heavy but after figuring out how to use it, I found it to be vey useful. For instance, at least once a week I clean the vents in the molds and remove any traces of wax buildup in the wax plugs without having to make an appointment with my audi - without having to wait sometimes 2 weeks for one and drive 15 miles for it. And it saves a little bit by not having to buy the wax plugs for my Oticon Opn S 1 more often.
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My first two hearing aids were paid for by ME… everything was included, including office visits, cleaning, domes, etc. Now, with my new aids, which were paid for by my insurance policy, I still get initial domes and guards, but any office visits after the first 90 days, I have to pay for, excluding warranty work. Still well worth it since I save $5000 on the purchase, AND I get new aids every two years. So any services may be limited by insurance or package offered.
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I took my first hearing aid to Listen Up Canada for a cleaning.
I paid.
The tech brought it back; said he had cleaned the hearing aid. He said the microphone didn’t work and I needed new hearing aids.
I wasn’t happy…
(wikipedia search shows that listen up canada was owned by a real “character”…he had quite the history.
My wonderful audiologist who provided my first Phonak hearing aids through workman’s comp sold her business. Turned out it was owned by Listen Up Canada. That had not been disclosed to her during the sale. Though I trust her completely, she was mislead by Listen Up Canada. I went there once after she left, and never returned. They did not support Phonak hearing aids.
My awful audiologist followed a similar path. I went there for about 8 years. They sold me my Phonak B70 Hearing Aids. After numerous complaints saying that the B70’s didn’t work, Peel Adiologist was bought out by Connect Hearing. I’ve left them because my Phonak B70 hearing aids didn’t work the way they were set up There is some good news…but it didn’t help me get service there. Connect Hearing is owned by Sonova. Sonova bought Phonak. Internet comments by Connect Hearing employees are not favourable.
Key: as I said here and confirmed by other posters who have much more knowledge than I do–you have to choose your hearing aid care provider well.
That’s a real challenge! And it’s a reason why forums like this one are so important.
DaveL
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Well that’s not how it’s ever worked for me. And I have insurance. My insurance pays for testing and aids. I don’t get charged for anything else.
Well I’ve got an appointment with my audiologist to go over any wax and moisture related maintenance tasks. I’ve got an hour time slot to use for this so I should be able to get the info I need and see how he vacuums them out using his tools. Thanks for all the responses and suggestions.
Yes, that’s my plan after this appointment.