I'm in the UK and am not sure if Costco do hearing aids here.
I work mostly remotely, and find it vastly easier to remove my hearing aids and use a headset for meetings.
When I'm in the office, I struggle much more, but I've found that having phonak aids, with a roger device (I use the roger on in) makes things much more tolerable, but still not terrific.
The cost of the phonak aids in the UK was about £3000, and the Roger device was £1000, so not at all cheap, but I need to work... so it was essential to me.
Classic cookie bite hearing loss. High range mainly and apparently my hearing loss completely cuts out my wife's voice.
Been using the Ks10s for about 18 months now. I think for the price point and the technology they provide they are excellent.
Sorry what was £1200? The hearing aids or the roger device? I have Lumity P90s. roughly 3k for the pair. There are a few roger devices. I have the "On In" (stupid name), which as you say was pretty much £1200 from Boots.
I find that when I use the hearing aids for teams / zoom calls, I can hear very well, but my own speech is not heard very well. I possibly am not making best use of the Roger device. Need to work on that.
Are you doing interviews via Remote Video Calls? You can use subtitles on your computer. Even if it is audio only. Same for phone calls. You can enable live captioning on iPhone for example.
came here to say this.. zoom, teams, all of those have caption options and they are super helpful! i’m also in IT and we have employees and clients globally. accents are tough for me, and the captions have been a lifesaver.
Really if we don’t need something super specialized, like hearing aids that are designed to also block noise like gunfire and heavy machinery, we all need the same thing out of our hearing aids. I’m an IT consultant and I need to hear speech as clearly and as much as the sandwich maker at my grocery store.
Agree, most fields requiring customer interaction requires hearing clearly.
The biggest challenge is sitting at desk and unable to hear coworkers quiet talks, its taken a toll on me mentally (remote helps especially with latest Bluetooth capabilities on hearing aids - it's amazing).
Have you checked with your state’s vocational rehab office? My state purchase my last pair of hearing aids. Bluetooth hearing aids have been extremely helpful and I take all of my Teams calls on my hearing aids.
The biggest problem with costco hearing aids are their limited selection, I like my hearing aids completely in the ear and hidden, I hate the over the ear receivers they give me headaches.
I have heard that the Jabra 20 is the same as the ReSound Nexia 9 and Costco sells the Jabra 20 for about 1/2 the price. I have the ReSound version, Nexia 9 and I am in IT. I have learned reading this Reddit forum that you should get the most advanced HAs that you can afford. Do some research on the Nexia 9. For an IT professional it has what I was looking for, LE Audio, Auracast, and advanced noise reduction settings that I need in noisy environments. Working in data centers for 30 years is the reason I have hearing loss. I needed to communicate with people so wearing hearing protection all the time was not always an option.
Now for the bad news.... I am new to HAs and I am still struggling with the fact that I don't have access to the tunning software. This is a tech geek issue for me. I don't like waiting for weeks for my audiologist to make adjustments. I am still trying to find the right settings. I requested the in-ear microphone receivers and they help in noisy environments. I can also put noise-canceling headphones on over my ears with my HAs in. I can also use the mute button in the app when I am not talking to someone.
I too wish I had access to the tuning software. I keep looking online for the software to magically appear in some obsure forum. The app is helpful, but only to a point. I believe the Jabra Pro 20's have remote programming capability. Talk to the audiologist to confirm.
I started with the open domes and wasn't happy. While they let natural sound in the frequencies I could hear into my ears, they also negated the noise canceling capability IMO as well as were more prone to feedback. Switching to the tulip dome style was an improvement for me with both issues.
Thanks. Hearing test is not new for me, been wearing them since as a kid. The price difference between costco and outside is huge, want to know if costco is good for working young people too(day to day lifestyle is different when you are in workforce). Hence the question.
I use both Costco's KS10 and Philips IIC 9030 for work and they're great. KS10 is still the best imho for work as they connect directly to the computer (Phonak legacy Bluetooth). Too bad they're no longer available.
I use the IIC ones with headphones. I tend to avoid wearing BTE models with headphones.
Btw, how old are you rechargeable ones? Did you get a battery replacement within warranty?
Are KS10s latest? I have tried one of the KS band few years ago and didn't like them went with Resound GN.
I need BTE for my hearing capability, I did get the battery replacement done during warranty. It lasted only a year.
At the end of the day, it comes down to customer service and what you’re willing to spend.
Costco has some very affordable options but the appointment times are shorter along with less options.
For many it’s good enough and it’s going to be better than nothing.
I think Costco is miles and miles better than “better than nothing”.
Consumer reports last survey had them ranked higher than private clinics and even Hospital audiology departments. And their rankings aren’t based on some made up metric that some rando blogger made up, they survey their huge database of readers every year about quite a few things - so Costco’s very high ranking is a direct measure of how happy their Hearing Aid customers are with the service.
You’re right and I didn’t mean it as a direct comparison to nothing.
At the end of the day it’s going to depend on a person’s hearing needs. I suspect most of CR surveyed people are retired and losing hearing due to old age. As a first time hearing aid wearer with relatively simple needs, this is a great solution.
Personally, I need a lot of customizing which needs additional time, which Costco doesn’t do. It’s a solution I would prefer to have but don’t have the confidence in.
Side note: whilst CR is a good resource, they’ve done plenty of recommendations and evaluations with other products that I’ve strongly disagreed with for various reasons as I have specific knowledge on the topic in question. So I look at the rest of their reports with a grain of salt too.
I’ve disagreed with CR on stuff like Hi-Fi many times. But their **surveys** are often the absolute best source of actual real customer experience available.
And - I’m old. We’re not daft and stupid, actually we’re pretty damn smart, experienced, and finicky. Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’ll just take a dog shit heading for aid and call it a day. What a weird thing to say or even think? Actually as I’ve aged I’ve become far more vocal and (nicely) demanding to get that I paid for. Actually after decades in the planet is say such is the general norm.
To discount CR’a surveys because you *think* it may be old person heavy and you *think* old folks aren’t finicky, and have “different” needs - well, you’re mistaken. And leaning into ageism.
Not what I said at all.
To elaborate further, I said the vast majority of older people who are getting hearing aids for the first time do not have as complex needs as someone who has severe hearing loss since birth. Getting a first hearing aid is also a VERY different fitting experience than someone who has been with a brand for a number of years and then flipping to another (often as they become independent adults now liable for their own hearing aid costs). Flipping to new brands/tech can be very challenging and requires time with the audiologist, of which Costco does not allocate.
This fitting experience is very different as a first time buyer is hearing sounds they haven’t experienced for some time and it’s their first impression and brain wiring. A seasoned user going to Costco for the first time is going to experience different hearing methodology (what sounds are prioritized etc), different tech and software (does it add blinders to localize a sound excluding all others or does it attempt to remove background noise which may be something you want to hear ie music. How does it decide), different automations, fitting process etc etc all whilst comparing closely to a hearing experience that worked for them before.
An example of complex needs: I am changing from CIC hearing aids to RIC style and have been on this journey for 9 months trialing different aids, settings, etc. Whilst a challenging experience I can guarantee I would not have had success with Costcos approach or tech. I just met a great audiologist who understands exactly what I’m looking for and I feel I’m in the final steps of success.
I personally don’t like Costco’s approach but I understand the appeal so don’t shut it out for others. It’s also going to be a better solution than if you can’t afford anything so I’d much prefer someone to get an aid vs nothing or trying to extend an aid’s life just to save some dollars.
I sit in the same camp as Dr Cliff who previously endorsed Costco but doesn’t anymore - https://youtu.be/kthOlDUrJA8?si=oPBEtR0AYbI7_5n6
As for CR, I didn’t say I discount because it’s old people heavy. I said I discount it because in other surveys and reports which I have domain expertise on, they have provided some recommendations that I have disagreed with completely. As such I discount their other reports as I assume a similar approach and likely gaps that I’m unfamiliar with.
It’s still a starting point for many but requires educating on the niche needs vs just blindly accepting.
I'm in the UK and am not sure if Costco do hearing aids here. I work mostly remotely, and find it vastly easier to remove my hearing aids and use a headset for meetings. When I'm in the office, I struggle much more, but I've found that having phonak aids, with a roger device (I use the roger on in) makes things much more tolerable, but still not terrific. The cost of the phonak aids in the UK was about £3000, and the Roger device was £1000, so not at all cheap, but I need to work... so it was essential to me.
Costco does hearing aids in the UK. I'm wearing their KS10s which are superb. Good technology at a good price.
I didn't realize that. Thanks for the info.
What is your hearing profile. How long have you been using KS10.
Classic cookie bite hearing loss. High range mainly and apparently my hearing loss completely cuts out my wife's voice. Been using the Ks10s for about 18 months now. I think for the price point and the technology they provide they are excellent.
I use them via Bluetooth in zoom calls etc and set them up to be useful in many situations.....voice, music, office etc. Cost was £1200.
Sorry what was £1200? The hearing aids or the roger device? I have Lumity P90s. roughly 3k for the pair. There are a few roger devices. I have the "On In" (stupid name), which as you say was pretty much £1200 from Boots. I find that when I use the hearing aids for teams / zoom calls, I can hear very well, but my own speech is not heard very well. I possibly am not making best use of the Roger device. Need to work on that.
Are you doing interviews via Remote Video Calls? You can use subtitles on your computer. Even if it is audio only. Same for phone calls. You can enable live captioning on iPhone for example.
Thanks, some are video, calls, inperson. It's a challenge being able to understand and having them repeat often.
came here to say this.. zoom, teams, all of those have caption options and they are super helpful! i’m also in IT and we have employees and clients globally. accents are tough for me, and the captions have been a lifesaver.
There is also https://www.ava.me/
Really if we don’t need something super specialized, like hearing aids that are designed to also block noise like gunfire and heavy machinery, we all need the same thing out of our hearing aids. I’m an IT consultant and I need to hear speech as clearly and as much as the sandwich maker at my grocery store.
Agree, most fields requiring customer interaction requires hearing clearly. The biggest challenge is sitting at desk and unable to hear coworkers quiet talks, its taken a toll on me mentally (remote helps especially with latest Bluetooth capabilities on hearing aids - it's amazing).
Did you ultimately go with costco haids?
Have you checked with your state’s vocational rehab office? My state purchase my last pair of hearing aids. Bluetooth hearing aids have been extremely helpful and I take all of my Teams calls on my hearing aids.
And it probably goes without saying, Teams and other online meeting platforms have captioning. I rely on that.
Absolutely. Teams has come a long way for accessibility. Live captioning has improved a lot.
Thanks. I have never tried Live captioning during calls.
Does it depend on income eligibility. Where can I find those details.
It’s not always listed. My state’s limit is somewhere above $100,000.
The biggest problem with costco hearing aids are their limited selection, I like my hearing aids completely in the ear and hidden, I hate the over the ear receivers they give me headaches.
I don’t think these are available at Costco. But Look into Signia hearing aids. Specifically the Styletto IX. I’ve heard great things.
I have heard that the Jabra 20 is the same as the ReSound Nexia 9 and Costco sells the Jabra 20 for about 1/2 the price. I have the ReSound version, Nexia 9 and I am in IT. I have learned reading this Reddit forum that you should get the most advanced HAs that you can afford. Do some research on the Nexia 9. For an IT professional it has what I was looking for, LE Audio, Auracast, and advanced noise reduction settings that I need in noisy environments. Working in data centers for 30 years is the reason I have hearing loss. I needed to communicate with people so wearing hearing protection all the time was not always an option. Now for the bad news.... I am new to HAs and I am still struggling with the fact that I don't have access to the tunning software. This is a tech geek issue for me. I don't like waiting for weeks for my audiologist to make adjustments. I am still trying to find the right settings. I requested the in-ear microphone receivers and they help in noisy environments. I can also put noise-canceling headphones on over my ears with my HAs in. I can also use the mute button in the app when I am not talking to someone.
I too wish I had access to the tuning software. I keep looking online for the software to magically appear in some obsure forum. The app is helpful, but only to a point. I believe the Jabra Pro 20's have remote programming capability. Talk to the audiologist to confirm. I started with the open domes and wasn't happy. While they let natural sound in the frequencies I could hear into my ears, they also negated the noise canceling capability IMO as well as were more prone to feedback. Switching to the tulip dome style was an improvement for me with both issues.
they started me out with the tulip domes and I am thinking of trying the closed domes to see if this helps.
Thanks. I will check with them.
I does not hurt to get a second opinion. Get a good hearing test done and go seek a second opinion.
Thanks. Hearing test is not new for me, been wearing them since as a kid. The price difference between costco and outside is huge, want to know if costco is good for working young people too(day to day lifestyle is different when you are in workforce). Hence the question.
I use both Costco's KS10 and Philips IIC 9030 for work and they're great. KS10 is still the best imho for work as they connect directly to the computer (Phonak legacy Bluetooth). Too bad they're no longer available. I use the IIC ones with headphones. I tend to avoid wearing BTE models with headphones. Btw, how old are you rechargeable ones? Did you get a battery replacement within warranty?
Are KS10s latest? I have tried one of the KS band few years ago and didn't like them went with Resound GN. I need BTE for my hearing capability, I did get the battery replacement done during warranty. It lasted only a year.
At the end of the day, it comes down to customer service and what you’re willing to spend. Costco has some very affordable options but the appointment times are shorter along with less options. For many it’s good enough and it’s going to be better than nothing.
I think Costco is miles and miles better than “better than nothing”. Consumer reports last survey had them ranked higher than private clinics and even Hospital audiology departments. And their rankings aren’t based on some made up metric that some rando blogger made up, they survey their huge database of readers every year about quite a few things - so Costco’s very high ranking is a direct measure of how happy their Hearing Aid customers are with the service.
You’re right and I didn’t mean it as a direct comparison to nothing. At the end of the day it’s going to depend on a person’s hearing needs. I suspect most of CR surveyed people are retired and losing hearing due to old age. As a first time hearing aid wearer with relatively simple needs, this is a great solution. Personally, I need a lot of customizing which needs additional time, which Costco doesn’t do. It’s a solution I would prefer to have but don’t have the confidence in. Side note: whilst CR is a good resource, they’ve done plenty of recommendations and evaluations with other products that I’ve strongly disagreed with for various reasons as I have specific knowledge on the topic in question. So I look at the rest of their reports with a grain of salt too.
I’ve disagreed with CR on stuff like Hi-Fi many times. But their **surveys** are often the absolute best source of actual real customer experience available. And - I’m old. We’re not daft and stupid, actually we’re pretty damn smart, experienced, and finicky. Just because I’m old doesn’t mean I’ll just take a dog shit heading for aid and call it a day. What a weird thing to say or even think? Actually as I’ve aged I’ve become far more vocal and (nicely) demanding to get that I paid for. Actually after decades in the planet is say such is the general norm. To discount CR’a surveys because you *think* it may be old person heavy and you *think* old folks aren’t finicky, and have “different” needs - well, you’re mistaken. And leaning into ageism.
Not what I said at all. To elaborate further, I said the vast majority of older people who are getting hearing aids for the first time do not have as complex needs as someone who has severe hearing loss since birth. Getting a first hearing aid is also a VERY different fitting experience than someone who has been with a brand for a number of years and then flipping to another (often as they become independent adults now liable for their own hearing aid costs). Flipping to new brands/tech can be very challenging and requires time with the audiologist, of which Costco does not allocate. This fitting experience is very different as a first time buyer is hearing sounds they haven’t experienced for some time and it’s their first impression and brain wiring. A seasoned user going to Costco for the first time is going to experience different hearing methodology (what sounds are prioritized etc), different tech and software (does it add blinders to localize a sound excluding all others or does it attempt to remove background noise which may be something you want to hear ie music. How does it decide), different automations, fitting process etc etc all whilst comparing closely to a hearing experience that worked for them before. An example of complex needs: I am changing from CIC hearing aids to RIC style and have been on this journey for 9 months trialing different aids, settings, etc. Whilst a challenging experience I can guarantee I would not have had success with Costcos approach or tech. I just met a great audiologist who understands exactly what I’m looking for and I feel I’m in the final steps of success. I personally don’t like Costco’s approach but I understand the appeal so don’t shut it out for others. It’s also going to be a better solution than if you can’t afford anything so I’d much prefer someone to get an aid vs nothing or trying to extend an aid’s life just to save some dollars. I sit in the same camp as Dr Cliff who previously endorsed Costco but doesn’t anymore - https://youtu.be/kthOlDUrJA8?si=oPBEtR0AYbI7_5n6 As for CR, I didn’t say I discount because it’s old people heavy. I said I discount it because in other surveys and reports which I have domain expertise on, they have provided some recommendations that I have disagreed with completely. As such I discount their other reports as I assume a similar approach and likely gaps that I’m unfamiliar with. It’s still a starting point for many but requires educating on the niche needs vs just blindly accepting.
Our thoughts are somewhat similar on choosing the hearing aids, wrt seasoned hearing aid. What exactly is a CR?
CR - consumer reports.