I am a pianist, too. Picking up my Marvel 90s in a few weeks. Does the autosense work for you at the keyboard, or do you need to select a music program? Same answer if playing in public or with choir?
1: Got them from the VA for free.
2: They are worth about what they cost.
domedish,
If you click on my Avatar you will see my audiogram and my hearing loss. I’m a typical ski slope dipping to a severe high frequency loss. My first experience with the Marvel M90-R’s was a jarring exposure to high frequencies I hadn’t heard in decades. I have a 7’ 5" Kawai concert grand and my first reaction was that I was suddenly playing an inexpensive barroom upright. I was dismayed and didn’t like what I was hearing at first. It took several months of exposure to high frequencies to adjust to hearing them again. They are right when they say that the brain has to relearn what to do with sounds it hasn’t heard for a long time.
I explained my problems with playing my piano to my audiologist and we set up a Remote Support appointment. Your Marvels work with a Remote Support app you download for your phone. I put my Android Pixel 3 XL phone on my grand piano music rack and she could see and hear me and I could see and hear her. She created a new “Piano” program for me and then we proceeded to work on fine tuning it. I would play some excerpts and scales and report what I was hearing that I liked and didn’t like. She would make adjustments to my Marvels, I would play and we would repeat the process over and over. The end result is that I now have a piano program that I now use. To be able to interactively set up a program like that remotely while I’m sitting at my piano in my own home was absolutely incredible! This technology is amazing!
I have found that for normal listening to music at the symphony for instance, that the normal AutoSense OS 3.0 works perfectly. I don’t have to do anything and the Marvels know I’m listening to music and transparently use the built-in “Music Program”. I love it that I can now once again hear the full frequency response of violins, flutes, cymbals, etc.
The difference at my piano is that while playing I’m sitting right on top of a very powerful concert grand and the sound has to really be attenuated and adjusted to sound like what I want to hear. It will take some time and work with your audiologist and the Phonak “Remote Support” program to get your piano response set to where you want it. But it is worth the effort.
I don’t perform publicly or with a choir, so I can’t answer your question about that. I play in my own home for myself, friends and family. However I do have a large concert grand and it’s in a large room with a two story ceiling and a ceramic tile floor, so I do have the acoustics of a fairly large venue.
I hope you like what the Marvels can do. Please report back on the forum with your experience and consider adding your audiogram so we can see what you’re working with.
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Thank you for that detailed response! I too have a Kawai, but a foot and a half less of one. I prefer Kawai over the close competitor Yamaha because I think they have a warmer more mellow timbre.
I have worn hearing aids for almost 30 years, starting at age 40, so am hoping that I still have a little less trouble adapting. I think your description of the development of a piano program was very useful, certainly to me, but maybe for other folks as well.
I was actually wondering if music with background voices might throw the autosense in and out of the music program. Time will tell, I suppose. Thanks again!
From my reading about AutoSense OS 3.0, whenever you go from one situation to another, AutoSense has the capability of blending between programs and situations so there is no abrupt perceivable change. I’ve never been able to tell when there is a program change but I can certainly tell how well my Marvels work!
And yes, Kawai has a wonderful tone/timbre. When I purchased mine, I went back and forth between getting either a Steinway or a Kawai. I ultimately chose my Kawai. I have one of the best tuner/technicians in the city and she tells me my Kawai is one of the best instruments she tunes!
$6,000, plus cost of TV and remote mic accessories.
Value: priceless. I wouldn’t have been able to keep practicing law without my first hearing aids, and I still wouldn’t want to do without them in retirement. Too easy to give up and stop going out with friends and staying active in the community if your hearing isn’t treated. And mine is moderate loss.
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- 6,000 USD
- Priceless - as a project manager, I would otherwise be unemployable. There is a certain amount of truth to the claim that I hold meetings for a living. I am also able to converse with my (better-than-perfect hearing) wife (& others) at less than yelling volume…a distinct bonus.
Paid $5,400 for Oticon OPN S1 mini rite. I have only had them 5 days so too early to tell perceived value.
Mine were priced at $7,000.00 USD (each I believe). Essentially, insurance paid their max of $5000.00. Another $5000.00 was covered by an employer benefit. Provider clinic “ate” the difference. What are they worth? Guess I’d have to say they’re priceless as well. I’d be able to manage without them, but I really wouldn’t want to.
I wear eyeglasses too by the way. I can’t say they “restore” my vision, but they do help tremendously! No financial assistance there, but they too are priceless.
This must be the first time something’s cheaper in the UK.
I paid £2700 for the same aids that you have.
Only had them for a couple of weeks so still getting used to them. If I think that they aren’t helping much I take them out when I’m watching the TV, everything goes muffled!
Hi hookallanuk!
Since you haven’t added your audiogram yet, I don’t know if our hearing loss is similar or not. You can see my audiogram by clicking on my icon face. I can only tell you that for watching TV, my Marvels make everything understandable and “un-muffled”. 
I probably paid more as I purchased mine through a medical ENT practice.
Hi Gary, I haven’t got the profile from the audi but I did do an online test. I can’t see any way of uploading it though. If I click on hearing tracker profile it just takes me to the home page of the site.
From PVC
Here’s how to Enter Your Audiogram:
Visit https://www.hearingtracker.com/my-profile
Once you are in your Profile then find links to:
Enter your audiogram , or Update My Hearing Test
There are two ways to enter your audiogram. Graphically you can mouse drag the X’s and O’s around or switch to Manual Entry to just type in the numbers.
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I get a 404 error on that link
Hmmm…
Try using the magnifying glass search button in the top right corner of your screen.
Search “how to audiogram avatar”
I found I had to go the main site, by using the Home button to the left at the top, and then sign in there to get to actually enter the audiogram. The whole process seems flaky, but I eventually got it entered.
I finally did it using Z10’s link in the post above. Cannot Update Audiogram I’ll get the proper audiogram from my audi on Thursday as the one showing is a self test.
Thanks for everyone’s help and I will stop hijacking this thread now!
I have had my Starkey Z i130 set for a week now. I bought them used for $800 for both. They were in mint condition. I have needed HAs for years. I have known I had hearing loss since I was 12 (late 40s now). It’s gotten worse lately where I just politely exit conversations if there is any other room noise. I did pay my audi $300 for a years unlimited visit service. i thought it was fair since he checked my hearing and set up my used HAs initially. All the other audis in the area were WAY more.
I have an electronics background so I can somewhat imagine the electronics involved. If value is based on cost of manufacture then I’d say they are worth maybe $100 each. I do feel that the price of HAs is really bad because they know they can get it. Doesn’t make it “worth” it. All that said I would pay the $1100 over again without batting an eye. I can’t imagine I would ever pay $4000 each.
I think I have my audiogram entered so y’all (I’m from TX) can see where I am at hearing wise. I have lived fine without HAs but I’m quickly falling in love with having them.
My total pay and actual perceived is…
1 - $1500
2 - $8000
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