Widex and Phonak users

Which do you prefer

  • Widex

    Votes: 4 36.4%

  • Phonak

    Votes: 7 63.6%
  • Total voters
    11
  • Poll closed .
sonocativo

sonocativo

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First I want to thanks those who recommended the 2 brands to me, I finally contacted an ENT Specialist today that specializes in the 2 brands. They are currently running the insurance to make sure they are covered under the plan ( the ENT ) as I have hearing aid coverage.

I was researching both brands and I like some features they both provide such as the wireless connection when using a phone to hear in both ears instead of just one ( that will help me greatly as my understanding of words are different in both ears and the combined will help me understand better I assume)

Doe anyone use the FM/wireless feature for listening to the TV? and how well does that work , meaning can you hear other things going on as well or is it just the tv when in that mode? I know I will get more answers at the ENT when I go, just wondering and if anyone wants to add their pros and cons on each I would greatly appreciate it, like... How natural does the environment sound to you through your widex or phonax? I know my siemens and starkeys were kind of robotic and warbled with music/tv.

Thanks again everyone.
 
I've only used Phonaks, never tried a Widex. See if you can do a trial period with both Phonak and Widex, that way you can compare the two and see which one will work better for you.
 
cdmeggers said:
I've only used Phonaks, never tried a Widex. See if you can do a trial period with both Phonak and Widex, that way you can compare the two and see which one will work better for you.
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Yes, I will see if they will, How does yours sound ( assuming you had some natural hearing experiences ) as my siemens and starkeys digitals sounded robotic and not true colors.
 
I voted Phonak, but I haven't had a Widex so I also think you should get a trial with the two brands and see which you like best.

But, before my last hearing drop, I did have Siemens, and I liked the sound quality, so I think you may have a different experience from me.

It's all pretty individual.
 
I don't remember what sounds normal, as I was only 2 when I went deaf. But I've been happy with the Phonaks. I tried an Oticon for a short while and I didn't like it, it just sounded too different.
 
Bottesini said:
I voted Phonak, but I haven't had a Widex so I also think you should get a trial with the two brands and see which you like best.

But, before my last hearing drop, I did have Siemens, and I liked the sound quality, so I think you may have a different experience from me.

It's all pretty individual.
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My siemens did sound better than the starkeys, but the sound was still very off.... I had analog aids before and they sounded normal.

I know not everyone tried every brand of HA's out there, but just the experiences that you as an individual and what you have helps me to determin pros and cons as well as what features you enjoy from them as well.

I know sometimes the trial isn't enough to determin if its right for you or not... But I don't want to just settle for anything and be stuck like I was with the starkeys.
 
When I first got the siemens CIC I could hear change rattle in my pockets, but after a few months even turning them up I couldn't hear it anymore... been the same with all the HA's Ive had because the severity just gets worst with time. And wind noise drives me nuts in a car.
 
Not sure how much power you need....but before I needed the most powerful I hd an Oticon Tego Pro, the sound quality was much better sounded much more natural....never tried a Widex, so I got nothing there.
 
sonocativo said:
When I first got the siemens CIC I could hear change rattle in my pockets, but after a few months even turning them up I couldn't hear it anymore... been the same with all the HA's Ive had because the severity just gets worst with time. And wind noise drives me nuts in a car.
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I think this is more because your brain tunes it out for some reason. IINM everyone gets that effect, all of a sudden everything is so loud you get headaches and you can't walk straight for all the dizziness you get, and then the brain learns what to ignore.

I'm not sure about that but I can't imagine traffic noise to be so loud you can't walk for the dizziness all the time, otherwise people would be dropping in the street.

When I turned up the gain here, I could hear an ambulance... well in this room there's a window, and the window opens up into the back yard, and then there's a storm drain, and then a hill, and then a row of houses, and then a road on the other side of that hill.

For a long time I could hear a siren, couldn't figure out where it came from until I realized it came from that street.

Also I used to be able to hear someone's radio, not even sure whose radio it was, but it was as loud as if it would have been if it was in front of me :)
 
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Oc318 said:
I think this is more because your brain tunes it out for some reason. IINM everyone gets that effect, all of a sudden everything is so loud you get headaches and you can't walk straight for all the dizziness you get, and then the brain leans what to ignore.

I'm not sure about that but I can't imagine traffic noise to be so loud you can't walk for the dizziness all the time, otherwise people would be dropping in the street.

When I turned up the gain here, I could hear an ambulance... well in this room there's a window, and the window opens up into the back yard, and then there's a storm drain, and then a hill, and then a row of houses, and then a road on the other side of that hill.

For a long time I could hear a siren, couldn't figure out where it came from until I realized it came from that street.

Also I used to be able to hear someone's radio, not even sure whose radio it was, but it was as loud as if it would have been if in front of me :)
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I think I have experienced that with the loudness. A couple of HA's I had were preset, and everything was one level... sirens were extremely loud since I cant hear high frequencies. Some days it seemed the TV was cranked way up but it was at the standard volume, and when people talked it seems they would blurt out when they were just talking normal, this would happen off and on and the HA's only had one setting/volume and weren't adjustable unless you went to an audiologist to adjust them with a computer. but one day just out of the blue noises would pierce your eardrum other days couldn't hardly hear a thing? Odd.
 
FM wise - You can have (or at least on my Naidas) a FM+Mic setting which would allow you to hear other things as well or you can have FM only which would cut the mics off.

I personally have myself -
FM+M
FM+M with the mic attenuated by 15db which gives the same effect as FM only but its not as isolating ie you hear some of what is going on around you.
 
Well, insurance will only pay up to $1000 so gonna call VR again and get a new counselor.
 
i may not be the right person to answer since i was born profoundly Deaf. I had otican and phonak. so i like phonak better.
 
Called the VR and was told they only cover the HA's if its work related, but being I am disabled they will see if there is something else they can do. ?
 
sonocativo said:
Called the VR and was told they only cover the HA's if its work related, but being I am disabled they will see if there is something else they can do. ?
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weird. VR usually look up at your income if your incomes that is not over VR's earning limited then you could be eligible for it.


I suggest you to make an appointment and meet VR in person and talk more from there.
 
sonocativo said:
Called the VR and was told they only cover the HA's if its work related, but being I am disabled they will see if there is something else they can do. ?
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Are you in work at the moment? I've read that they will fund HAs if it means it will help you get a job.

Maybe if you are in work already, it will help you keep your job?

I'm not in the US tho so its only what I read on here :)
 
yeah, VR bought my Phonak Supero hearing aid for me in hopes it would help me hear a bit better at my job at the time. They just bought my Phonak FM system recently for use at college, and Medicaid covered the full costs of my Naida hearing aid.
 
I am 100% disabled, so I don't work. VR has paid for my hearing aids when I was a government employee, they paid 100% of the costs and I made decent money there, and my employer didn't pay a dime nor wouldn't...they did however write a letter stating that HA's would help me understand better since I couldn't hear and would be a great safety measure since I was in some rough neighborhoods at times. Now... they cant do anything because Im not working? I told them I need them to hear my son since I will be living alone with him.
 
Widex doesn't have a government contract which is why many veterans are limited and often get stuck with Starkey. Widex has a variety of devices that come with the 440 models, etc., Super 440 for profound loss and 440 Fusion which I got that came with M Dex to control the volume or turn it off, TV Dex for watching TV - I can turn the volume completely off yet still hear the TV fine, which my familiy loves. Sadly Phone Dex is only available in Europe, but the Widex does allow for bluetooth which allows me to hear on my cell phone. They also have Scola FM for group/classroom hearing. Most insurnace companies will now pay a portion of the cost. In my case, they covered $2,000 which I blew on the Starkeys and they were crap. I had to pay out of pocket for the Widex 440 but all the devices come for free with the high end models.

If your dependent on Veterans Affairs, or vocational services for help, Widex might be out of range for you. They're excellent by the way and the closest I've found to analog sound. However, Phonak would be another alternative, and they do have a government contract. You need to sit down with someone that can tell you what they'll cover and let you try more than one brand to see how you like the power and the sound. Go with what you can afford and what sounds best for your needs.

Laura

http://www.widex.com/en/products/hearingaids/super/#.UUi9qTfCZac
 
The office wants me to have another hearing test done, which I know has gotten worst in the past 2 years as I cant hear anything without my HA's anymore.
VR is looking into other options, The Audi has a form I can fill out for financial assistance... so if I have to pay some out of pocket I guess Ill have to bite the bullet.
 
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