I have worn oticon minRites for 2 yrs. My first pair was sent to the factory and ultimately replaced after less then 6 months as it began to sound like I was in a wind tunnel whenever I wore them. The company acknowledged “an issue not user related” but didnt specify. They gave me a new pair . The replacement has been fine except yesterday (they are almost 1 yr old) while hiking I stared getting really fast moving tones in both ears… like a xylophone going up and down the scales. Then they went to full volume followed by the left going totally dead They were both fuly charged. i was just a little sweaty at the time but cant imagine that accounted for it. I saw audio tech today who replaced the wires and told me any amount of moisture will affect them (not what the Oticon literature says, which is basically sweat and humidity wont affect them) Anyway abiu 1-2 hrs after replacing wires the kleft had a series f tones (not the usualbattry dying siund) and went dead. i am being told “this never happens with oticons” with the implication I am doing something wrong. But I am very very careful with my HA and 2 prs crapping out in less than a year each seems suspect. Anyone else have a similar issue?
I have been wearing Oticon aids for 14 years, i live in a hot humid area and have only had on set of aids go bad due to moisture and that was over 10 years ago. In fact over my 14 years wearing Oticon aids, 6 different sets i have only had 2 failures. But me being a retired IT professional I definitely know that hardware and software failures happen. If the teck replaced the receivers it sounds like the tech didn’t fix the real issue.
If it’s 8 beeps then repeats the same sequence a couple of times, it’s an indication that the microphones on that aid needs servicing, most likely due to excessive moisture condition. After the beeps, it may continue working or stop working, it’s hard to say. In my case, it continued working, but then a day or two later it started beeping the same way again.
Consider hearing aid sleeves for sweat and rain
https://www.amazon.com/s?k=hearing+aid+covers+for+sweat&hvadid=580748588081&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9004419&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=3757106577721344604&hvtargid=kwd-695868227992&hydadcr=21885_13323207&tag=googhydr-20&ref=pd_sl_3duitu7lth_e
And also get yourself a hearing aid dryer
Do you have rechargeable ones? If so, did the audi pop open the doors and look inside?
I wear Oticon Mores, just over two and half years, and I am currently on my 4th repair/replacement. Twice (and the most recent, my aids just got sent for repair yesterday), the issue has been moisture. I am fairly active and also tend to sweat a lot. For my more intense workouts, I do take my hearing aids out, but even the aggregate of my other circumstances seem to create too much moisture that eventually somehow seeps its way into the aid over time. I’ve had a hearing aid lose incremental sound quality at certain frequencies, followed by completely dying in a similar fashion to what you described - a series of tones, as if the buttons are being held or repeatedly pressed (program change tone, mute tone, and others that I don’t even know what they’re for), and then dying. When I got them to my audi, and he opened up the battery door, there would be corrosion and/or rust on the inside.
For me, a hearing air dryer is for certain going to be utilized going forward. And if and when I get new aids, they will probably be one that is completely sealed and the battery not changeable at the audi’s office. But you are not alone in this issue. Even the other instances that didn’t have corrosion or rust, there have been other issues where my aids have failed. When fully functioning, the aids are great for me, but I do have a bit of a gripe with some of the QC of the product.
I am worried about what happens when my warranty is up in 6 months. I am likely going to make a Costco appointment and try out the Rextons as a backup. It’s also a giant pain when my aids die and I have to wait several days or a week to see the audiologist so they can provide a loaner pair.
Thank you. The audio tech did advise a dryer… I exercise and sweat moderately… I was never told that it wold be an issue and even on the oticon site it says that sweat, rain etc should not pose a problem
Thank you. i appreciate the detail. As I replied to another post I was beginning to suspect sweating may be an issue although when I exercise I’m not exactly dripping sweat! Oticon says that sweat and rain (not heavy rain) should not affect the aids but I suspect that as you said, it is a slower accumulation of moisture. Someone mentioned sleeves for hearing aids while in conditions that will produce moisture in addition to a dryer and I will check them out. Frustrating that even moderate exercise could so consistently cause failure but there doesn’t seem to be another plausible explanation. They have been sent back to the factory for diagnostics so hopefuly that will confirm it… And it should be something that is told when purchasing hearing aids and included in the manual… For anyone who exercises the drying box should be a given…