Omni-wow

[Lauren]

When I had the Omni program added it was like a whole world opened up. I refuse to use Natural anymore and sent my audiologist an email after using Omni for a few days saying that Omni was exactly what I was looking for. The other program I have is Fixed and I’d use that before ever using Natural ever again. When I go bilateral I’ll strongly insist that I have Omni on both sides and say I’d rather not/never use Natural on either side ever again. 

Still in learning mode but what’s the key difference that sets AI Strong and Medium apart from the other? I know I’ve heard the description before but as a still new user the best way to learn all this is repetition lol (doesn’t help that a lot of the names are way too similar).  Not sure if I should have both (if the difference is large enough) plus Omni and Fixed (or something else as I learn more). 

[Mary Beth]

@Lauren

My best guess is what your audiologist is calling “fixed” is Med-El’s adaptive mic setting.  Check with her on that.

Avoid adaptive intelligence mild as it uses natural mic setting often. 
 

Try adaptive intelligence strong and see if you like it.

 

I also am only using Omni.  It opens up access to way more sounds.  Everyone using Rondo 2, Rondo 1 and OPUS2 are also using Omni as that is the only mic setting for those processors.

 

 

[Dianna]

I know they dont want us  to blow our selves out either. 

[Lauren]

@Dianna that’s actually something I’m curious about. With natural hearing ENTs and others say to limit things like loud music… but what about with CIs since the implantation process takes away all/most residual hearing (if there’s any left). 

My AuD has wanted my MAPs to be as loud as comfortable for me so really not sure here. 

[Mary Beth]

@Lauren

We set the MCL (loudest output for each electrode) at loud but comfortable.  That is the loudest things will ever get for us.  If we set that right, nothing should be uncomfortably loud.  If it is, we need a MAP tweak.

Loud sounds damage acoustic hearing by damaging the little hairs that line acoustic ears.  Our CIs bypass that part.

But more access to sounds does not mean louder sounds.  It means the ability to hear sounds that are not being muted by front end processing.

[Dianna]

12 hours ago, Lauren said:

@Dianna that’s actually something I’m curious about. With natural hearing ENTs and others say to limit things like loud music… but what about with CIs since the implantation process takes away all/most residual hearing (if there’s any left). 

My AuD has wanted my MAPs to be as loud as comfortable for me so really not sure here. 

Hi lauren, my settings are all pretty much "controlled" by my audi. Im just fine, now i have an ha amplifying my natural hearing left in my unimplanted ear, and i can hear better than the last few years enjoying very much. Now my ha ear has better music than my ci,  the ci now is more of a "help" to the ha. I am fine with it so i guess im done for now. My ha team is very excited to work with me, i will continue to work with them for now. Im happy!  Take care my soon to be bimodal friend!!!!!

[Dianna]

Hellooooo, 

Ive been using my program with omni, ai strong

I am streaming, so might not be using mic, lol.

If i start singing along and hold a note long, my ci cuts out, so i guess my voice affects it too. Or else it knows im a bad singer lol. Streaming from my phone, for several hours, no disconnects that i can tell. The omni setting isnt a lot different than the other maps in streaming to music.

Will do more "studying" and report back

[Enegra]

@Dianna Strong AI is quite aggressive with its filtering. It might consider parts of your singing to be noise and tunes them down. Generally I wouldn't recommend that setting for music. Maybe try if it happens with mild AI?

[Dianna]

Ive tested all maps, music is much much better than 1 year ago. I would like it to be better, but i guess it cant. Im fine with it. If i work hard it will get better. I have one map with alledgedly no ai but its my quiet map. Today i didnt like it for music. 

Ive used all maps, when i asked my audi about omni, she pointed out its on map 4 which is ai strong.

My audi deferred me to medel, we are going to sync the sonnet2 to my oticon ha after i see my ha team again.  For follow up. They are not in the same department. Ci biz is handled by otarlyngology, ha is from the hearing and communications department.

Im fine with it.

How are you feeling today agnes? Im hoping your expl side is healing, and migraine better. 💘 😻 💜 💛 💚 🧡 

Di

 

[Lauren]

This morning starting work felt off. Reset my CI and was trying to be all clever in my troubleshooting. 

My HA was the issue. It needs TLC and wasn’t turning on. I wish I’d realized that before holding my cell phone up to my dead HA and not realizing that the sound was being picked up from my CI on my other ear. Once I figured that out it’s gone a little better. 

Tried not to panic early. As I plan to go bilateral I need to make sure I can rely on my left ear while the right ear is healing and getting setup too. It’s a learning curve but also needing to get comfortable with the CI. A year ago going without my HA would’ve been impossible so I did make improvements.  

[Dianna]

27 minutes ago, Enegra said:

@Dianna Strong AI is quite aggressive with its filtering. It might consider parts of your singing to be noise and tunes them down. Generally I wouldn't recommend that setting for music. Maybe try if it happens with mild AI?

I agree. So i went to my quiet no ai map, map 2 with mild, map 3 with mild and 6 %  Its ok, they are pretty similar.

[Mary Beth]

@Dianna

If you ever find that you have an open program spot on your Sonnet2 and are interested in testing out omni mic setting, ask your audiologist for an Omni mic setting with adaptive intelligence off and windblock/ambient noise reduction/transient noise reduction all off.  Then you will know for sure that the Sonnet2 is staying in Omni while you sing along.

 

Adaptive intelligence strong only uses Omni for music (and it still has wind block on strong).  If it believes you are in speech in noise it will not stay in omni.

 

 

[Dianna]

19 minutes ago, Mary Beth said:

@Dianna

If you ever find that you have an open program spot on your Sonnet2 and are interested in testing out omni mic setting, ask your audiologist for an Omni mic setting with adaptive intelligence off and windblock/ambient noise reduction/transient noise reduction all off.  Then you will know for sure that the Sonnet2 is staying in Omni while you sing along.

 

Adaptive intelligence strong only uses Omni for music (and it still has wind block on strong).  If it believes you are in speech in noise it will not stay in omni.

 

 

Thank you mary beth, i know i will write this down and give it to her when i go for syncing. We discussed this all last appt. 

I figured as much with the changing while i sing, lol. You know when you are listening, kind of hummiing, then just rip it out, like in the car, no ones around but the animals. Im in a little mood today, music is the best thing for that!

[Dianna]

38 minutes ago, Lauren said:

This morning starting work felt off. Reset my CI and was trying to be all clever in my troubleshooting. 

My HA was the issue. It needs TLC and wasn’t turning on. I wish I’d realized that before holding my cell phone up to my dead HA and not realizing that the sound was being picked up from my CI on my other ear. Once I figured that out it’s gone a little better. 

Tried not to panic early. As I plan to go bilateral I need to make sure I can rely on my left ear while the right ear is healing and getting setup too. It’s a learning curve but also needing to get comfortable with the CI. A year ago going without my HA would’ve been impossible so I did make improvements.  

Hi lauren. Im not deaf, but i went this last year with ci and no ha. Even tho i have about 50 percent hearing, my ci was enough for me HOWEVER i dont work, so i could be ering but i bet you will be good. How do you do at home without the aid?

[Dianna]

Hi lauren, my ha is great, it feels like both ears come together better but still not very directional. My ha team wants to help me obtain that. Next week i get a synchronization if needed by my ci audi with the medel ca there, hoping both of us learn something. Last night and this morning i heard cows mooing and i have not heard in 3 years of living here. The sound was in my new ha but felt like it "bled over" to my ci. Gonna work on settings later. Very intetesting!

[Lauren]

Hi Dianna - at home without the hearing aid it’s just me and four cats so I guess I do ok? I can hear their whines and complaints about all my slights against them and their ancestors, but can also hear their purrs. 

Out and about with just my CI I do sometimes struggle but without sound on my other ear I’m relying heavily on my CI. My hearing WITH a HA on my right is about the same as yours so I think my degree of loss in that ear is worse than yours lol. 

When I have them on and after getting it all synced up the CI sounds so natural to me. I often forget I have the Rondo on. Every once in a while I’ll test this by taking the CI off for a few seconds and I feel like I lose no less than 90% of my hearing. There’s been several times I’ve gotten to work, get out of my car and make it either all the way in or halfway in and I realize “OOPS I forgot my HA in my car”. My office is on the third floor so if I make it that far it’s a whole thing to go back out to get it. 

[Hila]

On 9/15/2022 at 4:23 PM, Mary Beth said:

@Dianna

If you ever find that you have an open program spot on your Sonnet2 and are interested in testing out omni mic setting, ask your audiologist for an Omni mic setting with adaptive intelligence off and windblock/ambient noise reduction/transient noise reduction all off.  Then you will know for sure that the Sonnet2 is staying in Omni while you sing along.

 

Adaptive intelligence strong only uses Omni for music (and it still has wind block on strong).  If it believes you are in speech in noise it will not stay in omni.

 

 

I'm saving this and hope I can try it.   I don't use my remote much but the more I try, the bigger is the headache.  I get tired very quickly trying to listen in front focus setting.  Anyone else is experiencing the same?

[Mary Beth]

@Hila

Your Rondo 1 uses omni mic setting.  You could experiment a bit with omni with that processor as it ONLY uses omni.