Hey all, it's been a long time since I've posted. I got the Hi-Res about a year ago, and overall I'm pretty happy with it. I haven't been one of those miracle-hear people but it's improved my hearing ability dramatically.
However, I'm just about fed up with AB's external products at this point. Every single component has broken at least once. I've had a processor replaced because the body was chipping. A headpiece replaced because the wire broke. Both of my T-mics have broken... and this is the worst, because they aren't covered under the warranty plan. (That's $150 a pop, and my audi tells me they break down on lots of people.)
For those of you who wonder if I'm hard on my hardware, I've had my left ear HA for seven years without a single problem.
While AB's website talks triumphantly about their rechargeable batteries lasting four years, what they don't say is that they lose 20-25% of their capacity per year (which means I can expect my Powercell Slims to get about 7-8 hours to a charge after next year... or pretty much a two full day supply.). One of my batteries is already down to 9-10 hours, and my audi tells me these duds are common as well. Batteries are another thing the warranty doesn't cover-- and these are $100 a pop. While insurance potentially covers this stuff, I still have a pretty high deductible, and let's face it, the insurance situation in this country is a mess.
But what's bugging me the most is AB's absolute incompetence so far in developing some sort of non-proprietary battery pack. I'm dependent on pretty much a three-day supply of rechargeables, soon to be two. If there's an emergency, or I'm out backpacking, or I'm traveling abroad, and I don't have access to power, well then, tough luck. And this is a big deal for me, since I like to backpack and I'm going abroad for a year, to an earthquake prone region.
There's a battery pack in clinical trials right now, but the trials keep getting pushed back. AB came out with a battery pack a few years ago, but it was recalled due to a risk of getting burned when the battery was put in wrong. Now, a battery pack is some pretty simple tech. They've been doing it with headphones since the '80s. You'd think the tech wizards at AB could get something this simple right. This product should be coming out sooner rather than later, and I'll feel a lot better when it does. I can buy a 4-pack of rechargeables at the store for $5, and all AB users should have that option.
When I got my implant a year ago, I was told that a battery pack would be coming out in a few months. Sure, you can blame the FDA's snail-like process, but for those of you considering AB, keep in mind these kinds of difficulties.
It's not like you can choose a different processor or product. If my external processor was exchangeable like my HA, I would've returned it in favor of a different product by now.
However, I'm just about fed up with AB's external products at this point. Every single component has broken at least once. I've had a processor replaced because the body was chipping. A headpiece replaced because the wire broke. Both of my T-mics have broken... and this is the worst, because they aren't covered under the warranty plan. (That's $150 a pop, and my audi tells me they break down on lots of people.)
For those of you who wonder if I'm hard on my hardware, I've had my left ear HA for seven years without a single problem.
While AB's website talks triumphantly about their rechargeable batteries lasting four years, what they don't say is that they lose 20-25% of their capacity per year (which means I can expect my Powercell Slims to get about 7-8 hours to a charge after next year... or pretty much a two full day supply.). One of my batteries is already down to 9-10 hours, and my audi tells me these duds are common as well. Batteries are another thing the warranty doesn't cover-- and these are $100 a pop. While insurance potentially covers this stuff, I still have a pretty high deductible, and let's face it, the insurance situation in this country is a mess.
But what's bugging me the most is AB's absolute incompetence so far in developing some sort of non-proprietary battery pack. I'm dependent on pretty much a three-day supply of rechargeables, soon to be two. If there's an emergency, or I'm out backpacking, or I'm traveling abroad, and I don't have access to power, well then, tough luck. And this is a big deal for me, since I like to backpack and I'm going abroad for a year, to an earthquake prone region.
There's a battery pack in clinical trials right now, but the trials keep getting pushed back. AB came out with a battery pack a few years ago, but it was recalled due to a risk of getting burned when the battery was put in wrong. Now, a battery pack is some pretty simple tech. They've been doing it with headphones since the '80s. You'd think the tech wizards at AB could get something this simple right. This product should be coming out sooner rather than later, and I'll feel a lot better when it does. I can buy a 4-pack of rechargeables at the store for $5, and all AB users should have that option.
When I got my implant a year ago, I was told that a battery pack would be coming out in a few months. Sure, you can blame the FDA's snail-like process, but for those of you considering AB, keep in mind these kinds of difficulties.
It's not like you can choose a different processor or product. If my external processor was exchangeable like my HA, I would've returned it in favor of a different product by now.