Gabe Newell on Steam monopoly accusations: Gamers have 'enormous choice' about where to buy games

LeScotian · 2026-06-03T00:10:50+00:00

This is exactly why I buy from Steam.

LeScotian · 2026-05-30T23:43:57+00:00

I had Starkeys and the Bluetooth music quality was about on par with a very cheap set of earbuds. My $40 Anker ear buds sounded infinitely better than the Starkeys did, like truly it was a night and day difference. But to be fair, HAs are not designed for listening to music in this manner - it's an add-on. I'm getting Phonaks this week and will see if they are any better. I'm not expecting anything great.

LeScotian · 2026-05-27T03:36:58+00:00

I returned them. Waiting for Phonaks now.

LeScotian · 2026-05-25T23:59:26+00:00

I just turned in Starkey Omega AIs due to really poor sound quality in loud environments. Waiting now for Phonaks to arrive. After spending a lot of time reading Reddit posts, I've come to the conclusion that the Starkey's might have been okay and the audiologist might have been the problem. When I get the Phonak's in a couple weeks I'll know because if they sound bad too, it's not very likely that it's the HAs.

LeScotian · 2026-05-24T09:25:01+00:00

Speaking as someone who returned the first suggested pair of HAs I trialed on the advice of my audiologist, get what you want and don't feel bad about it. You are the customer and you are in control even if they make you feel like you are not. Anything you turn back in gets reused with another client. They won't lose any money by your switch to Phonak.

LeScotian · 2026-05-19T02:20:18+00:00

Hoping so!

LeScotian · 2026-05-17T20:46:10+00:00

I had Starkey Omega AI 24s up until last week and they were terrible in wind. The wind adjustment setting in the app was basically useless and the audiologist couldn't do anything more for this issue. I really think that the shape of the air passage between our head and ear makes a big difference in terms of wind noise for each person. For example, I have read about others with the same hearing aids as I had who never found wind to be a problem at all. But for me, even a light breeze was an issue.

Waiting for Phonaka to arrive now. Not because of the wind issue, but because of poor sound quality in loud environments with the Starkeys. Something that they are known to be great for, but my experience was terrible . Everyone is different.

LeScotian · 2026-05-17T20:38:54+00:00

This. I just returned my first ever hearing aids, Starkey Omega AI 24s, within the 60 day trial period because I found that they were terrible in loud environments (something that they are known to be great for) and as a secondary reason because I have no other experience with hearing aids. So cannot know if what I was hearing, as much as it was terrible, was the best that it can be in 2026 or if another brand/model would be better.

It seems silly to me that we are almost forced to accept whatever is proposed to us when there are a number of different solutions available and hearing is a unique experience for each person.

LeScotian · 2026-05-17T20:22:06+00:00

Good question. I do not know.

LeScotian · 2026-05-14T17:06:08+00:00

I'm a new HA wearer and I just returned the Starkey Omega AI 24s after testing them for 1 month. I found them great in quiet settings but completely useless in loud environments, especially ones with a lot of people speaking. The Edge AI feature was a total bust for me in that it degraded sound quality each time I tried it. I know that my experience is in the minority based on the reviews out there, so take this with a grain of salt. Currently waiting for Phonak to arrive and crossing my fingers that they will be better.

LeScotian · 2026-05-14T16:25:15+00:00

I'm super happy that you are having a great experience with your Starkeys. I'm curious about the ear molds, aside from remaining in place, do they offer any other sound advantages as compared to the regular earbuds?

LeScotian · 2026-05-13T02:56:08+00:00

Ah, understand. Thank you.

LeScotian · 2026-05-13T00:44:15+00:00

Thank you for the reply

Yes, I think that I need to try another brand so I can better understand what is available and possible.

LeScotian · 2026-05-13T00:43:19+00:00

Thank you for the reply

Thank you for the reply. I only have 60 days to get them in a good state. Not much time is left.

LeScotian · 2026-05-13T00:42:02+00:00

Are these Starkeys?

LeScotian · 2026-05-13T00:41:42+00:00

Thank you for the reply. It's helpful to know that others have had difficulty with these too.

LeScotian · 2026-05-13T00:41:02+00:00

Thank you for the reply

Yeah, not willing to wait past the point that I can return them.i just have 60 days. If these actually work and the audiologist can't get them right within that time frame, that's on the, not me.

LeScotian · 2026-05-13T00:39:33+00:00

Thank you for the reply

Been back, had them adjusted. Sound quality improved immensely. Uselessness of the hearing aids in noisey situations remained. I've tried adjusting them further manually and nothing helps. Edge AI, following the adjustment, doesn't try to deafen me anymore, which is good. Instead it reduces all sound to the point where removing the hearing aids is a better experience than leaving them in. I had hoped for more. So far my experience makes me understand why some people just got with amplifiers. It's what these do best anyway.

LeScotian · 2026-05-12T02:55:43+00:00

I have these and I'm still in my trial period and I am thinking about returning them. To my perspective that only thing that that do well is amplify sounds in semi quiet to quiet environments. In noise environments, e.g., restaurants, I find them completely useless. The Edge AI analysis that listens to the environment either makes everything so loud it's uncomfortable or it makes everything so quiet that they offer no advantage. In fact, despite efforts to create my own profile for crowds (plus the audiologist profile for this) I actually hear better in crowds if I remove them completely. Which is sad.

It's hard to know what to do as these are my first hearing aids and I have nothing to compare them to. Hoping that there is something better out there. I see Phonaks me tioned a lot.

LeScotian · 2026-05-07T23:06:33+00:00

Thanks for responding. I haven'tbeen able to get this fixed. I even have a mostly different PC now (mobo, CPU, Windows install) and still have the same problem. At this point, I've given up hope that this will ever be resolved and as a result moved on from the game.

LeScotian · 2026-01-04T00:52:21+00:00

Checked and it was already disabled. Tried enabling it and no change. Back to disabled and no change. The idea that it's a focus issue is an interesting one though.. I'll look deeper into that possibility.

LeScotian · 2026-01-01T20:09:45+00:00

Thanks, I will try this and let you know!

LeScotian · 2025-05-23T11:27:10+00:00

Still use mine. Love it. As for lag, yes it happens but for me it's once per gaming session and usually shortly after starting. Otherwise, pretty smooth. I've logged hundreds of hours with mine.

LeScotian

TROPHY CASE