Yes, marketing material dominates. I still think one can get a feel by comparing features from hearing aids from the same parent company, but different brands, but it can be like reading tea leaves. Comparing specs across manufacturers is not possible in my mind, other than maybe bluetooth features.
I’m about to get my first HA. I’ve tried the Nuheara earbuds and Apple earpod pros and while they help they are not very ideal and don’t offer much amplification or noise filtering. And my own voice is so distracting (echos). So I’ve selected the BiCore from Rexon at CostCo. They do appear to be equivalent to Signia AX7 physically and feature wise. I get them on 7/19 and I’m hoping they work well for my loss. At least CostCo does and REM and the fitter seemed to know what she was doing her results were very close to what I’ve been able to measure online. So tired of not being able to understand my mtn biking riding partners and saying “what” to my wife, lol.
I have the detailed spec sheet for the Signia AX7, AX5 and AX3 and the BiCore from CostCo. All the spec values for the BiCore are identical to the Signia AX7. Even all the fit curves are identical. The only differences are under the Features and Accessories section. Names are different and Signia goes into more detail. OVP for Signia is My Voice for the BiCore for instance, eWindscreen for the Signia is Wind Noise Reduction for the BiCore. I think they are identical with the same features although the BiCore has or might have different internal programming but even that might not be entirely true and it’s just how they prefer to market the BiCore and play down the differences.
I wanted to add that after looking at the Signia app the Rexton app is identical. And both apps seem to not allow the user to do very much adjusting and leave that to tech or the “neural net” which makes changes that can only be reversed at the time of the change or with a complete reset. And you don’t get any feedback on what they changed but I’m told the tech can see that. So far not very happy with my BiCores and hoping I can get some needed tweaks at my 2 week follow up.
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Could you attach the spec sheets you mention?
Hmmm…my impression is that the Signia AX7 etc was newly released just over a year ago. Would Signia release the same aid at Costco at the same time? It’s their premier aid, one of them. Somehow I doubt that.
Sorry I disposed of the spec sheets a long time ago when I bought the Philips HA. While the physical specs are the same no doubt there are plenty of differences with the software which seems to have similar characteristics but different names and the the Signia software appears to have a few more “features”.
Hi @TheGoatLord ! I know this is older but i thought i’d join the convo. As far as i know, and i’ve fit and programmed both Signia AX hearing aids, Tru Hearing and Costco Rexton hearing aids. I’ve worked for costco AND beltone and fit everything in between. The rexton M-core aids were the generation before the Rexton Bi Core (costco’s newest rexton). The signia AX are equivalent to the Rexton BiCore. Both use the same fitting software and have very similar features with different names. I’m still in the process of figuring out just how similar the software is, the AI, etc… They are all made by sivantos and all have the same housing, and internal components (the hearing aids are the same). The only difference is the software that runs them. How different? I’m still looking. So far, the fitting software is exactly the same, as far as i can tell but i don’t know if theres any major differences.
I’m also trying to figure out, by doing tons of research, how similar the software is for the Philips Hearlink 9030’s which are the equivalent to the oticon more and the difference between the Phonak and KS10 which are also made by the same manufacturer (sonova)
I have tons of experience with the Resound Jabra and Beltone Hearing Aids and I can tell you for sure, the software and features between those two share are identical, again with different names and different colors for the fitting software. If the same is true of all the other aids i mentioned earlier, there is literally no difference but the Resound Jabra and Beltone may be the exception. I’m still searching, let me know if you have any questions i may be able to answer! Happy hunting.
Btw… the Rexton Bi Cores are great, here is a video i made on how the hearing aids are all made by the same manufacturers but with HUGE price differences for the (possibly) same aids.
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well it depends on when you went to costco, they now have the Rexton BiCore which are 1600.00 for the set and they are the new generation, BiCore as in 2 cores. The equivalent to the ax series from signia
this isn’t quite right, they are more like sonic enchant.
I don’t believe there’s anything other then the housing and microphone ports.
Umm, yeah but more like ReSound Ones, but then beltone imagine is the same as the ones, ok so there all the same.
So yes I’m with you on this, most of these are the same HAs but with different names for their respective features for a different price point…
I think the Jabra Enhance Pro were Resound One. The newer Jabra Enhance Pro 10 is the Omnia, I believe.
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There’s a fair bit of “as far as I know” and “seems to be the same except” and “well no, you think it’s one brand but it’s actually closer to another” in all this discussion about Costco aids. Undoubtedly Costco provides excellent aids at much lower prices than others can match. This is a very very good thing. It’s just, claims that one Costco brand is identical to X brand that independent providers carry…except for…maybe not…others say differently…–.clouds the whole picture. In a way, who cares? If you find an aid that performs great for you at Costco; maybe even better than the aid you tried at a private provider, that costs more…go for it! A rose by any other name is a Costco rose, and all that.
p.s. I bought Signia AX7 aids for full price from a private business. Are they the same as Rexton bi-core at Costco? some say yes, some say no. The more I read, the more I think we don’t actually know.
My gut tells me, no.
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Yes your correct, as mentioned.
Nope, they are the same as mentioned, no ifs or maybe, possiblity or I think, they are same, but I’m happy for you offer any information that there not, links or attachments, the reason is that the software for all these different brands/ models show the same features and they use the same chips and are made by the same manufacturers.
They are the same, unless you have some links, attachments that show they are different, same software and chips, they use the same accessories, all this shows they are the same, no ifs.
@jeffrey if you want, you could have the links to the software, you could then check yourself between them and see what some of us are saying.
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Well…some say so. but just read this thread alone. Even you disagree with others about the provenance of various Costco aids in terms of other brands. it’s confusing at the least. I suspect its more than that. But you say the signia are identical in every way with Rexton. I respect your opinion. But, we’re all just anonymous folks with opinions on the internet. Again, I don’t know. You’ve always insisted you have all the white papers and specs and insider info to make this assertion.
I only have a comment that the Philips 9030 is not the same or equivalent to the Oticon More. Although they do share some of the peripheral technologies and sometimes the same accessories (like the TV adapter and the BT intermediary devices), their core technologies are different although both are AI based.
The Sonic hearing aids are along a similar vein with the above 2. Since Sonic and Oticon are under the William Demant umbrella, and Philips, although not under WD, licenses the HA technologies from WD, they share peripheral technologies and accessories, their core technologies are different and that’s why they’re 3 different HA mfgs even though under the same WD umbrella.
I have trial tested the Sonic Enchant 100, which is the previous generation compared to the latest Sonic Radiant models, and for sure the Sonic Enchant is not equivalent to the OPN. So the Philips 9030 and the Oticon More and the Sonic Radiant have many similarities but their cores are all really different.
Bernafon is another WD subsidiary. I don’t know much about the latest Bernafon model (the Alpha?). But upon reviewing the previous Bernafon line and comparing it to the Sonic Enchant line, I see some similarity in their core technologies, but they made sure to use different/separate names for them so it’s not possible to be definitive about whether they were really equivalent or not.
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Yes absolutely I do agree that we’re just “anonymous folks with opinions on the internet” I don’t actually say they are “identical in every single way” as obviously there’s no way for me to know that, I mean I don’t actually work for these guys, can I put it another way, some are so similar, that I can’t tell them apart.
I wonder if it’s legal to sell the identical HA under different names through different outlets–well, costco, which is the elephant in the HA market–at radically different prices. Isn’t that patent infraction…? Or something…Sure the manufacturers have made their deals with Costco…but sheesh. this is beyond my level of expertise, but I would have thought there was some sort of law that prevents a major retail outlet from selling an identical product under a different name at radically lower prices than their competitors. And anyway, why doesn’t Costco jsut sell the Signia AX7, the latest aid from Signia, under that name and brag about how it’s $1500.00 cheaper with them. Why all the name changing thing? Keeping the name and radically underselling everyone else would be far better marketing. wouldn’t you buy the latest Honda CRV from an outlet that offered it at $10,000 lower than anyone else? Why would that outlet market it as “Julius Bi-core” when its a Honda CRV? Hmmmm.
In any case, volusiano seems to think there are subtle and not so subtle differences between Costco brands and their “equivalents” in the rest of the market.
But not if the company selling the HAs to Costco or any others owns the patent, Signia, Rexton=
https://www.wsa.com/en/about-us/brands/
Well in a way they do, only they use this different name, now this isn’t Costco decision, Costco doesn’t get a say in which name/models they will be selling as such, the manufacturer “offers” the premium model, and you can sell if for whatever, only catch is, you can only use this terminology and this “brand name” the manufacturer is making a feeble attempt at “protecting” all the other audiology clinics that have to pay 3 times this amount for the same model, it’s just marketing, and of course “market share”
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The major manufacturers choose which of their brands they will sell to Costco, many times with a unique model designation. They want to minimize affecting their other sakes partners while maximizing Costco sales. I know they sometimes change the brand sold to Costco in an attempt to improve sales there.
For unique models we can only depend on data sheets and possibly markings on the aids. For instance, we know exactly what Rexton model is the same as my KS8 because they have the Rexton model on the aids themselves.
Hey guys, i dont claim to know it all, i sure have lots to learn as well. My experience comes from working at private dispensers such as beltone and yes, unfortunately, miracle ear as well. And ive qorked at costco for a fair bit.
I have and still do use the signia software and the costco rexton software and cant find any differences, at all between the fitting software and the internal components between the signia ax and rexton bi core hearing aids. Just giving you my 2 cents based on my experience. I fit both and love both, if anyone has questions about hem, lemme know 
id be happy to answer them.
As far as Jabra, Resound and Beltone hearing aids. I can tell you with great confidence, from my experience, they are all the same. Software, hardware. The advanced features have different proprietary names and the fitting software UI has different colors lol. As far as sonova hearing aids (phonak, ks 9,10 series) and Demant Hearing Aids (philips,oticon) im still learning and if ANYONE has solid info on how similar they really are, id love to know. I do know the apps are very similar and use me for info, i currently fit philips (Demant). Id love to help add confusion and more maybe so’s, i dont really know’s haha.
Currently fitting and programming
Rexton
Philips
Signia
Beltone
Resound
Jabra
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