#50

Regarding your audi’s ok to wear your wife’s old aids: Your audi knew what your wife’s loss was like and how the aids were programmed. If you’re buying random aids, you have no idea. I think there are better options.

#51

I’ve looked at many of the audiograms from users on this forum. I firmly believe that the overwhelming majority would be helped by the HAs of a random member. Not perfect, but far, far better than with nothing. For someone scraping just to get by I think it would be a worthwhile gamble. JMO.

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#52

Or they could be hurt; CAUTION: A BTE Power hearing aid is a powerful hearing instrument. If you have been fitted with BTE Power, never allow others to wear your hearing instruments as incorrect usage could cause permanent damage to their hearing.

You don’t need the luxury of an audiologist to get hearing aids programmed to your audiogram/hearing loss.

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#53

Sure. Best practices. Wise sage advice. Could do damage. etc.
I agree with member98 for his same reasons. It’s a worthwhile gamble. Be very aware of course…but worthwhile nonetheless.
As for luxury…if you’re struggling to get by then you’re not running out and spending a few hundred on programming gear either.

#54

It doesn’t even require a few hundred on programming gear.

You can get them programmed on EBay for less than $100. Sometimes you can get them programmed free from an EBay seller.

It is not a worthwhile gamble. There are better alternatives.

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#55

Right. I forget that some places might set them up for you from free to a small fee.
But the keyword is gamble. Short of going to the hassle of having someone program them for you…it’s a gamble that the larger majority of HA wearers likely have similar-ish losses.

#56

It’s foolishness…

#57

I just glanced at your audiogram and it appears to me you could probably hear better with my aids than with nothing.

#58

Interesting conversation.

It makes me extremely grateful that I’m fortunate to be in the UK. The NHS isn’t perfect, but it would solve the problems mentioned in this thread

Incidentally, I’m a Costco member here in the UK. Got a pair of spectacles there a few years back. Great price vs specification.

They don’t have an audiology department in my local store as far as I know. I do know that generally they’re pretty helpful, although I have had poor service in another branch.

Wonder if they’ll introduce audiology services to the UK stores.

#59

The Costco in Watford London has an audiology section.

#60

Oh right. Might be worth a trip there?

Have you any idea of the range available there? Checked the UK website.

#61

I emailed them and enquiried about Phonaks. From my understanding they offer the same as the US and in the same names as well.

#63

They do offer Phonaks and ReSound, as well as their private brand. But they do not include features that I consider mandatory. Tried a pair of the ReSound aids that were priced at $2,500.00. They didn’t have feedback control and squealed even when I bought earmolds. The earmolds were a joke: the receivers stuck out of the back of the earmold 1/8 inch because the specialist didn’t know how to make the impressions. They also were also painful. The RIC wires were too long, and bulged away from my ear. When I used the “knife and fork” (restaurant), it didn’t do much of anything. I’ve owned 20+ pair, and never had this many problems. I returned them.

#64

the first thing I did with the (Costco)ks6 pair I bought on ebay was put new batteries in them and put them in my ears–that was not gonna work!! The previous owner and I apparently had hearing lost not remotely similar.

#65

The Costco aid programming software is not available to other than Costco.

#66

Been mentioned in numerous other threads. This applies only to KS5 and KS6 and other Costco Resound models. KS7, KS8, Phonaks, Bernafons and Rextons are not locked to Costco software.

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#67

As a followup to my original post, I shopped eBay and found a pair of Oticon opn1’s for $2,500.00. They came with a one year warranty (which I paid for) and a no-questions-asked return policy for 30 days. The price included programming and I sent in the report I received at Costco. I have owned them for about a year with no problems. No, I don’t dare return them to Oticon because they will confiscate them. (I was told this by an Audiologist who worked for a traditional practice. Not sure it is true.) Previously I was told by a Starkey factory representative that Starkey would not confiscate them unless they were a pair that were given to a person as a replacement for lost or stolen aids covered under warranty. That may be true, but determining the source might be difficult if you buy on the Internet. Nevertheless, I will never buy hearing aids at full retail unless the pricing becomes reasonable. The opn1’s are working great! What I have found is a good Audiologist who sells for a reasonable price and is located in the US.

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#68

That is why you need a hearing test done and the hearing aids adjusted to your loss. There are companies other than audiology practices that will adjust your hearing aids properly,

#69

Just one more idea to add to this long thread.
If you buy on Ebay, go to an audiologist who works at a hospital or non-profit institution. I have gone to the audiology clinic at our University hospital. Stafff are PhDs and not compensated by the units sold. I have been to two individuals there, and neither had any trouble helping me out. It will cost you money-- I paid $300-- to have them adjusted but there is no hard sell or distrust. I also ought to point out that I did buy a bad pair on Ebay, which the audiologist pointed out. Returned them without a problem and came back to the clinic with a pair that worked. I do not have anything more than age related hearing loss. I could not conceive of paying thousands for HAs when so many used ones would be perfectly adequate. I could also add that I went to another non-profit for an audiogram when I began the search for HA’s. The audiologist showed me several units that would work. I liked the small Phonaks that I saw, and just went to Ebay to find a pair one or two generations back. Bought Phonak S Smart IX s and really like them. My only problem is losing them! But then, buying a compatible mate on Ebay was not very expensive.

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#71

Wrong. I just took a pair of eBay used KS8 to my local (Naples Fl).
Programmed them to my existing Costco audiogram. No charge whatsoever.