Between the following 3 cochlears...

john57 said:
Same here I was for AB since the marketing pitch was saying better for music
than the other brands. I listen to music and go to concerts quite a bit. The reason I switch back to Cochlear was the better chance for a full insertion for the array since my cochlea was not full size. Now, I do not believe that other brands have any special advantage for music.
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Nope, no significant difference in the way we can listen to music. Probably the way the T-mike is designed may be important to some folks.
 
To follow up on the music aspect of this thread...

To reiterate, I have the Freedom and I listen to music all the time. I prefer the music "as is" not with the T-Coil/Mic. This is mainly I prefer the without any distortion that the T-Coil/Mic can give. I remember how music sounded in my HA days and I know that how I listen to it now is a little different. For all practical purposes, there is no "difference" in my mind these days. Basically, I have adapted to my CI.

My audiologist has mentioned to me that I'm one of the few she knows of that actually enjoys how music sounds with a CI. Given all the remarks about music here and elsewhere, I have come to the conclusion it is not so much what device one gets for a CI. But rather it is how one brain's handles the input and interprets it. This is a highly variable thing and dependent on many factors.

Some of them will be as follows:
1) The brain's fourier transform ability (signal processing - critical component)
2) Intelligence (this cannot be ignored as a factor)
3) The brain's neural network
4) How well the implant follows the cochlea's contour
5) Processing strategy

This list is not exhaustive.

The point being is that one cannot just look over specific device and assume that it will do the trick for a given characteristic as touted by the manufacturer. There are too many variables that have an impact on the "performance" of a CI.
 
pandaundercover said:
Like, I hear low pitch pretty well, have grown to find high pitch mind numbing, so I'm pretty much aiming at the AB b/c it'll allow me to continue hearing low pitch, which seems to be cancelled out with the Nucleus and Med-El.
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Hi, i also hear low pitch pretty well. i'm actually interested in Med-El. am i really should choose the AB instead of Med-El? I like Med-El because of the wearing option where it can be clipped in our collar.

I don't know that much about the technologies of each products. People keep telling me, all are the same. I just have to choose which one I like the most. I also been told that they're all working in the same way.

I think want Med-El, but I also want the AB technologies, so what can I do?
 
cammomile said:
I think want Med-El, but I also want the AB technologies, so what can I do?
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You then have to make informed choice. Each manufacture has its own advantages otherwise there is no point in having a choice of different makes.
 
I got NUcleus Cochlear but I don't know two other brands. Sorry can't help. Nucleus Cochlear is the oldest company.
 
cammomile said:
Hi, i also hear low pitch pretty well. i'm actually interested in Med-El. am i really should choose the AB instead of Med-El? I like Med-El because of the wearing option where it can be clipped in our collar.

I don't know that much about the technologies of each products. People keep telling me, all are the same. I just have to choose which one I like the most. I also been told that they're all working in the same way.

I think want Med-El, but I also want the AB technologies, so what can I do?
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AB has a wearing option on which you can wear the processor on your shoulder. They also have a bodyworn that has nothing on the ear at all.
 
cdmeggers said:
I'm picking AB for myself whenever I get the implant. I just think I'd do better with AB. I crossed Med-El off my list pretty quickly when I started my research in 2003.
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Me too. I took one look at the Med-El website and went "ick!" right away and quickly dismissed it and instead began comparing AB with Freedom and then I ended up choosing the Freedom. I didn't like the way the Med-El CIs looked...kind of boxy and they were shaped like an L...not natural curve like should be for behind your ear, I didn't think it would be comfortable and I was afraid it could fall off!
 
pandaundercover said:
Oh, btw, how long did most you have to wait from the moment you started the evaluation process til you actually had the surgery for implantation? I'm assuming I could have it within 6 months, but the evaluation process is going ridiculously fast (will have had 3 appts within a wk in a half on friday).
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When I began the CI evaluation process, I went to see my ENT to see about getting the CI, and had a hearing test done, then saw the ENT again. That same day the ENT told me that, pending the CAT scan, I would be approved as a candidate for the CI already, on the same day. A couple days later I went to have the CAT scan done and the next day I was officially approved for the CI because my CAT scan looked good, no blockages or ossification. Then a week later I got a call for a surgery date and I had surgery two weeks later, and then 5 days after surgery I was activated, and I heard right away. That day was very interesting hearing new sounds, the one I remember clearly and the most interesting is the sound of a woman walking in her 3 inch high heels...I could hear the tips of the high heels hitting the floor, like, I could hear the tips land on the floor, again, again, again...I followed the sound until the woman got outside and the door closed behind her. I was like WOW. All this in less than a month. Things moved so fast. This began in mid-September 2006 and I was implanted October 11th, 2006, activated October 16th, 2006. I didn't think I would get my CI until after Christmas, but all this happened in less than a month, which wowed me!
 
sr171soars said:
If you are referring to dynamic range, theoretically it can be infinite. Obviously, the brain isn't built for that. No matter which company one chooses, one will never reach as high as those with hearing. Right now, I'm at 50db (with the Freedom) and I know that they have a patient that is at 60db.

It finally hit me that I could easy reach 60db or more the next time around. During my last appt, they were doing the usual testing from the lowest to the highest I could tolerate. I never really got so high as to be uncomfortable except one time. I was going by what appeared to be sensible. Now, I'll be shooting for my "limit" for the whole kabootle. This shift in my thinking came as an epiphany when I realized the full impact of the relationship between dynamic range and my upper thresholds. You might say I'm hungry for more input.
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I can hear at an average of 25 db across all frequencies, the lowest being 15 db and the highest being 30 db.
 
Panda - I am late responding to this thread. I started with the comparison study and worked from there. Definitely my deciding factor was how well the CI brands performed.
 
LuciaDisturbed said:
the one I remember clearly and the most interesting is the sound of a woman walking in her 3 inch high heels...I could hear the tips of the high heels hitting the floor, like, I could hear the tips land on the floor, again, again, again...I followed the sound until the woman got outside and the door closed behind her. I was like WOW. All this in less than a month. Things moved so fast. This began in mid-September 2006 and I was implanted October 11th, 2006, activated October 16th, 2006. I didn't think I would get my CI until after Christmas, but all this happened in less than a month, which wowed me!
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I can hear the tips of the high heels hitting the floor with just my hearing aids.... I usually hear that sound in the office (no carpet in my office). I just can't understand what I hear without lipreading.... My reason for CI is to be able to "hear" what people say without have to read their lips, and the main goal is to be a phone user! I hope my expectation is not too high to achieve :hmm:
 
LuciaDisturbed said:
I chose the Nucleus Freedom from Cochlear because Cochlear has been around the longest and is considered to be the most reliable. Also they did not have the same problems that AB had with their CIs using the positioners which caused some people to contract meningitis. Cochlear doesn't use positioners at all as it is not necessary. I can hear at an average of 24 dbs across the board with my CI, which is what my audiologist considers to be really good. She said that 25 dbs is what most hearing people hear, the only different is that I don't hear everything they do, but I can hear most things. I hear at 20 dbs on at least two frequencies and 35 dbs at one frequency, the other two frequencies I hear at 25 dbs and that's how she came up with the average of 24 dbs for my audiogram. I have had the Freedom for three and a half years, and I am pleased with it. My CIs (I was provided with a back-up as well) are black which goes with everything and can blend in with my naturally black hair. If you want to learn more about my CI you can click on my link in my signature and read all about my journey. Enjoy!

Be sure to keep your expectations low though.
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What is a positioners? do you have any pic of that? Thank you!
 
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cammomile said:
That article is from year 2000, I wonder if advanced bionic still use positioners now? anybody can answer this? or is advanced bionic really still use that positioners? Thank you :wave:
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No, they don't anymore. It was years ago that they stopped using them. That is why the article is old. Several people had gotten meningitus due to the positioners. I think one or two might have even died as a result.
 
pandaundercover said:
Thanks guys.

I guess my major problem is trying to understand the different numbers between the AB and Nucleus, on that comparison chart. It just makes me think the higher ranges on the AB make it more advanced with wider options, but then, no one on here is really saying they're picking cochlears based off such options- which makes it seem unimportant. I suppose tomorrow i will just tell the Otolaryngology dude to friggin SHOW me what the difference of the two would result in.
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Can you tell us the result?
 
cammomile said:
Can you tell us the result?
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OK. Here is reality.

All of the devices go through clinical trials in the USA. The devices have data presented to the FDA and if the data is acceptable, then the manufacturer is able to make certain claims. This is for the USA only. If the manufacturer hasn't had the claims substantiated with clinical trial proof, they cannot claim it. Your doctor can decided what ever they want. They can use drugs / devices off label. But the only way that the claims can be substantiated, is what is reviewed by the FDA.

That said, there is much more to CI than simply looking at the implant. You must realize the sound processing occurs outside of the implant in the sound processor. No matter how many channels, frequency, etc, you will never get better sound than what the sound processor can deliver. If your sound processor doesn't have good noise cancellation, your implant won't have noise cancellation.

Also look to the future. What will the sound processing look like in 2 years? In 5 years? In 10 years? Does the CI try and provide compatibility with the external accessories on older implants?

Unfortunately, much of this information is not publicly available. Companies typically aren't going to tell you what they have in the works for new products.

C1
 
To me, for my child, the most important thing was the technology. I believe that Advanced Bionics has the best sound processing available. Cochlear is still using SPEAK and ACE which were around in the late 80's early 90's. The HiFidelity 120 that AB has is the newest technology. The N-5 has the same technology as the Freedom, just in a nicer, smaller processor.

AB also has the largest dynamic range. Which means you can hear both soft and loud sounds at the same time.

AB also has the fastest processing-stimulating speed. That means the nerve is stimulated sooner, so there is less delay between the sound and hearing it.

The biggest con that people have towards AB is the recall. That was not a huge thing for me. I would rather have a company on the front of technology who made a mistake than one who is fine with mediocrity.
 
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