How much better are hearing aids today than in 2004-2005?

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sigh144

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Hey guys, I have 9-10 year old Siemens Triano hearing aids (I think).

They are CIC's made by Siemens and I got them around 2004-2005.

I barely ever wore them for the first 8 years or so and i am wearing them a lot more often nowadays for work. The problem is I am still missing things and not hearing very well.

Basically, what I would like to know is if the hearing aids out today offer a substantial upgrade in terms how well it enables you to hear......not just "channels" and bluetooth and all that.

Any perspective on this would be greatly appreciated.....specifically anyone who had CIC HA's 10 years ago who has newer cic HA's today.

Thanks.
 
This isn't really what you asked but I've had two sets of Siemens hearing aids and found them to be lacking.
I now have two Unitron aids which I find are better.
Basically I suppose I'm saying Siemens aids just aren't that good!
After speaking to my audiologist a while back he said they have many returns on the Siemens models as people are unhappy with their sound.
I suffered from a fluttering warbling sensation that no amount of tweaking could get rid of completely.

Also, regular hearing checks are a must! I'm due another check and discover my hearing declines every three months or so.


Peej with AllDeaf
 
The HA I have now has push button to talk on the phone and I really do not like it . I like my old HA that had a little switch that I moved to talk on the phone . And I have more problem with moisture getting in my HA .
 
Hearing aids, in general, are light years ahead of where they were ten years ago. They're pretty amazing - not everything though works for everyone and some of us miss the simplicity of analog sound. Still, I've often wondered if HA of the future will develop to a point that they may replace the need for CI....anything is possible. It's become a very cut throat, competitive business and with the aging population - HA will continue to be very good business.

Laura
 
Lau2046 said:
Hearing aids, in general, are light years ahead of where they were ten years ago. They're pretty amazing - not everything though works for everyone and some of us miss the simplicity of analog sound. Still, I've often wondered if HA of the future will develop to a point that they may replace the need for CI....anything is possible. It's become a very cut throat, competitive business and with the aging population - HA will continue to be very good business.

Laura
Click to expand...

I like analog HA better than digital hearing aids . I am having finding I hard to find a telephone that work with my digital hearing . I have notice when I call my doctor or audi I have trouble hearing them on the new phones they have . The new phones offices are using just do not work with my HA.
 
sigh144 said:
Hey guys, I have 9-10 year old Siemens Triano hearing aids (I think).

They are CIC's made by Siemens and I got them around 2004-2005.

I barely ever wore them for the first 8 years or so and i am wearing them a lot more often nowadays for work. The problem is I am still missing things and not hearing very well.

Basically, what I would like to know is if the hearing aids out today offer a substantial upgrade in terms how well it enables you to hear......not just "channels" and bluetooth and all that.

Any perspective on this would be greatly appreciated.....specifically anyone who had CIC HA's 10 years ago who has newer cic HA's today.

Thanks.
Click to expand...

Ah,there you have it! CICs really aren't that great.....Try BTEs....the difference is AMAZING....you'll be able to hear SO MUCH MORE!
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I like analog HA better than digital hearing aids . I am having finding I hard to find a telephone that work with my digital hearing . I have notice when I call my doctor or audi I have trouble hearing them on the new phones they have . The new phones offices are using just do not work with my HA.
Click to expand...
while I miss the superpower with analog I find I'm the opposite with digital hearing aids and phones. I hear better than I did with analog. However that does depend on the kind of phone too. Phones at work that are tied into a network suck (so I request a amplifier from my employer). Cell phones are okay.... but not very good (for either analog or digital)- same with the old rotary/push button phones.

Wow any wonder I hate using the phone. Using DAI cords has helped a ton though. Problem is now I'm having a hard time with my cell phone even WITH the DAI cord. My computer is the best though (via skype and when I use VCO on VRS calls.. oh and my music lol).

Digital still gets a lot of electrical interference when on T-Coil mode just like analog...annoying.
 
I would say so myself. I got a digital hearing aid in 2004, and while it was better than my first digital hearing aid (which I got in 2001).... the one I have now has more features.
 
So much better! I am a BTE wearer for many years, so I don't know what a cic is really like, but the difference in technology is leaps and bounds ahead.

I also hear better with digital than analog.
 
DeafDucky said:
Digital still gets a lot of electrical interference when on T-Coil mode just like analog...annoying.
Click to expand...

That's a limitation of the telecoil -- all a telecoil does is pick up electromagnetic signals. If you think it's a noisy analog world out there, you haven't seen how bad it is in the EM spectrum with a frequency scanner. Everything with a coil produces copious amounts of noise, and coils are in every single power supply for every single electric device.
 
Bottesini said:
So much better! I am a BTE wearer for many years, so I don't know what a cic is really like, but the difference in technology is leaps and bounds ahead.

I also hear better with digital than analog.
Click to expand...

Totally agree with Bottesini. I love my Naidas (first set of digital hearing aids). I can hear loads better with my digital hearing aids and has good features that I can take use of. I no longer have to regularly adjust my volume control, in fact I've only ever touched my volume control when being bored at work and I've just cycled through it listening to the beeps :giggle:
 
I generally didn't touch the volume control on my SUMOs- only because they were already at max volume of 4. Same with the Chilis. Although I'm trying to put them TO 4 I'm getting a ton of feedback. I can hear ok with it at 2 but still have trouble hearing so crank it up.

Sad thing is even though cranking it up helps, it doesn't solve my speech discrimination problem (ie actually understanding what they're SAYING). Last night at my sister's was a near nightmare- new hearing aid + group conversation= headache. On top of that my new molds are now causing pain...so wearing my old ones right now....

Pain in the ass. Shoulda just gotten the left SUMO aid fixed for 500 bucks...
 
Pain in the ass. Shoulda just gotten the left SUMO aid fixed for 500 bucks...[/QUOTE]

You can probably get the SUMO fixed for less than $500 if you send it in to someplace like Hearing Aid Services: Welcome to Direct Hearing Aid Services. I was quoted a max price of $340 and that was if the HA had to be sent into Oticon for repair, it didn't and the repair cost me $142.
 
sigh144 said:
Hey guys, I have 9-10 year old Siemens Triano hearing aids (I think).

They are CIC's made by Siemens and I got them around 2004-2005.

I barely ever wore them for the first 8 years or so and i am wearing them a lot more often nowadays for work. The problem is I am still missing things and not hearing very well.

Basically, what I would like to know is if the hearing aids out today offer a substantial upgrade in terms how well it enables you to hear......not just "channels" and bluetooth and all that.

Any perspective on this would be greatly appreciated.....specifically anyone who had CIC HA's 10 years ago who has newer cic HA's today.

Thanks.
Click to expand...


The difference between a HA that was made 10 years ago and one made today is huge: better programming options than 10 years ago, noise suppression is better, more channels for finer programming options, Bluetooth options to help hear on phones, TV and any Bluetooth capable audio device or one with a 2.5 or 3.5mm jack, and on and on, basically each generation gets better as the manufacturers learn more.

I have a couple of friends that used CIC's and always had repair issues with them (usually wax problems) and couldn't hear that well with them. Today they use BTE's and have said they would never go back to a CIC HA. In addition to my friends I've also read several study's that have concluded that the most satisfied HA user is one that uses a BTE and the least satisfied are CIC users.

I think if you are looking to buy new aids you should try several different manufacturers and see if it makes a difference in how well you can hear and don't be afraid to try a different style of hearing aid and see if that helps also. Good luck!
 
seb said:
You can probably get the SUMO fixed for less than $500 if you send it in to someplace like Hearing Aid Services: Welcome to Direct Hearing Aid Services. I was quoted a max price of $340 and that was if the HA had to be sent into Oticon for repair, it didn't and the repair cost me $142.
Click to expand...


Thanks! I plan to look into that once I have some disposable income (aka a job) as I really need a backup pair. I do still the Widex Sensos that I got when I was living in CO (that was over ten years ago though and before the Oticon Sumo DM pair.

Hmm Wonder if I still have my Oticon 380Ps... loved them (and very old lol).
 
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DeafDucky said:
Thanks! I plan to look into that once I have some disposable income (aka a job) as I really need a backup pair. I do still the Widex Sensos that I got when I was living in CO (that was over ten years ago though and before the Oticon Sumo DM pair.

Hmm Wonder if I still have my Oticon 380Ps... loved them (and very old lol).
Click to expand...

If you don't have a job and need HA's, contact your states dept. of rehab and see if they can help you get what you need; my sister is getting new aids and a
ComPilot from the state of California, so she can get a job. It never hurts to ask.
 
DeafDucky said:
while I miss the superpower with analog I find I'm the opposite with digital hearing aids and phones. I hear better than I did with analog. However that does depend on the kind of phone too. Phones at work that are tied into a network suck (so I request a amplifier from my employer). Cell phones are okay.... but not very good (for either analog or digital)- same with the old rotary/push button phones.

Wow any wonder I hate using the phone. Using DAI cords has helped a ton though. Problem is now I'm having a hard time with my cell phone even WITH the DAI cord. My computer is the best though (via skype and when I use VCO on VRS calls.. oh and my music lol).

Digital still gets a lot of electrical interference when on T-Coil mode just like analog...annoying.
Click to expand...

I have a Clarity landline phone and I when I call my Dr. office or the vet on it I have trouble hearing on t. I did not before but my Dr. and vet have new phones and for some reason I have trouble hearing the person on the other end. I am having a hard time finding a new phone.
 
seb said:
If you don't have a job and need HA's, contact your states dept. of rehab and see if they can help you get what you need; my sister is getting new aids and a
ComPilot from the state of California, so she can get a job. It never hurts to ask.
Click to expand...
Already done- That's how I got the Oticon SUMO 9 years ago (I was out of work then too) and the Oticon Chilis this time :)

whatdidyousay! said:
I have a Clarity landline phone and I when I call my Dr. office or the vet on it I have trouble hearing on t. I did not before but my Dr. and vet have new phones and for some reason I have trouble hearing the person on the other end. I am having a hard time finding a new phone.
Click to expand...
Yep- I think it depends on how the phones are set up. I know that PBX type systems are terrible for the ability to hear with and transmission (when the other person speaks). A lot of businesses have this kind of system. It's why I had to get one of those "Walker" amplifiers because there aren't handsets made specifically for those phones and you couldn't replace the entire phone either. At least the amplifier PLUS the volume control on the phone at work did work for me (I still avoided using the phone as much as possible though lol)
 
whatdidyousay! said:
I like analog HA better than digital hearing aids . I am having finding I hard to find a telephone that work with my digital hearing . I have notice when I call my doctor or audi I have trouble hearing them on the new phones they have . The new phones offices are using just do not work with my HA.
Click to expand...

Are the digital hearing aids that much better than Analog hearing aids? (is that what HA is?)
Mine is five years old now and I'm thinking of getting a new one. My digital hearing aid takes 5 seconds or so to turn on and I hate that. Do all digital phones do that?
I have a PHONAK OK! Plus up. I get considerable feedback with this one, with new earmolds too.
 
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