Widex and Phonak users

Which do you prefer

  • Widex

    Votes: 4 36.4%

  • Phonak

    Votes: 7 63.6%
  • Total voters
    11
  • Poll closed .
Lau2046, what are the costs of Widex? Are they running like $5000 for the pair?
 
sonocativo said:
Lau2046, what are the costs of Widex? Are they running like $5000 for the pair?
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My bill, with no health insurance coverage, was $6,150.00 (for the pair) which came the Dex features, so that was the total costs for everything. I had no choice but to pay this as my Starkeys weren't working for me and didn't have the power or sound I needed. I paid for these right after paying $5K for chin surgery and $7K for braces only the year before and I only earn $45K a year, half of which goes to rent and the other half my commute to work out of state. Yet, my need to hear was critical so I put it on my credit card and just paid it off a few weeks back. I'll probably buy another pair as soon as the insurance allows me to qualify for coverage - I'm guessing around December of this year? I'll have to check...

As mentioned, with the high end Widex, you don't pay for the Dex - with the low end models (220, dream, etc.), you do. HA prices probably vary by state but they're not cheap by any means. If you can get coverage, they're excellent and I consider them money well spent. Fortunately for me, Blue Cross will now be coveraging even more for HA which is wonderful for people who need the power of the high end models. I plan to stay with the brand because it's really been fantastic in mirroring what I had with analog which was a big plus for me. The sound is very natural and I love the advantages of using bluetooth and TV Dex. However...if the vocational or VA won't coverage them for you, Phonak is the only other brand I'd consider. If you have the chance to try both brands and get coverage for both - look into it. Whatever you decide, let it be your decision, not theirs. You'll be the one wearing them so you should like what you hear out of the box. I did....
 
I didn't have either Widex or Phonak, so I didn't vote.

... I was at a Veteran's breakfast this morning. One man was talking to my husband (he interpreted for me) that HAs have made such significant strides in just the last couple months alone. I wasn't sure what to think or say because I didn't have any information to add to that, so I didn't say anything. Has anybody heard that some HAs have significantly improved as of just very very recent?
 
AlleyCat said:
I didn't have either Widex or Phonak, so I didn't vote.

... I was at a Veteran's breakfast this morning. One man was talking to my husband (he interpreted for me) that HAs have made such significant strides in just the last couple months alone. I wasn't sure what to think or say because I didn't have any information to add to that, so I didn't say anything. Has anybody heard that some HAs have significantly improved as of just very very recent?
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That would be hard to nail down as the companies tend to be very cut throat and competitive, which is good news for buyers because we have more choices now than ever before.
 
I have Phonak Naida IX UP. They're the first pair I've had that muffle wind so I don't notice it. They work great with muffling loud sustained noise. I don't even notice when they go into that mode most times. Sometimes I do it manually, like in Church. The only problem, which is minor, is that it also muffles voices. Not sure muffle is the right word.
They also have ?sound recover? which takes the high freqs I can't hear and puts them into a freq I can hear. I can now hear the bells in my cats' collars.
 
sonocativo said:
I am 100% disabled, so I don't work. VR has paid for my hearing aids when I was a government employee, they paid 100% of the costs and I made decent money there, and my employer didn't pay a dime nor wouldn't...they did however write a letter stating that HA's would help me understand better since I couldn't hear and would be a great safety measure since I was in some rough neighborhoods at times. Now... they cant do anything because Im not working? I told them I need them to hear my son since I will be living alone with him.
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Governments are like this. Solution is to get a voluntary job. Then you are "working" and so will need help :)
 
LoveBlue said:
I have Phonak Naida IX UP. They're the first pair I've had that muffle wind so I don't notice it. They work great with muffling loud sustained noise. I don't even notice when they go into that mode most times. Sometimes I do it manually, like in Church. The only problem, which is minor, is that it also muffles voices. Not sure muffle is the right word.
They also have ?sound recover? which takes the high freqs I can't hear and puts them into a freq I can hear. I can now hear the bells in my cats' collars.
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I'd be in trouble if they muffled voices, have ski-slope loss, people with ski-slope loss need clarity more than they need volume. Speaking of which, can you hear someone across heavy traffic (like when they are standing on the other side of a busy road?)
 
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AlleyCat said:
I didn't have either Widex or Phonak, so I didn't vote.

... I was at a Veteran's breakfast this morning. One man was talking to my husband (he interpreted for me) that HAs have made such significant strides in just the last couple months alone. I wasn't sure what to think or say because I didn't have any information to add to that, so I didn't say anything. Has anybody heard that some HAs have significantly improved as of just very very recent?
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NaidaUp just made a thread recently about the new Phonak releases.
 
sonocativo said:
The office wants me to have another hearing test done, which I know has gotten worst in the past 2 years as I cant hear anything without my HA's anymore.
VR is looking into other options, The Audi has a form I can fill out for financial assistance... so if I have to pay some out of pocket I guess Ill have to bite the bullet.
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Have you've been for an adjustment? You may not need new HAs as your other ones may just be able to be adjusted to your current loss?!

I thought the VR only pays for hearing aids once? C Nice is having the same issue as the VR have already paid for hearing aids once,
 
Oc318 said:
I'd be in trouble if they muffled voices, have ski-slope loss, people with ski-slope loss need clarity more than they need volume. Speaking of which, can you hear someone across heavy traffic (like when they are standing on the other side of a busy road?)
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I've just have sound recover turned off and clarity/muffled voices has seriously improved. I have a flat loss tho, only thing SR was doing, was extending my frequency range to hear up to 8000htz but I much prefer it without SR and only hearing upto 5000htz.

I'm sure hearing people would struggle to understand someone from across the road in heavy traffic, so I wouldn't of thought people who are deaf to be able to?! I might be wrong tho?!
 
NaidaUP said:
Have you've been for an adjustment? You may not need new HAs as your other ones may just be able to be adjusted to your current loss?!

I thought the VR only pays for hearing aids once? C Nice is having the same issue as the VR have already paid for hearing aids once,
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They are maxed.
The VR paid for mine 3 times. First was when I initially gotten them, a new pair a year later because they were damaged at work, the new pair was from another shop since I wanted something different (cic) but the company that issued the cic had a special, and going through VR they tried to cheat me out of the better ones, so VR made them replace them with the better ones and I think they just modified the cheap ones to look like the better ones. They went out after a few months so VR sent me back to where I got my first pair and those were my Starkeys I had recently....and they were crap from day one. I never paid a dime for any of them.
 
sonocativo said:
They are maxed.
The VR paid for mine 3 times. First was when I initially gotten them, a new pair a year later because they were damaged at work, the new pair was from another shop since I wanted something different (cic) but the company that issued the cic had a special, and going through VR they tried to cheat me out of the better ones, so VR made them replace them with the better ones and I think they just modified the cheap ones to look like the better ones. They went out after a few months so VR sent me back to where I got my first pair and those were my Starkeys I had recently....and they were crap from day one. I never paid a dime for any of them.
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I would stay away from CIC aids this time, they are only good for really mild to moderate loss. I would look for BTE aids, more power and will last longer.
 
NaidaUP said:
I've just have sound recover turned off and clarity/muffled voices has seriously improved. I have a flat loss tho, only thing SR was doing, was extending my frequency range to hear up to 8000htz but I much prefer it without SR and only hearing upto 5000htz.

I'm sure hearing people would struggle to understand someone from across the road in heavy traffic, so I wouldn't of thought people who are deaf to be able to?! I might be wrong tho?!
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I don't know... maybe there's a way to tune out the traffic noise?
 
NaidaUP said:
I would stay away from CIC aids this time, they are only good for really mild to moderate loss. I would look for BTE aids, more power and will last longer.
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My currents are BTE, cic were several years ago
 
Oc318 said:
I don't know... maybe there's a way to tune out the traffic noise?
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The most advanced ie the most expensive hearing aids may be able to do that but you will loose other sounds as well, as hearing aids can not, just take away one noise.

My Naidas S III UPs can take away some of the traffic noise but I still want to be able to hear it tho, so I don't get run over.

Noise block feature works well :)
 
I tune out traffic but turning the hearing aids off....I wouldn't rely on compression for that.
 
My widex's are fairly old, but they do sound very natural to me and I like them a good bit. Haven't had phonaks nor anything new, so can't help you there. Good luck :)
 
Lau2046 said:
Widex doesn't have a government contract which is why many veterans are limited and often get stuck with Starkey. Widex has a variety of devices that come with the 440 models, etc., Super 440 for profound loss and 440 Fusion which I got that came with M Dex to control the volume or turn it off, TV Dex for watching TV - I can turn the volume completely off yet still hear the TV fine, which my familiy loves. Sadly Phone Dex is only available in Europe, but the Widex does allow for bluetooth which allows me to hear on my cell phone. They also have Scola FM for group/classroom hearing. Most insurnace companies will now pay a portion of the cost. In my case, they covered $2,000 which I blew on the Starkeys and they were crap. I had to pay out of pocket for the Widex 440 but all the devices come for free with the high end models.

If your dependent on Veterans Affairs, or vocational services for help, Widex might be out of range for you. They're excellent by the way and the closest I've found to analog sound. However, Phonak would be another alternative, and they do have a government contract. You need to sit down with someone that can tell you what they'll cover and let you try more than one brand to see how you like the power and the sound. Go with what you can afford and what sounds best for your needs.

Laura

SUPER - Widex International. Digital Hearing Aids.
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Hi, today I was quoted prices for Widex Clear as follows. CLear 440- $3,600, Clear 330-$2650, Clear 220-$1600. In addition Audi wants $75 to maker ear molds. TV Dex price $400. I live in St Petersburg Fl and I would lke some input on this subject please???? Kendi
 
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