WWR, the OP, if anything about what you have read, including the pricing, on the digital MD hearing aid …appeals to you, and if you can’t get to a Costco to try and maybe buy a pair of the new Kirland Signature 5s, even at the pretty amazing price of $1899 with remote, then do take a chance with the MDAir. I just bought one of them and have it on now, just arrived a couple of hours ago. Excellent packaging and included instructions. All in all nice quality. So far. I have an appointment at Costco on 10/4 to be hearing tested again and be trial fitted with the new Signature 5’s.
From what I have experienced over the past year with the MD Pro analogue, linear aids… just in the couple of hours on I can tell I like the “Air” already better. For one thing it is small like s.o.t.a. BTEs are now these days and the form fitting left or right oriented micro tubing is sweet. No messing around and having to cut your own fatter tubing lengths. Though they do include that option. Apparently for severe loss more sound does get through the larger tubing. SUPER comfortable and secure in comparison and really they are so much less visible. I wear glasses and am just dropping the ear frame behind the MD Air on my left ear. The light but rigid tubing keeps the aid very secure, much better than my Pro model. I have a lot of testing to do in noisy situations to see how well they do perform with their 4 programs. You have a dial for volume WITH NUMBERS to keep track of, like with the Pro linear model… which rocks, and turned all the way down it actually clicks off the device. Nice! Takes care of the “guy with-the-leaf-blower” you turn a corner and suddenly encounter while walking. Yowza!!!
Mode 1 (one beep in your ear when you press the button below the volume dial) is Normal. “Home, watching TV, time with family” (“Increases sound in ALL frequencies”) Mode 2 (2 beeps) is “Low Social Mode” (“Low frequencies [most background noises] up to 1000 Hz are not amplified”) Mode 3 (3 beeps) is “High Noisy Mode” “Intense noise situations: parties, restaurants, traffic or large crowds. Ideal for people with high frequency hearing loss.” (“Frequencies up to 1500 Hz are not significantly amplified”) Mode 4 (4 beeps) is “Telecoil” “Use with compatible telephones and looped environments” (“Telecoil enabled. Microphone is off.”)
I have a whole bunch of speech in noise situations to test with only this ONE aid. And will report back. I’m expecting big improvement over the linear, analogue MD Pro. Which itself is far better than nothing and sounds normal. So far with the digital “Air” model things sound pretty normal too. They correctly tell you in the enclosed literature that 2 aids will be better than one. I’ve experienced this with the Pros.
There are ear buds of 3 of sizes that are soft and comfortable, and they give you the choice of really open with big vents or solid with the soft, flexible material. The really open ones are much more prone to start feedback. But the situation is “fairly” good with the digital suppression with the other style. I am opting for the middle size of the non vented buds which for me really is still “semi-open”. The largest size…even less feedback but a little more occlusion and stuffy feeling.
I am going to compare, you bet, with one ear performance during my trial period with the Kirkand Sig 5s. I sincerely hope those will “smoke” this affordable digital aid… > $600 if you buy two at same time. $349 for one, but they tell you in the packaging materials you can purchase a 2nd for still a discount at $319. Even if the Kirklands ROCK and are ALL I hope they will be, I am keeping this one MD Air. I actually like to have something in one ear at night just for the alarm clock and any emergencies to hear someone down the hall. (mom in law lives with us) These are SO much more comfortable than the Pro version. No point in putting hours on more expensive, hit tech aids to do that. Going out in boat, knocking around, etc.
Stay tuned… 
