The best Implant device is ...

[Guest guest]

The fact of the matter is that you can't just go by the word conmprehension

tests. You can have 1,000 different people take the same test and get 1,000

different results. So much depends on your hearing history, the viability of

all the hearing receptors in your cochlea, etc. Everyone is going to share what

aspects they think makes one implant better than another but the bottom line

is we all do our research and decide what is most important to us. Go with

your gut and don't look back!

In a message dated 4/2/2006 3:26:34 PM Eastern Standard Time, baboune@...

writes:

I know there are

exact statistics about word comprehension test

[Guest guest]

I don't know if the rate I will be talking about will be similar to the rate

you are talking about with AB, Marco. On the Nucleus I recently found myself

struggling with ACE 900. Previously I could not stand any of the higher

rates. My audie upped the rates from 900 to 2400 and it is some better, and

I find myself hungering for more of something, but what?

[Guest guest]

i dont ahve one yet

but

the site

hearingexchange is a good way to talk to people that do

marcopolo1266 <baboune@...> wrote:

...well, I am currently comparing the three big brands Clarion,

Cochlear and MedEl, but there are conflicting informations from

research papers and " official " information sites.

I do not wan't to start a brand war, but I need good statistics to

base my decision upon. I already am hearing with a Nucleus by Cochlear

for some happy years, but I assure you, my decision was easy then.

CAN you post me a link to a site which is fairly independent and do

show good comparison informations and statistics? I know there are

exact statistics about word comprehension test but everybody seems to

hidden them and grinning " there is no real difference but we do have

the most experience with Cochlear " .

I hope you can give me at least a hint or searching keywords.

At the moment I believe the best implant would allow a fast stimulus

rate and offer the highest number of channels. It seems to be the AB

HighRes90k.

Bye,

Marco

[Guest guest]

Hi Marco !

Good luck in your search for " independent " research information

regarding the 3 brands of CI's. I also tried to find something like

that to guide me in my decision (I was just implanted with AB 90K on

3-22-2006), but didn't succeed.

I think that a large part of the problem is that there are so many

different types of hearing losses and individual physiological

considerations, it is VERY tough to do an " apples to apples "

comparison.

Even when the same individual has been implanted with two different

devices (one on each ear), it is not " apples to apples " , due to

differences between ears, age of the devices, etc.

Say that a study done in 2004 (which would be a pretty recent study)

says that brand X is " better " than brand Y (based on 2003 speech

coding strategies). Now we are in 2006, with different strategies

now available. Are you going to wait until 2009 to see what the

results are for th e2006 technology?

For me, it was a combination of the specific features I liked, as

well as an analysis of the technical pluses & minuses of the

different manufacturers that led me to my decision.

But what is important for for me may not be important to you. As

you analyze each manufacturer, also consider the experience of the

Audie who will be doing tour mapping. You may end up having to use

a different audie to get the results you are looking for.

Good Luck,

Jim S.

AB 90K

Implanted 3-22-2006

Activation date is 4-25-2006

>

> ...well, I am currently comparing the three big brands Clarion,

> Cochlear and MedEl, but there are conflicting informations from

> research papers and " official " information sites.

>

[Guest guest]

Hi Friends,

As you know' I am now a ci user and bilateral at once. In my; four

programs now' I do have one 1 2400 and another at 1800 on my

freedoms. Since I had them for only two weeks now' it is difficult to

make a serious evaluation but i seem to find now that speech is a bit

clearer or higher with the 2400 than the other. The faster the

processor however, the more battery-consuming the processor is so, i

am testing now to decide if the faster processor is necessary for me.

Jean

At 15:50 2006-04-02, you wrote:

>I don't know if the rate I will be talking about will be similar to the rate

>you are talking about with AB, Marco. On the Nucleus I recently found myself

>struggling with ACE 900. Previously I could not stand any of the higher

>rates. My audie upped the rates from 900 to 2400 and it is some better, and

>I find myself hungering for more of something, but what?

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

The best CI is the one that's right for YOU. No one can make that decision

but you. What's right for one person may not be right for another. That's

why it's so important to do your own research by talking to other recipients

to find out what they like about their CIs. I happened to choose my CI based

on the features that best fit my lifestyle, but there are a myriad of

reasons why a person may choose one CI over another. There is no such thing

as the " best CI " since all of the 3 implant brands provide the gift of

hearing which is why we choose to get a CI in the first place. Good luck

with your decision! <smile>

Left ear - Nucleus 24 Contour Advance with 3G

Implanted: 12/22/04 Activated: 1/18/05

Right ear - Nucleus Freedom

Implanted: 2/1/06 Activated: 3/1/06

[Guest guest]

Good to see you posting on the list!

I haven't had the opportunity to try 2400 Hz yet, but perhaps now that I've

had time to adjust to ACE at 900 Hz, perhaps I could try a higher rate of

speed just to see how it compares to what I'm using now.

How do you like being bilateral? Do you find it easier to make street

crossings and localize sound? For me, the difference has been amazing. I can

already feel a difference in the way Tigger guides me in that we no longer

veer to the left when walking down the street or crossing a busy

intersection.

Left ear - Nucleus 24 Contour Advance with 3G

Implanted: 12/22/04 Activated: 1/18/05

Right ear - Nucleus Freedom

Implanted: 2/1/06 Activated: 3/1/06

[Guest guest]

Hi ,

First, I must admit' I do not plan to go out alone on the street but

I can say that I do like beeing bilateral for my shopping in the

complex where I live. It is still a bit difficult to really localize

sond but already, I do know if it comes from general left or general

right, so to speak. All I will say for now is: I am thrilled to have

accepted the chalenge and become a ci user and, already, my speech

recognition is, in a quiet environment, around 85 percent compared to

the meager 30 percent I had from one side with my now forgotten hearing aids.

Jean

At 18:07 2006-04-02, you wrote:

>

>

>Good to see you posting on the list!

>

>I haven't had the opportunity to try 2400 Hz yet, but perhaps now that I've

>had time to adjust to ACE at 900 Hz, perhaps I could try a higher rate of

>speed just to see how it compares to what I'm using now.

>

>How do you like being bilateral? Do you find it easier to make street

>crossings and localize sound? For me, the difference has been amazing. I can

>already feel a difference in the way Tigger guides me in that we no longer

>veer to the left when walking down the street or crossing a busy

>intersection.

>

>

>

>Left ear - Nucleus 24 Contour Advance with 3G

>Implanted: 12/22/04 Activated: 1/18/05

>

>Right ear - Nucleus Freedom

>Implanted: 2/1/06 Activated: 3/1/06

>

>

>

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

I think it is hard for any of us to tell you what implant device is best for you

but there are a couple of things that I would suggest.

First and foremost I would suggest that you look at the reliability of each

implant. Remember that there is an internal portion to every implant and to me

it was very important that whatever it was they were putting in my head was

going to work and stay there for a long time. You might want to check the FDA

website for some reliability data.

Look at the features of each and decide what is important to you. I wanted a

built in T-coil. I didn't want to have to hook a device onto the processor to

have a T-coil. I know some people don't use a T-coil and just listen through

their microphones on the phone, however, I am having so much success using a

T-Coil and I am sure glad mine is built in. I also like the idea of not

having to recharge batteries every day. I know that if my batteries die all I

have to do is reach in my pocket and within seconds I am ready to go. And if I

forget my batteries I can always run to the local pharmacy and buy some to get

me over the hump.

Check to see how many sound coding choices are offered. It is nice to have

choices as different people prefer different strategies.

Hope this helps.

Connie

[Guest guest]

I'm glad you're already starting to enjoy some of the benefits of being

bilateral! I, too, had some trouble localizing sound in the beginning. Since

my first CI was in my left ear, I kept turning my head to the left every

time I heard a sound. By now, I've become accustomed to hearing with both

ears and no longer have difficulty with sound localization. Just yesterday I

was able to cross the street on a very windy day for the first time without

having to turn my head to the left in order to hear traffic.

Please continue to keep us updated on your bilateral experience! <smile>

Left ear - Nucleus 24 Contour Advance with 3G

Implanted: 12/22/04 Activated: 1/18/05

Right ear - Nucleus Freedom

Implanted: 2/1/06 Activated: 3/1/06