How do you listen to music with your CI?

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hugoboss84

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I am not really sure what is the best method for CI users to listen and enjoy music. Are there any Cochlear users here who could advise me? I am not bilateral, and I am finding my personal audio cable a little difficult to use. I also tried to use a neckloop, to connect both my hearing aids and CI. Can someone tell me what are the options since I am really confused, and have started wearing my normal Ipod earbuds again, but almost little or no sound gets amplified through my CI. I also dont see my Music Program any different; I have not been able to differentiate between my regular programs and my music program.
 
We just put old fashioned headphones on Miss Kat. She has one AB CI and one hearing aid.
headphones.jpg
 
I still haven't perfected mine yet, and I am not sure but I think that there is a glitch in my processor. From what I have read about the freedom, you should be able to do one of the following:
turn off the processor, attach the cable and then attach it to the mp3 player, then turn processor back on. This is supposed to take it to external direct audio. or
plug in the cables to both processor and mp3 player, push the < and the > on the lower buttons at the same time till you see EA (external audio). That should give you just the sound from the mp3 player.
It worked with the first processor I had, but does not work with this one. I get both mic and EA with this one. Not a bad thing most of the time, but can be annoying when trying to listen to a song.
It all still sounds funky to me, and not quite human, but I am getting there....and I can make out the words and really hear the drum beats...
 
I am 99% sure I never get "EA" on my processor. I only saw it for the first time during activation when I had disposable batteries. I dont think the EA appears on rechargeable batteries. Correct me if I am wrong, but I still dont see any connection between batteries and programming options.
 
hugoboss84 said:
I am not really sure what is the best method for CI users to listen and enjoy music. Are there any Cochlear users here who could advise me? I am not bilateral, and I am finding my personal audio cable a little difficult to use. I also tried to use a neckloop, to connect both my hearing aids and CI. Can someone tell me what are the options since I am really confused, and have started wearing my normal Ipod earbuds again, but almost little or no sound gets amplified through my CI. I also dont see my Music Program any different; I have not been able to differentiate between my regular programs and my music program.
Click to expand...

I'm a music lover, so it took a while for me to finally get the perfect program for my music.

First - it sounds like you have not connected your personal audio cable correctly.

Plug it in, then press the < and > buttons the SAME time. You *should* get the "EA" blink once on your LCD screen. Then pop the coil on, and you should be able to get the sounds through your CI. If you do NOT see the "EA", your audiologist probably had the option turned off.

For Freedom - you cannot use the ear bud like AB's because there's no microphones in the ear. If you RATHER get a headphone, be sure you get the "over the ear" headphone. I found that i really like Bose's headphone..it's so comfortable and really good...a bit expensive though.

You will need to switch to t-coil for this one. T-Coil is when you press the < and > at the same time twice. It will have the "T". Again, if you don't see it, your audiologist turned it off. You can hear the music through the headphones, but I find the background noise distracting, and if you move your head, the microphone get brushed and sounds horrible.

If you don't want your personal audio cable, and don't like the T-loop, then you can try the silhouettes that placed behind the ear.

For music program - I find Autosensitivity and ADRO works best (my everyday program is just Autosensitivity). It took me about 6 months to finally get it just perfect. It all comes down to programming. I prefer hearing the vocals over the instruments, so I have the programming adjusted for that. I personally use my Personal Audio Cables and plug them in an adapter because I'm bilateral, so I need two.

Good luck!
 
hugoboss84 said:
I am 99% sure I never get "EA" on my processor. I only saw it for the first time during activation when I had disposable batteries. I dont think the EA appears on rechargeable batteries. Correct me if I am wrong, but I still dont see any connection between batteries and programming options.
Click to expand...


It doesn't matter whether you have disposables or rechargeable batteries...EA should work every time. I use rechargeables all the time, and I listen to my iPod.

Either you haven't pressed the buttons correctly or your audiologist did not put it in. (When I was first activated, the option was not available...how dare she take me away from my music! :) It sounded horrible anyways at first)
 
Sorry! One last comment. since you wear ci and has, you're better off getting behind the ear headphones.
 
If you have the Telecoil option on your CI, maybe you can look into getting earhooks (either T-Links or Hatis, both available at the Harris Communications website). I use Hatis Epic (just 1) with my hearing aid on Telecoil and it works great. And I know someone who has bilateral CIs (Freedoms if I remember right) and he's been using the Hatis Epic (double) with Telecoil with no problem. It's something to think about. Just put the earhooks on your ears behind the HA or CI, switch HA/CI to Telecoil, plug earhook(s) into iPod/CD player/computer, etc, and voila! just like magic. :)
 
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