My take is that there’s really no doing this half way. One can either consult with a professional and put one’s trust in that professional or one can dive in and be more involved. I think learning just enough to question what the audiologist is doing is not a good place to be. Of course it depends a lot on how one asks questions.
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Extra espresso cured my cranky. 
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Thank you for your great posts, @Volusiano. This states what I was thinking much more clearly.
Thanks to many informed users replying here, I am learning the technical side of hearing, which I want to do to be able to work with whatever fitter I use to get the best results I seek. I know that just saying “The _____ sound is bad” will not be enough to fine tune the HAs to give me the best I can get.
I’ll make sure the 85 receivers get on the order, and see how the initial fitting goes with the OPN 1. She has tough competition with the exceptional Costco fitter who tested me there.
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The Speech Rescue frequency lowering technology used in the OPN is not frequency compression but rather frequency transposition and composition (although with just a tiny bit of compression maybe), so I’m not finding the music I listen to out of tune at all. But then I don’t play individual notes with a piano looking for irregularities either. Just overall, it sounds very natural and in tune for me.
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I’m now a hearing aid owner and very happy wearer! Costco ReSound Forte 8, 62 RIC (13 batt), Medium Power receiver with a Phone Clip+, since I have a Pixel 2 XL phone with Android v.9.0 / Pie, and stream music many hours each day from phone or watch Vizio TV where I cast MLB at Bat or Hulu from the phone to TV, then via Avantree Oasis BT transmitter to Phone Clip+ direct to my ears, All this streaming is why I choose HAs with size 13 batteries. What a wonderful experience to hear well again!
My Costco fitting was excellent, with the HIS (Collin) going through all the steps and explaining everything on each step. The first thing was many steps of REM with three different tones, or garbled speech (Collin stated it is seven different languages spoken by men, women and children all at once to cover a wider range of voices).
1- in front of the speaker with tones, then garbled speech with the REM pickup device around my neck, ends with mics on my shoulders to calibrate the device.
2 - REM mics in my ears with no aids to see who my ears responded to the tones or garbled speech. Seeing live on the screen how my pinna directs sound to my inner ear was fascinating!
I’m such a total geek. 
3 - REM mics in ears with HAs in place, tuned to my audiogram only.
4 - REM mics in ears wtih HAs, and he tuned settings to what REM results showed with tones and garbled speech, then played some sounds (bells, wind in trees, cars going by, water running, siren in the distance) and speech, man, woman, or child and asked if I understood clearly.
We talked about target settings, I stated I was highly adaptable and knew I had to learn to work with new sounds. He crumpled some paper, dropped a pen on the chair mat, I said they were loud, but not overwhelming. I told him about using the IQBuds Boost that adjust sounds with the NAL-HL2 formula with a phone app. He had me at 90% target,then moved me to 100% and suggested we try this in store to see how well I tolerated that level. I went home at 100% target.
We paired the HAs to PC+ (Phone Clip+) and PC+ to my phone, I walked around the store, came back, streamed some music from my phone. This with open domes, I did not like the music, lacking bass notes especially. Then he installed tulip domes, and I repeated the actions, music better, but still not much bass notes of jazz with a stand up bass. Then he installed some bass domes, and the music was much better, though obviously my voice got that in-a-tunnel sound.
I went over my whole checklist of items, many of those I gather from reading here on Hearing Tracker forums. We talked about the new Quattro, he had not heard of it but would investigate more. He thinks Costco will continue the ReSound line, as it is a strong seller in this store and others he knows from internal sources. Collin put four each of open, tulip, and bass domes in a baggie for me to take and experiment in the next two weeks before the first adjustment appointment. 
At home I listened to some music on home speakers, TV, and played with settings in phone seeking music nirvana. I use Google Play Music service and it has an equalizer, so I set that with some bass and midrange boost, the PC+ has a bass boost while streaming, and I can get as good a sound as I can with ear buds on my hearing loss. That bass boost on the PC+ works well too, better than listening with the speakers attached to the TV. I like the streaming to HAs direct better, since I can mute the aids, eliminate other noises like fans, fridge, outside sounds of traffic two blocks away, neighbors outside, the sounds I don’t hear without HAs. 
I was out at dawn this morning, to a small park two blocks from my apartment. Birds, insects buzzing, the early morning runners shoes on sidewalk, a worker washing down the concrete areas at the local swimming pool, planes at the airport (2 mi away), the mission bells downtown. What a treat, I think I’m still high on those sounds. I came back and put some old jazz on and had my OMG moment with Stephane Grappelli, Django Reinhardt, and Lionel Hampton. The violin and vibraphone high notes sent chills down my spine.
I’m not going to follow through with Oticon OPN 1 via Hearing Revolution after the fitter they sent me to was unresponsive to questions when I was there and a later phone call about receivers. She could care less about a person referred via Hearing Revolution, and her antagonistic attitude showed it.
Collin is perfect for my personality with all things geek and tech, why go anywhere else? I have the ReSound Smart Fit program installed, so I can investigate settings, knowing Collin will be fine with that. As I left, he said this was the most fun on a fit he had had in a long time, as we thanked each other for the great exchange.
Now I’m learning the Smart 3D app, it is highly configurable, much more than I expected after testing it in demo mode and going through its features. This is good for a hopeless geek! 
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Make a lengthy phone call while driving. I want to know if they maintain connection as your head swivels around checking traffic. That’s the biggest problem I’m having with my Siemens. Every stop sign, every lane change, constantly losing connection.
Great review! I shall be following your further experiences just as I have done with Bryan9. Go to some really noisy places, especially restaurants. That is my biggest problem even without HA’s as just yet!
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@BlueCrab I no longer drive. Cataracts stopped that, then cancer, hit by a car and broken leg set me back more, so I sold the truck I had. The town where I live has an excellent public transit system, $16 / mo give me unlimited rides for 31 days, all routes, that is less than a half tank of gas! This is a very pedestrian / bike friendly town, and I love to walk through the beautiful neighborhoods. When I ride with a friend out of town next week though I will test and do the looking around as if I was driving.
@jim_lewis I went to a busy grocery store yesterday, and later a busy pharmacy and the HAs performed very well! I’ve had problems in the past talking to the person at the counter with other customers in other lanes, ot the pharmacists on the phone in the background. Both of these were very clear yesterday with no problems hearing.
There is a very popular and busy sports bar / BBQ restaurant here in town that I have avoided for years because of the chaos in there, Order pick up broadcast over PA, cooks in the middle of the area shouting, bus boys (& girls) clearing tables into a large plastic bin, a dozen TV sets with various sports going, Many people in a large room with about 25+ high tables with stools between the bar and the three walls of TV sets. It is a fun, rowdy place, but a nightmare with poor hearing. That will be my penultimate test of hearing in a chaotic environment; tomorrow is the day. I miss the BBQ chicken!
The Phone Clip+ is tricky, as others have mentioned with other add on devices to work with Android, getting notifications I want without the constant phone BT connects with the diddle diddle dit from the HAs, then the notification tone from phone, then the beeps from the HAs as phone BT disconnects can be irksome. Still working through that issue to get the notifications I want with less intrusive interruptions So far it works great for streaming, no interruptions or disconnects that others have reported. It was on from 8 am until 10 pm yesterday with around 6 total hours of streaming music or baseball.
I couldn’t stand the notifications either. I turned that feature off, and bought a smartwatch. I have the volume on the watch turned off, since I can’t hear it anyway. I get my notifications by the watch vibrating. I find this to be a much better solution anyways, because I can just glance at the watch and determine if this is something that needs my attention or can be ignored for now.
Phone calls activate the aids, notifications don’t.
Yeah, with this referral model, the local provider doesn’t make any profit on the hearing aids, the online outfit does. The local provider probably only gets paid for the service they render (the audiogram, the fittings, etc). So they’re not motivated enough to be responsive to you as they should.
Yeah, but…
When they called to confirm the appointment, they asked if I had had a hearing test, and asked me to bring it “for comparison”. While I was there no testing of any kind, they made a copy of my audiogram. When I went in with the fitter, she asked “I understand you are interested in OPN 1”, I said yes. She then said, “I have no idea how they sell at this price”. She asked what color HA, if I wanted to use with a cell phone, I replied gray, and yes, Google phone. I said “I have some questions”. Her reply was “I have a few minutes to place the order, we will call you and take care of things when they arrive”.
That was it, no more than five minutes with the fitter, no testing, no important questions. Two days later Hearing Revolution called for payment, and I asked what was on the order, making sure the Connect Clip was on it. They said OPN 1 with 60 db low power receiver and Connect Clip.The audi I saw previously about the OPN 1 stated my loss needed 85 db receivers for my loss as we compared OPN 1 & 2.
I then called the clinic and left a message about receivers. In the meantime, I plugged my audiogram into the Genie 2 program, selected the OPN 1 aids, and it automatically selected the 85db receivers! Three days later the fitter called me stating the 60 db receivers were “adequate since there is no speech in the range were my loss is at 65-70 db”. No questions about lifestyle, meetings, music, activities, hobbies, nada. She said she would call and see if they could change the order. A week later I called Hearing Revolution, no call from the clinic, still 60 db receivers.
Hearing Revolution offer includes one year follow up, 60 day trial, 2 years batteries, I can imagine what that one year followup would provide, or worse need for warranty service. Even at $3700 for the OPN 1, that makes the poor clinic service and treatment not worth it. I’m fed up with the three Audiology clinics I visited. Worst shopping experience of my life, close to the worst car purchase I made of 40 years ago.
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I’m moving that direction. I already have a smartwatch, mine has no sound, and the vibration is not real strong. I sometimes miss appointment reminders or taking meds on time. I’m looking for a way to have them sound on the phone but not the aids, which they do when the Phone Clip + is off. With the PC+ on for phone calls or streaming, they go there unless I turn off notification sounds on the phone and rely on looking at it or getting watch vibrations. I’ve read that iPhone can direct notification, but have not found it in Android, if it exists.
I am now looking hard at an Apple phone and watch for the easy of HA connections to phone. I’m waiting until more is known about Google direct HA support and the new ReSound Quattro, hoping beyond reason that Costco will handle it. I came into the whole HA acquisition expecting to spend $6k, and I might still if I can get instruments that work smoothly with my Pixel 2 phone. Though having over $3k still in my savings is sweet too.
If you have a Pixel 2 and an (Android) Wear-compatible smartwatch, you’re probably not going to be in the market for a Samsung phone and watch. But I have a Galaxy Note 8 and a Galaxy Gear S3 Frontier watch and find the combination great. Since the watch is running Tizen, no Android Wear apps will work on the phone but any app notification on the phone shows up on my watch (and “View on Phone” for follow-up is the most response possible from the watch for most Android apps except the Samsung apps designed to go with the watch, E-mail, Contacts, Calendar, Reminders, etc). I have set the watch to vibrate on notification as well as display the notification and I think I could have notifications sound an alert, too, if I wanted. The fitness/sleep monitoring functions of the watch are pretty good, I can read and reply to e-mail and text messages (“finger writing” on the watch face letter by letter works for me!), but the best part is Samsung MST payment (in addition to NFC), which allows me to pay with my watch at ~90% of credit card terminals (unfortunately, MST is being left out of newer Samsung watches). Since our credit card info has been stolen a number of times in the last few years, I like not having to hand my credit card over to anyone as much as I can avoid it. I can actually answer phone calls on my watch thru BT to the phone and if I’d gotten the LTE version of the watch, I could use the watch as a phone entirely independently of the phone if I were willing to pay $10 extra per month for a personal number. Will have to look into whether the watch could be used as a microphone and the HA’s as receivers with a streamer or with direct Android compatibility when it arrives. That would be cool. And save fiddling with either the streamer or my phone. Don’t mean to divert the thread. Just want to point out that since smartwatches can function as phones directly, that might be the ultimate icing on the cake to look for in evaluating HA/phone compatibility/utility as teejayess is doing. Hope it becomes a killer feature for (Samsung!) phones/watches in the future! P.S. - Forgot to say my Gear S3 Frontier gets 2.5 to 3 days of battery life, too. Not as good as a Fitbit, but pretty good.
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Will look forward to hearing how that test goes. Both your experience and Bryan9’s make the ReSound Forte’s or any forthcoming Made for Android version at the same level sound real enticing - and AFFORDABLE!
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I would walk into the place in the All-Around program, with Speech Clarity set to help pull speech out of the din. Then maybe try Restaurant with its various choices once you’re settled.
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@jim_lewis Yes, a Pixel 2 XL phone and LG Watch Sport with Android Wear, NFC chip with Google Pay, and a SIM card for data if away from phone (no phone calls), all app notifications from phone, can use SMS, Google Assist works for voice reply transcribed as text. I really like this combo. I had a Samsung Galaxy S4 Active with a Galaxy Gear 2 Neo watch. That S4 phone never got a OS update of any kind from Samsung, so within four months, it was one android version behind, and in the two years I used it, it was three versions behind.
I do not consider your thoughts about phone and smartwatch off topic at all, since that is my interest as well. I’d like simple functions like changing programs available from the watch. The Starkey Halo IQ and app did that on my watch when I had the 3 day demo, but no way to stream music or calls.
As I stated, I will consider iPhone MFI, but only after Sept / Oct to see what the Android direct HA support looks like when released, and how long it will take to get HAs that work, via firmware update (I hope, though doubtful) or the new Quattro (even better if available through Costco).
@x475aws That is the plan, to try various app adjustments in a tough listening environment to see what and how they work. I’m a tinkerer with a “show me what this does” attitude, enjoy testing different features to experience the results.
I have to say, the All-Around works really well in almost all situations, that is a testament to ReSound sound processing philosophy! The other programa are Music, Outdoor, and Restaurant. I’ve tried different programs and setting as I stand in line at a store, on the bus, busy street corner, at a park playground. So far only the Music program is essential to me when at home with the stereo going, the difference with minimal compression and feedback suppression, with high end sounds restored is wonderful. I have a huge collection of jazz and blues, many old night club recordings. The sound of brushes on cymbals is so subtle, now I hear them.
That’s really good to know. My wife and I both play drums, and the cymbals have been the most challenging part for me. Getting my first aids 3 years ago helped a lot, but I still struggle with the hi-hat. If you’re hearing brushes, that seems very promising.
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So, no penultimate test yet in the noisy joint?
I did go on Sunday afternoon, that is always rowdy. It was really tough! The line was long to get in, they have a large outside patio with multiple speakers playing music, interrupted by pickup order announcements, and about 30 tables, most were full. It took me about 15 minutes in line to get to the cashier to order, first half outside, second half inside. All that time I kept trying different setting in the app. Once I got inside,I almost bailed out, it was so chaotic with all the voices, pickup order announcements, cooks yelling back and forth, hip hop music on multiple stereo speakers, customers talking or yelling at the football games on TV. 
When I got to the cashier I had no trouble hearing her voice to order, and the questions she asked about choices, using All Around with Noise Filter. That surprised me, I expected to have to ask her to repeat, but never did, her voice came through completely clear and understandable. Once I ordered it only took about 5 minutes for my order pickup, I heard that broadcast clearly through the noise. I did go outside to eat, nice sunny afternoon, and less noise. Overall, the ReSounds did their job, letting me hear the voices I wanted to hear clearly in an extreme noise situation. Two thumbs up!
I started with the All Around program. The Noise Filter option helped, the Speech Clarity just made the entire sound a cacophony of loud sounds, like at jungle at night turned up to 11! The Restaurant setting did not work well in this chaotic setting. I tried Noise Filter - a little better, Speech Focus - no way, too many voices too loud!, Hear Everyone - the worst option of all five I tried, just an immersion in total noise! I will try other eating places, this is the most demanding of anywhere I would go.
The other test was riding the bus home yesterday afternoon. I have two choices or routes, I picked the one with the bigger bus. At that time of day, we have grade and high school kids going home, college age students, homeless getting to the shelters, downtown workers going home. It usually fills to capacity, about 40-50 people I’d guess. Many voices talking. Then there is the diesel bus engine, and the air conditioning fans blowing, doors opening and closing, beeps at the ramp goes up and down, or the bus “kneels” at stops. Again, I found the All Around with Noise Filter worked best IF I wanted to hear. 
I actually prefer streaming jazz with the mics muted, much more pleasant.
I’m not real pleased with the Phone Clip+ streaming. I get a strange artifact every so often, digital warble, I’d call it. I’ve tried different volume levels on the phone and the PC+, it is still there. I still have the bass domes. I’m beginning to think that regular headphones, like Bose noise cancelling that will go over my ears and the HAs might be the best choice for music and quiet. I was also told by two people on phone calls that there was a clicking sound that was annoying, I do not hear it of course.
I have other comments, questions, issues with the Phone Clip+, but I think I will start another thread to discuss that. I’ve search the forum for all the Phone Clip+ threads and none address what I experience.
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Thanks to you and Bryan9 and all the other folks who have chimed in for all the good info on the ReSound Forte performance - and the service available through Costco. I’m sure it will help a bunch of us make informed purchasing choices. I’ll have to hunt around to see if anyone on this forum has evaluated the Multi Mic performance because if I go for ReSound HA’s, I think I’d want one of those as well as a Phone Clip+ (and a TV/audio center streamer!)
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