ReSound Omnias with M&RIE Receivers

[jim_lewis]

I thought I’d start this thread as @Ureout and I are about to start using Omnias with M&RIE receivers and we can perhaps use this thread to describe our experiences and invite anyone else with the same devices to share their experiences as well. There is already a thread on ReSound Omnia vs. the Phonak Lumity but in that thread all the posters except me, I think, were just using standard receivers, not the M&RIE ones. Resound Omnia vs Phonak Lumity

I also didn’t want to (completely) hijack @1Bluejay’s thread by posting a response to Ureout there. Rechargeable Lumity Life NOT holding its charge anymore - #23 by Ureout.

Hi, Ureout. I turned in my trial Omnias and Lumitys this past Tuesday and only expect to get my Omnia RU962-DRW aids sometime this week. They take a size 13 battery, which I hope will last me a week and a half. With the 13 battery and telecoil, I expect the bodies to be a bit large. I wanted the largest possible battery for the longest runtime, obviously, but also less “fiddleliness” in changing batteries and having to change batteries less often. I think size 312 and size 13 batteries are almost the same cost at Costco.

On the M&RIE receivers, they are long enough that I can’t really get them deep into my ear canals. When I get my own HA’s and M&RIE receivers, I will have to post a photograph of what the molds look like with the receivers embedded. So, I might not be getting the maximum pinna effect as the mics on the receivers are noticeably out of my ear canal whereas ReSound says for best effect, the M&RIE receivers should be as deep into your ear canal as possible. I still get noticeably improved sound localization with the M&RIE receivers. YMMV. My audi offered to send the molds back to be redone but looking at how the receivers were embedded and how my ear canals bend, I honestly don’t see how the receivers could be inserted any deeper into either mold without compromising the integrity of the mold. I thought the sound with the trial Omnias was excellent and I didn’t want to risk ReSound bolixing things up by pushing the molds to the limit. I told the audi if I became unhappy with these molds, I just buy a complete new set of molds and use those instead to see what other shapes and sizes ReSound can come up with by trial and error, if necessary.

Besides the sound, another reason I like the molds is that I have next to no feedback in spite of the mics on the receivers. Only if I go into the Music program and turn treble up to the max do I get a bit of a buzz in each ear. Passing a cupped hand near each ear doesn’t induce feedback on my regular settings.

My audi doesn’t seem to be great at bending receiver wires to the optimum shape. I’ve requested that she make a special effort for me with my purchased devices. I’m concerned if both HA bodies are not facing backward as much as possible but are instead randomly facing every which way that I won’t get the optimum front focus beam-forming effect when desired. She didn’t bother bending the wires on my trial Omnias (or Lumitys) and the Omnia bodies were tilted with the body mics at about a 45-degree angle to my head!

So, that’s about all I can say for now.

[efrainflorescolon]

Is been six days since I started using my Resound Omnias with M&RIE receivers RU961-DRWC, and their sound has been amazing and being able to hear my wife’s voice very clearly. Haven’t had any feedback issues cupping or even laying down on a pillow covering the era completely on either side. The only issue I have is that I have my rights side with a close dome and the Audi changed my last side to a power dome in order to get the required gain during REM. I can’t seem to get used to the occlusion with the power dome on my left side. Based on your trial with custom molds with vents I plan to go back and ask for custom molds with vents probably on both sides, 1mm or 2 mm. IM alos using a #3 wire on my right side and the receiver is deeper in the canal, may need to do the same for the left instead of the #2 wire which with the power dome is not as deep in the canal.

[jim_lewis]

I have Select-A-Vent. A 3 to 4 mm bore is created in the mold to hold insert plugs, which may have bore diameters from none up to 2 or 3 mm in size. So that may be part of the mold design problem in that if I just said put a 1 mm mold tube vent in, there would be more room to move the M&RIE receiver around in the mold.

I’m using about 1 mm diameter bore insert. One still gets a sense of occlusion (own voice louder wearing HA’s than when not). But it doesn’t bother me. One can get used to it and forget about it. The Omnias are supposed to have some “own voice” compensation. I didn’t see it as an obvious adjustment in Smart Fit, though. It’s certainly not in the Smart 3D app unless you manually adjust bass but then that would affect everything you hear, not just your own voice sound. When I asked the audi about adjusting for occlusion in Smart Fit, she just said it would reduce my bass perception and didn’t refer to any specific setting for own voice adjustment in Smart Fit. I mainly want an occlusive effect for noise control, not allowing noise to leak into my ear canals by bypassing any HA processing and going directly to my eardrums. Since you have good low-frequency hearing, too, you might be in the same boat that I’m in. And I didn’t want to worry about feedback to the mics on the M&RIE receivers, especially since I’m using NAL-NL2 as my fitting algorithm with the Experienced User: Non-Linear user settings.

[prodigyplace]

I saw a mention in a review that tou are expected to replace the M&RE receivers every 6 months. Is that accurate?

[jim_lewis]

@prodigyplace

you are expected to replace the M&RE receivers every 6 months

Are you sure that you aren’t confusing ReSound M&RIE receivers with Phonak ActiveVent receivers? I’ve never read anything that says M&RIE receivers have to be replaced any faster than regular receivers. The mics on the receivers are probably in a cleaner, safer environment that the HA body mics. On my molds, the surface of the mold extends out beyond the end of the receiver and actually wraps around the surface of the receiver containing the M&RIE mic so that the mic is quite shielded, cupped by the mold opening. When I get my own M&RIE receivers, I’ll try to take hi-res pictures of the receivers in the molds to illustrate what I mean. The molds grip the receivers so tightly that I wonder about pulling on the wires to extricate the receivers to change the Cerustop wax guards once a month or so without breaking the receiver wires by tugging on them.

[prodigyplace]

@jim_lewis

Are you sure that you aren’t confusing ReSound M&RIE receivers with Phonak ActiveVent receivers?

You may be correct. Sorry

[jim_lewis]

@jim_lewis

On the M&RIE receivers, they are long enough that I can’t really get them deep into my ear canals. When I get my own HA’s and M&RIE receivers, I will have to post a photograph of what the molds look like with the receivers embedded. So, I might not be getting the maximum pinna effect as the mics on the receivers are noticeably out of my ear canal whereas ReSound says for best effect, the M&RIE receivers should be as deep into your ear canal as possible.

Here’s a picture of my right ear wearing the ReSound M&RIE receiver in a custom mold made for my right ear. The mic on the M&RIE receiver can be seen on the receiver just below where the wire enters the receiver and the mic is surrounded on all sides by the lip on the mold opening and recessed a few mm into that opening. The molds are actually very translucent silicone. The dark appearance is from the relative darkness of my interior ear canal. (Click on image to enlarge).

[1Bluejay]

@jim_lewis

My audi doesn’t seem to be great at bending receiver wires to the optimum shape.

Hey Jim, this is a great thread, and thanks for sharing your “journey” to the perfect M&RIE receiver. I must live in a cave, cuz I’d never heard of them till yesterday. I surfed up to the 'net to find a really basic description of them, which you’ve brought to life with your own, living experience.

Wow, it sure sounds intriguing! I am (oddly) allergic to any kind of clear acrylic or even clear silicone mold in my ear, so I doubt I’d be able to be fit with these M&RIEs. Luckily, I have no issues with the looser-fitting, double-stacked power dome in smoke-color silicone.

I totally empathize with your issue about the ear wires. I don’t think much can be done about their shape. No matter what tool or technique I used to try and reshape mine, they’d BOUNCE happily right back to their original shape. However, I was lucky in that switching from a LONG earwire to a MEDIUM one did the trick. It just puts my BTE “bean” up higher, so the mic is now rustling in my hair more.

Keep us posted on your outcome.

[Ureout]

below is how I bend my receiver wires to keep them close to my ear… when bending make sure the bend is as close to mold as you can get

[jim_lewis]

Did you use any heater to soften the plastic? My audi says she has a heater for doing that (but never uses it!). That’s exactly what I’d like her to do for me (bend the wires). There are quite a few pictures of receiver wires on Hearing Tracker but the one I attempted to show the audi is that of @TraderGary’s posted a while back. I’m a little concerned about heating the wires so close to the receiver end. Any tips from anyone on what’s best to do would be appreciated!

Domes, earmolds, and wires

Yes. That seems to be what the audiologist did. She measured both Kate and me, went to her desk and wrote things down, and then came back and measured us both a second time. Even though it was a year ago, I definitely remember that process. The wire lays flat against the side of my head and then flat against the entire inside of my ear and then flat as it enters the ear canal. Nothing sticks out anywhere that could possibly get caught on anything. When I put my HA’s in, I was taught to push the…

https://forum.hearingtracker.com/uploads/default/original/2X/3/3f289ba67e26efbf59e11bfe7222a2d4acb706a5.jpeg

[Ureout]

Jim, no I do not use a heater… I pull the wire out of mold a little to get as low as I can get and then i bend and pinch the wire holding it in a pinched position for about 15 seconds then release it and do it again a couple more times until wire stays curled… when I make the curl and pinch I have mold facing in front of me as though it was in my ear and make the curl toward my body

[JordanK]

This is interesting reading. When I tested Omnia I wasn’t able to use the M&RIE receivers. My audiologist said I was outside the range for M&RIE as it is intended for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.

Jordan

[1Bluejay]

I recall TraderGary’s photo - in fact, I took it to my previous audi - FOR NAUGHT. He insisted I needed a size LONG wire, and that just stuck out from my ear like a cowlick getting caught on comb, fingers and face mask loops.

I have a pretty perfect fit with the size MED wire now, but as mentioned, the BTE bean sits higher up. No matter WHAT size wire is used, (and even when I had the translucent custom molds I was allergic to) those speaker tips work their way out of my ear. So I’m resigned to pushing in my aids all day long.

[1Bluejay]

@JordanK

M&RIE as it is intended for people with mild to moderate hearing loss.

OK I’m relieved! Cuz they sound very cool with the mic in the ear, but thank heavens for my cinderblock ears! I’m no candidate for them.

[Ureout]

Blue jay… I do wear a 4 length in wires because I like HA’s down a little lower behind the ears

[jim_lewis]

@JordanK

My audiologist said I was outside the range for M&RIE

Here’s the fitting range for the M&RIE receivers. My audi also told me when they first came out for the Ones that they wouldn’t work for me. When I asked about trialing the Omnias with M&RIE receivers, she said, No problem! I think since then by making bigger molds such as the ones that I’ve got, they’ve been able to suppress feedback at higher amplifications. My molds unlike the nice compact ones that Ureout has for regular receivers will take some getting used to on my part and they will certainly be a lot more visible in my ears, like I have a chunk of gum or something plastered into each ear canal.

Source: Datasheet link for M&RIE receivers on following web page: Hearing aids ReSound - ReSound OMNIA support

[efrainflorescolon]

None of the Audis I’ve had in the last ten years offered to bend the wires. Had coworkers that had them like TraderGary picture. Thought it was the size or shape of my ears. I’ll ask when I go back this week.

[efrainflorescolon]

The M&RIE receivers are working great for me, identifying where sounds are coming from and better sound quality and understanding speech better which is my primary need. I don’t even have to use my TV streamer with the Omnias and have turned of the CC. My Audi also used the NAL-NL2 as my fitting algorithm but as a first time user and 100% gain, need to ask her why since I have used hearing aids for the past 10 yrs. My problem on getting used to the occlusion from the power dome on my left side maybe that the righ ear feels very natural with the closed dome, even though is the first time using a closed dome feels a bit unbalanced, all my previous HA I’ve used open domes.

[1Bluejay]

There could be a relation in size/shape of ears and the fit of ear wires. But I think it’s useful to try out the various sizes of WIRES. Insist upon it! My audi said the sound quality would be different if I went from L to M wire length, and IF that was the case, it was nuanced, and I got used to it asap.

[jim_lewis]

I took and labeled some pictures of my right ReSound Omnia M&RIE MP receiver mold vs. the original ReSound Quattro mold made for regular MP receivers. Unfortunately, the original mold has yellowed and lost transparency a bit with age, so it’s hard to see the receiver and vent tube channels inside the mold.

Two distinct differences between the molds. The M&RIE receiver vent tube in the ear canal is nowhere near the opening for the receiver in the ear canal. In the Quattro mold for a standard MP receiver, the receiver and vent openings are right next to each other. The second thing is the M&RIE receiver is considerably bigger and longer than the standard MP Quattro receiver so the mold is correspondingly more massive, and the outside end of the receiver almost sticks out to the end of the tragus for each ear to accommodate the length of the straight receiver within the bending shape of the ear canal. For the M&RIE receiver, the length of the run between the “speaker” end of the receiver and the opening of the receiver tube in the ear canal is quite a bit longer, but in spite of that, the sound is great. Not sure if the sound for the M&RIE receiver is being delivered closer to my eardrum. Too bad one doesn’t get a 3D view from the mold design and original impression of exactly how the receiver for each type of mold is positioned in the ear canal relative to the eardrum and the walls of the canal, etc.

Click on each picture to get a larger, easier-to-read, more detailed view.