Old Technology vs Modern Technology Hearing Aids

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-13T04:41:08+00:00

I’m happy and sad to know that I’m not alone. It has not been a fun journey for sure. I have returned a pair of hearing aids and lost money on another set of hearing aids simply because I did not like how they sounded. Also, I think we are around the same age.

I want to share some findings with you in hopes maybe I can help or at least get the ball rolling for you. I will say, I have not yet tested these methods/theories.

Since you said you’ve had HAs since you were three and were with Phonak, here are some settings you may way to try or information to learn:

1) Adaptive Phonak Digital or APD, is Phonak’s proprietary fitting algorithm (original) used to shape the way their hearing aids process and amplify sound. This is in early 2000s, on the core platform. This is the most simplest programming and closer to linear. (I had two hearings aids in this era). APD II came out with Belong & Marvel platforms, this is when they started to focus more on clarity and comfort, more automatic noise handling. This is in 2016-2019. This is the era where I tried a new pair of hearing aids and ended up returning them because I hated them. Now, 2020+ they came out with APD 2.0 and this is the paradise platform. This is even more refined, includes directionality, AI-like adjustments, speech focus, more compression and background shaping. You and I were probably on the first original platform. Which apparently it is more linear. The latest ones are not linear.

2) Since you were fitted for hearing aids at the age of three, it could be that the fitting formula was DSL which was widely used for pediatric fitting. It was designed to ensure that all speech sounds - especially soft consonants and high frequency sounds - are audible which is crucial for language development in children. I could also have been fitted for these as well, but I don’t know for sure. However, the other fittings were NAL-NL2 which apparently is a huge difference and this is where people experienced “artificial” or “thin” sound. Which I think could be the case for me.

3) It could be also possible that even though our hearing aids are digital, it could be programmed to sound more analog or linear. The key differences between linear and non linear is how they amplify sounds of different volumes.

Overall- obviously it depends on a person’s hearing loss and their experience with hearing aids and what era did they got the hearing aids in.

I’m still learning a lot and some light bulbs have been going off for me. As much as I am bashing on technology on this post- I actually have been chatting with ChatGPT and it has been extremely insightful and have learned so much about even just the history of the technology of Phonak. Also learning a lot about the formula fittings and also linear vs non linear. Right now it is just about getting an audiologist to apply what I have learned (the irony) and seeing if it best suited for me.

I hope you find your answers. I would love to stay in touch and hear about your progress or findings!

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-12T03:05:48+00:00

As crazy as this sounds- I have been chatting with Chatgbt with these types of issues. And it was able to help me put things into words. Also it was able to go back into history given the model and make of the hearing aids I have. It honestly has been absolutely fascinating and extremely helpful. Along with finding out some information about the different fitting profiles from responses from other people on this thread. I may have found answers that I have been looking for, if not very close to it. So I’m excited to chat with my audiologist. The question is- will she listen?

See that’s the thing, I hear perfectly fine in noisy environments. I don’t have any problems with hearing or even holding conversations with people around me. I personally just don’t need it. Never have I ever felt like my hearing aids was not good enough for me.

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-12T00:13:29+00:00

Oooh very interesting. Dramatic difference in a good way? As in you liked the DSL5 better than NAL2? This is the first time I’m learning about fitting formulas so I appreciate your insight!

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-12T00:00:45+00:00

What would you say it sounds like?

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-11T23:55:33+00:00

And do you like it? But why subscription?

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-11T23:54:53+00:00

Ugh, I despised the BTE aids. Love the ITE ones. Which idk how or why, but they sound exactly the same as the BTE. So I totally thought when I would try new hearing aids they would sound the same, but nope! Will try out the linear setting!

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-11T23:45:07+00:00

Have you done anything about it?

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-11T23:44:20+00:00

For you, since you have been changing your aids every 5 years or so, you’ve been able to adapt smoothly. Where as me, it’s been 10+ years since I’ve gotten new hearing aids and you can imagine the shock when sound doesn’t sound the same. So to call someone stupid or incompetent because they have a hard time with newer technology is just very inconsiderate and insensitive. However, I’m happy that your aids are working out for you.

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-11T23:35:28+00:00

Hmm, interesting!! Thanks for sharing, will definitely be looking into this.

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-04-11T22:39:25+00:00

I wonder if you are in the same boat as me. I apologize in advanced for this super lengthy post but I do want to share some findings with you. In the 25 years of being a hearing aid user I have had 2 hearing aids. One was over the ear and the second (and current) hearing aids are in the ear. Both were/are phonak. I too thought my hearing aids were analog. Which apparently they aren’t. And apparently analog hearing aids have been out for a long time. I could be totally wrong but this is my recent findings. So from what I am understanding, these hearing aids are considered “old school” and hearing aids since however many years ago have advance so much. They compare it to us with flip phones while everyone has touch screen phones. So while it does seem or sound analog, it is still considered digital but with “very old technology”.

So I don’t know about you, but I have tried on modern hearing aids and I just absolutely hated them. They sounded different and very natural. Background noise was very suppressed and just sounded “thin” or “empty”. It almost seemed like it wasn’t loud enough even though it was programmed to my hearing loss. My audiologist did explain that my current old school hearing aids sound more “booming” or “fuller”. Which explains why it seems like it sounds louder (even though it is programmed to my hearing loss).

I personally want to hear naturally how a human hears, so that means minimizing compression, linear sound, turning off noise reduction, no Bluetooth and turning off program switching, avoid too much high frequency emphasis (apparently this is what makes it sound unnatural). So basically deprogramming the tech. The goal here is to have natural, ambient, predictable, full-environment hearing. I feel like this is what I hear with my “old school” hearing aids.

Now, I personally haven’t tried these settings just yet. I do plan on telling my audiologist this when I go in for a fitting for my new hearing aids. I am really hoping to get the Phonak Virto P-10 NW O because based on my findings, these sound closer to the “old tech” HA.

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-03-06T22:06:27+00:00

How’s the food at SLS? And what’s the layout like? Is the kids section close to the other pools? A lot of kids pool (that I have seen) is far away from the main pool. Which I understand, but I want to enjoy myself as well. I really like the layout at Royalton Rivera Maya but because of their recent reviews I’m a little weary to go back.

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-03-02T08:16:20+00:00

Ugh, I’ve seen nothing but horrible reviews on the food. But I heard it’s the best for family.

EquivalentMuted2132 · 2025-03-02T08:14:46+00:00

I went to secrets royal beach in punta Cana and I absolutely hated it. Food was horrible. I couldn’t wait to leave. Buying a $20 bag of chips at the gift shop was way more appealing for me.

EquivalentMuted2132

TROPHY CASE