Can anyone comment on these? First time HA user. Will start demos on Oticon and Unitron next 2 weeks. Don’t have #'s to post. Moderate to Severe high freq. loss.
These seem like simple amplification. No bells and whistles. Which can be a good thing.
The Amp isn’t really designed for severe losses. It’s a standard fit beginner aid, but it doesn’t really have enough power to do what you want.
As much as I am a fan of Starkey products, I have no interest in the AMP. All it is is a very basic non-custom digital aid aimed at the first time user market.
But if your loss has the word severe in it, there’s no way it is going to be working out for you.
They are marketed at $1500 a pair, and frankly another $500 or so is going to jump you into a vastly superior technology that is capable of addressing more complex or demanding loss.
In my opinion, the vast majority of patients should step right over the AMP and buy real hearing aids.
Thanks. I figured that was the answer I would get. Sometimes I just have to ask.
How long would you expect a AMP to last ?
I do not think the issue is how long it would last. The issue is the AMP features would only be appropriate for very simple, mild hearing loss. Most users here have much more complex losses.
OK would it work for some one with hearing like this ;
Hz…125…250…500…1000…2000… .3000. …4000…6000…8000
RE…5…0…5…15…5 0… …60…60…60…65
LE…15…0…5…20…6 0… …65…60…70…65
Based on the odd one ore two that I have fitted, no not really. It couldn’t cope with the transition between 1kHz and 2kHz that you have, which equates to a gain change of about 20dB. Funnily enough, that loss would have been about perfect for an older 2-channel instrument, like the Oticon Adapto.
Most of the modern RIC instruments would be a better bet for it than an Amp, simply because you need to keep the ear as open as possible with those low frequencies while driving the higher ones judiciously. The RIC configuration suits that better than a single size CIC.
Agree completely. I have fit quite a few AMPs successfully, and patients benefit much more from the fit if their low frequency hearing is a little worse than yours. Given that they are not a custom fit instrument, they will undoubtedly occlude your ear a bit.
Despite the opinion of some professionals here, I have been surprisingly pleased with the AMP as a starter hearing aid, for people who are hesitant about aids to begin with. I have had NONE of them be returned within their trial period.
dr.amy
So having hearing like this would work better with an AMP ?
Hz…250…500…1000…2000… …3000…4000…6000…8000
RE…10…10…20…6 0…65…65…65…6 0
LE…10…5…30… 65…65…65…70… 65
It would seem that if Starkey had soft radial fins on the body of the AMP so that when you inserted the AMP with a twist the flat side of the fins would over lap and lay flat against the ear canal , but not occlude the ear . That way you could increase the gain on the higher frequencies and not lose the bass .
Still no, the degree of HF gain is still about the same and the transition has barely moved. The Amps I have fitted work well for flattish mild to moderate losses. ‘Ski-slopes’ really need proper fitting. However if your loss is like the one above. go and try the Amp to see if it gives you the improvement you need.
Discussion on Starkey AMP started at this link: