Kirkland Signature 10 Frequency Lowering?

Hearing Aids
#1

My husband has these aids. Does anyone know if Signature 10 hearing aids have this feature and have turned it on or are using it?

I have some concerns about ongoing support given Costco is no longer partnering with the manufacturer. And given that I will only be able to part my husband from his aids at gunpoint, I may need to figure out how to program them myself at some point? He believes in getting his money’s worth (to wit, we just replaced our 2000 Jeep GCL…not that we are actually getting rid of the Jeep but he did grudgingly allow that we might need a “backup”).

My immediate problem is this: Do these aids support frequency lowering and if so, what kind of algorithm do they use (since there are a few flavors of this)? He has had the aids for a couple years, and of late we are back to the pre HA years in terms of understanding spoken speech. This was hugely apparent when we bought the new vehicle, because he misunderstood things I was telling him (over the phone) and which the dealer was saying directly. I didn’t realize this until the 11th hour when reading documents and had to restart the process which cost people time and could have cost us $. And his response was “you didn’t say that.”

So in my experiment today, I spoke to him in face to face mode and over the phone. He is struggling with consonants and phonemes. Sip, tip, chip sound the same unless I hyper enunciate. But, bus, bust same and had to repeat numerous times. Guh is the same to him as duh. He cannot hear any difference between them despite repetition. I used my normal voice which is not high but is still higher than say a normal male register.

I told him he needs to contact Costco and get an appt. But it is a 3 hour round trip, not a pleasant drive, and I am wondering what he can expect and/or should ask for ti maximize his visit?

I asked him how long the hearing tech spent with him tuning his aids originally, and he said 10 minutes. Maybe this is SOP because he was an experienced user. But seems to me there must be features in that aid he could use to help him?

So I did some research and learned about frequency lowering. I would appreciate any help. My husband is a very social person and the Costco aids for him were a dramatic improvement due to the support he received in the process of acquiring and tuning the aids. I am hoping he can get some more traction out of these aids, and if they are not working for him, not sure where to go. Maybe he can trade up.

PS: The audiogram is mine, as I am a soon to be wearing HA user.

#2

They do, it’s called sound recover, you don’t post his audogram so it’s hard to say if it’s being used or not.
Yeah again it’s hit and miss on the support for Phonak, but from reading feedback from members here they still do.
Ones hearing gets worse as we age some more then others, I’d go back to Costco for a new hearing test and trial of their latest models.
He can keep the KS10 as backups.

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#3

I have the KS9 which is the generation before the KS10. Mine is similar to Phonak Marvel. Your husband’s is similar to Phonak Paradise. They both support Frequency lowering in the form of Frequency Shifting. Phonak’s name for it is Sound Recover 2. I forget what the Target software calls it on the KS models, but it’s the same as SR2. It is a dynamic form of frequency shifting. I’ll include a link to a web page that provides a ton of info on frequency lowering. Frequency Lowering Fitting Assistants

The basic approach should be to activate the frequency lowering with the default values and then test with speech that uses words with the “s” sound. If the “s” sounds like “sh” then settings are too strong and they should be lowered. Costco may or may not be willing to do this. Many just turn it on and if you don’t like it they turn it off.

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#4

I suggest he go back to Costco for an updated hearing test. If there has been a change in his hearing they should be willing to refit or adjust his aids. The frequency shifting (lowering) may or may not have been turned on during the original fitting depending on his audiogram at the time. I have not heard that there has been any issues with their support of the KS10.

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#5

Its called high frequency protect on the Costco version.

Any regular Phonak audiologist can make adjustments to ks10’s even though they don’t think they can or have been told they are locked, have cooties, or whatever. They will charge for it of course. Some might do it as pay-as-you-go. Some might do a bundle of 5 sessions for $x.

Im a long time user of frequency lowering and love it! I have mine (Phonak Lumity 90) set to start at 1300hz but on the ks10 you can go a little lower, say 1100hz, if you are trying to squeeze everything you can out of it.

By the way, the regular audiologist, when they connect to the ks10, will see all the Costco terminology, so it may take them a minute or two to adjust.

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#6

It looks like your question has been answered.

If the audiogram you have posted is correct your husband does not need frequency lowering. The aids just need to be properly adjusted for his hearing loss.

Good luck

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#7

Sorry for any confusion, the audiogram posted is for me! This just came up with him, today. He is not a forum user. But if I could attach it as an image I would. I will see if that is possible.

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#8

When you reply at the bottom of the message area is an arrow pointing up. That will let you upload a picture.

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#9

This is out of date, nearly 5 years old. Am trying to find the Costco test done 2 years ago. I do remember, when I compared the two, feeling that the “bad” ear, as we call it, had sunk into the more severe range with the latest test.

AudioGram19
AudioGram191920×1086 201 KB

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#10

Thanks for the old audiogram. From this audiogram I still do not see frequency lowering helping your husband. It’s the wrong kind of hearing loss for that technology.

Costco wants their clients to come in once a year for a new hearing test and to update the hearing aids. Costco will clean and maintain those aids anytime you go to Costco if you want or need help with those aids. Maybe your husband and his aids just need to make an appointment at Costco for this.

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#11

Thank you very much. I think your advice re a visit and a “tune up” in whatever form that takes is a good idea. I will get an appt for him. He can drive the new car :wink:

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