The Phonak Smart S has changed. New Ceramic case.
http://www.phonak.com/com/b2b/en/products/hearing_instruments/audeo-s/audeo-s-smart/ceramic.html
Ohh, looks sexy! I wonder when they’ll get these in! I’m jealous since I just got mine!!
Very nice. I have to decide in the next days.
My audio ordered the black-chrome for me and the fitting was done by phonak-audio.
I could rise the blood-pressure of my audio if I change to the ceramic smarts now.
You know, honestly, I couldn’t think of a more frustrating job than being an audi. So so many things to worry about, adjust, learn. And then you have people like us with all our idiosyncracies and pet peeves…takes such patience and, unfortunately, some don’t have much. But on the other side it must be very rewarding when you are really able to help somebody to hear clearly and contribute so greatly to a patient’s improved quality of life.
Well said! I’m going to bring this post to my audie when I ask for my cases to be exchanged…
lol:D
Pardon if this was already explained.
StereoZoom is a narrowly focused beam forward of the hearing aids, and speech is heard in both ears. ZoomControl in Auto mode gives focus on speech from any direction and “blends” speech into both ears. It can then be switched from Auto mode into a directional mode into any ONE of four directions; the speech is heard in both ears. You must have the myPilot to do this.
When only one hearing aid is selected during fitting, the binaural programs i.e. StereoZoom, ZoomControl and DuoPhone are not available for selection.
Have they released the CROS/BiCROS version with you yet?
Apparently the Stereozoom will still be an option, which for total unilateral losses will be a massive leap forward.
Not yet, probably about mid Feb. The CROS/BI-CROS sounds exciting.
Looks like a bit of a step forward for the wearers, having a steerable directional pattern using just one ear is going to be a considerable feat.
Sort of takes hearing aids from being just walking sticks to improving the bionic function of the patient.
I am hoping that this will lead to better success rates for this ppopulation, which previously had to make due with very large and often ineffective solutions.
I hope the transfer mic is much cheaper than a complete hearing instrument though, as you could fudge this solution since the CORE platform came out, but the client would have had to buy two full price instruments to achieve this, which was generally unworkable. Could you conform if the mic is cheaper Um Bongo?
I figured this.
I’m not sure what you’re trying to see by this test; however, I did it. In any of the zoom modes, all four microphones are feeding sound to both sides, depending on what direction you’ve asked for.
I went to zoom left and removed the left aid from my ear. I could hear in my right ear. I rubbed the microphones on my right ear (opposite the zoom direction) and I could not hear the rubbing; however, when I rubbed the microphones on the left aid, I could clearly hear that in my right ear.
It’s easy to do that test without removing your aid or covering your ear. When you can rub on a microphone on one side (with zoom mode) and hear that in the opposite ear, the wireless connection between the two is pretty obvious.
Is that what you were looking for?
Don’t know yet. Mini launch scheduled for tomorrow. Clashes with the opening game of the 6-Nations, so you’ll have to work out which one I’m going to…
I’ve got the rep booked in next week so I’ll know then.
BiCROS works differently. You’ll need the signal piped from both ears to the one good ear all the time otherwise your brain won’t be able to establish the spatial field.
In the case of the Spice circuit (in bilateral mode) it will not provide sufficient intensity to the opposing ear to give you a good reference, though the delay might be accurate enough to give you signal location. It’s going to be putting out the majority of the sound on the wrong side which won’t help at all.
Shouldn’t have to adjust too much at first fit when the FB manager is also taking a RECD measurement into account. Not sure what people want. From my point of view as a fitter I want as many controls and options as possible when I fit a hearing aid. Not that I will make every adjustment available but it’s nice to know you’re able. It seems some would rather that the manufacturers have only a big “Easy” button in their software that performs a “best fit” and leave it at that. We all know that very few clients end up at “best fit” settings by the end of their trial. As with anything else effective communication is required between the client and fitter. The fitter must ask questions that really get to the bottom of the problem, make adjustments based on their findings AND understand the pros and cons of any adjustment they make (hopefully communicating them to the customer).
As always Um Bongo your posts are… Pure Genius.
One very important note. I have had issues with clients and the “data learning” function. In the Audeo S Smart V and Ambra fittings the software defaults to data learning. This means that as the client is becoming used to the hearing aids and experimenting, the changes they make are affecting the programming of the hearing aids PERMANENTLY. I was having poor success when I first starting fitting these and often had reports that “they worked very well for 2 or 3 days but have been horrible since”. I would strongly recommend disabling the data learning in favor of data logging at first fit (data logging only records the changes for the fitter to see but does not make changes to the programming). Data Learning could be re-engaged at a later appointment at the client/fitter’s discretion.
Thank you & enjou the Rugby 