Maybe I’m part of Costco’s influx of former small audiology practice hearing aid wearers? 
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Please, let’s not promote him, he’s done for as far as I’m concerned.
If Costco was smart, they’d put their best audiologist in the clinic next to Cliff’s practice 
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Certainly my and my partners were two of those.
I am not here to defend Dr. Cliff, but as annoying and repetitious as he is, I think he has a good point or two. First, let me say I have had good experiences with my local Costco and I am eagerly awaiting the Philips 9050 and the local HIS has me on the list to call when they know anything.
However, In NJ all it takes to become a licensed hearing aid dispenser is six months of continuous training with a sponsor which must include 40 hours training with an audiometer and 160 hours of training in hearing aid dispensing procedures, including the taking of earmold impressions, the alteration of earmolds and hearing aids, and application and fitting techniques. They must also pass a written and practical test. Some Costco HIS employees are probably recent transfers from other Costco departments. I spoke with one HIS employee who had just transfered from another department to fill a vacancy in the hearing aid group. I am sure that many (most?) employees will take it upon themselves to continue to learn, never-the-less, there is a pretty low bar for entry into the profession of selling and fitting hearing aids in New Jersey. I have no idea what the requirements are in other states. If you have a cookie cutter old age related hearing problem such as I do, that may be sufficient. However, as Dr. Cliff says, if you have a more complicated hearing problem and if you end up with a minimally trained HIS person you may very well end up in his clinic or a clinic with more highly trained professionals. Just my 2 cents.
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I think with Costco the adage “you pay for what you get” may apply here if you were just focusing on the negative outcomes if Costco. On the other hand as @raylock1 says if it’s a straightforward loss, easily corrected, then everybody is a winner.
My issue with Costco is that when I went there recently they did not have any solutions for severe to profound loss. Yes, all of the RIC devices can fit UP receivers, but no super power aids were available. But that’s not a gripe. It was just the situation following the unfortunate break from Sonova and no superpower options being available from either Philips, Jabra or Rexton. Correction - there was a high power BTE available from Philips but it was a rechargeable with insufficient power, up to 85dB if memory serves.
But I want to stick up for Costco. There are some people who are never going to afford $6000+ for aids. Yes, Dr Cliff can poke holes in the not so perfect REM, but at least they are getting something.
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Thanks for the gentle reminder! I appreciate it and deleted my post.
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(post deleted by author)
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You’re leading by good example here, @Baltazard , so I’m going to follow your lead. No need to repost anything as I admit I think I overreacted myself. You’d make a good diplomat! 
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(2) I Will Follow You - Ricky Nelson - YouTube
All the nice gentlemen in this forum providing tons of wonderful and highly technical information. It is really a great help and assistance to us in Asia!
This sounds really great and I look forward to seeing them.
FWIW the Oticon Real 1 and Philips 9040 can both use the Oticon SmartCharger.
If, with that info, your proposition is still open on the Intent 1 and 9050 I’ll take your £50 wager.
However, they can’t both use the Oticon TV Connector.
My guess on the difference with respect to the SmartCharger vs. the TV Connector is that the latter requires pairing and the former doesn’t.
That was my point (kinda). All the DeMant product worked in ALL the chargers up to Real.
The new Encanta don’t fit the Oticon chargers, but they do work the other way around. I’m wondering if the idea is to not allow anyone to ‘advertise’ the ‘lesser brands’ on the top-end Oticon charging base, ‘Look - it’s just the same as the Oticon! It even fits in the same charger!’
I heard it through the grapevine that Costco clinicians will be in Philips training next week. I expect the upgrade is around the corner now.
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Great news!
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I was beginning to wonder. The thought occurred today that if they couldn’t reach agreement on the 9050, Costco would be unlikely to keep the 9040. All moot now… hopefully.
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Have you heard anything about Rexton Reach, Abram?
I was waiting for this but have decided that since with my new Medicare Advantage plan I can get the Widex SmartRIC for $1500. same as CostCo pricing and with an audi with a good rep that also does REM I’ll probably pass on the 9050’s… Lots of improvements over my Philips 9030’s even with the 9040’s but I don’t see much to endorse actual live music being any better for either the 9040 or the 9050, while the Widex HA seems to have a majority of musicians both pro and amateur saying they are better than anything out their in this regard. I know some also like Oticon HA and maybe a few others but those seem to be outliers and most prefer Widex. I demo’d a pair and I did perceive the sound as smoother, calmer and more natural (less shill/thin sounding) to me but have yet to put them thru their paces with guitars, lol. June 5th I’ll get my Widex SmartRIC to find out.
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OF COURSE the 9050 will be coming to Costco within the next week or two - I just purchased the 9040 today! 
I waited two months for the 9050 to be available at Costco, and finally reached the point where I decided it was more important to move ahead with my first hearing aid than to wait for the next new thing. No big problem - assuming the 9050 does indeed show up at Costco I’ll return the 9040 at some point within the next 6 months and get the newer model…
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