Searching for fitting software

This is the software I use. When you order the hardware interface it comes with the code to activate the software but you can click pass the message that your aids are not connected so you can see all the features of the fitting software as soon as you download and install. I found it to be easy to use and did not notice any bugs.

http://www.americahears.com/software/setup.exe

xbulder · February 23, 2009, 6:55pm

cant compare Unitron with America Hears, Unitron has far superior products…
i however, doubt Sonic In, Unitron or Magnatone would sell HI to you.
Thus, AH would be maybe the best choice

paul10r · February 23, 2009, 9:28pm

Phonak’s website also has its fitting software available for free downloading.

jchunter · February 23, 2009, 10:50pm

OK, please name some superior Unitron models and please provide links to the DSP data sheets. I would really like to compare them with America Hears.

Gale · February 24, 2009, 12:22am

xbulder I too would be interested to know if you have facts or just making noise.

zafdor · February 24, 2009, 7:07am

Wow, I am impressed to see that some of the manufacturers are making their software available for download. Does one still have to purchase NOAH to make it work?

Also Juergan you will find the serial interface is not standard, audies use a chunk of hardware called a HiPro to convert to the instrument interface. These are not available through retail typically, but they do show up on eBay every now and then. And dont forget the cable.

frogg · February 24, 2009, 9:50am

Will the AmericaHears software work with, for example, Oticon Syncro 2 CIC aids? Or is Oticon’s Genie software available to the consumer? I would love to be able to tweak my aids, and the AH software demo makes it appear pretty easy to do it.

Gale · February 24, 2009, 10:22am

The AmericaHears.com software was designed by the company behind the ADRO technology (some now work at AH). At best it would have be aids based on the ADRO technology.

ANYONE interested in adjusting their own aids needs to check out those features as part of your buying decision the next time you buy.

Due to the artifical high hearing aid costs today those in Washington will be addessing hearing aid distribution directly sooner than some wish.

paul10r · February 24, 2009, 10:38am

You are much more hopeful about this than I am. I spent 24 years in law enforcement, so, by nature, I am a cynic.

xbulder · February 24, 2009, 11:48am

Unitron 360 – AH wish they have an instrument like this

Unitron YUU

Ask any prof. in the forum, Siemens, Oticon, Phonak and others have far superior products…
AH wish they have something like the Siemens Pure, Oticon Epoq, Phonak Exelia, GN be, just to drop a few names
while they are pricey, they have far superior technology…

xbulder · February 24, 2009, 11:49am

the problem is you need a hipro to program Oticon HI,
which is very costly. The Sincros are program with the old genie (genie 8)
their new fit soft (which unf. do not program sincros) is quite good

jchunter · February 24, 2009, 2:06pm

I did a brief check on unitronghearing.us and found scant technical information. They do claim that the 360 can correct those with hearing loss up to 120dB (Profound Loss), although the maximum realizable gain is only 82dB… Other than power, this 8-channel, 8-band unit claims the usual (1) Automatic control of directional mics (WDRC), (2) Loudness compression, (3)Feedback control, etc… Here is a link to a datasheet http://www.unitronhearing.us/360plus-bteseries.pdf

Bottom line: The 360 seems to be designed for those with profound hearing loss. OTOH, AH units that use the Voyageur II DSP have an output dynamic range of 88dB and AH does not recommend them for users with profound hearing loss.

I agree with you that their price is outrageous - but exactly what did you mean about “better technology” ? Specifically, do you mean that their transistors are smaller or faster? Do you mean that WDRC is superior to ADRO? Please explain.

jay_man2 · February 24, 2009, 2:15pm

Bells and whistles, bells and whistles. :rolleyes:

xbulder · February 24, 2009, 3:29pm

jchunter:

I did a brief check on unitronghearing.us and found scant technical information. They do claim that the 360 can correct those with hearing loss up to 120dB (Profound Loss), although the maximum realizable gain is only 82dB… Other than power, this 8-channel, 8-band unit claims the usual (1) Automatic control of directional mics (WDRC), (2) Loudness compression, (3)Feedback control, etc… Here is a link to a datasheet http://www.unitronhearing.us/360plus-bteseries.pdf

Bottom line: The 360 seems to be designed for those with profound hearing loss. OTOH, AH units that use the Voyageur II DSP have an output dynamic range of 88dB and AH does not recommend them for users with profound hearing loss.

I agree with you that their price is outrageous - but exactly what did you mean about “better technology” ? Specifically, do you mean that their transistors are smaller or faster? Do you mean that WDRC is superior to ADRO? Please explain.

auto pro -2, datalogging, envirotough, etc etc

Adro was embrace by phonak @ one point in time, currently none of the big players uses adro - I have not seen any papers saying adro is better than WDRC or otherwise…

If you poll most of the prof. here, they would prob. agree in that most HI from top companies would perform better against AH .

Say you where to compare AH with Phonak Exelia, Siemens Pure, Oticon Epoq, GN Azure or Gn be, Starkey destiny 1600, Widex Mind 440 , etc…

Perhaps we need to poll the audis, His here

floridajoe · February 24, 2009, 4:51pm

Many Thanks to Gayle for the link to AmericaHears software. I downloaded and played with the demo and I like it!! I could NOT find a download link for Phonak or Unitron instruments, just some info that is exists. I have sent in a request to see if they will sell to me and if it’s cost feasable. No point in me spending $1,000 for software even though I’m convinced that the fitting is probably more important than the technology in the aid. If anyone has a link for other software packagesd than I can review, I’d be grateful.

Gale · February 24, 2009, 10:44pm

Joe I agree the fitting is more important than the technology because it all is quite advanced compared to a few years ago.

I think AH’s software/hardware programmer is a $149 option but it is listed at www.americahears.com. They have a sale going on for President’s Days for this month. The software and 60 days 100% refund plus saving $3400 over other local digital aids enabled me to try AH.

I found them to be keepers but would have returned them in a heart beat if that had not been the case. That would have been a $540 fee locally so trying AH first was NOT rocket science.

zafdor · February 25, 2009, 6:57am

ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Bimodal studies using adaptive dynamic range optimization (ADRO) technology.

T Iwaki, P Blamey and T Kubo, International journal of audiology, Jun 2008

This study investigated the effects of adaptive dynamic range optimization (ADRO) processing for six bimodal listeners who used a hearing aid in one ear and a cochlear implant in the other. 'Bimodal' refers to the use of acoustic and electrical stimulation together. Bimodal speech recognition thresholds with the Japanese hearing in noise test were significantly lower for two ADRO devices than two non-ADRO devices in quiet, in noise from the front, and in noise from the implanted side. When the noise was presented from the non-implanted side there was no significant difference between the ADRO and non-ADRO conditions. The hearing aid measure of contrast questionnaire indicated that participants preferred ADRO in 77.3% of situations. ADRO was especially preferred in more difficult situations. The ADRO processing was designed for use in bimodal prostheses, and this study confirmed that speech intelligibility and sound quality improvements are obtainable by using ADRO in a bimodal context.

Now you have!

Personally I don’t see how you would get a comparison from professionals on AH since none of they fit these instruments. It is my experience that a given fitter (office) will have the hook into him by one of the big boys (Phonak, Siemens…) and fit their instuments primarily. This makes sense because with the complexity of a given instrument, it is difficult to become an ‘expert’ fitting many types and brands.

As for all of the bells and whistles, I guess I would pose the question back to you. Can you site objective research that these provide for better hearing?

Lancaster · February 25, 2009, 10:31am

In your opinion, for 120 dB hearing loss, one will need 120 dB gain? You sure don’t know what you are talking about
With “only 82 dB” gain, the output power certainly reaches 140-145 dB SPL.