Tagged: Starkey

Want an Invisible hearing aid? We’ve got one!

July 18, 2016



Starkey Xino: Offering Options to the Discreet Hearing Aid Wearer

March 21, 2016

Starkey is an American hearing aid company with a world-wide vision to change the face of hearing aids as we know it. The company has been working diligently to offer smaller and better technology to those with hearing loss. For the past several years, Starkey has done a great job in this endeavor, offering better sound quality, improved noise reduction, less feedback and better connectivity to those with hearing loss. The latest hearing aid from Starkey, called Xino, was released in August 2011 and promises “something small that will deliver big benefits.” Xino is a receiver-in-the-canal (RIC) hearing aid and is Starkey’s smallest RIC yet. It is the only RIC hearing aid using a 10A battery that offers a push-button control, which acts as either a volume control or memory selection. It also has a tcoil, which makes telephone conversations easier and connection to personal listening systems more attainable.

What Is a Reciever-In-the-Canal Hearing Aid?
Receiver-in-the-canal hearing aids are worn behind the ear. A small tube carrying speaker wiring runs down the side of the ear to the receiver (speaker) in the ear canal, which then delivers sound to the ear. This design sets it apart from other types of hearing aids because it is discreet and allows for more power, allowing people with severe hearing loss to wear a small hearing aid for the first time without the worry of feedback. Starkey’s Xino offers what people with hearing loss are looking for: options in a small package.

Xino includes Starkey’s new Spectral iQ feature, a smart solution for people who have steeply sloping, high-frequency hearing loss, which is commonly seen with noise exposure damage and exposure to ototoxic (ear damaging) medications. Spectral iQ is Starkey’s frequency lowering technology.

What is Frequency Lowering Technology?
Imagine playing a piano with keys missing for the high-pitched notes. Trying to play a piece of music around those missing keys will distort the music. But, if you played the same piece of music in a lower key, it may sound a little different but you will hear all the nuances of the music that the composer intended. Frequency lowering technology works in the same way. It is designed to improve the clarity of speech by identifying high-frequency speech cues and replicating them in lower frequencies. This makes the sound a little different but research says that many listeners don’t recognize the change and if they do, they become accustomed to the difference relatively quickly.

Xino also includes all of Starkey’s incredible performance features such as Voice iQ2, PureWave Feedback Eliminator and HydraShield®2, Starkey’s proprietary moisture protection technology designed to repel wax, oils and moisture. With its discreet style and many options, the Starkey Xino promises to be highly sought after and Starkey proves again that they are a leader in hearing aid technology advancement.

Starkey Goes Wireless

March 14, 2016

Starkey is one of very few American hearing aid manufacturers. In addition, they have a long history of technology advancement. For instance, Starkey was the first company to have the small, completely- in-the-canal hearing aid. Now, they’re joining the wireless race with their new Wi series (pronounced “wy” as in wireless). The Wi series uses a new technology platform that allows for ear-to-ear communication between hearing aids, easy programming without wires at the audiologist’s office and seamless streaming of stereo audio signals.

One of the more interesting features of the Wi technology is its ability to take a snapshot, if you will, of the listener’s environment. The hearing aids then modify the directional microphone and digital noise reduction systems to manage the noise in the environment while keeping the sound processing similar between the two hearing aids. This synchronization creates a more realistic auditory environment for the listener.

The same technology that allows the hearing aids to exchange information one to the other also allows the audiologist to program the hearing aids without the use of cords or other programming devices. Having the freedom to move around during the fitting process simply allows for a more realistic experience while at the audiologist’s office. This can help to alleviate some of the frustration that stems from the fact that the sound is different at home than while sitting in a small office in front of an unfamiliar speaker. Being able to try the hearing aids in several environments during the programming process can help improve the sound when you leave the clinic.

The most exciting of the Wi features is its compatibility with the SurfLink Media device. The Surflink device is the first ever “set it and forget it” audio streaming accessory. Almost any form of audio device piggy-backs onto the Surflink. This includes TV, radio, MP3, stereo, iPod, iPad or computer CPU. The sound streams directly to the hearing aids when in range of the SurfLink. No other device is necessary for streaming. It is truly wireless and hassle-free.

The new Starkey Wi offers better sound quality, better noise reduction and easy wireless connectivity to its users. The Surflink accessory offers freedom to hear an audio signal without using other ear level accessories. Put them together and it means Starkey is able to offer better quality of life to those with hearing loss. Call today for your free demonstration.

Buying Hearing Aids On-Line – A Bad Idea

December 1, 2014

There have been recent announcements by Best Buy and UnitedHealthcare that they will soon begin providing hearing aids to consumers for purchase directly through the internet. The concept of selling cheap stock amplification directly to consumers is not a new one. The Internet has changed how all business is done. More and more people go to the Internet to gain product knowledge and check prices before or after going to local stores. It’s not surprising, then, that there are companies that want to try to attract your eye when you are researching a hearing aid purchase. And with the state of the economy, the easiest way to get your attention is through your pocket book.

Buying cheaper hearing aids on line may seem like the fiscally responsible thing to do. We all want to be careful about how we spend our hard-earned money. In reality, however, this approach provides poor solutions for consumers. The reason for this is that fitting hearing aids is an art as much as it is a science. Brandon Sawalich, Senior Vice President of Starkey, one of the better-known and well-trusted hearing aid manufacturers in the US released a statement recently, denouncing the plan for on-line hearing aid sales by direct-to-consumer companies. He stated,

“better hearing is not a commodity. It is an art, guided by science and delivered by experience.”

In an email to hearing healthcare providers, Kim Herman, President of one of the largest hearing aid manufacturers, GNReSound, also denounced the sale of hearing aids directly to consumers. She noted, “As HIA research has shown, eight of the top ten reasons for patient delight with hearing aids are directly attributable to the patient’s experience with a trained hearing instrument professional. At ReSound we are committed to the principle that hearing aid technology is successful only when a trained professional has evaluated the hearing loss and fit a hearing solution that meets the patient’s individualized needs.”

TechnologyWhen fitted correctly, hearing aids can improve the quality of life for anyone who wears them. When fitted incorrectly, they can become a very expensive addition to the side table drawer. So, even if you do get a “great deal” on-line, it doesn’t really matter if you don’t wear them. If you buy hearing aids on-line, how do you know you’ve picked the right one? Who will be there to help if the sound isn’t quite right? What will you do when the hearing aid breaks down? Who is going to teach you how to best use them in your varying listening environments? The better choice is to work with a highly trained hearing healthcare professional who has your best interests in mind, not a website that is simply trying to sell you hearing aids.

How do you find the professional that is right for you? Start by researching the professionals around you. But, think about this: what do you do when you want to find a good mechanic, dentist or financial advisor? You begin by asking those you trust who they prefer.

1. Ask for a referral from friends you know who have been successful with hearing aids. Did they respect and trust the person they worked with?
2. Ask your Primary Care physician which hearing professional they refer patients to for hearing loss and hearing aids. Remember, this person reflects either positively or negatively on the physicians themselves. Normally they select other professionals they refer to very carefully.
3. Check the web. What are other people saying about the professional or clinic you are considering?
4. Then check the professional’s website. Are they highly trained? Does what they say about themselves and their clinic fit with what you are looking for? Do they give you a clear reason why you should select them? What sets them apart from the other professionals in the area? Is their website an information resource?
5. Finally, make certain the hearing healthcare provider holds a valid license, are in good standing and have no serious complaints against them. Every state has a licensing board for hearing healthcare providers. Check the state’s website for information.

Doing your homework about the professional you will work with is the best first step toward better hearing. And although it may cost a bit more to work with a hearing healthcare provider, you’ll find you are much more satisfied with your hearing aids and the benefits they provide than if you purchase your hearing aids from an on-line company that really should stick to selling MP3 players and ink cartridges.