Cochlear Implant: Best Technology Myth

[BleedingPurist]

I would try asking very specific music questions on each of the individual manufacturer forums. But don't let on you are trying to choose a brand else most will give you sales pitch instead of honest answers.

I believe "sales pitch" a rather paranoid view. The vast majority of recipients are only enthusiastically sharing their experiences. To outsiders it seems strange or too good to be true, but the same people raving about it used to the skeptics as well.

 

[soutthpaw]

I believe "sales pitch" a rather paranoid view. The vast majority of recipients are only enthusiastically sharing their experiences. To outsiders it seems strange or too good to be true, but the same people raving about it used to the skeptics as well.

What I was getting at, is that many claim their chosen brand is best, yet nearly all of those folks have never used the other brand. The are a few people a with a different brand on each side, or had one brand device removed and replace with another. But outside of that I stand by my thread title that claiming one brand is clearly superior to another is nothing more than a sales pitch. If such an argument was really true then we would see it reflected in research studies and Dr/audiologist preference. If that was the case, Cochlear would be on top, AB second, med-el 3rd as far as device superiority. Furthermore if one was so superior to the other we would see that device monopolize the market.

 

[BleedingPurist]

Furthermore if one was so superior to the other we would see that device monopolize the market.

Cochlear implant results are measured based on speech discrimination. They all provide it equally. What is not measured is sound quality. That is dependent on individual reporting and subjective.

Considering that Cochlear offers a single processing strategy that is considered modern compared to AB and Med El's multiple offering to fit an individual's needs; it is quite a stretch to declare Cochlear as being at the top technology-wise. They are often preferred by professionals because they are more familiar with it and the programming is the most simple with fewer options compared to rivals. They have the advantage of being around the longest.

That doesn't mean Ford is more advanced than Toyota. It's just a comfortable option for those who have been driving Ford since the beginning.

 

[soutthpaw]

Cochlear implant results are measured based on speech discrimination. They all provide it equally. What is not measured is sound quality. That is dependent on individual reporting and subjective.

Considering that Cochlear offers a single processing strategy that is considered modern compared to AB and Med El's multiple offering to fit an individual's needs; it is quite a stretch to declare Cochlear as being at the top technology-wise. They are often preferred by professionals because they are more familiar with it and the programming is the most simple with fewer options compared to rivals. They have the advantage of being around the longest.

That doesn't mean Ford is more advanced than Toyota. It's just a comfortable option for those who have been driving Ford since the beginning.

Please give me your definition of modern as used here. You may be right, but if I'm going to research or dispute your claim we need to work from the same definition

 

[BleedingPurist]

Please give me your definition of modern as used here. You may be right, but if I'm going to research or dispute your claim we need to work from the same definition

ACE was the last processing strategy produced and was designed for speech. Very few people use Hi-ACE to the point of it pretty much falling off the map of consideration. ACE is comparable to AB's Hi Res strategy, though that strategy offers two different versions and both were heavily used. Hi Res has been replaced by Fidelity 120, which also offers two versions and was designed with music and natural sound quality in mind. Clear Voice added another step up on top of that. Med El has similarly updated their strategies with multiple options that also involve the use of simultaneous electrode firing.

Cochlear's focus has been on front-end features within the processors, such as SCAN. Not a bad thing, but it pushes ACE as as one-size fits all strategy with no other options unless you want to go backwards to SPEAK. It's a very Apple-like approach. Simple, but doesn't give their users any control over their experience.

 

[HOH-ME]

What I was getting at, is that many claim their chosen brand is best, yet nearly all of those folks have never used the other brand. The are a few people a with a different brand on each side, or had one brand device removed and replace with another. But outside of that I stand by my thread title that claiming one brand is clearly superior to another is nothing more than a sales pitch. If such an argument was really true then we would see it reflected in research studies and Dr/audiologist preference. If that was the case, Cochlear would be on top, AB second, med-el 3rd as far as device superiority. Furthermore if one was so superior to the other we would see that device monopolize the market.

You are not factoring in clinic "suggestions". Many audis have only worked with one brand so their experience is limited.

I'm sorry, but I disagree that they are all the same. First, one brand has no expansion capability in their implants so what you get is what you get. Where will you be 20 years down the road, right where you are now. Second, the capabilities of the electrodes DOES make it possible to have better hearing with one brand over another, whether your ears make that possible is another story. Comparing personal experiences across the various manufacturers chat groups/discussion boards, it's very clear to see that some brands just perform better than others when you look at reports of speech score improvements, the ability to hear and enjoy music, speech scores in noise, etc. From what I've seen with people that have had one brand removed and another implanted, usually Cochlear to AB, the AB has been far superior.

Also, over the various research studies I have done, AB has outperformed the other brands hands down. Every audi I have talked to, and there have been many at various clinics for my own care and for the numerous research studies I have been involved with and they all disagree with your assumptions.