Have you shared your concerns with any hearing aid companies?
@Neville - I see where the older population might have dexterity issues with batteries. I see and understand why Phonak might make rechargeables for this population. That’s all well and fine - and doesn’t bother me one bit. They can have their rechargeables.
But it should never come at the expense of my own not having any hearing for a few hours while these dumb devices charge. They should always offer a choice - not either/or and discriminate against users who are part of a protected class like myself.
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The title of this thread is “Should I be skeptical of rechargeables and I’m starting to think a better question is “What should I consider when choosing rechargeables vs conventional batteries”. When my current fitter first suggested rechargeables to me (before he realized how bad my hearing really is 
) I had no idea what the limitations might be and while I can find blog posts and videos weighing on these topics they are almost all put out by people that do not wear hearing aids themselves and at the end of the day I still like to hear from actual fellow users.
While this and other threads on the topic do run long they have helped me reevaluate my own thinking with regards to rechargeables and though I still don’t think they are for me if they ever become available in my HA category unless they improve run times by a lot I am glad they have improved the quality of life for so many others (including my grandma 
).
I think I’ve said all I wanted to say on this topic at this time so I’m going to step away from this thread for now but thanks to everyone that responded to my “what ifs” and other questions and gave me some things to think about.
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They do. Phonak has been picked on specifically because the lumity rechargeable RIC came out first. And yet, there is still a 675 BTE (which not all manufacturers even offer) and a 312 RIC is coming out, maybe the 312 BTE too. There are 13 BTEs and RICs in the Marvel and Paradise line. They have 10, 312, and 13 custom products available. People still get angry because they want their preferred battery to always be the first one out and always in the new line, which I suppose is the manufacturer’s own problem for marketting as if the “new line” is more than a very incremental change from the previous one. There’s no indication that the NEXT line of devices after lumity won’t also have traditional battery options, even though they need to put work into this new huge segment of the market as well as putting time towards (presumably) building a rechargeable custom to keep up with Signia and Starkey and Resound. The manufacturers have to make choices about what they can do when, sure. But traditional battery options are all still available and they aren’t going anywhere any time soon.
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Probably once in a while. My batteries give me a week and most of it is streaming. Never had to change batteries less than 5 days of usage. When I am not working and after work I stream videos, music etc from my phone or computer until I sleep.
They peep every 7 when about 30 minutes left and I can see how much battery left on my phone and on the Signia app.
I am just saying that work conversation are more critical as there are important meetings, meetings with clients etc. Basically, I won’t worry much about the rechargeable battery if I were working for myself or retired.
No, @Neville - Phonak DOES NOT OFFER A CHOICE. My Naida UP Configuration has ZERO CROS unit. Please, point me to a CROS unit that Phonak provides on the Naida Lumity UP, Naida Paradise UP, and Naida Marvel UP. No rechargeables, no battery.
Bring up any online paperwork from Phonak that shows a black dot in the column for compatibility for the Phonak Naida Lumity UP, that shows this. I’ll wait.
Simple add, especially after 217 replies, why not just use a graphic equalizer and headphones. That’s what I do. I take out the hearing aid, rely on equalization on the computer. This works good enough.
I’m glad that works for you, but I have had the opposite experience. For my carreer I find the rechargeables much better. My meetings almost always last longer than a half hour, so a half hour warning just causes me stress. I have to either leave the meeting to grab new batteries (seeing as I would have them somewhere, but my dress clothes don’t usually have pockets so I didn’t always have them in the room with me) or if I did have them with me it is a distraction to everyone for me to change the batteries while the meeting is happening. With my rechargeables I can see that I have enough battery to last through the day.
But it’s good to know that you are able to check the status of the disposable batteries in the app. In my last HAs there was no way to check the status, so maybe that is a new functionality since my last disposable battery set.
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Yep. People don’t notice that I wear hearing aids–my hair is long enough to cover the aids over. Unless I have to remove them for some reason, such as changing batteries. Unfortunately a lot of people still have a visceral reaction to hearing aids. Having to remove them in the middle of a business meeting to replace batteries would not be optimal.
I can check the battery levels on my rechargeables on my smart phone app. but they don’[t run out during teh day, so it’s never been an issue.
I’m amazed that folks never have twenty minutes of down time, or take lunch, or work on their own for twenty minutes when they could recharge their aids if for some odd reason they needed that.
Tik Tok? I don’t live here, thanks.
Phonak had both a rechargeable and a traditional battery CROS. What they don’t have right now is cross-style compatibility, which is very frustrating for me. I’m not sure why you are spending so much vitriol on it, however, given that you said you didn’t like your previous phonak hearing aids and had wished that you could try another manufacture back when you got those, and are now successfully trialing another manufacture that does have that compatibility. Oticon didn’t even have a cros back when you got your phonak set; CROS options have expanded across manufacturers since then.
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How long do you get with Phonak luminity 90 Audeo streaming and non streaming?
Phonak claims 16 hrs with 4 hrs of that being BT streaming and 4 hrs streaming from their TV connect.
Strength of receiver (M vs UP), degree of loss, time spent in high noise situations and random chance could all result in different times. My understanding is that you can monitor battery levels with an app so one stay on top of it if one wishes. (Disposables have such a flat voltage curve that it’s hard to monitor)
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It is easy to get embroiled in an argument on here, but please keep it civil @codergeek2015… Civility costs you nothing! @Neville is a much respected Audiologist on this forum, he gives his time freely, and he is very much appreciated… He is trying to help. The problems we have with hearing loss, occasionally frustration rears its ugly head, and spills out into this forum, for those of us in the margins, we are very much a niche market, probably around about 2% of hearing aid users, will fall into that “Ultra Power” profound users niche, most probably less than that for Cros UP users, Phonak like all the major manufacturers, will weigh up their options, profit & loss will come into the equation, and if the loss is too great, they will cease to produce that line of aid… Having said that, I am hopeful they will release a Cros disposable aid in the not too distant future? Cheers Kev 
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I don’t appreciate Phonak name dropping as the be-all, end-all of hearing aids, which is not my experience. I was also criticized by Neville for criticizing Phonak. I’m allowed my opinion, just as Neville is allowed theirs. Neville is also like my audiologist who continues to push and scream Phonak despite being shown and proven that Phonak no longer has the CROS unit that I need for my loss.
Considering Phonak stopped supporting CROS UP three Naida models ago, it is not likely they will be providing it anytime soon, so I am SOL.
All the Phonak name-dropping promotion does is paint this forum as a forum heavily-sponsored by Phonak.
I understand your frustration @codergeek2015 but unfortunately, we sometimes shoot the messenger! Phonak did release a Lumity Cros, I believe? But, they made the fatal error of making it rechargeable, apparently the battery drain is horrendous, so much so, I believe the NHS refuse to stock it! I am almost certain, they will have went back to the drawing board, so they should eventually come out with a battery version… Cheers Kev
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It’s fine guys, don’t worry. I’ll just mute him and he can mute me and that will calm things down.
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That’s fine. I don’t appreciate audiologists who are financially-obligated to Phonak, hence why you push Phonak-only. That doesn’t make you an audiologist in my eyes. That makes you a sales rep. That’s all.
A real audiologist allows their clients to try all manufacturers to see what works best for them. And is not just there to line their pocketbook.
Thanks, @kevels55!! I highly doubt that. They haven’t had Phonak NAIDA CROS units since the Bs when I bought into them, and now I can’t get it anymore. So yes, I am angry at Phonak and will be for a long time. I hold grudges.