Lyric hearing aid by Insound Medical

[Alex]

Does anyone have any experience with the new Lyric hearing aid by Insound Medical? It sounds like it has the potential to be really exciting. It's buried deep in the ear canal, is completely invisible, and is worn for months at a time. Sounds like what I've been looking for my entire life. Here is a link to the product and manufacturer's web sites:

http://www.lyrichearing.com
http://www.insoundmedical.com

I'd love to hear any experiences anyone has had with the product or company.

Thank you!

[xbulder]

none
got to be a small company as It is not even a himsa member

[docg]

Sorry. I haven't heard of that company or product. I'll take a look at the website.

[jam]

I've got to find out more about the Lyric ASAP. I am about to spend ALOT of money on another type of hearing aid. I understand the Lyric is only available in CA. How long will it take for it to make its way out to OH ?

Thank you.

[docg]

I did take a look at the website. There is not a whole lot of info there. My concerns would be:

1. Comfort?- If it is not a custom fit, and goes that deep I would really question the comfort. Having had deep impression in my canal I know that the bony portion of the canal is very sensitive.

2. Occlusion- There would be a significant occlusion effect for this hearing aid. Not that some others don't have the same but there would definitely be issues with occlusion (increased volume of your own voice).

3. Reliability- With the deep placement for a month at a time, the components would likely be very succesptible to moisture, condensation, wax, etc.

4. Feedback- with any amount of gain, I would expect feedback problems if you left the aid in while sleeping, lying down on the ear, etc.

Perhaps some of these items have been addressed, but this is my first reaction looking at the device on their website. The only advantage of this device I see is that it is completely invisible. To me, that is probably not worth some of the other drawbacks. Additionally, there is no mention of processing strategy, compression, output limiting, feeback reduction algorithm, noise reduction, etc.

[jam]

I see that Insound got FDA approval for this type of device around 12/2/2002.

Why has it taken 5+ years - and it isn't yet widely available ?? Sounds like I should go forward with my appointment this week.

[Alex]

- It's supposed to reduce the occlusion effect because it is placed so close to the ear drum.

- It got FDA approval in 2002 but hasn't been commercially available until only a few months ago.

I live in California, so I'm going to make an appointment in the next few weeks to check it out. I'll let everyone know what I find out!

[docg]

Alex-

The theory of reducing the occlusion effect is that if you can place the hearing aid in the bony portion of the canal (the most medial, closest to the eardrum) that the occlusion effect will be reduced or eliminated. The occlusion effect arrises from the cartilaginous portion of the canal set into vibration by one's own voice.

Early reports on CICs were that they would reduce occlusion for the same reason, but those did not come to fruition. If the entire device is placed within the bony portion, the occlusion effect could certainly be reduced.

I'll be interested to hear how you do with a trial. Please keep us informed.

[Alex]

I have CICs now, and yes, there is still definitely an occlusion effect. I only wear them for work and the fact that my voice sounds hollow to me is causing me to feel self conscious when I talk. I feel like my voice is operating out of another person's body. I start thinking too much about how my words sound, and then I get tripped up, forget what I'm talking about, etc.

Even more importantly to me is the invisibility feature. I'd be much more comfortable if I wasn't always thinking about who's looking at my ears. I'm sure many people feel the same way.

Lastly, the fact that they're designed to be worn all the time is very exciting. I want a hearing aid that fits seamlessly into my life. One that can be worn while sweating, showering, or sleeping and doesn't require daily cleaning. And Insound promises this.

Anyway, I hope I'm not getting myself too excited too soon. And I have no idea what the cost (per year) will be (since they're disposable every few months, they're sold on a yearly subscription basis) but they definitely have the potential to be terrific.

[xbulder]

[QUOTE=docg]Alex-

The theory of reducing the occlusion effect is that if you can place the hearing aid in the bony portion of the canal (the most medial, closest to the eardrum) that the occlusion effect will be reduced or eliminated. The occlusion effect arrises from the cartilaginous portion of the canal set into vibration by one's own voice.

Early reports on CICs were that they would reduce occlusion for the same reason, but those did not come to fruition. If the entire device is placed within the bony portion, the occlusion effect could certainly be reduced.

I'll be interested to hear how you do with a trial. Please keep us informed.[/QUOTE

to do this you need a really really long impresion..

[Nancee]

Does anyone have any experience with the new Lyric hearing aid by Insound Medical? It sounds like it has the potential to be really exciting. It's buried deep in the ear canal, is completely invisible, and is worn for months at a time. Sounds like what I've been looking for my entire life. Here is a link to the product and manufacturer's web sites:

http://www.lyrichearing.com
http://www.insoundmedical.com

I'd love to hear any experiences anyone has had with the product or company.

Thank you!

Hello - I'm new here, but found this site when I was researching Lyric. I do live in California, and saw a large quarter page ad in the SF Chronicle for the Lyric hearing device, so am trying to check it out. It all sounds great, but I'm wondering if it doesn't cost a fortune. I've located a Lyric doctor just a block from my office and am going to visit them this week to get more information.

I have qualms about things being poked deep into my ear over and over again, but would enjoy the invisibility factor.

I will report back after my visit. But if anyone else has any info, please post it. Thanks. Nancee

[xbulder]

Shop around, I would also ask for technical specifications, such as
features such as noise reduction, number of channels, feedback canceler etc.

I would then compare it against, Perhaps Oticon Tego, Phonak Extra and GN Pixel - all mid price instruments from big companies with very resonable costs..

Ofcourse there are other great instruments, perhaps COSTCO could be a place to visit...

[ed121]

I would hesitate to leave anything deep in my ear canal for months at a time.

All kinds of bugs out there that would love that scenario. Fungi too. Ed

[biggeek]

First post for me BTW...I just wanted to give a shout since there is so little actual information about the device and the subscription service.

1. I was quoted a subscription price of $4000/year.

2. I was told I was not a good candidate for a Lyric Hearing device/subscription because my hearing loss was too severe. It is a small device, and the size limits the amount of amplification power it can provide. Lyric Hearing is for people with mild hearing loss...A small negative slope on your hearing evaluation graph. My hearing exam graph looks more like the right side of an upside down parabola.

3. I saw a display version of this device lodged in a cutaway ear model. It LOOKS disposable. The baffles that hold the device in place look so fragile, I seriously doubt it can be reconditioned, re-used, or re-implanted.

4. The external microphone surface of the device has two very tiny filament loops over it's grid, which I assume is for the extraction tool. The subscriber is given an extraction tool and can remove the Lyric Hearing device at any time.

However the subscriber is supposed to return to their audiologist for either re-insertion of the original device, or a fresh replacement. I don't know what happens in that scenario. You should ask.

(It may count on their 10 replacements per year plan on the $4k subscription.)

In any case, that's all of the information I have on the Lyric Hearing device and it's subscription service...An actual user may provide more info in the future.

PS. Since I need a BHE "Behind The Ear" solution, I'm going to test-drive a set of Phonak Exélia M's next week.

http://www.exelia.phonak.com/en/

Cheers everybody!

Biggeek

[Alex]

I had my appointment this morning and am currently trying the devices free for 30 days. I was quoted $2900/ year which includes unlimited office visits and replacement devices. (This was a promo rate at my office. They said after this month it'll go up to $3200/ year). You have to go in at least every 120 days for replacements.

So far, I am very pleased with the Lyric aids. They are completely invisible to anyone looking at your ear. The sound of my own voice is far superior to the CICs that I currently own. I can place my hands over my ears and get no feedback at all. They promise that sweating and getting wet are no problem, as the aids form a tight seal around the ear canal, allowing no moisture behind the device. If you swim, you're not supposed to really submerge your head too much. For me, that's not really a problem. I don't swim all that much, and if I do, it doesn't bother me to not put my head under the water for extended periods of time.

It comes with a magnet that you can use to adjust the volume or put the devices in sleep mode. Sleep mode allows you to experience your regular, bad hearing for sleeping. You can also turn them completely off if you want. It's very easy to operate.

It hasn't been 24 hours yet, but I'm very happy and excited so far. If anyone has questions, feel free to ask me. I'll let you all know how the month progresses.

[analoglover]

Hi Alex,
Can you tell me your hearing loss? I am certainly like to try this invisible hearing aids. Is this only available in US? I am living in Canada and wonder whether Lyrics will be sold in Canada?

Thanks
Paul

[Alex]

Hi Paul,

My loss is in the mild / moderate range. Probably more towards moderate now. Go to www.lyrichearing.com and click on Find a Lyric Professional up at the top. That will tell you where your closest vendor is. I have a feeling it might only be availible in California right now, as I checked in other parts of the US and it's not available yet. Let us know what you find.

Alex

[biggeek]

How about a follow up? Are you getting occlusion effects?

[Alex]

Unfortunately, after my initial excitement, the Lyric ended up not being a great solution for me at this time. The material they're made out of iritated my skin a bit and my ears produced a lot of wax and dead skin. I have fairly sensitive skin and I was afraid this may happen. The doctor said they're working with dermatologists and are continually revising the material they're made out of to make them as hypo-allergenic as possible.

However, I still think it's a great product. To answer BigGeek's question, compared to the CICs I currently wear for work, there is little to no occlusion effect. It's great. If they can figure out a way to make them work better with my sensitive skin (or how to make my skin less sensitive) it would be perfect. I'm definitely willing to try them again when they come out with their next generation. The office where I got them offers a 30 day free trial so if you don't like them or if they don't work for you, like they didn't for me this time, you pay nothing.

[Pacificed]

Alex, i know a bit about the Lyric product and I may be able to give you some tips about how to use it properly- I do not believe your issues are related to an allergic reaction since the materials used in the lyric are extremely hypoallegric and should produce no reaction whatsoever when contacting the ear canal skin- unless there is a pressure point and that can cause irritation-regardless of the material used-- this situation may appear like an allergic reaction but it is not-- so, the solution (1) try a different size device that may fit better with less pressure- (2) wait for the much smaller device expexcted to be available next year which should be more comfortable for most., (3) simply try the same device again after your "vergin" ears have become less sensetive now after the initial trauma- this was reported by many people who had problem first time around!!! hope this helps. Ed

[jowei]

I think the 3000 dlrs per year is a robbery. I'm ok with a 3000 initial pay and then a lower yearly payment, like 700 or 800. They are really not targeting the common person and the middle class. This is for rich people.

[cityman]

i am new at this forum - as a matter of introduction--- i have been using hearing aids for a long long time. i also taught hearing impaired children for a long time as well.

regarding the new lyric hearing aid; i followed up the NYTimes article of 4/16/08. i talked with their customer service and they were very helpful. i cannot tell you if the hearing aid will be effective for anyone. i admit i am very interested to try it.

i did check with the accredited local distributor and the price is $1,750 per ear. i was originally "hearing" $3,500 for one ear. my apologies for this error. the price for the doctor/audiologist was about $150 which i thought was fair!

also each new replacement will have the latest technological improvement so in a way you are getting the latest improved model. so again i think this is fair!

but this is jmho.

I think the 3000 dlrs per year is a robbery. I'm ok with a 3000 initial pay and then a lower yearly payment, like 700 or 800. They are really not targeting the common person and the middle class. This is for rich people.

[jowei]

i am new at this forum - as a matter of introduction--- i have been using hearing aids for a long long time. i also taught hearing impaired children for a long time as well.

regarding the new lyric hearing aid; i followed up the NYTimes article of 4/16/08. i talked with their customer service and they were very helpful. i cannot tell you if the hearing aid will be effective for anyone. i admit i am very interested to try it.

i did check with the accredited local distributor and the price is $1,750 per ear. i was originally "hearing" $3,500 for one ear. my apologies for this error. the price for the doctor/audiologist was about $150 which i thought was fair!

also each new replacement will have the latest technological improvement so in a way you are getting the latest improved model. so again i think this is fair!

but this is jmho.

Fair? at least not for the working class wallet. As I said earlier, it would be ok to pay thousands for an initial fee, and then... 500 per year sounds reasonable... But do you know the toll it takes on us the consumers to spend such amount? 3,500.00 per year is what you spend yearly on a car payment. By 5 years, you'd make this doctor/thief $17,000.00 richer. I repeat, this product is being sold to suburban high-middle class yuppies, not to anybody below that social/economic class.

[aero777]

I would be interested in hearing more first hand accounts from users of these hearing aids, after all isn’t that why we come here?
In the last 5 years I’ve spent close to a total of $13,000 (including tax) on hearing aids. I have to have hearing aids in order to WORK and this amount was a worthwhile fraction of what I earned over that same period. If I were into class envy I'd say: A new car and a payment plan, sounds lavish and extravagant to me.

[shanff]

While I certainly think that 3000 per year is high, I also realize that this is unequivocally the smallest aid that I've ever seen/heard about. The ability to wear it all of the time and not worry about sweat/water/sleep is pretty cool.

This IS a solution for those that can audiologically wear them and afford to wear them, it's not a solution for everyone, that's why there are other choices, some of which are a little cheaper, some of which are much cheaper. Currently I am wearing analog power aids that ran about 1200 for a pair that are full shell. I have a set of Siemens Nitro CIC's on order that will run be about $4000. It's hurts to have to pay so much for something that is so small, especially compared to the fulls that I am wearing now, but I'm hoping the upgrade will be worth it. My change from full shell analogs to CIC Digital programmable aids should be quite a change, hopefully for the better.

I'm just hoping that the Nitros will work for me, if not I'm going to shoot for the Cielo 2 Actives, I hear that they can be fitted with a 65db and a receiver mold and cover my extreme loss.

[PVDad]

Would be happy to relate experiences if there is interest. I may not be the best respondent since I have never worn aids before (for all the reasons Lyric points to) but will give you first impressions:

Loss is Moderate to severe (Left ear better then Right)

Fitting was quick and fairly easy although the right device is uncomfortable (pressure pain) and I am waiting to see if it diminishes. Left ear is great only a moderate awareness that it is in.

I don't have anything to compare this to other then not having aids but so far it is a little strange. I would appreciate any feed back as to if this is true with all aids or unique these. Such as:

Some sounds are significantly louder such as typing on the keyboard, wrinkling paper or plastic, metal on metal "clanging", etc. Higher frequenies seem to be disproportinately louder but perhaps I just haven't heard them in awhile.

Unlike some of the other aids I read about there does not seem to be much in the way of audio shaping. The audioligist could turn up or down the treble but there does not seem to be the "electronics" of some of the other devices. User controls are limited to "ON" "SLEEP" "OFF" and "4 VOLUME SETTINGS".

My initial reaction is positive (allowing for above noted right ear pressure pain) and I am definitely hearing better and with better comprehension. Will see how the family sounds/takes it later tonight.

[joesc]

Definitely interested in your feedback. This sounds like great technology. Keep it coming.

[jrossoff]

I am so happy to hear I am not the only one with some Pain. I have had the Lyrics for one week now and I love the fact that I can hear. My biggest problem besides vanity is that I hate having to keep taking my hearing aids out when I had to get on the phone (which is a lot at work). I never really wore them so I missed a lot with my kids. Lyrics made all the difference - I can use the phone; hear everything better - even things downstairs while I am upstairs watching TV. I have a moderate to moderate/severe loss - and I am being charged 3600 a year. yes that is steep to someone like me but the difference in my life and confidence makes it worth it. My insurance will give me a little $$ every three years towards it.

however the one downside is the pain. I can live with a little discomfort but at times, I am getting a sharp paid in my ear and head (temple or top). I am not sure if it is related to something in my ear or if it is just a coincidence that I got a sinus infection around the same time.

I am waiting out the trial period to see if it will make a difference over time. My dr told me that the smaller ones will be out next year and I will definately switch as I had to pull the right one out a little due to the shape of my ear.

Will let you know more in 2 weeks. If you have any questions, ask away

[PVDad]

From the blog I started to track my thoughts:

http://heartriangle.blogspot.com/

OK just a quick update... Slept through the night...put the Lyrics in sleep mode which returned me pretty close to my Pre-Lyric hearing and some stuffiness as they act like an ear plug. Heard the alarm still and hit snooze..turned on Lyrics and was dumbfounded at how loud it sounded when it went off again.

It was difficult to find a comfortable position as I mentioned there is some discomfort that seems to come and go (Right ear was bad yesterday not today) and lying on my side seemed to put pressure on the ear and made it more noticeable. I am gradually coming to like these very much..absolutely no one noticed for those of you who wonder. They are invisible!

Again not having a basis for comparison I don't know if what I am "hearing" is normal or just a result of the Lyrics. I am getting lots of sounds that I did not hear before such as small beeps my phone makes when I dial, ticking and clicking on lots of things, speech comprehension is MUCH better and I find I don't have to look at the person as directly to carry on a conversation. There seems to be an overall amplification of all noises so the difference between being in a car that is sitting and one moving along the road is dramatic. I'm using a sort of self gauge to judge things..Digital radio volume in car sitting is at 8..while moving...11 and PL (Pre-Lyrics) 15 while moving. Background amplification is not bad but future versions should look at filtering of some type or audio shaping.

Two things that have me wondering:

The fit and comfort seems to change without anything I can corelate to...yesterday Right ear pressure almost to the point of pain and today almost unnoticeable. Left ear yesterday unnoticeable but today pressure..Hmmm... slept on it wrong?

Second on occasion the sounds become very "speaker like" as if I am listening to a radio while most of the time it is much more natural. Can't seem to figure out why or if triggered by something. My own voice is that way often natural but occasionally sounding like I am hearing it through a speaker system. Not awful just curious...

Showered this morning without problems and am feeling much better about these except for the above items.

[jrossoff]

Today I couldn't take my headaches anymore. I know the doctor said that they couldn't be related but it was too much of a coincidence. My friend help take them out (which was not as easy as they make it sound - and is painful). But my headache never went away - I even had discomfort in my ear throughout the day. I saw my Chiropractor after 3 months and he said that my neck was so bad that it was causing not only the problem with my head but also my ear and jaw (it was a little weird biting on one side). So now I am getting them put back in tomorrow. I know that this too shall pass. I have to tell you though - i really liked the amount of hearing those little things give you. What a difference today as I couldn't even hear or understand my children too well if I wasn't looking at them. Only negative thing I see right now is the difficulty sleeping as it is hard to get comfortable with them. I'll let you all know how tomorrow goes.

[bashano]

Hi all, My name is Shannon Basham, Au.D. I am an audiologist who works with Insound Medical. I hope this information helps.


The exterior of Lyric is made of a soft material specifically designed to contour to the ear canal. This soft exterior helps make Lyric comfortable to wear for most people, however, there are a small percentage of people who cannot wear Lyric due to pain or discomfort.

After an initial adjustment period of 7-14 days most patients no longer feel Lyric in their ear. Some patients do experience initial discomfort that may be alleviated by an over the-counter pain reliever. If a patient experiences not just discomfort but actual pain, they should see their ENT physician or audiologist.



You may notice some initial discomfort sleeping. Try to sleep with as little direct pressure on your ears as possible. Sleeping on your back is ideal. If your ear is itchy, do not scratch or pull at the ear. Instead, gently massage the side of your face near your ear. An over-the-counter antihistamine may also help.



For many people, hearing loss progresses slowly over years, so it’s not unusual for things to sound a bit loud or strange when you first wear a hearing device. The voices of your friends and loved ones – and perhaps even your own voice – may sound different for a while. At first, you may also notice normal environmental sounds such as the refrigerator running, tires on the car turning, and heels clicking on the floor while walking. Within a short period of time, you’ll notice such sounds less as they become part of your everyday hearing world.

Regards,
Shannon M. Basham, Au.D.

[dragob]

I'm extremely interested in Insound Lyric and I'm concerned that there are few audiologists with sufficient experience for me to trust my ears to them.

I live in Palo Alto, CA. San Jose Ear Association and Rehab services in San Jose apparently have yet to do their first one.

I'm happy to go to lower East Bay or San Francisco or further if appropriate. Can you help me build confidence in an audiologist who has a successful history with them?

Welcome to forum, Shannon.

Dragob

[xbulder]

what is your yearly comitment in terms of $$$$
is it really worth it?

I would also consider the resound BE...

[shhshh2]

After hitting 40, I decided to no longer ignore my hearing loss. I had tested a few years ago and had 60 db loss and a recent test showed 70 db getting past the moderate hearing loss range. Time to take action. However, the dilemma was that it would be need to be fairly invisible as I work in the investment field, with direct client interactions from time to time. Here comes my savior - Lyric.

Initial impressions - It was a breeze to install as I had a straight and big ear canal according to the audiologist. For those with narrow and curved canals, the current solution maybe infeasible. However, a newer version could address this issue within a year or so. When it was initially installed, there was no feedback. However, after a few days, if I place a finger close to the canal, I had some feedback. Again, it was not very loud. However, there is no feedback when placing the phone headset on the ear. In terms of hearing clarity, I would rate it more than satisfactory. I am able to hear women much better now. In large meetings , it is so much easier to be an active participant, since hearing better makes you feel more confident. You wear this 24/7 and can also use it while showering. I will need to test in large seminars and see how it would shape up. Everything sounds loud. Volume adjustment is a breeze. You can hear the birds, the beeps of elevator arriving, you name it, you can hear it. I used to listen the TV at volume level 12, now I am good with 8. My wife is relieved I think!! She sounds loud too....you can always alter the volume with a magnetic wand..Bars? Very loud....

The negatives: Itchy sensation from time to time. The initial feeling of pain/discomfort goes away 4-5 days. But, I still feel some itchy sensation from time to time. However, this discomfort is heavily outweighed by the advantages. Also, I think having neutral color for the foam pads (instead of the current yellow) will make it even more invisible. Regardless, this is most invisible of all hearing aids out in the market today!!

Conclusion: I would highly recommend this solution for your hearing loss.

[joesc]

Can you wear these while swimming? If not, do you have to wear earplugs or is there another solution?

[shhshh2]

They say you can use it for swimming but not diving... but you know what? Giving up swimming is a small price to pay for the benefits you get out of it.....

I have had the chance to wear it for over 2 weeks now. The issues I have now includes tinny sound from TV. Not always, but for some ads or noisy situations, it sounds pretty irritating. So it is not a perfect solution yet...but probably one of the best currently available if you value discretion yet want to retain the ability to hear better.

[lenquest]

I purchased Lyric aids four months ago and would say that, overall, I am satisfied. I am active in the business world and deliver seminars and workshops to 28-55 year old audiences where mature middle age is a plus, old age is not. I was having increasing difficulty hearing women in the back of the room. it was difficult to distinguish the words of women, and sometimes men with foreign accents, on the telephone. In noisy restaurants many words were lost from people sitting at the same table with me.

The Lyric successfully solved the first two problems. The third one, noisy restaurants, is still a challenge. In fact on higher volume settings it is probably worse. I pick up so many sounds at the high end that it drowns out the conversation of a person next to me. I'm still experimenting and have made some progress. By turning the volume quite low, the conversation sounds improve a lot.

The positives of the Lyric:

1. It is invisible.

2. You comfortably (after awhile even totally unaware of it) wear it 24 hours a day. When first installed it was uncomfortable for 3-4 days. On my second installation, the discomfort only lasted 1 day.

3. It is easily adjustable and others will likely not even be aware you are adjusting the volume

4. You can simply turn it to your normal hearing or turn it off (it then acts as ear plugs) and lets you sleep when there are noises around you.

5. They really are maintenance free. The only maintenance required is when the battery wears out. It is self-contained and you just get a new device when it expires. They indicate that the battery lasts approx. 110 days for the typical patient. My first ones only lasted 40 (I think it was a showering water problem). I'm on my second one installation now.

The negatives:

1. You do shower with it. It is water resistant, but not water proof. For the first few months I followed their advise to minimize the amount of water that got into my ears when showering. I still got some in, which dimished hearing temporarily and this sometimes caused loud feedback until I absorbed the water with a kleenex. I solved this problem by using a moldable wax type substance to block the ear opening. It quickly molds into place and is reusable for several days. It can be purchased at drugstores and is sold to prevent swimmers ears.

2. The problem with noisy environments (restaurants) I discussed above. The problem is the Lyric is a single channel instrument and the high sounds cannot be turned down while keeping the middle range high. The volume has to be the same for all of them.

3. It is expensive. You pay a subscription fee at the beginning of each enrollment year. Then everything is free -- replacement aids (when the batteries wear out) are put in as many times as necessary with no additional cost. If you lose the control device a new one is provided free.

It is certainly not perfect, but It is a good solution. I'm suspect it will get even better over time as the they overcome some of the technological limitations -- since you are on a subscripiton basis you receive the latest device when the batteries expire.

One last thought. Your brain is an integral part of the hearing loop. It takes time for it to adapt to sounds it is hearing. I find that, at 4 months on the Lyric, things are getting more and more natural. I'm sure that at one year they will be even more so.

[Andy]

I tried it and decided not to buy it. It was only slightly better in a few situations than the hearing aid I have. There is no automatic transitioning for background noise. You can lower the volume, but I disagree that no one will notice you doing that. If you take a metal stick out of your purse or pocket, unscrew the cap and hold it first to one ear and then the other while you listen intently for the volume beeps, the person sitting across from you will know you are doing something, since you can't continue talking at the same time.

For people who are really concerned about the cosmetic effect--it is truly invisible--it is worth looking into. I found it comfortable day and night, and soon no longer felt it in my ears.

There is so much competition in the hearing aid market that I am sure the price will come down, if they expect to sell it to the general public rather than to just to the wealthy retired to whom their advertising is directed.

[tanker]

Have worn them for one week, and so far so good . . .

Minor discomfort for the first few days, but I feel them less and less. You have to be pro-active with the audiologist about getting the default amplification setting right, and this may require a few trips back to allow time to test different settings in different environments. I've found a setting where sounds are very natural and not too loud. There are situations (e.g., big meetings) where I might like them a bit louder, so I adjust them up as necessary.

I live in NYC, and here it is particularly important to pick a default amplification setting that can handle street noise without driving you nuts. The devices have a "compression" function, which depresses amplification when sounds are particularly loud. This creates an annoying periodic on-and-off effect out on the street, which I find tolerable without so-called "high frequency boost" but intolerable with it. That's why it is important to test different amplification settings in different environments - there will be a trade-off between your ability to hear in difficult situations and your ability to tolerate general sound distortion and excessive volume. I've found that it's much better to choose a lower default setting with minimal distortion as opposed to a higher one with more distortion. If you're only adjusting up in rare circumstances, you'll be a lot happier this way.

My right device died after only 5 days, which my audiologist thinks was just a fluke. I'm hoping that's the case. Under the assumption that the devices should last 3 months on average, they allow you up to 12 per year for the subscription price.

On balance, so far I am very pleased with the Lyrics. I am too vain to wear visible hearing aids on most occasions (I kept a pair which I only used for plays and conferences), and these are the only invisible ones out there. The initial discomfort was small, and has diminished to almost nothing. And the sound quality is better than I expected.

Assuming your Lyric supplier will give you a trial (they gave me 4 days free, and then 6 weeks for $350 before the yearly subscription fee kicked in), they are well worth trying.

[GR8Dane]

Tanker,

Glad to hear about your positive experience. I started on the Lyrics July 3rd and have been real happy with them so far. I also had one die and another start buzzing after a short period of use, but most have been fine. I just replaced my right one after 90 days of use which I hope to be the norm.

I found the low frequency cut to be perfect for me around 1200 which really cut out the background noise.

Regards!

[tanker]

GR8Dane,

Thanks for your response. My audiologist cutting off amplification at low frequency (I think 1100) also made a big difference.

On your blog, I see you managed to use your noise-cancelling earplug-style headphones - how did you manage that? I can't get mine (Etymotcs) in - the Lyrics are too close to my ear canal entrance. I miss them enormously. I bought Sennheiser noise-cancelling headphones to replace them, but it's not even close in quality. I also have to put the Lyrics into sleep mode even to get the sound quality half-way decent.

Tanker

[GR8Dane]

I use the Sony MDR ones which don't go as far into the canal as the Etymotics or the Shures which I have used previously. Honestly, I found the Sony's gave a better bass response even after having a pair of the Shures. The Active Noise Canceling is nice to over just the Noise Isolating. I'm not able to push them in quite as far as I usually have, but they still seal up just fine.

You're right to put them to sleep first. That keeps just the right amount of sound coming through, but the ear phones still end up pushing a lot of sound right around them. Leaving them on probably would make them squeal anyway and turning them off doesn't really work either.

[GR8Dane]

Here is a link to a review on the earphones I use. I have an older version, but it looks pretty similar: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2113469,00.asp

[arlee]

Does anyone have any experience with the new Lyric hearing aid by Insound Medical? It sounds like it has the potential to be really exciting. It's buried deep in the ear canal, is completely invisible, and is worn for months at a time. Sounds like what I've been looking for my entire life. Here is a link to the product and manufacturer's web sites:

http://www.lyrichearing.com
http://www.insoundmedical.com

I'd love to hear any experiences anyone has had with the product or company.

Thank you!

I have had hearing loss for years. In fact I had gotten a trial hearing aid 10 years ago and couldn't make it work for me.

A couple of months ago, there was an ad in the San Francisco Chronicle for the Lyric hearing aid and they were offering a 30 day trial. I went to a local office and they installed them in my ears. It took some getting used to. I overcame the itching in the ears, sleeping with them and showering with them. Water got in the ears and created a plugged up sensation in my right ear and so I went in and the audiologist took the right one out and found that there was something in the ear canal and he sent me to a ENT Doctor.

That night I had a little blood coming out of my ear. My blood was not clotting fast enough, but it eventually stopped bleeding after a couple of day. A few days later I went to see the ENT and she gave some instructions to clear the ear of dry blood and I when I went back, nothing in my ear was damaged. It turns out that in taking the device out of my ear, the audiologist may have scratched my ear canal just enough to cause bleeding.

I also took the Lysic hearing aid to my homeopathic healer to make sure the material was not toxic for me. It wasn't.

I went back to the audiologist and a couple of weeks later ( I was traveling for 10 days) and he took the left hearing out and I decided that this was just too much hassle and needed some time to look at my options.

Meanwhile, my homeopathic healer/chiropractor told me that he thought that the pain in my shoulders and neck may be caused by the stress of not hearing well and not wearing a hearing aid.

I went to Costco and looked at their selection and they recommended a digital behind the ear model and it sounded pretty good.

Still, I like the idea of not having the hearing aid show and I did think that the Lysic worked pretty well. So, I went back to the audiologist about 4 days ago and he agreed to install the Lysic hearing aids again. Think I can make them work because the sound is good and after awhile I am getting used to them. I like that I can adjust easily.

I also think that, if I am more careful taking a shower and use ear plugs, and if I can be more gentle about rubbing my ears I won't bleed again and I won't have the plugged ear problem again.. Also, my homeopathic guy has given me some anti-itch anti-fungus ointments to apply just inside the ear canal. It all seems to be working and I'm optimistic about making these work, this time..

Meanwhile, I wish that I could somehow get the background noise out in public places, but still I am convinced that the technology will continue to advance and hopefully the cost will come down.

Thanks for your comments. They helped me a lot.

[GR8Dane]

Hey Arlee,

I know I'd be pretty freaked out if I had blood coming out of my ear. :eek: Sounds like the device must have gone in too far or something.

I'm wondering if they followed the same procedure they used on me. During my first fitting they had an actual ENT, not just the Audi measure the depth and width of my ear canals, checked sizes, curvature, etc. all to make sure that the initial fitting was right. Once that got set, the numbers were recorded and the Audi just uses this device that inserts the Lyric to the pre-determined depth to be sure it doesn't go in too far or not far enough.

If they haven't done that with you, I'd ask to be sure it gets done right.

Good luck!

[tanker]

Arlee,

Regarding the itching problem, in my case that went away after about a week. I would give it some time.

Regarding background noise, do consider discussing with the audiologist the low-bound frequency at which amplification kicks in. It may be that that bound needs to be made a bit higher - that is, no amplification until a higher frequency is reached. That helped for me. I also found that so-called "high frequency boost" was a nightmare for me - useless background sounds, like far-away paper-crunching, become horribly annoying, and interfered with my ability to concentrate on speech.

Good luck . . .

Tanker

[arlee]

Thanks for the comments. I'm now also wondering why there wasn't an ENT there to see my ear canals. And I hopeful that my audiologist can help with the adjustment you suggest.

I'm seeing him today and will update you with the results.

Arlee

[GR8Dane]

I would certainly ask about the ENT. I'm pretty sure that InSound requires all dispensers to have an ENT on site to do the initial evaluation and fitting to make sure that it is done correctly. That is probably the single largest reason why more audiologists haven't started carrying this device. I don't know many mall audiologists that have an ENT on staff. It's mainly full clinics that would be candidates at this point.

Good luck with your visit.

[tanker]

The ENT is supposed to do the ear canal evaluation for suitability and sizing. In my case, the audiologist then did the first device insertions, with the ENT present.

Tanker

[arlee]

After the bleeding issue, :( I decided to go back and try to make the lyric work for me again. So my audiologist installed two new aids and sent me on my way about two weeks ago. They worked pretty will except I continued to have problems hearing my wife - she has a soft voice, and in noisy rooms during the first week.

So, a week later, I had my audiologist boost the high frequency amplification. As others have mentioned here would be the case, it didn't help and it make it worse. Background noise was just bad.

Meanwhile, despite using earplugs in the shower, I got some water in my ears. My ears became plugged. A couple of nights aga, I went to an Chamber mixer with about 200 people and I could not hear a thing. It was awful. My wife ended up talking to people and I just pretended to listen. I couldn't control my talking volume and swas told that I was talking too softly.

The next day, yesterday, I went to my audiologist in panic, with my ears still plugged up. He took out the aids. My ear canals had water in them. In fact one aid had turned green and he said he had never seen anything like it before.

According to the audiologist, when water gets in the ears, it can short out the lyric and it will cease to work. So I got some new silicon ear plugs that should keep the water out and will try them when I take my showers.

So now, the audiologist agreed to put just one in my left ear and said the other ear needed to dry out more before I should install the other one and that I should come back in a couple of days to install the other one, if I so desired.

Last night, my ears felt great. I could adjust the volume although I could tell that I just didn't have enough amplification to hear as well as I'd like. Still, I am now thinking of using just one hearing aid, even though both ears have significant high resolution damage.

Has anyone had any experience with using just one hearing aid? Are there significant advantages to having two installed? Any suggestions on how to deal with background noise in restaurants or other social events?

Thanks for your comments.:D

[jake]

Arlee, thanks for posting your experience with the Lyric. I had heard about that but the thought of not being able to get something out of my ear scared me. Also, not being able to get it wet or jump in a pool - to inconvienient.

Have you demoed some Resound Be's? They are really awesome and pop in and out easily.

[sanmyn]

I've got to find out more about the Lyric ASAP. I am about to spend ALOT of money on another type of hearing aid. I understand the Lyric is only available in CA. How long will it take for it to make its way out to OH ?

Thank you.
I live in Thailand and returned from San Francisco in September (08). I met with the doctor who developed the Lyric Aid while in the City. I was astounded by the demonstration. It is new and still in development but does have trial users in the area who all rave about this new product. You do not buy the Lyric, but subscribe to it. It is changed every 90 days to a new unit. The procedure is simple but should be done by a professional to get it positioned properly. It is about the size of a Tylenol capsule. Living in Thailand I do not qualify to try it but I am waiting for its release. I am eager to use this new exciting product. Gary Hacker (sanmyn@aol.com)

[Chicago Ski]

I got a Lyric about 6 weeks ago in my right ear. I have a digital hearing air in my left ear for the last 2-3 years.

The digital hearing aid is a piece of crap. Can't be used outdoors even in light breezes. Not that good inside either. But I was starting to have loss in my right ear. So, the gal talked me into a Lyric.

This thing is pretty good - at least compared to the digital. Had to go back in the first three weeks because ear wax built-up over the mike and it was like an ear plug. She replaced Lyric on the spot (rather than clean it up).

So far, so good. I leave it on outside without a feeling like there is a tornado around me. It's not perfect, but it's WAY AHEAD of the digital piece of crap in my left ear.

Had a few sharp pains the first week or so I had the Lyric, but that went away. After a while, you sort of forget it's there. Worst part is you always want to clean your ear (cleanliness habit) and you can't.

[tanker]

If you like water sports, perhaps the biggest sacrifice in using Lyrics is that you can't get water in your ears - water kills the device.

The manufacturers, and my first audiologist, claim you can shower normally without worrying about this, but my experience so far indicates that you have to take precautions. One of my devices died quickly and suddenly, and my second audiologist diagnosed it as water damage. She recommended using disposable ear covers when showering. They are hard to find in stores, but you can buy them online here:

http://www.sallybeauty.com/Ear-Protector-Caps/SBS-702132,default,pd.html

They are cheap and very easy to use. And so far I have not had any further water damage problems.

I started using Lyrics in late October, and have adjusted very well. I'm generally no longer conscious of having anything stuffed in my ear canals, the sound is reasonably natural, and I'm hearing quite well. I dreamed about such a device decades ago, and it has so far lived up to my dreams as well as any first-generation innovation could possibly be expected to.

[arlee]

For me I was just looking for performance in a hearing aid. I have justified paying $3,400 every year for the use of the Lyric system and can deal with going in every few months or so to get new ones when they crap out. I have gotten used to them in my ear and normally forget that they are there. I got by the itching and weirdness of having something in my ear with in a week or so.

My experience is the same as yours, Tanker. As you say, water will kill the device. I have become very careful about the water. I have had to change some habits. Always use earplugs when I shower. I now shave out of the shower and keep the earplugs in even while shaving. I have been using MACK'S Earplugs- www.macksearplugs.com -with some success. I still get a little moisture in my ear so I will try the ones that you recommend.

I did decide to get the Lyric for both ears which gives me a better hearing experience. I seem to forget that they are in my ears and often forget to turn them off at night which shortens their life.

I did finally take a dead device out of my ear a couple of days ago and can still get the benefit of the remaining one in my other ear. I'm going in after the 1st to get them replaced. I can see that they will last 2 or 3 months, if you watch out for water and turn them off at night to save the batteries.

Although I had tried other hearing aids in the past and couldn't make them work for me, I have found that the Lysic is working for me and can recommend them. I am looking forward to improvements.

Thanks for your comments.

[Loki]

My first were inserted the first week of December. I had been using Pulse behind the ear but liked the idea of the Lyric and insurance would cover it this year and not next. I have problems with TMJ and I have ringing in the ears that the Pulse helped (I have very little hearing loss). I am almost always feeling like I have my left ear under water or won't pop from airplane pressure. My right was removed because of pain and irritation. Using just the left Lyric and my Pulse was just weird so my husband pulled the left too. I just had them reinserted on Tuesday and I'm having trouble with the left ear again. I was doing fine until I went to Costco today which seemed to upset the balance between the two ears and I tried turning them off then on again, changing volume, etc. Rubbing the outside front of the ear seems to help sometimes but not alleviate the feeling all together. Any suggestions, what else can I try besides driving across town to the only audiologist who inserts the Lyric? Thanks for your help.

[rebelmark]

I've been wearing the lyric since May of 2007. I do not think i'm going to renew the subscription when it is up. It seems everytime I turn around, my aid is plugged up and I have to go in for a replacement.

When I purchased the aids, I was promised that if I needed a Lyric replacement, I could come in and it would be a quick switch. Well, my average time waiting at my audiologists is 30-45 mins, and usually they can't get me in until the next day. I was in this past Monday for a replacement (after about a month) and now on Saturday, one aid is plugged. So now, i have to make an appointment to go there sometime next week to have it fixed. When I purchased these, I was lead to understand that I could just pop in whenever I needed a replacement. This has not been the case. This has been going on since I started.

80% of the problem is there is no consistency in the installation. I find that when they take the time to clean my ear in between change-outs, everything works out better. But, most of the time they are in such a rush that the cleaning is not completed thoroughly and I have problems.

The performance of the aid is so-so. It is analog, so there is no voice shaping. Also, because of the way it fits, it is hard to distinguish low frequencies. In addition, because of the long term wearing, understand that hearing aid performance WILL diminish in your 1-3 months between replacements. It will get to the point where you will notice the degradation of sound, but you will force yourself to hold out as long as possible to avoid a return trip to the Aud/ENT for replacement until it is necessary. My wife notices this by our conversations and my "huh's", and TV volume.

I am a man in his mid 30's that was very excited about the Lyric. The prospect of having hearing aids that were invisible was very exciting to me and I was willing to pay the money to experience this. I am not the type that complains about everything, but I feel for $3000 a year, the results should be better. I have done everything to try and justify the expense and trouble the Lyrics have brought me, but I cannot do it any longer.

I think the saving grace for this product would be removable wax shields, like the pull off windshields they use on race cars. That way, when an aid was plugged, you could "tear off" that guard and the wax that was plugging the aid and get another month or so of use. Hopefully they will implement something like this, along with better training of the ENT/Aud that install them. Maybe then I can look at revisiting these aids again in the future.

[hungry ears]

This is my first post here, in fact my first post on any blog. I have been searching the internet for over a year for relief from my hearing and tinnitus. I live in Calgary Canada and understand there may not be dealers for Lyric here yet. Can anyone comment about whether tinnitus is less when wearing a Lyric??

[jimsimpson]

Have had Lyrics since May 08. Love them.
PRO: Once I got used to them it's like they aren't there! I hear so much better than any of the BTEs that I used, both volume and voice clarity. I shower and swim (head mostly above the waves) with no problems; batteries have lasted more than 3 mos, except for one 6 week period; usually leave them turned on when I sleep. When outside noise is bad (air travel, lawn mowing), I shut them totally off and they're better than earplugs that I used to use. Have had no problem removing them when they die; and my audiologist is very responsive.

CON: Of course the $3000 annual fee! I agree with others who suggest a high buy-in, but then lower annuals. Initially there was some pain/itching especially due to my ear canals being both shorter and smaller diameter than ideal; can't wait for the smaller versions. My tinnitus is still there 24/7, but its impact is less because I don't have to look for excuses for not hearing.

My family AND I have noticed the much better hearing, and the convenience can't be overstated. When traveling, I carry my old digitals for backup, but if it's near the 3-month die-time, I just get them replaced! Just hurry up with the next version!

Jim

[rebelmark]

Well, I have decided I am not going to wait until the subscription is up. The Lyric aids have turned out to be a huge PITA. With my last replacement, the left ear lasted a total of 5 days before going out. I removed it myself and left it out, rather than face the 45 minute ordeal to go to my Aud for replacement. I have decided to go with a more traditional BTE solution. Lyric was a huge waste of my time and money.

A big part of the problem was my Aud, but the life of these aids was no where near what was promised. I had one set that lasted a little over 2 months, otherwise it was only a month or so. Most of the time during that month, the aid would become clogged and the magnet wouldn't even work, so I was stuck with a un-adjustable, partly clogged hearing aid that I just put up with to prevent a return trip to the Aud. A part of me wants to take Insound to small claims court to recoup the money I have wasted by using a product that did not perform as promised for me. I cannot recommend this solution to anyone.

[AllenKent]

Does anyone have any experience with the new Lyric hearing aid by Insound Medical? It sounds like it has the potential to be really exciting. It's buried deep in the ear canal, is completely invisible, and is worn for months at a time. Sounds like what I've been looking for my entire life. Here is a link to the product and manufacturer's web sites:

http://www.lyrichearing.com
http://www.insoundmedical.com

I'd love to hear any experiences anyone has had with the product or company.

Thank you!
:)

I've worn the Lyric for the past three years, and was a patient in the early trials for the FDA approval. If you are a good candidate for this device you will love it. For me it was like moving from a black & white world into a world of color. I wear them all the time, turning them to standby at night and when I'm in a place with high noise levels. Surprisingly enough, in a noisy restaurant when I put them to standby, I lose all the high frequency voices and banding of dishes, but can easily hear the voice of my dining partner. Lyric has made a huge difference in my life. Do your self a BIG favor and go get a fitting! -Allen

[tteramaye]

Alex,
I started my pair of Lyrics just 8 days ago. So far it has exceeded my expectations. The invisibility of hearing aids was one of the reasons I chose Lyric. Also the fact that I don't have to change batteries every week or so is a big positive. So far I have slept with "sleep-mode" and taken nightly showers without any adverse effect. The ease of adjusting the volume make adjusting to various noisey conditions a snap. I haven't had it on long enough to report on the battery longevity but I'm very sold so far. After researching several other products it became evident to me that the battery technology is what limits the design of the products available today and this certainly is a big plus factor or Lyric. Tak

[Belcanto]

Yes, I have had Lyrics for 4 months. They changed my life, literally. What a breakthrough.

[Belcanto]

I haven't had a problem with water, either. I shower, use a swim cap. I think Lyric's great.

[Belcanto]

I'm beginning my third month. I've experienced no sound degradation.

[Belcanto]

Let yourself get excited. Lyric's that great. The annual cost of $3000 is steep, and they're not available everywhere. I was fortunate in finding a very skilled AUD in New York City who has been trained by Lyric's manufacturer. I've been delighted; they deliver as promised.

[MrAerodynamic]

I was fitted with a pair of Lyric devices froom InSound Medical.
I had the opportunity to do this as part of a clinical trial, so no money changed hands, in fact we did not even discuss the price.

Over all, my experieince was NEGATIVE.
Here are the details:

1) I had a fair amount of discomfort with the devices. This probably would go away with time, but I lost patience first.

2) I experienced almost no occlusion. I have tried CICs before and had major occlusion problems. I did not have any problems with occusion with the Lyrics.

3) I was disappointed with the audio performance. I felt the analog device didn't handle compression well, I could noticeably hear one device turning up and down while I was in the car. In general, I had to turn the devices off while in the car, there was way too much gain. In a restaurant, I again felt like the mics were set too hot.

4) I missed my connectivity: I regularly wear Oticon EPOQs with a Bluetooth enabled Streamer. I am used to telephone audion to my devices, in stereo, with the abilirt to turn device mics off while on the phone. This set-up makes phone calls a breeze, and I missed it.

5) Get out keychain, unscrew magnet device, stick it in each ear, waiting several seconds (in the case of volume changes)... this is not a very handy set-up.

6) Showering: YEAH! Whoopee!

Overall, these did not work for me. In the end, audio performance is everything for me. I am not shy or embarassed to where a visible device, in fact I think that helps sometimes, I point to them when I would like someon to speak louder for me. I love a device I can sleep in and shower with. I had pretty major doscomfort. I figure this would have gone away with time, but it was really the pro audio performance that made me want to call it quits.

[MrAerodynamic]

I was fitted with a pair of Lyric devices froom InSound Medical.
I had the opportunity to do this as part of a clinical trial, so no money changed hands, in fact we did not even discuss the price.

Over all, my experieince was NEGATIVE.
Here are the details:

1) I had a fair amount of discomfort with the devices. This probably would go away with time, but I lost patience first.

2) I experienced almost no occlusion. I have tried CICs before and had major occlusion problems. I did not have any problems with occusion with the Lyrics.

3) I was disappointed with the audio performance. I felt the analog device didn't handle compression well, I could noticeably hear one device turning up and down while I was in the car. In general, I had to turn the devices off while in the car, there was way too much gain. In a restaurant, I again felt like the mics were set too hot.

4) I missed my connectivity: I regularly wear Oticon EPOQs with a Bluetooth enabled Streamer. I am used to telephone audion to my devices, in stereo, with the abilirt to turn device mics off while on the phone. This set-up makes phone calls a breeze, and I missed it.

5) Get out keychain, unscrew magnet device, stick it in each ear, waiting several seconds (in the case of volume changes)... this is not a very handy set-up.

6) Showering: YEAH! Whoopee!

Overall, these did not work for me. In the end, audio performance is everything for me. I am not shy or embarassed to where a visible device, in fact I think that helps sometimes, I point to them when I would like someon to speak louder for me. I love a device I can sleep in and shower with. I had pretty major doscomfort. I figure this would have gone away with time, but it was really the pro audio performance that made me want to call it quits.

[Neilk]

I'm beginning my third month. I've experienced no sound degradation.

A couple of questions if I may ... in this post you say you are beginning your third month, yet two posts previous you said you've had tham for four months. How is that possible?

You said that when you shower you wear a shower cap ... does that mean that you can't wash your hair or your ears when showering with these in? And they are in for 3 or 4 months at a spell and not removable and reinsertable by you, is that correct? So you must go 3-4 months between washing your hair and/or ears?

And $3,000 per year???? Those are some pretty expensive batteries :D

[like2hearbetter]

I got tired of seeing the (expensive) full color inserts in our papers in the San Jose, CA area on the Lyric. I had heard rumors of high cost. A Google found this forum for me.

I appreciate hearing others first-hand experiences.

I've had hearing problems for nearly 20 years. My first visit to an audiologist about 15 years ago produced a trial of hearing aids and nearly 3 months of their "attempt" to have the hearing aids make a reasonable improvement. They finally admitted that the improvement was negligible.

3 years ago I got Interton digital hearing aids that were in the ear but not in the channel since the audiologist said my canal wasn't compatible with in the channel. A bit less than $2,000 at Costco.

I have just started using the "high end" Costco behind the ear aids that are Rexton 12 channel hearing aids.

The DSP on the Rexton aids is a big improvement in quieting background noises.

I'm still getting used to the Rexton aids and, of course, have a 90 day return possible at Costco.

It seems with the LYRIC like all others the problem is that instead of making a hearing aid that REALLY WORKS WELL and then miniaturizing it the manufacturers make something that's miniature and then try to get it to work reasonably. And along the way the purchasers are the "beta testers."

$3,000 a year is too much for me...to choose to spend for an ANALOG (old technology) aid.

[feather]

Hi ,this is my first time in one of these forums. I tried a Lyric in Jan 2009, my ear hurt, they took it out and my ear showed redness. So we decided to leave it out for a while. Then i had another appointment to go back to the BTE one. While there in Feb 2009, decided to give Lyric another chance. Had no problem until i took a longer than usual shower. After i that could not get the level 5 back for 2 weeks. Certainly missed a lot of conversations. Thought someone said it was there 60th birthday, turned out they said 62. Of course got everything that said 60. Explained i was deaf. They said it was ok.
Then after being in a very noisy bar (loud music), where i had turned it off. The next time i turned it on was able to get the fifth level back. Decided i should have it changed so went back to the Aud. and got a new one. Did not have to wait long to see them. They mentioned using earplugs to keep the water out. But since the object was to hear. Decided not to buy them. While looking on this site from the info for ear covers. So will go out and get some. Will also use them in the swimming pool , as concerned if i get splashed.
While at the dentist to get my teeth cleaned, mentioned that i now have this Lyric aid and the only time do need to have it removed is for an MRI. The hygenist thought about the unit she uses has magnet ultersound. Well they check with their rep. So now will go to the AUD. and have the Lyric removed , get my teeth cleaned . Then go back and they will re insert the Lyric. I did write to In Sound Medical , but have not heard back from them about this issue.

[Chicago Ski]

I have a Lyric in my right ear, a conventional heaing aid in my left.

The Lyric is exceptional when it works. But I have yet to go longer than six weeks before ear wax clogs the mic. For a week or so prior to that, I notice I need to crank-up the volume compared to the setting for a new Lyric. I try to clean as best as I can, but the Lyric prevents thouroughly cleaning of the ear canal.

I was supposed to be on a 12 week replacement schedule, but as I indicate, I have yet to go more than six weeks. Replacement is prompt, but after my trial first year ($2,000.00), I'm not so sure I'll stick with the Lyric

[PVDad]

Coming up on my one year renewal period so thought I would share some insights in no particular order of significance:

1.) They are truly invisible. If you are a professional or worried about image they are completely undetectable.

2.) I have had no problem with showering or rain or anything related to normal day to day activities. I have not tried swimming with ear plugs but would be interested if anyone has.

3.) From talking to my audi and Dr. some folks are just not a good candidate due to sensitivity, size of ear canal, etc. I'm lucky for me fitting was a breeze..

4.) Life of device has varied as little as 7 weeks and as much as 12 weeks. I leave mine on 24 x 7 (its a subscription..right).

5.) Hearing is unbelievably better..only sorry I waited so long. I have not worn anything other then Lyric's so I have no comparison however all the things that they solve (ego problems, battery changing, water/shower, etc.) are what kept me from doing anything in the first place.

6.) Very pleased with my Dr. and Audi (if your in North Florida area you can easily find them and tell them Larry reccomended them). They have been first rate and getting in when needed has not been a problem.

7.) I tend to go in and have them replaced when I start to notice a problem (i.e losing some sounds, or occlution) rather then wait for total failure. Have them both replaced at the same time..has never been an issue.

8.) Can not believe how much I was missing and how people had started to talk around me before...family is ecstatic :)

9.) Price is still a downside...value is not an issue..cant even think about going back..but wish the price was lower. No payment plans..one shot upfront for another year.

10.) A year ago the talk/hope was that their would be a second generation that would be lower in price and smaller in size (fit more folks). Doesn't seem to have happened and I'm told mass production was not working and they are back to handmade..perhaps that is why no drop in price.

In summary for me this has literally been a life changer on so many levels and I can't see how I can't continue. I hope for some competition or lowering of cost, or even longer life of each device (4 times a year would be sweet)..

Hope this helps some of you on the fence...

[arlee]

I have been wearing Lysic hearing aids now for nearly eight months and my experience has been become unacceptable.

The device performs unevenly - they fail more often than advertised and getting them replaced in a timely manner has been a hassle at the local clinic. The audiologist (the first one left the clinic) is usually rushed and there is not time to tweak the hearing aids' performance. They always try to get me to not replace the one not yet dead.

I had given up on the Lysic during the trial phase - they scatched my ear canal which required and an MD to "vacuum" the dried blood out of my ear - see previous posts.

I wanted to make Lyric work and despite these warning, I agreed to a new trial and signed up (I thought) on January 2, 2009, when I made my final payment for the $3,400 annual fee. I just got their invoice for the new year - 4 months early because they are using the date of my very first visit - and they are explaining that they may need to review my "charts" to see if it's all true. (Remember, the original audiologist is no longer around.) Although, they have reduced the price to $3,000, if I sign up early. Still, it's all very disappointing.:mad:

Now, I'm looking for a new hearing aid solution. And does anyone have any ideas on a potential recourse of action for me?

Thanks,

Arlee

[GR8Dane]

Well, I have decided I am not going to wait until the subscription is up. The Lyric aids have turned out to be a huge PITA. With my last replacement, the left ear lasted a total of 5 days before going out. I removed it myself and left it out, rather than face the 45 minute ordeal to go to my Aud for replacement. I have decided to go with a more traditional BTE solution. Lyric was a huge waste of my time and money.

A big part of the problem was my Aud, but the life of these aids was no where near what was promised. I had one set that lasted a little over 2 months, otherwise it was only a month or so. Most of the time during that month, the aid would become clogged and the magnet wouldn't even work, so I was stuck with a un-adjustable, partly clogged hearing aid that I just put up with to prevent a return trip to the Aud. A part of me wants to take Insound to small claims court to recoup the money I have wasted by using a product that did not perform as promised for me. I cannot recommend this solution to anyone.

That's a bummer for sure. Guess they don't work for everyone, but it sure seems like your audiologist isn't very good. Mine typically last 2 - 3 months and only on 1 occasion has my audiologist been out of stock on the specific one I needed and it cost me 1 day. She's always been good to let me come up with just a few mins notice also. Maybe yours just has more customers.

Good luck with your next purchase.

[KenRouse]

My experience with Lyric is brand new, but so far it is very satisfying. I have worn hearing aids for 20 years and am excited about the new possibilities with Lyric. There is an adjustment period, anywhere from a few days to several weeks. I live in Arizona and am able to use Lyric for 30 days absolutely free with no obligation to buy. I am in the 4th day and already am feeling comfortable. At first there was a slight sort of dull pain around the ear, but that is almost gone. I sleep very comfortably and have the flexibility of making adjustments in different environments. My cost is $3,400 annually and the hearing aids are supposed to be replaced every 3 months or so. I will share more later as I have more experience with Lyric.

[ciliata]

I am coming up on my first year renewal. In general, I am happy, and wouldn't consider not renewing.

I have worn hearing aids for more than twenty years. The only concern my audiologist had was that they might not be strong enough for me. There is no local supplier, and I travel just over fifty miles of congested area each way, which is something of a nuisance. It took me about two weeks to get used to Lyric. Since then I am not aware that they are in.
I use ear covers in the shower. I get them from Sally's Beauty Supply (a chain). Cost is $2.49 for 24 covers. I put them in sleep mode at night, and can still communicate with my wife if need be. here is an occasional itching, but nothing that concerns me. I have had no problem with them lasting the full four months advertised, so my years renewal will be the fourth set I've had --- but I guess it's actually five. I was admitted to the hospital and needed an MRI - so according to directions I removed the hearing aids. Sometime during my hospital stay they disappeared. I was uneasy, since they are rentals, and I envisioned a steep charge for losing them. That didn't happen, they were cheerfully replaced without charge. On the telephone I hear some voices better than others, so I often use a speaker phone. I communicate well with a cell phone.

All in all, I would recommend them to anyone who asked. Cost is high, but it is worth nine dollars a day (to me) to be able to hear.

[Catalina]

Does anyone have any experience with the new Lyric hearing aid by Insound Medical? It sounds like it has the potential to be really exciting. It's buried deep in the ear canal, is completely invisible, and is worn for months at a time. Sounds like what I've been looking for my entire life. Here is a link to the product and manufacturer's web sites:

http://www.lyrichearing.com
http://www.insoundmedical.com

I'd love to hear any experiences anyone has had with the product or company.

Thank you!

From what I understand the aids can be removed by the user (for swimming, etc) but must be reinserted by a professional. They are analog not digital and when the battery goes dead you need to get a new one. I am not sure this is all accurate but thats what I hear. A well fit CIC would make more sense.
________
Lovely Wendie99 (http://www.lovelywendie99.com/)

[ayame]

I'd like to know how the wax drains if you keep them on for a month at a time. :confused:
I've never worried about having them seen. I figured that people might speak a little louder if they see you wearing them...but I've found out that that doesn't seem to be the case. :mad:

[mmi]

Hi all, I just had my new Lyrics inserted yesterday. I suppose Im in the middle of the "adjustment period". Not only do I have constant pain, but I can hear the aids moving around -- there's a "popping" noise in my ears when I open and close my mouth, and a "thumping" noise in my ears when I walk. Is there anybody else who had a similar experience? Did those sounds go away once the hearing aid "settled"?

[roberthamden]

That does not sound normal, go back and hsve a consult and adjustment if needed..

Pain is not a hearing solution..

Bob

Hi all, I just had my new Lyrics inserted yesterday. I suppose Im in the middle of the "adjustment period". Not only do I have constant pain, but I can hear the aids moving around -- there's a "popping" noise in my ears when I open and close my mouth, and a "thumping" noise in my ears when I walk. Is there anybody else who had a similar experience? Did those sounds go away once the hearing aid "settled"?

[dhubsith]

I just got Lyrics yesterday, so this is Day 2. This is the 4th type of HA I've worn, analog ITC (I think they were Oticon, not sure), Songbird, Widex Senso ITE, and now Lyrics. My impressions so far is that these are the best yet. I'm in the trial period, I was quoted $3500 the first year and $3800 after that.

My audi was personable and knowledgable. Insertion was quick and easy. The box they came in had a big "M" on it, I assume that means size medium. She set threshold at 500Hz, and HF boost. There is some discomfort and itching, not much. The right fits better than the left. I'm starting to have short periods where I forget they're there. I think in time that will be continuous.

Conversation in a quiet environment is easy and natural. My own voice sounds normal. Different story though in a noisy environment. I live 100 miles from my audi, had a long highway drive home. Wind noise was real bad, but no prob with tire noise or engine noise, also no prob in town at lower speeds. I had some Flamenco guitar on my USB stick in the car, it partially masked the wind noise during loud passages but not soft, also between songs the wind was loud. Next time I'm taking the Who. :) I didn't try different volume levels, you really can't change volume when driving, and I didn't take the time, the weather was bad and I was in a hurry.

I had no problems with them when showering. They were a little uncomfortable to sleep in but not too bad. I'm a side sleeper and have a memory foam pillow.

There are 5 volume levels, is that true for everyone? I've seen some mention 6 and the intro DVD shows 8. Five for me is plenty, more would be overkill. I've been keeping them on 2, this seems to be the best setting. Also, I can't tell the difference between "sleep" and "off". Both act like ear plugs, certainly quieter than with nothing in the ears. Is there less current drain with "off" than "sleep"?

My EQ settings on my stereo are all out of whack, got to re-tweak it. Hardly any bass and too much mid.

Tonight I'm going out to hear a live band, and see how they do in that environment.

All in all...I'm happy with them, they are much better than anything I've tried so far. Defiantely not your father's hearing aid.

[stream2525]

I just got Lyrics yesterday, so this is Day 2. This is the 4th type of HA I've worn, analog ITC (I think they were Oticon, not sure), Songbird, Widex Senso ITE, and now Lyrics. My impressions so far is that these are the best yet. I'm in the trial period, I was quoted $3500 the first year and $3800 after that.

My audi was personable and knowledgable. Insertion was quick and easy. The box they came in had a big "M" on it, I assume that means size medium. She set threshold at 500Hz, and HF boost. There is some discomfort and itching, not much. The right fits better than the left. I'm starting to have short periods where I forget they're there. I think in time that will be continuous.

Conversation in a quiet environment is easy and natural. My own voice sounds normal. Different story though in a noisy environment. I live 100 miles from my audi, had a long highway drive home. Wind noise was real bad, but no prob with tire noise or engine noise, also no prob in town at lower speeds. I had some Flamenco guitar on my USB stick in the car, it partially masked the wind noise during loud passages but not soft, also between songs the wind was loud. Next time I'm taking the Who. :) I didn't try different volume levels, you really can't change volume when driving, and I didn't take the time, the weather was bad and I was in a hurry.

I had no problems with them when showering. They were a little uncomfortable to sleep in but not too bad. I'm a side sleeper and have a memory foam pillow.

There are 5 volume levels, is that true for everyone? I've seen some mention 6 and the intro DVD shows 8. Five for me is plenty, more would be overkill. I've been keeping them on 2, this seems to be the best setting. Also, I can't tell the difference between "sleep" and "off". Both act like ear plugs, certainly quieter than with nothing in the ears. Is there less current drain with "off" than "sleep"?

My EQ settings on my stereo are all out of whack, got to re-tweak it. Hardly any bass and too much mid.

Tonight I'm going out to hear a live band, and see how they do in that environment.

All in all...I'm happy with them, they are much better than anything I've tried so far. Defiantely not your father's hearing aid.

Shame that lyrics are not distributed out side the USA.

How long has it taken for programming and adjustment?

Can you do self programming?

Your hearing loss in the hight frequencies is nearly profound, how much have you benfited from these aids?

I will be great hearing from you :)

[dhubsith]

Day 3.

I'm starting to forget that they're in there. They're sometimes still a bit uncomfortable, sometimes itch, but more and more I'm not feeling them at all.

Stream2525 to answer your questions...

Rollout outside the US should happen "soon", whenever that is. :)

Programming by the audi was quick, maybe 15 minutes, tops. I cannot program them myself. My control is limited to turning them on, sleep, or off, and adjusting volume, in 5 incremental steps.

This from the Lyric site "Professional FAQS":

"
What are the programmable parameters?
Lyric has the following five programable parameters:


Gain/Volume (Vol) -6 settings in 3 dB steps
Max Volume (set according to user’s needs)
Low Frequency Cut (LFC) -7 settings, ranging from 200 Hz to 2 kHz
Soft Level Gain (SLG) -4 settings in 4 dB steps
High Frequency Boost (HFB)-2 settings: on or off with a 4-7 dB increase at 4.5 kHz"

I can't do any of that myself. I wish I could. I also don't know the default settings, (which my audi used, except she turned on HFB at my request).

My gut feeling is that SLG is WAY too high, and that is the reason why I'm having trouble in a noisy environment. It's trying to be too clever. I'd prefer linear, or nearly so, but with limiting, so a sudden loud sound doesn't trash my ears more than they already are.

Even with my hearing loss as bad as it is, these help a LOT. I'll never again hear highs perfectly, but I can live with "pretty good".

Lyric and WOW! are physically the same thing, the difference is in the way they are marketed. With Lyrics you pay for an annual contract, and get as many replacements as you need. With WOW! you pay a set price per device. Which would work out best for you depends on how many devices you go through in a year. The audis that handle Lyric don't carry WOW!, and vice versa.

[stream2525]

I thought Lyrics and WOW are the same thing, but marketed by different companies.

It will be interesting to read from you on the good things and bad things you noticed after wearing these.

Good Luck:)

[dhubsith]

A bit of update.

I'm now mostly leaving the volume on 1, occasionally bump it to 2. If I get the Soft Level Gain cut back, I'll probably need to boost the volume a bit.

This weekend I went out to see a rockin local band, a 3-piece, guitar, bass, and drums. They played Baby Boomer rock, Cream, Hendrix, Stones, et al. While they were playing, I was switching the Lyrics back and forth between "off" and "sleep". On "off", the bass comes through, and some mids, but not much else. Bass sounded good no matter what, but on "off" everything else was muffled. In "sleep" mode though, some highs got through, plus some more mids. This is the best setting for live music. Better than using ear plugs, more balanced.

When the band wasn't playing, I turned the HAs back on (1). The noise from 100+ people, and their liquid refreshments, :) was quite bearable. When someone came up to me and talked, I had no problem hearing them, despite the background noise. This is SUCH a change from the Sensos!

At home, where it's quiet, I can't tell the difference between "off" and "sleep". So I've been turning them "off" at night, apparently that does save on the batteries.

Still too noisy when driving though, conversation is impossible. Even the Who can't mask the tire and wind noise. I very much hope that cutting back on SLG will fix that.

Still some discomfort and/or itching. It comes and goes. I don't know if it will go away entirely, or not. I'm less and less conscious of them being there. Starting to think more about other things, they had totally dominated my thoughts for a while.

[dhubsith]

I went back to my audi yesterday for a tune-up (including a lube and oil change :) )

She cut Soft Level Gain WAY back, from the highest setting to the lowest. You can't eliminate it completely, but I don't have any problem with it as it is now. It's nearly linear.

She changed Low Frequency Cut from 200Hz to 800Hz (default is 500Hz). Bass now sounds natural and normal.

She also bumped Max Volume from 5 to 6. With SLG cut back, I now find I need the overall volume to be higher, I went from 1-2 to 5-6. She left High Frequency Boost on.

This isn't perfect, but it's really pretty good. This morning I listened to a CD with a good range of sound from soft to loud, and across the frequency spectrum (Nomad by Jesse Cook) and it never sounded so good, at least not to me!

Biggest problem still is driving...wind and tire noise are still very bad, hard to hold a conversation while driving. I'm beginning to think this one isn't solvable. Still, overall I'm hearing better than I have in years.

[EnglishDispenser]

Biggest problem still is driving...wind and tire noise are still very bad, hard to hold a conversation while driving.
Quite common with people who have good LF.

Road noise is mostly 500HZ - 1kHz ... where your hearing is good.

Your brain may have been over processing this region, as the highs may have been too weak in the past.

So with your aids now you boost the lows, mids and highs ... so the lows will seem REALLY loud due to the brain taking time to realise that the LF region is no longer key.

At some point equal weighting will be given to all regions, so the LF region will (hopefully!) seem quieter and so road noise will seem quieter..

[dhubsith]

Your brain may have been over processing this region, as the highs may have been too weak in the past.

Yes, I think this is right.

At some point equal weighting will be given to all regions, so the LF region will (hopefully!) seem quieter and so road noise will seem quieter..

I HOPE this is right!

I think right now my brain is thoroughly confused as to what sound is important and what isn't. I do believe that in time it will sort it all out.

[Flash]

Even more importantly to me is the invisibility feature. I'd be much more comfortable if I wasn't always thinking about who's looking at my ears. I'm sure many people feel the same way.

Not me. I never even considered it. But if I had, I would stop after having several people tell me they had no idea that I wore hearing aids after they saw me take them off to change the battery or asked why my mp3 player didn't have the cable connected when I used the myPilot to adjust the volume of my HIs.

Except for extraordinarily tall people, I don't believe others can see that I am wearing HIs without invading my personal space.

[Rick G]

dhubsith,

Thank you for all of the great info on the Lyrics!
I have had mine for 2 days and love them.
I am very serious about the quality of the sound when listening to music also.

Why did you choose to leave the High Frequency Boost on?

Rick G