starkey halo

I wore Linx hearing aids for the first month. The two complaints I have are the sound quality when using them as the iPhone (5S and 5C) headset and the static I would hear as each call (inbound and outbound) connected. It was loud and annoying.

I have worn Halos for nearly five months now and I would buy them again, even with the occasional problem with them. My problems have been quite minor compared to those reported by some, but I also figure that every hearing aid is going to present some issues. After all, they don't turn my deafness into perfect hearing, they just help me hear better.

I haven't tried the Linx, but from the reviews that I've read from people who have tried both, they are both highly regarded, with a slight edge to the Halos in SOUND QUALITY. The biggest complaint I've heard about the Linx is battery life.

The issues that people have had with BOTH brands is the connectivity issues, but that is a function of iOS 8. Several of us agree that the fix was in 8.1.1 which was released two days ago. Mine are working perfectly now, with no connectivity issues. I have the i90 Halos, and have been using them for about 4 months. As just hearing aids, I couldn't be happier with the sound! "The world" sounds just like I think it should. STREAMING from the iPhone is a bit "tinny" but quite acceptable. If I want to listen to music, I'll just grab a good pair of headphones. Phone calls are a real blessing! A little tinniness is probably a blessing with phone calls. Being able to hear the person I'm speaking with using BOTH EARS makes a huge difference.

BTW: I do not use Starkey's TruLink APP. I just use the native Apple iOS control panel because it is so easy to get to and allows me a greater range of adjustment than TruLink.

Jim Flannery

Littleton, Colorado

Jim - how does the Apple iOS control panel give you a greater range of adjustment than TruLink?

I've Had Halos i110 for a little over 3 months. I would highly recommend them.

I am profoundly inpaired, I wear mine with custom molds, the quality of sound is greatly improved for me over all the other aids I have used the past 40 years.

My loss is very difficult to treat, several years ago it was suggested it was time for cochlear implants. The people at Starkey told me to consider the implants a last resort, they thought they could help. And have.

I wore Starkey Wi with surf link accessories for several years, they were by far the best aids I had ever worn when I got them.

The Halos have literally changed my life. I can now actually hear while on a cell phone call.

I use both the apple controls and trulink. I like the geotag feature, particularly in large stores like Costco and Walmart, adjust the aids the first time you go in, save the geotag, the aids automatically switch each time I go there. I can manually switch to that setting in other similar enviroments.

I am now using an iPhone 6 with the latest iOS8, my original connectivity issues are gone.

I couldn't be happier

I read somewhere that the SoundSpace screen only adjusts 8 dB. Of course, it also gives you a "tone" adjustment, which you don't get from iOS. The iOS (Triple Click) screen gives me the full range from OFF to the highest level programmed by our audis. So - when I use SoundSpace, I don't hear much difference from bottom to top.

I get sound adjustment in addition to that from iOS. I can use the iOS controls to turn up the volume all the way and then SoundSpace will take that volume and move it up or down, depending on my immediate preference.

OH! You've taught me something!!! I just tried this now, and see that iOS gives me a COARSE adjustment, and then SoundSpace allows me to "FINE TUNE" +/- 8 dB WITHIN THE parameters that iOS gave me.

THANKS FOR TEACHING ME THAT!!! I'm not sure that I need to get that granular, but knowing that SoundSpace centers on what I set with iOS, I can then use the tone feature to "make it more pleasant."

This community is is a real blessing!!!

The size of the Lynx battery suggested shorter intervals between replacing them and difficulty in handling them so I did not try them. Halos are wonderful.

My brief experience with the Linx was that the battery life was about a day shorter than the battery life in the Halos.

Thanks everyone for the feedback! I'm glad I found this community. It looks like the Halo is better choice than Linx. I remembered someone stated that he or she sent the audiogram to Starkey, they reviewed it, and then made the recommendation. Plus this person flew to MN for the fitting. Is this a better route than going to my local Audi?

I would say find a good local audilogist and cultivate the relationship. As you get used to the Halos there are many tuning adjustments that can be made to customize your Halo's to fit your hearing preferences. For me it was not a set and forget setup but more of slow progression to optimize the devices.

I think you are referring to my post.

I sent my audiogram to Starkey, after being told I should look into cochlear implants, and then drove from Kansas City to Minnesota for the aids.

I left home on Thursday drove the 8 hours to Eden Prairie, had an 11 am appt at Starkey on Friday. Left Starkey late afternoon with my aids. Stayed overnight, went to Mall of America, a very noisy place, went into different noise level places. Went back to Starkey Saturday morning, had them make some minor adjustments to the programming and drove home.

I can go to my local audi if I need adjustment, however, I haven't needed to.

That was my third to Eden Prairie, I also went there for my Wi aids. When I originally got them, I had a basic remote that let me change between 3 preset programs. I went back 2 years later for a software update and got the surf link remote, that was my first introduction to streaming. The sound quality was okay, but not great, I still really couldn't hear well enough to have what I call a sucessful conversation on my cell phone. I still have the Wi aids, great back up if I have to send the Halos in for repair.

When the Halos had been out for awhile I went back to Starkey to be fitted for them. Starkey doesn't advertise that they dispense aids so as not to compete with their vendors. But their center for hearing excellence has the finest trained staff that are experts in their products. They conduct their own hearing exam, and have people that design the aids specifically to your audiogram. Then adjust them using the most sophisticated computer system available. For me, I feel like it's my best chance of getting the optimum hearing experience from my aids. I think the decision to go to them is correlated with the severity of your loss. The Head Audi that actually does the fine tuning while your wearing your aids is amazing. She was a pedatrician, when her child was born hearing impaired, she left her practice and became an audi. She has been with Starkey for years, I believe her son is now an adult. They can do things there that your audi just doesn't have the equipment to do.

I wear custom molds vs domes or buds, when I got my Wi aids, Bill Austin, the owner actually made my molds and discussed programming with Suma (the audi) I felt like I was in a vacuum when they first put them on me, so they took them back to the lab and vented the molds right there. They knew exactly what needed to be done and do it immediately. Had I gotten the aids from my local audi, who I love, have gone to her for over 30 years, she would have had to send the aids back to Starkey to have that done. I have had the most positive experience each time I have gone there. Everyone on staff I encountered was excellent. It was such an amazing experience to have people that understood what I deal with on a daily basis.

This forum has been such a tremendous help, to find people that are dealing with the same issues.

Hey guys

I understand the updated Trulink app has been released. I am using it, and all works well so far. There are some streaming options which I like; such as the option to automatically move to a different programme when the phone rings, and also to either completely mute, or lower the HA mic volume when the call arrives. This is definitely a step forward as far as I am concerned. Similar options are available for streaming audio.

I know not all of you use Trulink, but I'd be interested in some feedback from those that do.

Also, I understand iOS 8.2 beta is available to developers. I have decided not to install this until it becomes public, as my Halos are working well as they are with 8.1.1.

Cheers

Mike.

Thanx Mike, My TruLink was updated and I didn't even know it.

I have found one issue with it....If you select an Automatic Memory, it's forcing me to create a new name, even if I try to back out or cancel. Only closing out the app and reloading will get me back to main screen. I'll give Starkey a call...

I downloaded as well. Streamed most of the evening and it worked great. No problem switching from iPhone to iPad either. These were features I was hoping for as some times when I took a phone call I had to ask them to hold on while I switched over the program. Great stuff.

Change of subject since everyone on this forum is so nice and helpful. Does anyone have trouble using Shazam while connected to their Halo's? Every time I turn on Shazam it doesn't start recording and then says I am not connected to a network. Wi-fi and LTE are both connected. Last night after I took off the Halo's it appeared to start working. Just curious if anyone else is experiencing this.