Ok, i will let other dissect your assertions if they will. will be interesting… I am particularly interested in " no Second Generation wireless! Extended Bandwidth + No Neckloop Bluetooth"
Somewhat confused
Any idea of pricing anyone?
I expected to be WOW by Phonak generally. Frankly, I was expecting AT LEAST something like the Alera. I would never expect something like extended bandwith since Phonak is betting heavy on sound recover. I like to see what the new features are all about. It seems to me they are about wireless sincronization. The statement that they use 4 microphones in order to beam form - might mean that both instrument sinc to be
in full directional.
For what is worth, the new software looks good. The ability to display a previous audiogram is a nice counceling tool. There are a couple of good ideas on their new
software- it is a step up.
I would have also liked to see something with Advance Bionics, it is all about synergies. It is time they pool their resources to challenge cochlear
Now Phonak is copying Apple in that they use the word APPS to describe features…
I guess the marketing department is running out of ideas
So what I find most interesting is the fact that this aid will transfer sounds from one aid to the other.
The previous models (Phonak Audeo Smart IX) already has the ability to transfer sounds from one aid to the other. The feature is called “Duophone”. Basically you hit the button on the hearing aid that you are using to talk on the phone and this hearing aid transmits the same input to the other hearing aid so that you hear the same thing in both ears. So this is not a new feature for the Spice versions. They may however have taken this technology up a step to coordinate microphones to focus on certain sounds and transmit this to both ears…not sure.
I’m honestly beginning to think that Resound really took the market a step forward when they released the Alera with a true wireless solution with no neck loops. My audiologist told me an interesting story regarding the failed merger of Phonak and Resound. He said that the merger was supposed to combine the best of wireless at the time (from Phonak) with the best of sound processing (from Resound). While merger talks progressed to the final stages, Resound dropped all development of their own wireless technologies thinking that they would gain this new technology from Phonak. As we all know, the merger failed and Resound got left out in the cold without a wireless solution. My audiologist feels that this forced Resound to go back to the drawing board and develop an all new, latest generation wireless capability. It took them a bit of time but what they ended up with was a step ahead of the competition. Not sure if this is true but its an interesting theory especially when you consider that Resound owns quite a bit of intellectual capital (i.e. Jabra) in the wireless market. Stands to reason that wireless would be their competitive advantage.
I will definitely trial the new Spice product because hearing better is really what its all about. If I can hear better with Phonak’s new products, I don’t really care how/why it works. I will say I like my Alera aids and that its going to be a hard sell for Phonak if the aids don’t perform.
Jordan.
Correction. I am wrong. While discussing the spice chip via email with my audi, it was not clear he meant it was, only that the super power xReceiver is available and has fitted many with the sp xReceiver.
Sorry
Posted via iPhone
Exactly. And not only for phone but also for “applications” like ZoomControl. And once more, Phonak places its “best application” (on SPICE case, “FlexControl”) on theyr top hearing aids (serie IX) when as You know both Starkey IQ and Oticon SpeechGuard are/will be soon available on the full range of theyr newer products.
Boh…
I agree with You, JordanK. But I was hoping for better premises from Phonak.
It’s just a matter of about 3 weeks… EUHA will bring MANY news from Oticon, Chili, Forza and something other, i’ve not heard details but it will be something with accessories…let’s see.
The “new” features are not obvious in comparison of what Oticon introduced with Agil, but in my opinion they are not “nothing”, they just tried to close the gap to reach Agil…by the way a very good news for many of you out there is the Ambra CIC/ITC SuperPower- that’s and important new product…Oticon has closed the gap with the CIC Power but now Siemens Nitro have received a BIG competitor…
Hi. If anyone has a link to download Target 1.0, kindly PM me. Thanks.
The new spice aids will be available after EUHA (14-16th of october), so Target will be available some days before…
Will you be able to program current aids with Target instead of IPFG?
Thanks, I’ll keep checking the updater.
Someone here mention something about Oticon ITE power. I will bet money
Forza will be a vigo + in situ audiogram + Mini rite style and maybe one or two things.
I hope not if this is so it will be a complete disapointment. We need to get more
for the same pricing not the same with a different name.
Hi Xbuilder,
I find your negativity a bit surprising. The Phonak range looks pretty awesome to me. They have now successfully incorporated all fitting ranges into the complete range of custom products - CIC/ITC/ITE and they have come up with groundbreaking algorithms for hearing in noise, and hearing people behind.
What more do they need to do ? It looks like fantastic technology to me. If I had the money I would buy a CIC Petite and ITC Ambra and one of the Mini RIC Audeo S range. But then, I don’t have £8000 UK pounds spare.
While it is true that We need to listen and dissect all their marketing stuff. It is more likely that their 4 microphone array to beam forming is a mere binarual sincronization which is something siemens and Oticon is doing for the past 3yrs. I would have like to see from phonak some new audiological concepts to push the bar higher something like Asymetric directionality for example.
GN has set the bar for others to follow, wireless with no need for streamers. I would have also like to see phonak do something with advance bionics, they are now able to
push that bar to a whole new level.
their software do look good, couple of neat NEW ideas like the ability to transfer previous preferences in the new instruments or to look @ past audiograms.
Im used to get WOAW from them, and frankly I have not…
@xbulder:i think oticon forza (acto???) will not be more than a “new” vigo with RISE II chip and some features the new processor offers…like phonak has done with the audeo family now- new chip; that’s it!
@crymeariver: there is nothing such written on the Phonak site, except the data transfer from old to new aid…let’s see what target brings…
Would it be possible to fit this new ‘super power receiver’ to the audeo yes IX models, the casing is identical?
I had predicted “acto” or Forza would not come with Floating linear gain. Probably they will
come with zero or near zero improvements 2 channels here, audiometer perhaps binaural feedback manager and the mini rite.
If this is the case- it will be a big disapointment after all. right?
Did the Phonak rep set fire to your trousers or something? 
I’d be seriously interested if they’ve got some real time beam forming involved. In answer to the previous poster on here, the duophone isn’t quite there as the processing/transmission delay doesn’t matter so much when you don’t see the lips of the person speaking. Introduce a 70 or 80 usec gap under normal conditions though and you’ll end-up with worse speech results from a visible source.