First time shopping for a hearing aid? Your reactions?

[audiogal]

Originally Posted by sho

See what info you can find on Micro Tech Forza. The only info is posted by me on this forum after I bought them and only found with much effort. and it's probably still not accurate. ...

Well it's the ReSound Forza, so MicroTech wouldn't have much info on it
Seriously,the problem is Costco has a microsite for the Forza that isn't very specific since it's designed for consumers. There's no link to more advanced information. If you want more than general information on hearing aids you usually need to click on the "professionals" links to go to the more advanced section of the manufacturer web sites (here's ReSound's: http://www.gnresound.com/professionals/download-library ).

Costco is selling an off-brand ReSound so the Forza isn't one of the models listed, but the spec sheets may give you more information on some of the various features and technology available in ReSound hearing aids. For example, if you click on the link for the Alera 60/61 at the bottom of the page, it has a side by side listing of the features for the 3 models, along with bands, gain handles, and memories. Interesting to note that they haven't uploaded data sheets or other info for Verso yet, sorta behind the curve there.

Originally Posted by sho

Now how about information on the particular hardware used to achieve the features and benefits that are advertised. I can say my aids have "advanced audio design" but that's not real info. How about speech-in-noise? Is that hardware? If so what hardware? Is i software? Is it a combination or is it software that was designed for already existing hardware. How does the Speech in noise of a Micro Tech Focus 40 compare that of a ReSound Forza? Is the hardware different? Did the same person design both software programs? Is it designed in house or over seas on contract?

You're asking lots of different questions in that short paragraph. Most of the consumer sections of the websites have started to focus more on benefits to the patients vs. the features or hardware, since most consumers have no clue what "warp compression" or "environmental optimizer" is and just want the hearing aids to work, they don't really care how. That's where a good professional comes in, they should be able to give you as much or little information you need to make an informed decision. I will explain things in greater detail to an engineer than I will to a less technologically savvy patient.

Originally Posted by sho

...You guys are great but the info on mfgrs sites is lacking substance. What audio chips are used? ....

That's usually a bit easier to find out, since the chips are proprietary for each manufacturer (they don't use generic chips). Here's the latest for some of the manufacturers off the top of my head:

ReSound: Range
Phonak: Quest
Oticon: Inium
Siemens: Micron
Widex: True ISP