First day with the Phonak Nano Solano

[simon1967]

After getting a new hearing test a few weeks back, my hearing loss had deteriorated further in the middle range so decided to 'invest' in some new aids. I'd previously been using the Opticon Spirit Zest by the NHS (UK) which seemed to do a job - it was free and helped me hear better so I wasn't complaining.

Fast forward to today, my audiologist fitted me with my new lovingly crafted Phonak Nanos. No problems with the fitment or feedback. First impressions:

1. Speech sounds robotic but I get used to it after a while.
2. Noisy places do not seem anywhere as grating or as confusing as my previous aid. As a result, I wasn't compelled to take them out as soon as I get into noisy places. I'll try them again in other more familiar, noisy places - just to get a true comparison.
3. They fit really great. No problems putting them in and out.
4. I was surprised that they aren't anywhere as deep as expected. When inserted, the faceplate is flat with the entrance of the ear. It is visible but only if you are looking for it. I assumed (perhaps wrongly), it would be further in so it really would be invisible.
5. Music sounds poor. Who stole the bass - of EVERYTHING!! Even with headphones - awful

I know I'm supposed to take my time to get used to them but I'm not sure if I'll get used to a life of music without bass. Or is this one of the compromises of using a IIC aid - a blocked ear will never transmit too much bass so its something ill have to get used to.

Re the sound characteristics, do different manufacturers have a different type of sounds - much like most audio equipment brands? In other words, would other brands of aids have a completely different sound.

I'll post back with more feedback soon.

Simon

[whuggs1]

I have had a Phonak Solana sice Christmas and yes Music is aweful. the voice thing can be adjusted, but music is better now, but still not good. I redid my sound system in my car and still same thing. everything is real high and harsh with no bass. I have got mine adjusted pretty good now but still have the music and TV issues. Have your audio back off the sound recovr(mine is off) as for the bass I think reducing the noise block helped also. there are tons of adjustments than can be made.

[simon1967]

Originally Posted by whuggs1

I have had a Phonak Solana sice Christmas and yes Music is aweful. the voice thing can be adjusted, but music is better now, but still not good. I redid my sound system in my car and still same thing. everything is real high and harsh with no bass. I have got mine adjusted pretty good now but still have the music and TV issues. Have your audio back off the sound recovr(mine is off) as for the bass I think reducing the noise block helped also. there are tons of adjustments than can be made.

Did you try any other aids as a comparison or feel that the good outweighs the bad?

Thanks

Simon

[seb]

Your audi should be able to put in a music program that takes some of the treble out and puts bass in. It will make music sound a lot better, but you will have to change to the music program when you are listening to music.

[IMBack]

at least in Connexx any of the 'packaged' programs like music, noise, speech focus, etc can be tuned to your liking, there's no law that couldn't turn down the treble and add more bass into your music program.

[simon1967]

Originally Posted by seb

Your audi should be able to put in a music program that takes some of the treble out and puts bass in. It will make music sound a lot better, but you will have to change to the music program when you are listening to music.

These are the IIC fully automatic versions so don't have specific programs. No volume, no programs, no zoom functions. Just put them in my ear and forget about them - in theory.

Just wondered though if other brands have different sonic characteristics though. Also should they fit further down the ear?

[simon1967]

Day 2
I've given them a good shakedown test today and tried them in a variety of situations - even ones where I doubt I would keep them in normally.

First off, I took my U9s football team to a local football tournament. I guess a pretty tricky test - wind, open spaces, lots of people, lots of shouting and lots of kids and noise.

To be honest, I'm not sure it made that much of a difference as everybody is shouting anyway. It didn't seem to be overly loud which was normally the case with my other BTE aid. I did notice that there seemed to be some distortion in my left ear when I was shouting directions. I can't exactly describe it but it was almost if it couldn't handle the extra loud noises. It was a bit like some underpowered car speakers being driven too hard.

Later on, I went to a BBQ and followed conversations quite easily. A lot of male voices - which I often struggle with - in noisy surroundings. The left aid again distorted when the music got too loud so I think there needs to be some adjustment there.

As mentioned, music still sounds awful so I just remove them when listening to music via headphones. Not ideal but it's not why I bought the aids.

Other things I've noticed. The left aid keeps working its way out ever so slightly. I guess only by about 5mm but enough that I can see the pull cord from straight on. Not a big deal but it doesn't happen on the right so does that mean a new mold?

I also tried them in the car and I could follow all conversation and the road noise wasn't too intrusive. Just as a comparison, I removed them halfway through the journey and I could still hear my kids in the back pretty well. However, my hearing loss is less pronounced in the higher frequencies so maybe thats why I can still near my kids pretty well sans aids.

Other than the distortion, I would say they are ok - 6 out of 10. I'm not bowled over at the moment but I'm going to give them time.

The only other thing I'm really struggling with us how they fit in the ear. I was under the impression that they were IIC aids ie totally invisible in the second bend. The diagrams in the promo literature show it as fitting deep inside the ear canal. Mine are flush with my ear opening. Yes, they are discrete but they are certainly not invisible - I guess they could more accurately be described as CIC. For this reason alone, I think I may also try the soundlens - yes, 25% more money but certainly seems to fit further down the ear than the Nano with the added benefit of volume control and music program's etc. Am I understanding that correctly, the Soundlens has an iPhone app to adjust the aid. I really miss the option to turn them up at will - sometimes people are just quiet talkers and it would be good to have that option.

I'll be back with more boring tales of my life with the Nanos but so far, just ok. Would be very interested though about other Nano / Soundlens users as to the visibility when in the ear.

Ta

Simon

[whuggs1]

Simon,

I didn’t get to try other aids and let my trail run out, so stuck with it. Even though are aids are different model, I think they work similar. My audio told me the Phonak spice chip amplifies the high sounds really well and for me it is too much. Music and TV still can sound like crap at times and still working on it. I still lose the bass at times and some music sounds like a screaming broken speaker to me. I still have problems in noisy places and in the car.


Good luck with your new aids

[simon1967]

Originally Posted by whuggs1

Simon,

I didn’t get to try other aids and let my trail run out, so stuck with it. Even though are aids are different model, I think they work similar. My audio told me the Phonak spice chip amplifies the high sounds really well and for me it is too much. Music and TV still can sound like crap at times and still working on it. I still lose the bass at times and some music sounds like a screaming broken speaker to me. I still have problems in noisy places and in the car.


Good luck with your new aids

Thanks for the reply. It seems that you are not super happy with them which I don't think is too much to ask for such expensive items! I'm keen not to fall into the 'it'll do' without exhausting all the options out there.

Just out of interest, how far in the ear canal do your's go. Mine 'only' fit flush with the ear canal. I thought they would go deeper and whilst they are discrete, they are definitely not invisible.

Thanks

Simon

[gergeli2]

I also was considering Solana nano and Soudlens when buying iic a few days ago. Finally I have decided for Soundlens. My reasons were: (1) invisibility - I checked many forums, blogs, available photos and it seemed to me, that Soundlens is really invisible, but nano is only near to it. (Nano is similar to iMini or Intigai - I just don't understand, why the plate (is it the right word?) isn't black as it is in the case of Intigai - it would ensure more discretness.
(2) price - I got a really nice discount, so I could buy sondlens even cheaper than the solana nano. (3) quality - I don't think, that there are too much differences in performance between these brands, but I think, soundlens stands out in the category: it is a second generation brand with feauteres, what competitors can't offer. (Only pro for solana or ambra nano can be the more extended fitting range.)
If it is possible, get to try soundlens, it would be very interesting and useful: there are no (very few) direct comparison experiences yet in the iic category...

I will get back tomorrow to the audi for my soundlens (string was remaded) and wil try to make photos to illustrate invisibility/discretness.

Is it maybe possible, Simon that you make photos of your ears? I would be very interested in the fitting of nano. (I have seen many 'official' photos, but I think, they are not objective enough...