Trying both is the only way to tell which technical approach works best for you personally.
Be aware that the Philips 9030 model came to Costco in Q2 2021. There is a newer model 9040 that people are speculating may come to Costco too.
The Jabra came to Costco Q4 2022 and is the newest offering.
Costco also has Rexton but I guess that wasn’t recommended for you. My original pair was Rexton Trax 42 from 2015.
I find it interesting how individuals with hearing loss turn into audiophiles when evaluating hearing aids.
For me, I am 46 and I have never had normal hearing so I have no clue what I should be hearing and how when evaluating hearing aids.
I just hope they help
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Something to be aware of in trying out either brand of hearing aid is that the initial fit you are provided may differ from the final fit.
Hearing aid manufacturers want to make a sale. If you’ve gotten used to your hearing loss, you might find all the “new” sounds you’ll hear again when your prescribed fit is met might be a bit overwhelming at first, but you’ll get used to them over a period of time. To avoid having a potential customer say, “I can’t stand all the loud sounds,” etc., and return the HA’s, HA OEMs have created “accommodation.” Basically, you may start out with only a fraction of your required amplification. Over time, maybe a few weeks, the gain is automatically cranked up until you reach 100% of your prescribed fit (or whatever you’re comfortable with and your HCP will agree to).
When I started out with ReSound Quattros, I didn’t want to be “accommodated” and I told my audi to crank it up to 100% of my prescribed fit right away. Still, she had my profile set as “First-time User,” also designed to be “comfortable,” not necessarily my best, full fit. I read in ReSound literature that the best fit for experienced users (for ReSound HA’s) is Experienced User, Non-Linear. The ReSound proprietary fitting algorithm Audiogram+ is also designed with user “comfort” in mind. It backs off the amplification of high-frequencies present in the open-source NAL-NL2 fitting algorithm, referred to by some as the gold standard of fitting algorithms. There’s also another algorithm, DSL5-Adult, with much more high-frequency amplification than ReSound’s Audiogram+. I’ve tried them all, and like the Experienced User, Non-Linear, NAL-NL2 fit the best.
So, Costco may have a certain fitting recipe they follow with each HA brand. You might ask your fitter what the possibilities are and whether you can try different things like the above, maybe not all right away but over time. But whether you will be accommodated or not, whether you need a First-Time User profile or can try the experienced user profile, if there is one, for each brand, and whether whatever brand you favor, will Costco let you try different fitting algorithms to see which one you like best are things to look into. Perhaps other forum users of each Costco brand can tell you what options worked best for them.
There’s a lot of adjustment and fine-tuning that can be done to improve what you hear, and you may want to start out closer to where you’d like to end up rather than being only slowly “accommodated.” In my fitting of the Quattros with my audi, I’m not even sure she knew that she had the default fitting profile for a new patient as First-Time User, and I had to tell her that I wanted to switch pronto to Experienced User, Non-Linear!
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Hi, Thanks for sharing your experience. I have the Jabra’s too. Do you mind sharing what your complaint was about?
I am forever thankful to everyone who responded to my question/concern. This has been an amazingly positive experience. I am so thankful for having found this wonderfully helpful site. Thank you, everyone!
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Check out this description: Question about ReSound app.
Since posting, ReSound has published an update to the app, and I’ve been looking at the app more closely. The in-app documentation seems to say the default is a single volume slider. If that actually were the default on my phone, I think I’d be happy.
Meanwhile, I emailed app support. The email apparently went to Denmark, and they’ve redirected it to North America. That doesn’t delight me, but I understand it. I’m not expecting an immediate fix - they need to figure out if it’s their problem or mine, code and test a fix, etc. I offered to test the fix, and I hope they take me up on it.
I still haven’t tried the app on my wife’s Mini SE(2020).
This is a significant annoyance, but I like the Jabras enough that I’ll go Apple if that’s the only way to solve it. Going Apple, after years of disliking them, is a big compromise for me. 
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That sounds like me 10 years ago with KS6 which were MFi aids. I was on the fence until I had to give up my Nexus phone anyway to join my son’s plan. I have happily been iPhone ever since.
I was an Android user since 2011 (and a Windows Mobile Phone user before that). The advantage/disadvantage of Android is that every Android phone OEM gets to customize their brand of phones, and the result is a Forrest Gump box of chocolates: you never know for sure what you’re going to pull out. So, you could essentially be demanding that ReSound figure out the problem is with a Brand X, Model Y Android cell phone. In contrast, perhaps the problems are with an Android tweak the maker of a phone hasn’t even totally scoped out - I’ve had such problems with Samsung phones, and I’ve always considered them among the best.
Apple does have an advantage in being in ~total control of hardware and OS software running on an iPhone, but as various complaints about iOS/HA OEM problems on the forum show, you’re not guaranteed a trouble-free hardware/software experience with an iPhone and HA smartphone apps on an iPhone, either. Life is like a box of chocolates…
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I went to iPhone from Nokia simply to get good connection from my HAs to the phone app (the manufacturer was a laggard when it came to connecting to Android phones).
I have not regretted this - it is very easy to discount the value of good no-problem connection
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Thanks, Paul! I’m glad I started with iPhone. As you wrote, Android phones are usually the last to get apps.
I was an Android user from the get go, untill I got my 1st set of Oticons that needed a seperate device hanging around my neck to connect to my cell phone. It didn’t work that well so I just had to put up with it for 3 years untill my insurance would help pay for some new aids again. So in 2018 I was getting ready to retire & lose my insurance to help cover cost of HA’s. I went to Costco and ended up getting the Bernafons which have been a very good decision for me along with switching to Apple. I can hear and understand phone calls as well as watching tv with the tv connector so I’m not blasting my wife out. But— I’m now starting to have some problems occasionally with my aids and will be going back to Costco some time soon to try out new aids. I saw last week in the store they have the Jabra’s or the Phillips for the same price so I’m very intrested in these opinions on here for each. I will probably ask the Costco person about them but I wonder if these “new” Phillips will be compatable with my tv connector or will I have to get a new one, and if so would I be better off to go with Jabra? Which ever one I go with I want to stay with battery operated so I don’t chance running out of power in a bad place or time. Thanks to everyone here for the comments and help thru the years.
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For the record, my Jabras connected to my W’s iphone without a problem via both MFI and the Jabra app. My S20 5G is close enough to the S20 and S21 to connect pretty much as well as either, and I doubt that ReSound will fix the app quickly. I’ll wait a few days to see if I get a resolution from ReSound, but I think an iphone is in my future.
Thing is, I pretty much use my phone as a phone, so I hate to replace a 3 year old former top of line phone while it has plenty of use left in it. We bought a pristine iphone SE (2020) a few months ago for $130; now they’re more like $200. Bummer. Fortunately, we can spend the money.
Only if you have Phonak aids that use Bluetooth classic. Most all other hearing aids use Bluetooth LE which cannot pair directly with Bluetooth classic devices. That is also why Phonak aids have a shorter rated runtime per charge compared to their major competitors.
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Thanks. Didnt know that. I use Bose Hearphones and they pair easily with all my Apple devices and my Sony TV.
The bottom line is that no two hearing losses are the same. You can look at two audiograms side by side with similar losses results and those two individuals may hear differently and may choose completely different aids. So no one can answer which aid is best for you. Trialing all the aids that are available for the range of your loss is the ideal situation. Some audiologist allow that, some don’t, some will charge for the trial period. Costco provides an exceptionally long trial period but only one aid at a time and provides a full refund but I have read on this forum that it doesn’t always go smoothly. And not all Costco are the same. Remember, any new aid is going to be loud and possibly overwhelming at the beginning. The brain needs time to adjust and then the new aids will probably need further adjusting. So don’t jump to conclusions when you first try a new pair of aids. Also most states have mandatory trial periods although Costco always exceeds that. With my loss a trial period is almost required and fortunately I have an audiologist that allows that. Just take your time and wear the aids as much as you can. Even when you are in a quiet environment. You need time to get used to them. I don’t know if you have posted an audiogram but that would be really helpful for those with much more knowledge than me. Take your time. Many people here will tell you you are about to travel on a very treacherous road. Just take your time. One last point. No hearing aid will return your hearing back to normal. They help. They don’t fix
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Apple devices have both Bluetooth and Bluetooth LE. I think they only use Bluetooth LE for MFi hearing aids.
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This is a grand description! I’ve worn HAs for 20 years, and have bought a number of expensive aids over that time, as one can imagine. Five years ago I was finally able to discover the Costco “advantage”. I will keep all this in mind next time I buy a new pair. Thank you, Jim!
I just ordered my first ever HA, Philips 9040 at Costco, without really trying it first, as seems to be suggested here. I did this because I have read many very positive reviews about the Philips. Also, I don’t believe that I can adequately judge a HA without it being adjusted for just me, over weeks and weeks. I was told that the Jabra is also very good, but I doubted that I could really judge it without the many tweaks I expect to need. I understand, if I’m dissatisfied with the Philips, I can return it within 6 months, and I would then order the Jabra. I’m comfortable doing this, but I don’t think everyone here would agree.
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I was told that they don’t have demos in the store to try? You have to buy them to try them.
Actually, it’s 180 days.
However, if you are not satisfied within a couple months and you tried a couple of different hearing aid fitters, I don’t see much point of continuing with the same hearing aid brand.
To get the best results, take notes and bring them to your fitter when coming back for adjustments.
Note that Jabra now comes with auracast capability.
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