Hello from Romania, my sister needs CI

[CalinCalin]

Hi all,

I'm new to this world. I'm Calin, 39 years old, engineer

My sister will have a right ear cochlear implant in June (the hearing aids are not helping anymore). I want to help her with some research to choose the best option for her. We have Med-el options (Synchrony 2, Sonnet 2 and Rondo 3) and Cochlear Nucleus. 

I would really like your opinions on this. As we are in Europe, my first thought was to go with a brand that can be easily found around here, so my instinct goes for Med-el.

Then... we have the 3 variants mentioned.

What do you people think it would be best for a 48 years old teacher (so, focus is to be able to understand speech in bigger rooms like classrooms, maybe with background noise). My sister is not that much into the tech world, so that is why I registered here and not her.

If all 3 options can provide a similar quality for the use case presented -> very good  Everything else would be a bonus.

So, could anyone explain in short the plus and cons of those 3 options, based on your users experience?

Many thanks and hope I didn't spam the forum with a redundant topic.

Cheers,

Calin

[Kylie]

Hi Calin

Excellent question - this is a important choice. It's great that you are helping your sister.

To clarify your options - The Synchrony is the inside piece that is implanted during surgery.  So for Med-el you only need to choose between the 2 different outside processors, which are the Rondo and the Sonnet. 

They are both great and lots of people on this forum have one or both of them. Some hearing centres give a choice of 1 or give you both. It's really a personal decision as to which suits your sister best.

Some key points from my perspective:

Sonnet - (which I have) - sits on the ear like a hearing aid, joined to the magnetic piece sitting on the head. Sounds seem to come from the ear because the microphones are right there. High quality sound for speech and music. Can use with an Audiostream (bluetooth connecting device) and other connection items. Uses removable batteries (rechargeable or disposable).

Rondo - (I have never tried myself) - just one larger piece that sits magnetically on the head with nothing on the ear. Sounds come into the microphone there. Can use with slightly different connection devices. Needs wireless charging daily with its internal battery.

I won't go into more detail but I'm sure others will add to this from their experiences. I am very happy with my Sonnet but really with either you can't go wrong, they both sound great. Its more about comfort and lifestyle and which would be more useful personally. Good to discuss with the hearing centre too for their thoughts. And there are some pages on this forum where people discuss the differences.

[Kylie]

https://www.medel.com/hearing-solutions/cochlear-implants/audio-processor-comparison?fbclid=IwAR0uwLGytwsQAuFaTrSCQaQVAresGcP9ArTvYK2jhqaDORHxyFVBD5sSgRc

 

[CalinCalin]

1 hour ago, Kylie said:

Hi Calin

Excellent question - this is a important choice. It's great that you are helping your sister.

To clarify your options - The Synchrony is the inside piece that is implanted during surgery.  So for Med-el you only need to choose between the 2 different outside processors, which are the Rondo and the Sonnet. 

They are both great and lots of people on this forum have one or both of them. Some hearing centres give a choice of 1 or give you both. It's really a personal decision as to which suits your sister best.

Some key points from my perspective:

Sonnet - (which I have) - sits on the ear like a hearing aid, joined to the magnetic piece sitting on the head. Sounds seem to come from the ear because the microphones are right there. High quality sound for speech and music. Can use with an Audiostream (bluetooth connecting device) and other connection items. Uses removable batteries (rechargeable or disposable).

Rondo - (I have never tried myself) - just one larger piece that sits magnetically on the head with nothing on the ear. Sounds come into the microphone there. Can use with slightly different connection devices. Needs wireless charging daily with its internal battery.

I won't go into more detail but I'm sure others will add to this from their experiences. I am very happy with my Sonnet but really with either you can't go wrong, they both sound great. Its more about comfort and lifestyle and which would be more useful personally. Good to discuss with the hearing centre too for their thoughts. And there are some pages on this forum where people discuss the differences.

Thanks Kylie for your response. This is why I couldn't find what I was looking for about Syncrhony

That helps a lot. From the Sonnet 2 and Rondo 3, I'll dig a bit. But definitely being like a hearing aid and having more battery life (even the normal batteries - that you replace) - this would suit great my sister.

Thanks also for the link you provided. I'll continue my research about Rondo 3. Med-el has some good videos/playlists on you tube, that covered the daily use of Sonnet 2. I'll check the Rondo 3 and then discuss/present the details to my sister.

Have a great day  

[Mary Beth]

@CalinCalin

It is terrific that you are helping your sister on her CI journey!

I have Sonnets and was a teacher with my cochlear implants before I retired.  I hear fine in classrooms- even noisy classrooms.  I wish your sister the very best!

[CalinCalin]

1 hour ago, Mary Beth said:

@CalinCalin

It is terrific that you are helping your sister on her CI journey!

I have Sonnets and was a teacher with my cochlear implants before I retired.  I hear fine in classrooms- even noisy classrooms.  I wish your sister the very best!

Thanks Mary, really nice coincidence to get feedback from a teacher (even if retired)  

All the best to you as well.

[Tim]

@CalinCalin I'm an engineering professor so perhaps a bridge between your perspective and your sister's. 

Choosing between companies and processor types are almost like separate decisions.  The company/brand is a permanent decision.  The external processor can get upgraded periodically (every 5 years in the US.)

Like others, I'll focus on the processor selection.  In the US, many clinics are what they call "dual processor" clinics where patients can get two processors at the time of implantation/activation.  (Perhaps a rare perk of our crazily over-priced health care system but that is a different topic.)

I'll try to give a capsule summary of my relevant experience.

I was lucky to be at a dual processor clinic.  I got both the Rondo 3 and the Sonnet 2 for my single-sided deafness a little over a year ago.  (Started losing hearing in one ear about ~17 years ago, never used hearing aids, tried bone conduction device for 6 years.)

The CI was quickly more helpful than the bone conduction device ever was.  For me, in a classroom, spatial awareness and identifying directionality of speakers is more important than speech quality on my CI because I have very good hearing on my one good ear.  It helps identify where the speaker is and separate out background noise (fan of a projector, HVAC, random student noise).  If your sister will be bilateral (hearing aid in one ear, CI in the other), then speech quality on the CI may be more critical. 

As to processor selections.  Both brands have an off-the-ear (OTE) processor [Rondo 3, Kanso 2] and a behind the ear processor [Sonne 2, Nucleus 8]. 

The current generation of Med-El devices is getting long in the tooth and there are rumors of new products coming.  Technology is always changing.  In the current generation of Med-El devices, my relevant criteria for differentiating processors:

Rondo 3 positives:

• Comfort - I really like having it off my ear!  (I was never a hearing aid user and with glasses and sometimes a mask, it never feels natural to have stuff on my.  Your sister is experienced with hearing aids so this may be a non-issue.)
• Somewhat better water protection (drizzle, etc.)
• All day long battery life

Sonnet 2 positives:

• Better Bluetooth streaming option (Audiostream battery cover but Rondo is getting something soon)
• Replaceable battery options (many options available, including disposables, but using a rechargeable battery with an Audiostream will likely mean swapping batteries before the end of the day, for me before getting in the car to drive home.)
• Perhaps better audio quality due to better placement of microphones.  (The digital guts are essentially the same between the Rondo 3 and Sonnet 2 so quality difference would likely be attributable to microphone placement.)

The result is that over the last 6 months I'm about evenly split in my usage between the Rondo 3 and the Sonnet 2 and glad that I didn't need to pick one or the other.

I prefer the hassle free ease of wearing my Rondo 3 and knowing the battery will last me past 10 PM at night.  I'll give those up when I find that I will be wanting to use better BT connectivity and then I use my Rondo 3. 

In my case, I would probably choose the Rondo 3 if it had to be a one or the other only choice.  In your sister's, perhaps the Sonnet 2 would make more sense. 

 

[CalinCalin]

3 hours ago, Tim said:

@CalinCalin I'm an engineering professor so perhaps a bridge between your perspective and your sister's. 

Choosing between companies and processor types are almost like separate decisions.  The company/brand is a permanent decision.  The external processor can get upgraded periodically (every 5 years in the US.)

Like others, I'll focus on the processor selection.  In the US, many clinics are what they call "dual processor" clinics where patients can get two processors at the time of implantation/activation.  (Perhaps a rare perk of our crazily over-priced health care system but that is a different topic.)

I'll try to give a capsule summary of my relevant experience.

I was lucky to be at a dual processor clinic.  I got both the Rondo 3 and the Sonnet 2 for my single-sided deafness a little over a year ago.  (Started losing hearing in one ear about ~17 years ago, never used hearing aids, tried bone conduction device for 6 years.)

The CI was quickly more helpful than the bone conduction device ever was.  For me, in a classroom, spatial awareness and identifying directionality of speakers is more important than speech quality on my CI because I have very good hearing on my one good ear.  It helps identify where the speaker is and separate out background noise (fan of a projector, HVAC, random student noise).  If your sister will be bilateral (hearing aid in one ear, CI in the other), then speech quality on the CI may be more critical. 

As to processor selections.  Both brands have an off-the-ear (OTE) processor [Rondo 3, Kanso 2] and a behind the ear processor [Sonne 2, Nucleus 8]. 

The current generation of Med-El devices is getting long in the tooth and there are rumors of new products coming.  Technology is always changing.  In the current generation of Med-El devices, my relevant criteria for differentiating processors:

Rondo 3 positives:

• Comfort - I really like having it off my ear!  (I was never a hearing aid user and with glasses and sometimes a mask, it never feels natural to have stuff on my.  Your sister is experienced with hearing aids so this may be a non-issue.)
• Somewhat better water protection (drizzle, etc.)
• All day long battery life

Sonnet 2 positives:

• Better Bluetooth streaming option (Audiostream battery cover but Rondo is getting something soon)
• Replaceable battery options (many options available, including disposables, but using a rechargeable battery with an Audiostream will likely mean swapping batteries before the end of the day, for me before getting in the car to drive home.)
• Perhaps better audio quality due to better placement of microphones.  (The digital guts are essentially the same between the Rondo 3 and Sonnet 2 so quality difference would likely be attributable to microphone placement.)

The result is that over the last 6 months I'm about evenly split in my usage between the Rondo 3 and the Sonnet 2 and glad that I didn't need to pick one or the other.

I prefer the hassle free ease of wearing my Rondo 3 and knowing the battery will last me past 10 PM at night.  I'll give those up when I find that I will be wanting to use better BT connectivity and then I use my Rondo 3. 

In my case, I would probably choose the Rondo 3 if it had to be a one or the other only choice.  In your sister's, perhaps the Sonnet 2 would make more sense. 

 

Thanks Tim for the detailed response. Really appreciate it

I'll continue with researching and discussing with my sister. For me, based on how I know her -> Sonnet 2.

At the moment she is a bit concerned about the surgery, so not thinking too much about the device, but about the surgery. 

Thanks again and have a great end of the week.

[Mary Beth]

@CalinCalin

That’s understandable.  I am not sure if you live nearby your sister but if you do and you both wish to join in one of our HearPeers GoogleMeet video chats together, you would be welcome.  It may help your sister to chat with people who have all been through the surgery.  It’s just an option.  Our next one happens to be this Sunday at 9:15 am New York time.  We are an international group and have had HearPeers members from over a dozen countries join in so far.

[Tim]

@CalinCalin Glad to hear you found it useful.  I often get carried away in the details but figured as an engineer, you would like more. 

As for surgery, it wasn't such a big deal in my case.  I had an appendectomy a few years earlier that and they were of the same order of magnitude.  Both are potentially out-patient with some recovery and limitations on activities for a while. 

Picking a date that works with her academic calendar helps a lot.  Hopefully aligning it to get a couple of weeks after surgery before classes start.  I did mine on the second day of Winter quarter - terrible idea but I had a light teaching load that quarter much more administrative so not too bad overall.  I dropped into my first zoom meeting the day after surgery but I was back to work full-time less than a week after surgery but would have preferred a little more.  

Ideally, doing activation a week before classes helps too as it will give some time for acclimating and the mental exhaustion of the new input.

Could be great timing to do everything over a Summer break and come back rearing to go in Fall if Romania's school calendar is similar to that of the US.  Also gives plenty of time for the vaccinations.