Why it is important that our clinical audiologists have the option to choose omni mic setting with all front end processing turned off

[Dianna]

Im sorry you are having these issues lauren

[Lauren]

No idea what was different this time, but now have this:

 

 

Technology making me crazy again. Exactly like before:  I started out in Configuration in AE2 and moved into Accessibility after that was successful. Instead of getting error message after error message it went through kinda quickly. This time the only issue I had was needing to restart both Sonnet 2s when waiting for them to pop up in Accessibility  

🤷‍♀️. I’ll take it as a win. 

[Mary Beth]

@Lauren

and it in fact is streaming to both Sonnet 2 processors?

[Lauren]

@Mary Beth Yep! Music sounds so good. 

[Mary Beth]

Terrific @Lauren

[Valentin]

I don't know if this feature are enable or disabled on my processor, I will ask to my audiologist in next appointment. But I ask myself based in other featured commented some days ago in the forum with Rondo 2/Rondo 3 telecoil. Will be available to configure one of finetunner program selector to these features are completely disabled? We have 4 channels and actually I have no  use two of them.

 

 

[Mary Beth]

@Valentin

Rondo 1 has one mic and ONLY uses omni mic setting so you have been listening in omni mic setting with your Rondo 1.  It uses ASM 1 (automatic sound management 1).

Rondo 2 is similar to Rondo 1 in that it also has one mic and ONLY uses omni mic setting.  It uses ASM 1 (automatic sound management 1).

Rondo 3 has two mics and uses ASM 3 (automatic sound management 3).  It has the ability to use 3 mic settings: omni, natural and adaptive.  Wind block settings can be off, mild, strong.  Ambient noise reduction can be off/mild/strong.  Transient noise reduction can be off/mild/strong.  Adaptive intelligence (the processor switches automatically based on what type of sound environment it picks up) can be set to off, mild or strong.

Your audiologist can create each of your 4 programs anyway you desire.

There is no MT/T switch for Rondo 3. Once the telecoil adapter is attached it will stay in MT mode.  If you want a T only option, your audiologist needs to create a special program for that in one of your 4 program slots.

 

 

[Valentin]

Thank you @Mary Beth,I was wrong with ASM and mic on Rondo's units. I confused it with triformance features.

It is a difficult decision then to choose between Rondo 2 and Rondo 3. It seems that what was good in one has been taken away in the other and the other way around.

 

[Mary Beth]

@Valentin

There are advantages to both Rondo 2 and Rondo 3.  It is a difficult decision.  Is there any chance your CI center would let you test out a Rondo 3 before you decide?

[Tim]

On 1/25/2023 at 6:49 AM, Mary Beth said:

Unfortunately most adults never receive an omni mic setting program to try as it is not the default recommendation from Med-El.  Those people never get to experience the greater access to sound.

It really is unfortunate.  As quite a number of us, including people who were activated with the front end features turned on, prefer omni mic setting.

Had my second post-activation appointment yesterday and forgot to ask for one program to be omni mic. I should have re-read this post before the appointment - I'll add that to my list for the next meeting in two months.  My new programs are:

1. AI Mild
2. AI Strong
3. AI Mild + MD Adaptive (Adaptive Microphone Directionality)
4. AI Mild with more power.

Her recommendations were about using Med-El's defaults. 

It would be nice if they had more program slots or at least a fifth, custom slot where the user could adjust the AI settings. 

 

[Mary Beth]

@Tim

There are so many options for combinations of features set at mild, strong, off it takes experimenting a bit and return visits to find your happy place.  This is all easier to do after reaching a stable MAP.

At first the goal is reaching a stable MAP.

[Dianna]

Hey mary beth, have you had a map with ai mild or strong with omni mic? I have the one map finally with omni mic and ai off, and i love love it. Did i say that? I love it.

I have the basics on the other 3 maps:

Ai mild

Ai mild plus 6% (my daily)

Ai strong (crowded room)

I dont know the mic settings but im sure they are not omni

Im thinking of requesting a special map with specific settings, designing my own.

I think its a good idea for cis programming to become easier to fit the average person, but there really isnt an "average" hearing loss!

I am curious about the combo of omni and ai

[Dianna]

On 2/22/2023 at 4:48 PM, Tim said:

Had my second post-activation appointment yesterday and forgot to ask for one program to be omni mic. I should have re-read this post before the appointment - I'll add that to my list for the next meeting in two months.  My new programs are:

1. AI Mild
2. AI Strong
3. AI Mild + MD Adaptive (Adaptive Microphone Directionality)
4. AI Mild with more power.

Her recommendations were about using Med-El's defaults. 

It would be nice if they had more program slots or at least a fifth, custom slot where the user could adjust the AI settings. 

 

I think it would be nice if users could have access to ai settings on/off ourselves!!!

[Mary Beth]

@Dianna

I think of it like this….

AI (adaptive intelligence) automatically changes mic directionality and other front end features like wind block, ambient noise reduction and transient noise reduction.  To do this both mics are active.

Omni mic setting uses one mic only and gives access to sounds from all directions in a more equal way.  We can not always remain in Omni mic setting while AI is set to mild or strong. 
 

BUT we can set a mic setting (omni, natural or adaptive) and also set windblock, ambient noise reduction and transient noise reduction to off, mild or strong.  These settings remain constant then and do not switch.

 

It takes trying these things out in our real lives to figure out what works best for us.  Med-El has given our audiologists much more flexible options in the Sonnet 2 and Rondo 3 than they had before.  I am thankful for that.

[Dianna]

Ok i think i get it.

[Tim]

Looking back at these threads on programming before going in to my 6 month MAP appointment.  Feels like my MAP is stabilizing.

I spent about a week of trying FS4-p stimulation and it still feels muddled. I'm leaning towards giving up FS4-p for now.

My Audi liked this as a way of being organized and getting a conversation going. 

For July 2023 Remap: Option 3 - Omni Microphone
R3	Name/Use	Stimulation	AI	MD	ANR	WNR	TNR	Def. Sens.	Use Case
1	Everyday	FS4 V: 90 (80-100)	Mild	(Auto)	(Auto)	(Auto)	(Auto)	75%	Daily usage
2	Extreme	FS4 V: 90 (80-100)	Strong	(Auto)	(Auto)	(Auto)	(Auto)	75%	Conferences
3	No DSP	FS4 V: 90 (80-100)	Off	Omni	Off	Off	Off	75%	Experiment
4	Str only	FS4 V: 90 (80-100)	Off	Turn off microphones? (100/0 mix)				0%	Stream only
S2	Name/Use	Stimulation	AI	MD	ANR	WNR	TNR	Def. Sens.	Use Case
1	Everyday	FS4 V: 90 (80-100)	Mild	(Auto)	(Auto)	(Auto)	(Auto)	75%	Daily usage
2	Extreme	FS4 V: 90 (80-100)	Strong	(Auto)	(Auto)	(Auto)	(Auto)	75%	Conferences
3	No DSP	FS4 V: 90 (80-100)	Off	Omni	Off	Off	Off	75%	Experiment
4	Str Only	FS4 V: 90 (80-100)	Off	Turn off microphones?				0%	Stream only

R3=Rondo 3, S2=Sonnet 2.

Idea is slots would serve these purposes:

1. would be my likely everyday program.
2. adverse conditions like loud conferences, parties, etc.
3. trying the omni mic setting without any sophisticated digital signal processing.  Might also have the benefit of lower power consumption.  May need to adjust volume.
4. Something for when I'm just trying to stream directly.

Thoughts? 

 

[Mary Beth]

Your streaming program with sensitivity set at 0% may also benefit from volume being set at 70-100% so you can turn up the volume on your phone and then lower the volume A LOT on your Sonnet 2 to eliminate as much environmental sounds as you can with AudioStream.  For me the volume needed to be able to go 70-100% with sensitivity at 0% for AudioStream.

[Tim]

@Mary Beth  Thanks!  That's exactly the kind of advice I was hoping for and an example of why this forum is such a great resource for everyone. 

 

[Lauren]

@Tim only mentioning as your graph has streaming for Rondo mentioned. The AudioLink (if I recall correctly you have one) has a Mix button that turns the mics off to get 100/0 so if streaming via AudioLink to the Rondo that is one solution. It’s probably the only feature of the AL that I like and use all the time. 
 

Link to Med-El US. https://www.medel.com/en-us/support/product-support/accessories/audiolink

Thanks for sharing your graph. Now that I have a MAP I really like I’m wanting to explore optional/experimental programming for situations too. 

[Tim]

@Lauren Yes you are right, I have an Audiolink and use that mix button pretty often for my Rondo 3. Maybe I should take that off the Rondo program.  Thanks for the suggestion.  Something to think about.

 

[Lauren]

@Tim not a problem. 

Your graph gave me a lot to think about, in particular for transient and ambient noise reduction. I wouldn’t mind having a program for driving as I’d like to hear music over the loud truck that’s two miles away from my car (kidding, only kinda). 

I do have Adaptive intelligence strong (in Omni, might need to rethink that) but when using the program it over-focuses on things like air circulation/overhead fans so I just get a loud constant whirring noise that drowns everyone out. When at a restaurant with an open kitchen and the chefs/cooks turn on the oven/grill exhausts… yowza. Back to the drawing board with that program. 

[Mary Beth]

@Lauren

If you have an open program slot consider asking for a program like this to use in noise;

adaptive intelligence OFF

ambient noise reduction OFF

transient noise reduction OFF

wind block OFF

mic setting in always adaptive

[Lauren]

@Mary Beth I have two slots and will ask my audiologist for a third program with that. Thanks!

[Lauren]

I just sent a quick email to make sure it’s added to the agenda. My next MAP with testing is a little over a month away so I didn’t want to forget. #proactive. 

[Enegra]

I really feel that a future processor should have the feature of changing the microphone directionality in the app. If the directionality is the only difference between 2 programs then it feels like a waste of program slots. I have briefly spoken with my surgeon about this annoyance and he agrees that this would be good to have and presents no harm to the patient.

To a certain degree this is already offered by the competitors in their apps.

Since I became unilateral, I've been using omni a lot, it helps with the 'head shadow' somewhat, but there are situations where it drives me mad due to how far behind my back it can pick up the sounds from. I nearly wanted to murder a friend couple of months ago because he was rubbing his beard against a balloon in another room. Friends were shocked that it was still annoyingly loud for me that far away.