Newbie questions I guess
What does 60 vs 80 vs 100 vs 105 fitting mean?
I’m reading about OPN1’s but I think it applies to all HA’s
Do I want my hearing loss to always be ‘within’ the bounded area for each level? Or is ‘right on’ the line good enough? Can separate ears have separate levels? Or it is better to have the same level?
Thanks
I think it refers to the receiver (speaker) size for RIC type aids. Specific to the OPN, it should be 60, 85, 100 and 105dB.
When you’re talking about “within the bounded area”, you’re probably talking about the fitment. Yes, you usually want your loss to be within the fitment area. Right on the line is fine but you basically have no margin left and if your hearing gets worse you may need to upgrade to a bigger receiver. You don’t want your loss to be outside the fitment area for obvious reasons -> receiver not big enough to deliver the needed amplification -> may cause distortion due to overdriving the undersized receiver.
You don’t want to oversize the receiver either because the bigger the receiver, the higher the THD (Total Harmonic Distortion) spec may be and you want to get the one with the best THD spec possible.
Certain big size receiver like the 100 and 105dB usually require custom mold. The smaller 65 and 85dB can use the pre-built dome types.
If you have asymmetrical hearing loss then it’s possible that you may need different size receivers for each ear. You want to have the correct (volume) level for each of the ear’s hearing loss. If they’re asymmetrical then different levels for different ears.
Take a look at the fitting ranges for the different power receivers. You should be aware of (or looking for) a fitting range that will fit your specific hearing loss.
Speaking of hearing loss;
Many Hearing Tracker members now have their audiogram numbers graphically depicted in a colored chart that can easily be made available for viewing with just one click on their avatar.
When you are reading a topic/thread (like this one) you may notice that some avatars have a little “avatar flair”/headphone icon at the lower right of the avatar. That indicates that they have entered their audiogram for other members to view. Click one of those avatars now to see what your audiogram will look like after you enter it.
For help with entering your own audiogram find a link to the instructions at Tip#2 in Hearing Tracker Tips.
On some of the hearing aids listed on Hearing Tracker, the fitting ranges are shown. If you’ve entered your audiogram, it’s automatically superimposed on the fitting ranges. Pretty slick!
Oh yeah, that is slick. When I go Hearing Aid Reviews and use the left pane to select Brand Oticon and then select the Oticon Opn 1 miniRITE then I can scroll down to see the various strength receivers and how they fit my audiogram.
Here’s how the 85 receiver fits my audiogram. Though the fitting range is with Bass Domes, it doesn’t distinguish between Bass Domes and Open Domes.
I was about to post similar question but asking about which power I need for my hearing loss. Audiogram is in my profile.
I currently have 85 in my OPN 1 trials but wanted to make sure these weren’t oversized.
I think the 60dB receiver would be adequate for your loss but it’d be right at the edge of your loss, so your audi perhaps picked the 85 to future proof against worsening hearing in the future. I’d pick the 85 if I were you as well. The THD of the 2 seems to have the same spec so there’s no worry that the 85 would have more distortion or sound worse than the 60 due to being slightly oversized.
And it would also allow for a decent amount of output if there was more than typical canal volume or greater venting than expected.
Trying to learn more about the various power receivers . . .
You’ll get a variety of opinions on here. My take is that you’d do just fine with a Medium receiver. I don’t think there’s any way you’re going to get enough gain to 4khz on up to be usable without a lot of feedback. Frequency lowering MIGHT be helpful, but key is getting adequate gain up to 3khz. As I mentioned, plenty will disagree.
I’m being given a set of Widex hearing aids. They will also give the correct receivers if I specify which are needed. I am thinking 1 - P, and 1 - HP? Does this sound right to you, based on my audiogram? I have a friend who will do the programming for me for free (under the table at his work).
I’d ask your friend. Personally, I’d go with a Medium and a Power. If you go with UltraPower, you’ll have to have the receiver placed in a custom mold (at least that’s how it usually works) With a medium and power receiver, you can replace the receiver without getting a new mold. I’m thinking you should have custom molds. Is your friend going to arrange for those too?
Yes, that is part of the deal. I HATE domes. They will be used only for the initial programming. Molds will arrive approx 2 weeks after. Assuming that the widex receivers will not fit into my current molds (Signia).
Thanks for the input on the receivers.
Dan
Again, I’d ask your friend for the final recommendation.
Thanks for your time.
Dan