A few years back when open fit hearing aids (HAs) became popular my wife trialed some RITE HAs. She didn’t like them because they sounded tinny (lacking bass/low frequency sounds). She also tried the various power domes (double tulip, etc) with the same tinny results. So we stuck with RITA (acoustical tube) HAs.
Any opinions on whether we should try harder to find RITE for her next set of HAs? Or, because she is comfortable with RITA (acoustical tubes) just continue using RITA?
Click the link in my signature line below to see my wife’s audiogram.
The main thing that I noticed is she has a low frequency loss, she needs the ear molds so she can hear the low frequencies. She could try the Rites with custom ear molds and small vents that may work for her. The open domes lot out the low frequencies.
What is the reason she wants a RITE style aid? I would stick with a standard BTE if it were me.
If you make a switch, then try Oticons Power Receiver with a Custom mold with a pressure vent. It should provide all the low frequency gain she’ll ever need (and then some) while not sounding “tinny”.
P.S. I just read your last sentence again and would highly recommend staying “as-is”. There is no good reason that I know of to switch to a RITE accept perhaps cosmetics.
I believe that the best aids are the aids that work for you or your wife. I was just saying that with her audiogram results she will need a custom mold.
Power receivers are something I have always tended to shy away from. Because the power receivers produce higher levels of distortion, I have always used the minimum power that would still fit the hearing loss. For my wife’s audiogram I believe that would be the 85/Medium receivers.
Though, I could be wrong! Other opinions are welcome.
