Is it wrong to back to analog?

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

I have been using the Unitron UM60-PP analog BTE for a decade before I received my Oticon SUMO XP digital BTE about 4 years ago. However I have a bit of a problem. The digital have been reprogrammed several times, and it still messes with how I percieve feedback. My speech therapist recognized that I speak better with the Unticron, but as soon as I switch over to the Oticon I start leaving out certain phonetics in my speech and have to be re-trained to remind myself.

For instance, with the Unitron, I can tell the difference between "buh" and "duh" and "guh" However those become slurred with the Oticon. If you can't make sense of it, here are the test results from 2005. (I am unable to find the most recent one.)

I remember the audiologists saying that with the hearing loss I have, I shouldn't have been able to learn how to speak. Based on the tonal result, the word recognization should be around 10-20%. Ironically, the Deaf friends I do have that have better test results than I do, have lower word recognization. Odd.

I know my hearing have degenerated, so I am going to have it to get it tested again once I figure out if the B.C. government would cover the cost of new hearing aids (and the tests), or if I would have go through my company's insurance coverage.

 

[Chuck]

Sometimes low-tek(analog) is better Seems like you have already made up your mind but yeah, I don't see why you shouldn't use something that is superior for you.

Your Ubuntu desktop brought a smile, do you exclusively use linux?

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

Forgot to mention... I wear the Oticon exclusively, unless I go into conditions where getting a replacement isn't an option-- for example hiking, fishing, rockclimbing.

Your Ubuntu desktop brought a smile, do you exclusively use linux?

So far, yes. I don't play video games much anymore, and if it is... it's usually abandonware or the Xbox 360, so there is no reason for me to use Windows anymore.

 

[cdmeggers]

it is YOUR choice over which hearing aid you want to hear. If you prefer the analogs and feel you do better with them, then wear them! The audiologist can't force a digital hearing aid on you if you don't want it.

 

[john57]

I am still using a Analog aid in my other ear along with my Cochlear implant on my right ear. I have been told that I am one of the highest achievers in Colorado and I surprised many audiologists to see that I am still using an Analog aid at my level of performance. I find that linear works better for me than digital non-linear amplification. I have quite a few hearing aids at home including a set of Supero digital aids. I am just going to use what works the best for me and who cares what others perceptions are.

 

[dreama]

That's interesting that some people are wanting to bo back to Analogue. I had analogue in the past. Today I had a hearing test and was advised to try one of the newer hearing aids. I presume they mean a digital one and they say I won't have recruitment. My hearing in best ear is 30 db worse then when I last tested and I had major problems then.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

Oh! Sorry Dreama! I forgot that not every Deafblind can use a screen magnifier. I will type up the hearing result for you in addition to the weird scribbled notes alongside it that were meant to help me understand the results.

Anyway, since it has been 4 years, I was wondering if technology has changed or not in the States, and if the digitals have improved since then or are there still people who prefer the analogs?

Addendum: Ironically, after looking at the hearing results for the third or fourth time-- I know that my left ear is effectively dead nowadays and my right require it to be booted up higher than usual since in 2006, I used to keep it on "low," now it is on "medium" or "high." Definitely time to get my hearing retested again. :\

Table and Graph #1) Pure Tone Audiometry (Frequency in Hertz) (Hz)
Hearing Level in decibels (dB) (re: ANSI S 3.6 1989)

Right Ear Unmasked (Air)
250 Hz -- 70dB
500 Hz -- 85dB
1000 Hz -- 70dB
1500 Hz -- 90dB
2000 Hz -- 120dB (no response)
3000 Hz -- 120dB
4000 Hz -- 110dB
6000 Hz -- 100dB (no response)
80000 Hz -- 95dB (no response)

Left Ear Unmasked (Air)
250Hz -- 50dB
500Hz -- 70dB
1000Hz -- 75dB
1500Hz -- 80dB
2000Hz -- 110dB
3000Hz -- 110dB
4000Hz -- 115dB
6000Hz -- 100dB
8000Hz -- 105dB

Left Ear Unmasked (Bone)
375Hz -- 40dB
625Hz -- 60dB
1250Hz -- 70dB (no response)
2500Hz -- 70dB (no response)
2500Hz -- 90dB (no response) [This is not a typo since they tested 2500Hz twice, once for 70dB and once for 90dB]
7000Hz -- 105dB

Reliability -- Good
Test Type -- Standard
Transducer -- Insert Phones

Table and Graph #2) Speech Audiometry (in dBHL) using MLV
SRT (Right) -- 75
SRT (Left) -- 70

MCL (Right) -- 85
MCL (Left) -- 80

Word Recognition (Right) 50% at 85
Word Recognition (Left) 60% at 80

Table and Graph #3) Otoscopy
Right is clear
Left is clear

 

[SouthFella]

Souggy you tell the Audie it is your ears and you will use what you feel is best ..Audies push the digis because they make more money from digis....

 

[Wendy H]

analog hearing aids continued?

Souggy you tell the Audie it is your ears and you will use what you feel is best ..Audies push the digis because they make more money from digis....

I was told analog aids are no longer being produced?

 

[SouthFella]

I wouldn't think so.. There is always a need for analogs...

 

[bebito831]

I went back to analog. I wear Octions too, I tried the sumo digitals and didn't care for them. I use sumos but they are the analog ones. There's nothing wrong with that.

 

[cdmeggers]

Wendy, whoever told you that analogs are no longer being produced was misinformed... Analogs are very well still being used, and made.

 

[Chuck]

Forgot to mention... I wear the Oticon exclusively, unless I go into conditions where getting a replacement isn't an option-- for example hiking, fishing, rockclimbing.

Hiking is fun, I go to Yosemite every summer, and other parts of the Sierras. I've been looking for a airtight/watertight box to carry my hearing aids in these type of scenarios what do you do? for now they're in ziploc baggies with some cushioning....

So far, yes. I don't play video games much anymore, and if it is... it's usually abandonware or the Xbox 360, so there is no reason for me to use Windows anymore.

Never liked PC games. I use Kubuntu, same thing really.

 

[VamPyroX]

It happens with analog and digital hearing aids.

Digital is good for hard listening such as school, work, crowded environments, etc. However, analog is good for hearing "everything".

My digital hearing aid has a mode where it functions as a analog hearing aid. What makes the digital hearing aid different is that it has anti-feedback. So, unusual sounds are reduced or ignored. This becomes a problem when I'm listening to music or video games. That's where the 3rd mode comes in... the anti-feedback has been disabled. So, I hear everything.

Try asking your audiologist about this. My audiologist called this mode the "MTV mode" because it allows you to hear music and television without anti-feedback.

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

Hiking is fun, I go to Yosemite every summer, and other parts of the Sierras. I've been looking for a airtight/watertight box to carry my hearing aids in these type of scenarios what do you do? for now they're in ziploc baggies with some cushioning....

I don't waterproof my analogs. They are still going strong... although I might have to look into the waterproofing thing when I decide to take up kayaking.

It happens with analog and digital hearing aids.

Digital is good for hard listening such as school, work, crowded environments, etc. However, analog is good for hearing "everything".

My digital hearing aid has a mode where it functions as a analog hearing aid. What makes the digital hearing aid different is that it has anti-feedback. So, unusual sounds are reduced or ignored. This becomes a problem when I'm listening to music or video games. That's where the 3rd mode comes in... the anti-feedback has been disabled. So, I hear everything.

Try asking your audiologist about this. My audiologist called this mode the "MTV mode" because it allows you to hear music and television without anti-feedback.

Aaaaaaah. That makes more sense! That is more of a response I was looking for. I know next to nothing about hearing aid technology, and they are not important enough for me to research the pros and cons about them. As long the sounds I am picking up are not annoying me-- everything's good.

Thanks.

 

[Grummer]

my stereo, uses an old Analog CD player/transport -California Audio Labs Alpha and Delta - non 24-bits and it supposed to be stunner which it is. Running with stock or generic 12AX7s is clean, normal, nothing wrong with it, but enchance it with a tube-swap (i was running Telefunken EEC83 now wore out , so now a cheaper (but surprisely bloody good) General Electric 5751, military-spec, its' amazing it sounded better more detailed..violins, trumpets, pianos, -female vocals oh so sweet..even though i cant hear whay she's saying -unless I'm reading the lyrics along) As they say this CAL is an underdog, from experience it sure is! It can beat lots of newer, digital 'solutions' as they all sound clinical, hard, and sometime muffled (that was 7-9 years ago now) ... a Waida 861 player at the time, which were like $19,000 price tag instead was reported to be not that much better than the CAL (at this point, it was this particular combination, Alpha (24bits- but some have argued the older straight analog Alpha was it) and Delta - the separate boxes) not the tempest, not the sigma, nothing else but )Separates are not really in the market anymore - not sure why, i suppose consumers got lazy wanting everything 'now & simple'. The rest of the stereo is analog too, all valves...

So yah this proved analog can be better, richer, and detailed and it leaves nothing out, whereas Digital is 'programmable to hide,enchance certain areas - good if your ear is somewhat reliant on selective frequencies but for some people their ear(and brain) does the adjusting .... so yeh each to their own...
Im on Sumo DM too (and still paying the bloody thing off), come to think of it, in hindsight I reckon I would have been better of with a Unitron analog which was like $800 cheaper-too late for me really, but yeah the Sumo is doing me really well as I have lost a lot of residual hearing over the last 3 years and due to its feed-back control mechanism (all electronic) helps to control squeal thus helps to 'look after what I have left"...so it May not be sensible for me go back....considering the balance between tinnitus control and hearing. Put it this way, if i had no tinnitus or it went away completely tomorrow Id book to try out the unitron and keep the Sumo in drawer for later on...as back up...but i cant do what i wish...groans...sigh

 

[Grummer]

cool comments vampy i like it, id keep that in mind too....if anything....

 

[somedeafdudefromPNW]

Merci beacoup, now I feel more confident to go back to the analogs since I am pretty ignorant to hearing aid technology, or all audio-related technology for that matter. At least I got some justification for my guts instinct.

:p Now I gotta research all the different analog models out there.

 

[Wendy H]

continuance of analogs

Wendy, whoever told you that analogs are no longer being produced was misinformed... Analogs are very well still being used, and made.

Interesting. I was told this by two audiologists.

When I look at the Phonak website, however, I do not see any analog models advertised. Maybe only certain hearing aid companies are continuing analog aids?

 

[overthepond]

In Uk I am told that the analogues will be stopped soon.
Some digitals can be programmed as Analouge.