The R&D has been completed they are just charging more to turn on a button. look at other technologies and see that the prices go down after the first year. Not the we have the capacity built in but we are going to see how much we can get out of the consumer. as for reducing the functions why? leave that part up to the fitter. Getting the best possible hearing (which is not the same for all) is not a luxury item that should be exploited
This is not about exploitation, it’s all about running a for-profit business. The HA market is very small and captured so in order to win more market share and recoup their R&D cost, theyneed to provide options at different price points. It’s not just Oticon that’s doing it. Almost all vendors seem to have different models and price points.
The global hearing aids market was valued at USD 4.5 billion in 2015 and is projected to grow with a CAGR of 4.3% over the forecast period. The high growth is expected on account of increasing deafness resulting from increased noise pollution levels, genetic factors, ear infections, birth complications and other factors. The aging population is at a high risk of suffering from hearing loss. In addition, the rise in demand for technologically advanced and aesthetically appealing miniature devices propels the market growth.
The WHO estimates suggests that over 5% of the global population, suffers from disabling hearing impairment.
This does not seem like a small market
No one claimed that oticon was the only one to do this. When all premium HA’s cost the same (approx. $6,000 US) one could only wonder why.
Contrary to belief (and the lack of insurance coverage) Hearing aids are medical devices.
The VA is the largest customer for aids. A couple of years ago, someone pointed to a VA report that disclosed the cost per unit. I think they were paying around $330 per aid. They are set up as a distributor so can install the ROM that sets the level so that’s for any level including premium which I image is all they use.
You might asked your congressmen for current info.
A brief treatise on the three levels is found in the OPN Product Guide at https://www.oticon.com/support/downloads/.
I’m a mid 60s male, soon to get my first pair of hearing aids. My audiologist has recommended Oticon’s OPN with performance level 1, which according to her was the most advanced HA available. Apparently, it’s about the most expensive. Is there any downside other than cost to having a higher performance level than needed?
Could anyone compare the OPN 1 to a Widex Beyond 440?
| Hz | 250 | 500 | 1K | 1.5K | 2K | 3K | 4K | 6K | 8K |
| L | 20 | 20 | 20 | 30 | 45 | 75 | 90 | 95 | 95 |
| R | 20 | 15 | 20 | 25 | 35 | 65 | 85 | 85 | 80 |
This question is loaded because what do you define as “needed”? Do you need just bare bone amplification? Do you need fancy features? Do you need the best performance? Which listening environments do you need your HA to perform in? If you’re often in very simple and quiet environments then you probably won’t need much fancy noise reduction technology. If you find yourself often enough in noisy and complex listening environments and need to follow conversations amidst all the noise, then you’ll probably want better performing HAs. Only you can decide what you want vs what you need. I assume that your audi has already considered your inputs before making you that recommendation for the Opn1. She’s not wrong that the Opn1 is probably the most advanced HA out there.
But to answer your question, I don’t see any downside to go for the Opn1 if cost is not a factor, even if it’s more than what you need, assuming you know what you need in the first place. Is it worth the money to pay extra for the Opn1? Well, if you’re willing to try out all 3, or maybe just the Opn1 and the Opn3, then you can decide for yourself. If the price difference is not a big deal to you and you don’t want to bother with the time and effort to try out the different models to decide for yourself, then get the Opn1. I don’t think you can go wrong with the Opn1 if price is not a factor.
There’s a post (http://www.hearingaidforums.com/show…453#post147453) from a user (TPChapman) who tried the Opn1 and Opn2 and decided to go with the Opn1 because he thinks the Opn2 is good but a little more muffled compared to the Opn1.
Then there’s another post (http://www.hearingaidforums.com/showthread.php?21166-Long-Time-BTE-Wearer-Trying-Oticon3-OPN-Next-Week/page2) from someone else whose audi told him that it’s all marketing fictions and the audi fitted his own mother with just the Opn3 and told this client not to waste his money on the Opn1 or 2. I happen to disagree with this audi’s assessment and you can read my reply to it in that thread.
I posted this in another thread, but I figure this thread is probably more appropriate for this information, so I’m reposting it here again for reference.
For folks who don’t care to spend time browsing through the OPN materials from the link https://www.oticon.com/support/downloads/, I can summarize what I find below on the differences:
Speech understanding:
Balancing power effect: Opn1: 100%, Opn2 and 3: 50%
Max noise removal: Opn1: 9db, Opn2: 5 db, Opn3: 3db
Spatial Sound LX (sound localization): Opn1: 4 estimators, Opn2 and 3: 2 estimators
Sound quality:
Clear Dynamics (expands the dynamic input range, processing sounds up to 113dB SPL, to preserve sound quality even at loud input levels -> provide better sound quality without distortion and artifact at loud input levels, while still keeping the sound quality of soft input levels intact): Opn1 and 2: yes, Opn3: no
Binaural noise management (optimizes listening in asymmetrical noisy situations): Opn1 and 2: yes, Opn3: no
Fitting bandwidth: Opn1: 10 KHz, Opn2 and 3: 8 KHz
Processing channels: Opn1: 64, Opn2 and 3: 48
Listening comfort:
Transient Noise Management (Protects against sudden loud sounds with fast recovery to preserve audibility): Opn1: 4 configurations, Opn2 and 3: On/Off
Personalization and Optimized Fitting:
YouMatic LX (Accommodates personal listening preferences and sound perceptions in the prescription of gain and automatics): Opn1: 3 configurations, Opn2: 2 configurations, Opn1: 1 configuration.
Fitting bands (for a precise fit and more fine-tuning options for client fittings): Opn1: 16, Opn2: 14, Opn3: 12
Hi all,
I have just joined the forum. I currently wear hearing aids supplied by the NHS, however I have recently ventured into the private sector. I went for the first time yesterday to get new impressions taken for moulds, which I am very much looking forward to getting (Made by Egger) as my NHS ones make my ears sweat and has caused a sore in one of my ears as a result, which subsequently has made wearing the aid quite painful.
I am looking into getting new hearing aids privately as well and my audiologist informed me that Oticon are bringing out a Power Plus version of the Opn at the end of April, so I am waiting for this and it seems I’ll be a suitable candidate as it will be similar power to the current aids I wear at the moment and will have a feature called Speech Rescue as well so will help my high frequency losses.
I look forward to hopefully hearing the world in a different way to the traditional aids I have worn for many years! 
Speech Rescue and other frequency moving ideas are OK if the aid wearer has somewhere to lower into. You don’t.
I’ve read just about every marketing materials and white papers and even watch a lot of video seminars about the OPN and I’ve never seen any mention of the Speech Rescue technology for the OPN line at all.
This link http://www.audiologyonline.com/interviews/oticon-introduces-new-power-and-15603 mentions the Plus Power as part of the Alta2 line, not the OPN line.
Otherwise, they have new products in the Dynamo (for adults) and the Sensei SP (for kids) lineups, as mentioned in that link.
Oticon doesn’t compress the highs into the mids in Speech Rescue like with frequency shifting in the other HAs that abandon the highs and push everything into the mids. Instead they copy the highs and replicate it into the mids (they call it “keep and copy”). Maybe they can select which part of the mid they can do the replication on and for folks like Tori they can push it down further into the low regions to make it work better for her.
See this youtube video YouTube.
You’re the expert… Just exactly from his audiogram would you select. With that audiogram they won’t even enable it.
Well, actually Torinielsen’s audiologist is the expert and I assume had already seen the audiogram for himself and still mentioning the Oticon Plus Power, so maybe they see some hope with Speech Rescue working out.
Wonder what others brands he had to offer? Wonder what the profit margin is on the Oticon vs other brand that he had? Confused if the AuD mentioned the speech rescue or the OP read about it on his own.
Hi,
My audiologist has other brands such as Widex etc, but I am quite keen on Oticon Opn’s new technology. They are bringing out a Power Plus at the end of April, but there is no marketing material as yet for it. It was announced in the industry in February.
He has seen my audiogram and believes it would be a suitable fit but until I try them obviously, I won’t know how I get on with them as they are completely different to the traditional directional hearing aids. I believe that my audiologist is thinking the same way as Volusiano has said, but there is no realistic way of knowing if they will work for me until I try them. I am having a full hearing assessment in two weeks’ time so he will know more about how my hearing is and what hearing aids may be suitable once this has been done.
If I basically am only able to get what I have now, then there is no point spending the money. I do have the capability to hear some more sounds as when I got my current aids, I was able to hear the extractor fan whereas before with the non-bluetooth version of Oticon Synergy P, I couldn’t. Yes, I don’t have much in the way of high frequency, but I still have good low frequency to an extent…
And I am a she :o
The Opn currently have a 105 db receiver (at least available in the States)
I hope that if/when they bring the Plus Power to the OPN, the Speech Rescue technology will be available on all OPN levels through a firmware update so that the rest of us can make use of Speech Rescue and not just the Plus Power folks only.
Yep - They are available here in the United Kingdom as well. But they certainly wouldn’t be suitable for me at that power. Quite a lot of the hearing aids available from various makes that I like aren’t actually suitable for me because of my hearing loss. I hate Phonak, whilst I got on with them in the analogue years, I have never gotten on with them digitally. Never tried Widex, Resound etc as yet.
But with Oticon extending their OPN range to include a Power Plus, it looks more hopeful that I’ll be able to take advantage of the latest technology but we’ll see. In the UK, the Oticon Opn at its premium is currently £3000 approximately for a pair. This includes after care etc as well and warranty up to three years I believe. If I can’t, then I’ll stick with my NHS aids for now.
The 105 work for me at 77%=% volume my numbers are bad but not as bad as yours.
Right now I am in the process of getting a new mold (on order) as the original has feed back issues with the 105. Just wondering if additional power may cause more feedback issues.
That translates back to around $3,700 US dollars roughly with the current exchange rate, which is not too bad at all. It’s cheaper than the BuyHear.com pricing considering that you get all local after care included.
Good luck with the Power Plus trial when it becomes available. Do keep us posted on it! Thanks.