I just returned a pair of Phonak Certinas which caused nothing but trouble. I visited costco today and tried both a pair of Kirkland signatures and a Pair of Resound Vivids I liked both pairs of hearing aids found them much better than the Phonak`s. The Kirklands had a lot of features liked including a remote for volume 5 programs for the aids, re chargable batteries, very comfortable fit and a reasonable price $2000 for the pair. and worked fine. The Resound a better known brand worked ok too, but had less
features and cost 2600 for the pair. Any comments to help me make a selection would be appreciated
Lots of forum members love Bernafons Verite - you should check them out…
Anyone…I am ready to try one Vivid Stratus remote mic (be resound???) through Costco and wondered if the newer model has been used by anyone…some people on the forum had said the receiver in these aids didn’t last long, but I think that was when they just came out…just wondered if they came out with a better model in the past 2 months or so…my loss is reverse slope…only getting one for right ear…
rt. hl/left hl:
250-50/45
500-60/60
1000-55/60
2000-45/40
3000-40/20
4000-25/15
8000-20/20
If anyone with reverse slope can suggest another type for around $1500, I would appreciate it…I love this forum and am learning a lot! Thanks! Rosie
I think they’re so new that there’s not been much opportunity for anyone to try and report on them yet.
I have had, for the past 5 years, Bernafon Icos, BTH. They have been okay since my hearing is almost nothing without them… The Costco tech didn’t give me any program other than one. I could hear people talking in a noisy environment if they were face to face. I had to have them adjusted about 10 times and the tech was getting upset with me. When I saw him last year…just to buy batteries… he told me there are new aids out and I better save my money so I can get new ones. It took 6 weeks to get an appointment…then another 3 to wait for ear molds. I was really expecting something fantastic… What I got, Resound Vivid Stratus…which aren’t as good as my Icos… Is this a normal thing for hearing aids? There is nothing wrong with my Icos so I guess I should turn the Vivid Stratus back in… He also mentioned that my hearing hadn’t changed… I did ask him about Bernafon verite 9 and he said It would be too hard to program me with my bad hearing… I need an opinion… I can hear on the phone just fine with or without aids… anyways… Hope I make sense… LOL:)
That’s the worst brush-off excuse ever. If your hearing is too bad for the Verite he should have the option to go to a more powerful (Bernafon) aid, especially if the Resound isn’t powerful enough to do the job.
I’m not familar with the Vivid but I’m trying the Resound Future (Alera) and I’m sold. I tried the Kirkland’s before (really Rexton Cobalt 16) and they were very good as well, and I like the features. I had some feedback with an open fit with the Kirkland’s so I decided to try the Future’s, but the Kirklands are fine aids. I understand they will get a version of the mini-tek remote from Siemens so you can look at that on the Siemens site. Smaller and “cooler” than the remote they have now, the BLU RCU.
I don’t know how this site works… I went to the ear doctor today… My hearing loss is severe…not profound… What do you think about what I said previously… This hearing doctor said I should not go to Costco… he was promoting the hearing aid dispenser in his office group… what do you think? I feel I can’t get straight answers from anyone… I still have 7 weeks left to take my Costco aids back. thanks \
well of course he promote the person affiliated to his group - costco have a good reputation on these boards and a good price. If you like the aids they have given you, stick with them 
I’m never, ever short on opinions and always willing to share, but, doesn’t sound like a great hearing professional, in my opinion. They sound very busy too, that may be part of the problem. You should complain up the Costco management chain.
To me, it’s more important to have a good professional than to get any specific hearing aid model. An expert in one brand can make it work wonderfully well, where another person who is not very good at adjusting hearing aids may not get great results no matter what the hearing aid can do.
Costco has great prices and I have been very pleased with my professional, but it would not be worth it to save some dollars and never be happy with the results. It sounds like you may have severe loss so it is very important to have good hearing aids adjusted by an expert. I have had close to 10 adjustments and never a hint of frustration. They advertise unlimited followup visits so either adjust my hearing aids or take the sign down, that’s my attitude
I think, if it was me, I would return the Costco aids and visit 3 or 4 audiologists in the area (including another Costco, if in the area), take the audiogram with you, and find someone who you are comfortable with and who you thought would be an expert in adjusting hearing aids, and who charged what you could pay. Other places don’t have the long trial periods so pay attention to that and know the details.
Let us know what you decide to do.
It all depends whether the Costco aid can offer you an improvement on your existing aid. If it doesn’t there’s clearly no point in upgrading. You have been using a specialist aid with channel-free technology built in: it would make sense to go to another aid from Bernafon which uses the channel free system as you brain would get used to it more quickly.
The slight problem is that Costco may not have such a product in their portfolio, though with a severe loss you should still be in the range of the Verite with a custom canal mould. If they can’t improve your hearing, go somewhere that can.
I went and had these Resound Vivid’s adjusted… There was a lady being trained and I told the audiologist that these aids were no better if not worse than the Bernafon Icos in front of the lady being trained. He reprogrammed these, taking 2 hours only because I got so upset and I had a witness… They are better but still not much better than the Bernafon… He said to me when I questioned again about the Bernafon verite, give me something to work with… I said WHAT? I am going to a different Costco this Tuesday to get an opinion. My 3 months aren’t up until Sept 6th… :rolleyes:
Do not fight:)
not fighting… I didn’t tell him I was going to another Costco…
I went to another Costco Hearing Aid Center… The specialist was hesatant to take over the other Costco’s business but after I told her a few things about the other she was glad to take over… Records are on all Costco computers so all she had to do was look me up. She adjusted my aids and gave me volume control. One aid wasn’t even programmed she said. She helped me a lot. She also told me that if I had a complaint about the other she would turn it in for me. I went 5 years with the Bernafon Icos without them being adjusted properly… + he wouldn’t give me volume control. Before that I had ITE, as my first and never had volume control with those… I can finally hear pretty good… she wants me to come back for more fine tuning before my 3 months are up. I still have questions and she takes the time to answer… the other would say trust me… to all my questions… l am still quite young…compared to others with hearing loss… so I imagine he can really do a bad job for one who can’t take charge and go someplace else.