Issues with (Costco) Phonak Brio 2 / What other HA should I try?

I’ve been trying the Brio 2’s, and my 60 days are almost up, so I have to make a decision. I’ve got mild to moderate hearing loss, this is the first time I’ve worn a HA, and I’m wedded to my iPhone SE (iOS 11.2.2). Aside from the Compilot which I HATE, these are the problems that annoy me:

When I end a call via the Compilot, there is an instant and persistant background noise similar to an open line, or running water. It does eventually go away. Turning off the Compilot does nothing.

There are periods of feedback type noises that I have not been able to relate to anything in the environment. It is sometimes so loud as to be disruptive.

Fabric rustling and crinkling sounds are loud and annoying.

Are these problems I could have with any HA, or are they specific to the ones I have now?

Next to improved hearing, what I want is to have real hands free (no streamer) for calls and music, and tinnitus masking. I have an appointment to check out the Phonak Audeo Direct B70, but have read a few bad reviews on it. Is there anything else that can do what I want?

60 days? Where are you? In the US it’s 180 days. In Canada 90.

Fabric rustling etc is the fact that now you’re hearing it. Eventually it should just become background and you won’t focus on it so much. Add your audiogram. Maybe you have standard, older aged, higher frequency hearing loss and you haven’t been hearing those kinds of sounds for some time.

I don’t think ANY Costco HA provides tinnitus anything. I suspect they get that de-featured to keep costs down.

If you can be satisfied with holding up phone to talk into, lots of aids allow direct streaming to iPhone. Costco carries Bernafon Zerena and Resound Forte. Phonak Audoe B Direct allows truly hands free without device, but it’s definitely a compromise and way more expensive than Costco models. (It is not available at Costco. Z10 is correct that Costco aids do not have tinnitus features. However if you had a Zerena or Forte, you could download masking sounds onto your iPhone and stream them

It seems to be a thing these days to hold the mic up to the mouth and use the speaker phone. Seems odd to me but hey if you’re using HA’s or headphones what the hey…you’re hip and with it and in the in crowd. :slight_smile:

But wouldn’t all that streaming suck battery?

If I wanted to hold my phone to talk, I would not have used the term “hands free”, which employs the plural, meaning both hands.

At this time there is not anything else that can do what you want.

1 Like

Thanks for explaining plural; I’ll write that down. :slight_smile:

MFi cannot provide a different microphone. Accessories can. Both Oticon and Resound have modern and fairly unobtrusive clipon units that work with all phones and have their own mic. Also resound has a mic only unit that is useful for handsfree and also noisy situations or lecture halls. That and only that will provide the second mic input.

However, I have at times used my MFi phone handsfree. I put it in my shirt pocket with the phone mic at the top. It work fine for infrequent use. No complaints from the caller.

@AdamsHouseCat and @KenP: Well that’s news to me. And here I thought these new-fangled mePhones were all clever and able to do everything plus make toast.
But seriously…I had assumed the HA was the mic to transmit to the phone with those mfi thingys.

I’m going to try the Costco Ks7, which also uses a streamer, but does not require it for things like volume & program control. That’s what I hate most. I don’t usually wear shirts with pockets, as it’s mostly a men’s Clothing thing, and would also be useless in winter. Glad it works for you. I guess I’m just spoiled by years of great pre-HA Bluetooth service from Motorola. Not enjoying the aging thing so much (already have IOL’s), but at least I haven’t had to replace any joints yet.

I seem to think that there are very few HA’s that have no switches/buttons. Indeed the KS7 can be programmed to control both sides. I have the right set to volume and press/hold for program change. And the left for “tone”. I have the smartphone program for it but actually rarely use it. I don’t have the factory neckloop. I have an aftermarket one that uses the telecoil.
I’m not sure anybody enjoys the aging thing :slight_smile:
What’s an IOL?

Please clarify what you mean here? I don’ know of any aids that require a streamer for volume and program control.

I’m pretty sure IOL is Intra Ocular Lens (like for cataract surgery) I don’t use my smartphone app much with my KS7s now either, although it was a fun toy initially.

I was astounded that a young’n’ in my office could hear the tone it made.
Thanks about IOL.

duplicate post…

I assume you’re talking about the tone the smart phone uses to communicate with the KS7. Yeah, it’s about 12khz. My hearing aid fitter could hear it clearly

Ken P was talking about putting his phone in his pocket, not the streamer.

The Phonak Brio 2, sold by Costco, requires that the Compilot streamer be turned on in order for a phone to communicate with the HA’s. So, no program or volume control without the extra gadget.

I looked at a picture of them on Costco’s site and I see buttons. I would be about certain that those buttons would be able to control volume and program choices.

KenP also mentioned clipon mic’s.

There’s no way I would regularly use a neck loop; I love my jewelry. Are you saying that the KS7’s have control buttons on the HA’s? Using an app on my phone would be second nature for me, so no problem there, though buttons on the HA’s sounds really smart. I’m generally disappointed in the level of tech available. It’s surprising that there is only one truly hands free device on the market, and it has not received rave reviews.

As someone already answered, IOL is Intra Ocular Lens, an artificial replacement for natural lenses clouded by cataracts. They fall short also, but I remember the 2” thick glasses that they replaced, and, yes, I also remember the huge & ugly vintage HA’s. We’ve come a long way & I’m grateful for it all, though it doesn’t keep me from nit picking.

I’m not sure there’s some confusion of what is being controlled and where.

The HA’s (most modern digital ones) have buttons that can control volume and programs on the HA’s.

A streamer is required for many HA’s to allow outside sources to “pipe” into the HA’s and perhaps also in addition to the HA’s themselves to control programs and volume. These sources could be a phone, a music player, a tv etc. Most of these streamers offer wireless connectivity to those devices that can output wirelessly.

Several HA’s can wirelessly connect directly to a device without a streamer ie. iphone and one HA to Android. I assume they would simply use the built-in volume control but not sure about programs. But then they would need to be “connected” to be useful.

And another thing is app control from a smartphone. These can also control volume and program choices.

I’ve made several edits. This is 13:19PST

1 Like