Reshaping ReSound RIE receiver wires

Has anyone been able to reshape ReSound receiver wires? A couple posts in other threads have discussed using a hair dyer to heat up the receiver wire and then reshape it. Oticon shows a detailed description of this process in some of its product manuals, but I have not seen anything specific to ReSound. I have the KS6, which I am assuming uses the same receiver wires as the ReSound Linx. I have tried heating the receiver wire with a hair dryer, and even with hot water (with the receiver wire detached from the HA, and making sure not to get the receiver wet). The wire will reshape, but does not stay. In very little time, the receiver wires go back to their original shape. Does ReSound use a different material with a memory effect that prevents them from being reshaped?

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I have tried that but did not have much success. Turned out I had the wrong length receiver wire. With the right length the wire sits right against my head, which is what I was after.

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The best way to do this is to use a former like a 1/4inch or larger screwdriver shaft. Warm it using a hairdryer and then form/reposition either of the bends by wrapping the line around the former at the relevant point. If you mount the screwdriver in a vice it makes the whole job a lot easier. The screwdriver also acts as a heatsink so that you don’t end up overheating/melting the whole receiver unit while you are easily able to apply enough heat to the wire itself.

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Um bongo, I’m not quite sure what you are saying about this process. Is the former heated or just the receiver wire? Also, when wrapping the wire around the former, would only a small part of the wire be in contact with the former at any given time (instead of wrapping the wire all the way around the former)? I was trying to increase the radius of the loop that comes down from the HA, and also shorten the piece coming out of the receiver before the bend (ie. have the bend closer to the receiver).

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You heat the former not the wire. If you want to straighten the wire wrap it the wrong way around the former. Form a new bend where you want by slightly over wrapping the wire. If you need a narrower radius, use a smaller tool.

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Thanks for clarifying, I will try it out. Hopefully the former will not be so hot from being heated with a hair dryer, that it will melt the insulation/plastic that covers the receiver wire. Interestingly, I sent an email to the ks6 tech support via the ks6 user portal, asking if the receiver wires can be reshaped, and they said “yes, the audio at Costco can do this for you”. I had previously asked the HIS at Costco this very question, and they indicated that there was basically no point in reshaping the wires, as they always go back to their original shape.

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