I have an appointment with the audiologist next week. I’m going to inquire about the molds. If that is a workable solution, I’ll consider it.
These Oticons give me 4 days of charge using disposable batteries. The audiologist said that was normal (that was before I got the charger and rechargeables). She said the new technology “eats batteries for lunch”.
My guess is that the technology that delivers better sound to my ears might be due to a higher sampling rate of the A/D (audio to digital) and then the D/A converters. If anyone knows differently, please correct (I’m always curious).
I know in audio products, higher sample rates render better high frequencies and all other things being equal would probably require more power to operate.
And as far as the rant goes, I wouldn’t continue ranting if some troll wasn’t trying to convince me there is nothing wrong with the design of the hearing aids.
[tlahey1] posted here that Oticon replaced his out of warranty hearing aids and chargers with the new model. I tried going through Oticon for that and they first gave me a form letter that had nothing to do with the question I asked (probably generated by a bot) and then ignored all subsequent emails from me.
@tlahey1 - I had OPN1 rechargeables for over a year and the batteries never lasted for an entire day. It got to where I just started using regular batteries. About 2 months ago my audi got Oticon to give me a free replacement pair of the new OPN S1 rechargeables. The new HAs are excellent. Oticon has changed the battery and the charger. They recognize there was a problem with the old system. Have your Audi talk with an Oticon rep and see if they will replace them.
I’m going to ask my audiologist to see if Oticon will do the same for me. If Oticon replaces these, I’ll let everyone know there is a happy ending and they redeemed themselves. If not, I’m going to have her put the original doors back on and I’ll go back to disposables trashing the planet with used cells and used cardboard and plastic packaging.
Yes the cost of removing the domes is absurd. That’s for-profit medicine for you.
My wife broke her arm in Australia last year. We had no insurance there so we were charged full retail price for an osteopathic surgeon, MD, anesthesiologist, a half dozen nurses, cast, and supplies. Total cost less than $500 US. Yet here in the US it costs +$2K to remove a dome in our emergency room.
When she got back to the USA they did x-rays and said nobody could have done a better job of resetting the bone and putting the proper plate in her wrist.
But that’s another thread.
Back to the domes.
After the first stuck dome (10mm) I made sure that when I did my regular replacement of wax filters and domes that I made absolutely, positively sure that the dome was seated well.
The audiologist’s assistant put an 8mm dome in it, that is a bit too small so I have an extra plastic ‘wire’ to hold the aid in place. This may or may not be the solution but a quick fix until I get to see the audi at my appointment next week.
There are a lot of military people with noise induced hearing loss (mine was allergy induced but with similar results) so if someone could find a way to regrow those hair cells, that person would make tons of money. That’s the up side of for-profit medicine. Hopefully that day will come soon.
Bob