@mstrmac you mentioned driving time between the two audis, but you didn’t mention cost. Obviously you will have just bought the new Reals when you approach the audi who can perform REM, so before making a decision, I would be sure to find out if the REM audi will even perform REM on aids just purchased elsewhere and what the cost would be.
You also implied that REM might not make that much difference in your case, and you may be right. When I recently purchased Real1s (coming from Opn1), I wanted the disposable battery type which the audi didn’t have in stock, but let me borrow rechargeable Real1s until mine arrived. He said he wasn’t going to perform REM on the borrowed aids and just programmed them according to my audiogram. I was really unimpressed with the Reals to say the least and I even debated if I should even bother with the disposable battery ones, but since I had a trial period I figured I had nothing to lose. When my disposable battery Reals came, and the audi programmed them to my audiogram and them performed REM the difference was night and day. I couldn’t believe they were even the same hearing aids as my loaners. So for me, REM made a huge difference, but then my hearing loss is a pretty straight forward ski slope loss ending at 65db, which maybe could make a difference?
Last thought - as has been stated many times on this forum, the physical hearing aids are no better than the audi or specialist’s ability to fit them correctly. So over time you develop a relationship with a particular practice. To me, juggling between two practices wouldn’t be a particularly good idea, but that’s just me. REM aside, I suggest you go with the audi who you feel does the best fitting. If you feel they are both equal, then if you think REM matters, I suggest you purchase and have fitted with the distant audi. And likewise, if you feel that REM wouldn’t matter much, than go with the closer one. Of course, the catch is that you’ll not know for sure if REM will really matter much for you until you have it done.
I love my new Reals, and hope you will too. Good luck!