Sounds like you need to get to AuD and get the mess you made straightened out… Folding a dome to get it in?
Yes, I need to get back in to my aud-guy with my MESS, dammit. I don’t have to fold a dome to insert it, but I still find I’d like something more comfortable than the current Widex power domes.
I think I may have opted to NOT run feedback management as I used to have a program dedicated to music, and didn’t want any degradation in that … but it would’ve been weeks ago, if at all. I have since removed that program entirely. Geez, I didn’t know one could/should be able to put the aid inside the ear cup with no feedback. I don’t get feedback with my hands placed over my ears, so that part works ok.
I just spent some time at the Comply website, looking at the array of foam domes they have! I was interested in those under: “Hear More” (Isolation) and “Hear Clearly” (P-series). I think the P-series domes are the conical ones you’d mentioned before, Volusiano. It seems that either of these choices should have dense foam with no leakage - perhaps resulting in occlusion, but maybe worth a try. Only prob is that I don’t see either Oticon or Opn listed under the long list of compatible products in the “Hear More” section. They have Phonak, wouldntchaknow?
I’m going to noodle this a bit before I decide on the best course of action. I could buy a set of BOTH styles of dome and bring them with me … It’s a small price to pay for years of comfort & quality sound.
That’s the beauty of the OPN, though, one default setting which should work for all listening situations, from music to restaurant to driving, etc. We’re so used to doing it the old way with multiple programs for our old HAs. Fortunately no more with the OPN.
So far I haven’t noticed any degradation when listening to music using the default program. Before with the old HAs it was very obvious that you don’t want to listen to music in noise reduction mode because you lose out on so much sonic timbre created by the music. But now it’s game changing to not have to worry about that and let the HA worry about that for you.
Was wondering… I have actual ear molds on my RIC, but, both of them seem to be too small (or too slippery) and the come loose from my ear all the time, especially the left one. From the conversation in this thread, seems a dome would allow me to have a better fit? Is that you guys experience, or, are the molded ear pieces better (when they fit right). Unfortunately, changing the ear molds requires sending them and a ear canal cast to the VA’s lab, where they change out the receiver to place it in the new ear mold.
Thanks!
Based on your hearing loss profile (fairly heavy loss in the lower frequencies) I can see why they opted to give you custom ear molds. I don’t think reverting back to the domes would be better for you. Usually people try the domes first and if they don’t work then custom molds are the next step that’s supposed to be better in almost every way to the domes. Reverting back to the domes would be a downgrade for you and probably will start creating a lot of issues.
Custom ear molds are supposed to give you a snug enough fit, not only so they don’t fall out, but mainly to make sure there’s no sound leakage that can cause feedbacks or volume loss. I’m guessing maybe the shape of your ear canals some how is prone to make your custom molds fall out more easily. Either that or they just didn’t do a good job with your molds in the first place.
I remember when I used to get fitted with CIC HAs at Costco, the HAs come back from the labs and didn’t quite fit my ear canals perfectly. The Costco lady had to shave off in some area and pad up in other areas to improve the fit. I think they have some kind of clear liquid compound that they can apply on the molds to add layers to thicken them up a little bit at a time. I don’t know if Costco would do it on HAs that they don’t sell or not. But it’s worth asking to see if they might. Maybe they can apply one thin layer all around at a time until it feels snug enough for you.
Suggestion… In great detail you describe your problems and let the Doc provide the resolution.
Just to clarify: it looks like your RIC earmolds are a poor fit, then? I don’t know where you live, but I DO know that when I travel to very humid places, my ITC aids also slip around a bit, causing annoying leakage/squeakage. So if humidity is your constant companion, there may not be a solution other than have the molds re-cast!
I am a firm believer that the TIME of day and even the WEATHER (humid, dry) can make a difference in the earmold cast. I’ve had plenty done over 30-odd years, and by trial & error have found that if I go in the afternoon (not too late, tho!), my ear canals are the most “normal”. Even with my latest Agil Pro ITCs, there is still humidity-related leakage (which also happens after a session at the gym!). This is why in my DREAMS ITC and RIC molds would be made of something that holds its shape, but is more flexible than hard plastic.
I also had an aud-guy daub clear nail polish on my ill-fitting aids, which only led to an allergic reaction for me. And I’ve also gone through shaved-down molds, that left an almost onion-skin thin spot on one aid. It just AIN’T a perfect world.
Definitely explore other options. Whether you have a wire or tube connection to the receiver, it’s possible that a foam dome could give you the right seal - hence my own search for one as well. Good luck getting this sorted out - you deserve to get the BEST possible fit, even if it takes multiple impressions to achieve it (yes, I’ve gone that route, too!).
Thanks DOC! I’d love your advice on which Comply foam dome would be best for my Oticon Opn miniRITE RIEs! My two choices are: Isolation and Hear Clearly. I could get (M) and (L) in the one you think would work best and take that to my aud-guy!
Would these foam domes require another audio set-up to ensure optimal listening? Given that my aud-guy has NO TV streaming demo in his office, I could try them out at home and go from there. You can see my audiogram shows I’m in the serious-to-profound category, so perhaps I’m pushing the envelope with my Opns? Much obliged if you have some suggestions here.
I don’t see why you can’t simply take your own TV streamer to your audi office so you can try it out right there and then. Don’t need to wait until you go home and try it out. That’s what I did when I went saw my audi for fittings.
I don’t know how you have it hooked up, but I have a special cable (I think it also comes with the TV streamer) that connects to the TV streamer via RCA connectors, and on the other end is the mini plug stereo connector that I just plug into my Samsung Note 4 smart phone. To power my TV streamer I have a USB battery source so I just plug my TV streamer to this battery for portability, but you can use your power adapter that goes into the wall as well.
Then I can play music or YouTube videos or movies from my smart phone and listen through the TV streamer with it.
Ooops - may have missed this one months ago! But to clarify, my aud-guy STILL (yes, as of 8/28/17) has NO TV in his exam room at all. So even if I bring in my TV streamer box, there is nothing to plug it into there. I have teased him about this, nagged him about this, and still - there is NO TV in his exam room. It seems a real missed opp’y to show folks HOW the unit works with TV!
Sidebar: my Oticon Opn miniRITE aids work SUPERBLY with the TV streaming unit - LOVE IT. Now if only there was an Android-compatible streamer for use with my Samsung cell phone.
1Bluejay, you don’t need a TV at your audi’s office to plug into your TV Streamer. Just plug your smart phone into your TV streamer and play something from your smart phone, like a Youtube clip or a video clip or music clip.
AH - got it! You are a wizard at electronics here. Much obliged for the advice.
And now the bigger news: my aud-guy will set me up to try the Phonak Audeo-B Direct next month. Yeah, I’ve given Oticon Opn MORE than enough time to come out with the dang phone streamer. Now I’m ready to pull the plug on these aids NINE months later and start all over.
Augh. Or maybe: HOORAY! 
I didn’t know that your audi had such a generous return policy. How long has it been since you’ve had the OPN1?
NINE MONTHS! I could’ve delivered a baby clip-on streamer myself by now … had that been biologically possible.
Yes, I have to say for the 100th time, my aud-guy goes the extra 10 miles for me. But I’m hoping HE can return these Opns with no hassle, too. We shall see!
I’m sure he can resell them if they’re in high demand.
I’ve had the Oticon Opn miniRITE aids for NINE months! I just posted in my earlier thread (comparing Phonak Audeo B-Direct to Resound 3rd Gen) the GOOD NEWS: these Phonak aids appear to be the first pair of aids I’ve been fit with to deliver a “WOW!” factor! The sound quality, power, and comfort is actually superior to my Oticons.
Granted, these Phonaks are newly-released, but for me and my hearing loss, the Opns were simply not the optimal model. My aud-guy assured me today that he will take them back on a trade for the Phonaks I’m on trial with. After just a few hours of wearing them, I can tell you: they WIN hands-down, despite the reality-defying ONE EAR phone streaming.
Yes, the Phonak Audeo B-Directs stream direct to a single EAR, but it appears that the sound quality is such that I could probably adapt to that? It seems totally counter-intuitive that a HEARING device would deliver a CRITICAL solution like phone streaming to a SINGLE ear! But there you are, that is the state of things.
What if folks were fit with prescription glasses that had a window pane on one side and the corrective lens in the other. Is that OPTIMAL? After all, they can go around with one eye closed and hope to see as best they can. OR, maybe someone would fit them with both lenses to their prescription needs.
Custom molds are more comfortable in my opinion and protect your ear from the reciever in a way that the soft domes can’t. They will cost a bit more, but worth it.
Totally TRUE that a custom mold prevents that matchstick receiver from poking the ear canal, but alas! I have found that the older I get, the more my ear canals swell up (and go down) throughout the day. I wake up, and can not jackhammer a pair of hard-case custom molds in my ear canals! I have to be up and about for a couple hours before they seat correctly (so there’s lots of “WOOOoo_WOoOoOO!” going on with feedback).
The one thing that steered me to RIE aids is that a soft dome conforms kinda, sorta to my swollen ear canals, enabling me to put them in right when I wake up every morning. In my dreams, someone would come out with a custom case that is sort of flexible like maybe high-temp silicone? I’m clearly dreaming here …
This might sound strange, but have you tried having them make a mold with your mouth wide open? I was having all sorts of issues until I did that. I thought the audiologist was joking, and boy was it uncomfortable to keep my mouth wide open for however long it took to set, but it’s more comfortable and I don’t have the issues I did before. Might be worth a shot.
Yup! I’ve had molds taken with mouth OPEN, while CHEWING, and with mouth closed (different aids, different audiologists over the past 30-odd years).
I think for me it’s a daily swelling issue I have to contend with. Almost like having a pair of leather shoes that only fit from 9-5pm, and then when your feet swell at the end of the day, they start to pinch! For me, it’s early morning when my ear canals are swollen, and then they go down as the day progresses, so I get situations with my hard case aids where I can’t fit them comfortably in my ear to begin with, but one of them will get leaky-squeaky by day’s end. Hence my dream for a case made from material that gives a little - like a silicone spatula type material.
I also have to say that among the silicone domes out there, some fit my ear canal better than others - even tho they are flexible! The Phonak Audeo B domes I have on now fit much more comfortably than the Widex power domes I’ve been wearing. (O’course, this is also a function of the receiver size, shape and curve - it it has one).