Trying to tweak new Analogs

[bcandybc]

Hi everyone.

I have had a trusty pair of Phonak BTE PicoForte3 PP-SC aids for about 4 years that work wonderful. However, I lost one in April and realizing that I was down to my last one and my audiologist (Mass Eye and Ear Infirmary) no longer carried analog aids, I began hunting refurbed ones down on Ebay. I did purchase a new single digital aid (Phonak Naida, don't love it) to have just in case (from MEEI).

Recently, I was able to buy a pair of Phonak BTE PicoForte3's online, but they are a PP-C-P model. I'm not really sure the difference between those and the PP-SC.

Anyways, they are in great shape, you can tell they were barely used as the seller maintained. I opened up the little hatch to set the SSPL and LC settings to match my current aid and the sound is terrible. I've tried every combination of SSPL and LC settings, but I cannot get it close to resembling my aid. Everything sounds cludgy, loud, muffled, etc. Nothing is sharp.

Any ideas? Are there other settings that an audiologist adjusts on these Phonak hearing aids that warrants a trip to see them? I read something about the directional microphone setting, but I can't see that impacting sound and I can't figure out how to open that hatch.

Any help is greatly appreciated, so frustrating.

Thanks

[HearingAidHelper]

Sorry to say, but you may have bought a lemon. Other than the volume, SSPL and LC, there are no other controls on that hearing aid.

[bcandybc]

Thanks - will an audi be able to determine if that's the case somehow?

[HearingAidHelper]

Yes and no... those who know that hearing aid, might be able to tell if it sounds right by listening to it... those who don't, can potentially run it on a hearing aid test box to determine if the hearing aid is within specifications (original spec sheets can be found online). The reality, unfortunately for you, is that due to the age of the hearing aid, most hearing aid dispensing professionals would not bother with that hearing aid.

My advice, if you are shopping around for a new hearing aid, is to seek out the Oticon Sumo XP hearing aid. This is a super power hearing aid that is ANALOG but programmable through the computer. It is an older hearing aid, but is still in Oticon's current product lineup. Otherwise consider the Oticon Chili hearing aids (digital) but they sound awesome and can be programmed to operate in a linear fashion with the NAL-RP setting (analog fitting formula).

Hope this helps.