From Oticon Epoq to Chili to Phonak Bolero SP

Hello,

I haven't posted much but I could really use some in sight from others who may have had some experience in this area.

I was using an Oticon Epoq for a few years but I have had some MORE hearing loss during that time and need MORE power. My audi selected the Oticon Chili .. I didn't like the sound almost immediately. So my audi got me on another aide, the PHonak Bolero SP. I like it better than the Chili but still, not digging the way I hear things.

She's going back to Oticon and what seems to be the difference is although the Epoq was a BTE, the speaker actually is in the ear mold rather than behind the ear as part of the unit. She thinks that being closer to my ear drum makes the difference.

Anyone else experience the sound quality being significantly improved even with a BTE when your speaker goes into your ear canal by way of ear mold versus speaker being part of the behind the ear unit?

Really curious. Sorry so long..

some of us has those options

Sarfarigirl2011 said:

some of us has those options

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I noticed you wear Oticon aides.. do those models have the in the ear mold speaker while being BTE?

I'm just so curious about others who have the same issues with the sound quality difference. I have no hearing in my left ear and I'm profoundly deaf in my right ear. Also wondering about something someone else mentioned about having the programming go more to analog instead of digital. Hate the noise suppression in the digital aides.

Very frustrated trying to get this right.

jollyrj said:

I noticed you wear Oticon aides.. do those models have the in the ear mold speaker while being BTE?

I'm just so curious about others who have the same issues with the sound quality difference. I have no hearing in my left ear and I'm profoundly deaf in my right ear. Also wondering about something someone else mentioned about having the programming go more to analog instead of digital. Hate the noise suppression in the digital aides.

Very frustrated trying to get this right.

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some do, some don't. and I have an earmold with it since my low tone sucks :3 *of course power is a must for my loss too LOL*

I'm surprised your audi changed you from Oticon Chili to Phonak Bolero. Phonak Naida is the equivalent to the Chili in power. The Boleros may not have the power you need for your hearing loss and that may be why things don't sound right. Go back and ask about Naidas, I have them and find them excellent!

djchur said:

I'm surprised your audi changed you from Oticon Chili to Phonak Bolero. Phonak Naida is the equivalent to the Chili in power. The Boleros may not have the power you need for your hearing loss and that may be why things don't sound right. Go back and ask about Naidas, I have them and find them excellent!

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Thank you for that advice! I go back tomorrow and definitely will ask about those.

Do let us know how it goes

djchur said:

Do let us know how it goes

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Thank you and I will. I got some really good feedback from this site and feel more armed with better questions to ask my audi now. Like the Naidas and also, programming to be more analog.

Had my appointment and audi said the Naidas would be equivalent to the aid I already tried, the Phonak Bolero SP. She said she did try making the Chili more analog and it still wasn't working for me. So, we are going back to the speaker closer to the ear drum. It's an SP speaker in the mold itself where the wire runs through the tubing to the BTE device. We'll see and I'm feeling optimistic.

I have always been afraid to know the real degree of my hearing loss. I guess you could call that being in denial. I talked to her a bit more about why my left ear is deaf as it is and she explained that the nerve fibers are permanently damaged and/or missing. The brain cannot differentiate noise (pitches) so it equates to nothing. In my right, she said it's sloping moderate to profound. I can only hear consonants when the pitch reaches 90-105db. Gotta have them consonants in conversation. Interesting.. but depressing. I'll go back to being in denial. LOL!!

Thanks for all the input some of you gave me.

you're welcome and the way you're sloping? sounds a lot like my mother

Hopefully she can get the Bolero SP set up well to work for you. Don't be afraid to keep going back until it's just right, it'll be worth it in the end.

djchur said:

Hopefully she can get the Bolero SP set up well to work for you. Don't be afraid to keep going back until it's just right, it'll be worth it in the end.

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You bet I will keep going back... Thx