My review with Oticon Xceed III UP since three months

Hearing Aids
#1

Hello everybody, here is my review for Oticon Xceed III UP since three months. I will do my best to share my experience and of course you’re welcome to ask me some questions here.

First time I saw Oticon Xceed III UP in my hand, I do see that it looks kind of neat and feel like mix of beautiful and little bit weird shape which didn’t bother me at all. I turned it on so first thing I did hear is strong sound of talking. I assumed it might be high MPO. The gain power sounds nice but little bit loud. The Bluetooth connection between Xceed III UP to my iPhone 11 is pretty much easier. Going out, Everything around me is not very loud but comfortable. Only thing that bothers me the most, talking is kind of loud for me, for even, my voice is loud too. When going to restaurant with my fiancee, everything was totally loud but I still can hear voice which is totally fine. I do feel very satisfied with this new hearing aid by first day. My opinion, I prefer Oticon brand than Phonak Naida because my conversation with everyone including my fiancee, family and friends, it’s pretty good. I’m disappointed that Naida B UP didn’t help me that much. It’s reason for me to go for my new Oticon Xceed III. I am not going to say that Phonak is bad company. I always know that it didn’t work for me very well but I am sure that it works for you or anyone but not for me. But good news, I’m willing to test on Phonak Naida M UP when it comes out soon and see if it can do better job than Oticon Xceed.

Now with Oticon Genie 2 software working on my new Oticon Xceed III UP

I always know that it’s gonna be a lot of work me to tune right sound for my need. What I did see is my adaptive manager is set as 3 and it makes sense that I was hearing loud all the times. I am not sure why my audiologist wanted me to be on 3 instead of 2 since I’m kind of comfortable on number 2. But one problem is that if I am on number 2, I miss some conversation sometimes. For MPO, I was little bit surprised to see that my MPO is pretty strong. I decided to lower MPO just little bit due to sharpness sound. Right now I need to figure out how to deal with sharpness sound because my ear drum is vibrating too much when people are talking to me or around me. Maybe my audiologist feels that I need to hear everything like really everything.

Battery cover

The battery cover can be little bit annoyed. If it’s half open, it’s still on. I have to open it wide then put it into the case every time before going to bed.

Ear hook

This ear hook is pretty very good and very strong. If you plan to take it off, you would need to find thinnest tool to take needle out first before taking ear hook off. Also if experiencing some strong sharpness sound, Oticon can offer damped ear hook which is great but I couldn’t find one on eBay so only can get one if going to audiology appointment to get one.

Music

I love that music coming from the iPhone to my new hearing aid. Only one small complaint is too much sharpness sound. Best as I can do is just turn it as medium volume then it’s fine for me for awhile till I see audiologist sometimes soon.

Oticon Xceed III UP and cochlear implant N5 comparison

I had cochlear implant which is nucleus N5 about less than 2 years between 2005 to 2007. I had to get everything out by totally removed via the surgery due to inflection and it was a long story. But what I can tell you that Xceed III UP sounds almost closer to this N5 but never will be better than cochlear implant because I couldn’t hear much deep on high frequency on Xceed III. Cochlear implant definitely did get me to hear more deep on high frequency which was pretty cool. I wish that Oticon and Phonak could find better solution to help with more high frequency for everyone’s need that want to hear more of high frequency everyday. Again with cochlear implant, I can hear both male and female voice which is beautiful. Only one thing I hate about cochlear implant is too loud but that’s life. For Xceed as I have, I definitely can hear male voice is no problem at all with me but with female voice, it can be little bit hard so that’s why I have to be on adaptive manager number 3 so I can hear more of female voice. My risk is if I decide to lower MPO or setting it as 2 in addaptive manager, I can miss some conversation from female voice.

At last

I think that’s all for now, I will add more to my first post later. There’s probably more information I need to add here but please feel free to ask me many questions. Again, please I don’t want to hear any complaining that Oticon is suck, Naida is worst, Widex is garbage, Resound is weak or whatever it is. I think all hearing aid brands are pretty good but always gonna be a lot of work to tune them. I don’t mind accepting Phonak Naida but unfortunately it doesn’t work for me well due to weak sound according to my opinion. No worry, I will give a try on new Phonak Naida M UP coming out very soon then see what happens next. I am here to share my experience about my new hearing aid which might be benefit for everyone to know from me.

Thank you for reading my post and ask away whatever you need for me to answer some questions.

3 Likes
#2

Thank you for your in depth review. I want to trial these when I get new aids. I will read everything you post - the good and the not so good.
You’ve been thru a lot and I hope the Xceed is a solution to better hearing for you.

#3

Nice to read your detailed review of Xceed. First I’ve seen on HT. Couple questions. Explain “adaptive manager function” in relationship to various settings (2, 3) you mentioned. I assume adjustments made between settings (2 & 3) were handled by your Audi and not within the Oticon Genie 2 software by yourself? You’re some what unique since I’m assume (your overall hearing level) is a combination of the Oticon Exceed and your existing CI together. So incoming sound is going to be mix between HA and CI, versus just one Exceed or two. Who knows how the Naida Mavel UP will perform but I’m thinking the Exceed might be a better sound match with your opposite CI. Looking forward to reading more of your posts.

#4

To answer your question. My audiologist put me on adaptive manager number three. It’s pretty strong sound around me and it can be little bit annoying when I hear some sharpness from the voice plus some vibration inside my ear. On Oticon Genie 2 software, I put down adaptive manager number 2, I like it a lot due to comfortable and quiet but I still can miss some conversation. I also tried to cut down little on MPO little bit but again still can miss some conversation. I am thinking maybe getting damped ear hook might be solution to reduce some sharpness and to feel comfortable.

The sound of cochlear implant as I used to have, it was beautiful but I couldn’t have it due to infections so I had to get it totally removed via surgery for my health to be 100% and to be good as new. I will wait till scientists invent hair cells and I hope they are not gonna test on animals.

I saw my dream when I was sleeping that hearing aid brand companies found the answer that new feature called automatically real ear measurement that can read inside ear and can dare to do own audiogram that we never need to see audiologists anymore. It’s like we can be hearing again because this new technology can do this better job to make sure we can hear everything from low, middle and high frequency fullest. I believe they can do it.

By the way, I have been looking for hearing aid since several years to match with sound of cochlear implant. This Oticon Xceed is the one I finally found my sound that I need but it will be not better than cochlear implant due to limited on high frequency.

Phonak Naida was pretty good experience for my comfortable need however it didn’t help me that much during noise situation. It’s why I chose Oticon Xceed. Only one con for this new hearing aid, when going to loudest restaurant, crowd or party club, my ear is like ouch and too much pressure.

My audiologist said it‘a normal to hear that new sound and gonna take few months to get used with that sound then no problem. I am little bit surprised that my fiancée already got used with her same Oticon Xceed hearing as mine by first month. I was like not totally fair. I sure hope to get used it in several months. :+1:

#5

nice review!!! I’ll have to go get it soon! (SP for me and seriously an UP for my mom if her hearing loss changes since she just turned 60)

suprised my current hadn’t taken a shat yet LOL!!!

#6

Your mom would love the Xceed S1 UP if her loss is more profound. You may remember I trialled a set over Christmas into the new year and I still have them and love them totally.

#7

Please explain the difference between the Oticon Exceed one, two and three in UP model? I’ve reviewed Oticon’s website but don’t see any mention of the three different hearing aid sizes or discription. Is it a difference in receiver size, or something else. Tks

#8

:smiley: then we may go for that when it shows it

#9

they are all BTEs so (SP takes 13 and the UP takes a 675)

#10

Right but I’ve seen price quotes for Exceed 1, Exceed 2 and Exceed 3. Each one a different price but can’t tell what causes the price difference. The Exceed 3 was the cheapest of the group so please tell what the difference between each aid. Is it (1) rechargeable battery, (2) size 13 disposable and (3) size 675 disposable battery? Just guessing.

#11

1 is the top level, most features
2 is a mid-level aid
3 is the bottom level aid, least features

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#12

Thanks Raudrive - either I’m looking in the wrong places for info or Oticon does a poor job identifying the different aid levels. Now I wonder what features you get in say level one versus level 3? Also wonder if there could be different receivers for 1, 2 and 3?

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#13
#14

Tenkan - thanks for link which explains all. Odd though that level 1 Exceed which has the most bells and whistles (most check marks for various categories) is the cheapest price quote. Something is off here since you would think the aid with the most technology levels (built in) would be the most expensive.

Oticon Xceed 1 - $1,243
Oticon Xceed 3 - $1,505

What am I missing here?

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#15

That doesn’t sound right the xceed 1 is two levels above the xceed 3.

#16

Yea and I wonder if Link Tenkan sent was a mis-print. Obviously an aid with more options would cost more than one with fewer options. So the Exceed One should be the most expensive of the group.

1 Like
#17

Actually those prices aren’t across the board, they are in most cases a special deal being offered by a clinic, so there will be quite a difference between models and clinics at any given time.

#18

Oticon Xceed 1 is the same technology level as Opn S1, Xceed 2 is Opn S2 and Xceed 3 is Siya. They call it Xceed 3 but there is no level 3 in this class.

#19

Severe SNHL is typically associated with very poor frequency resolution and focusing mostly on temporal resolution.
Most hearing aids with a non-linear approach, fast-acting compression fit loud, medium and soft sounds in a remaining very small dynamic range. The primary knee point around 45 which dramatically minimizes temporal cues. As a result, the speech is audible but unclear.
Until now technology could not provide the right treatment for severe and profound hearing loss. In Fall 2019, Oticon and Bernafon released a new Super Power hearing aid with exceptional amplification power and optimal speech understanding.
Oticon Xceed and Bernafon Leox have the primary knee point around 65 dB which means the full range of moderate level inputs falls within the linear part of the input-output function of the hearing aid. In other words, instead of fitting all 3 (loud, medium and soft) sounds in the small dynamic range, only medium sounds will fit in. Moderate level speech is what the clients listen to most of the time. For the soft speech, the client will need to turn a volume up by the control button. Louder speech moves right below the MPO of the hearing aid. It’s a non-linear section to the hearing aid, but it’s relatively shorter compared to what traditional hearing aids have.

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#20

Just out of curiosity did you trial the Xceed for three months and then return it? That’s really a long time to test an aid and still get full refund upon return. Since Resound just came out with an upgraded power aid (Enzo Q) you might find that more beneficial in your “hearing loss range” versus the Phonak Naida M (which is a SP and not a UP).