Moidl Posted May 2, 2018 Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 Hello, my name is Maria and I work with several children that have a CI. As a hearing person, I‘m wondering what it sounds like to hear with a CI? Are there any audio files or examples that can give me an idea as to how it sounds? And if yes, where can I find them? Regards, Maria Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 2, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 2, 2018 Hi Maria @Moidl I have bilateral CIs and am a Teacher of the Deaf. I had listened to various vocoder samples of hearing with a CI in the past and they are nothing like what things sound like to me with my CIs. I do not use those samples at work. Everything sounds so much better than those samples, especially speech and music, Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Moidl Posted May 11, 2018 Author Report Share Posted May 11, 2018 Hi, who made those vocoder samples ( are they from med-el?) somebody once told me it sounds „electrical“ but that was a hearing person without CI. That‘s why I was wondering if there are examples that can show me a little how it could be. How is listenimg to music with CI. Did you had to train that in a special way? Thx for sharing your informations with me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 11, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 11, 2018 @Moidl Here is a link to my CI and music journey. https://blog.medel.com/3-steps-to-rediscovering-music-with-a-cochlear-implant/ Things sound very natural to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted May 11, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 11, 2018 @Moidl - my audiologist told me that the CI would sound different from natural hearing, but from what I've heard here and what I have seen so far (activation was just Wednesday so I'm far from rehabbed yet) it's going to sound pretty normal to me. I could be wrong, but that's what it seems like so far. Jewel and Megan L. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted May 12, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 12, 2018 I agree. I have noticed small things that don’t sound right but that’s just me. It’s the new normal! Mary Featherston 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Featherston Posted May 12, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 12, 2018 44 minutes ago, Kara of Canada said: I agree. I have noticed small things that don’t sound right but that’s just me. It’s the new normal! The thing I've wondered is whether I heard them wrong before. After all, I wasn't hearing all frequencies even with my hearing aids. Megan L. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Elgab Posted May 16, 2018 Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 I'm panicking. I was an optimist until I got activated. Now everything I hear comes in very monontone, totally deep-sounding, with almost no high frequencies. I had a hearing loss at age 6 (am 74 now) and most of my remaining hearing, with hearing aid, was in the low frequencies -- most of my loss was in the highs. I'm wondering whether this means my nerves are no longer good in the high frequencies and consequently I will only hear in this terrible way? When I began to listen to an audiobook with the actual book in hand so I could follow, it sounded normal, but when I listen to anyone talking, it sounds very limited and horrible. Does anyone have any thoughts on that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 16, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 @Mary Elgab When was your activation? In the early weeks and months, things change so fast! A pencil falling onto a wooden table sounded like an explosion! All piano keys sounded exactly the same! A lot changes as you continue to train and get MAPped. Hang in there! Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted May 16, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 16, 2018 Like Mary Beth said don’t stress yet. My activation went well. I heard voices as well. But everyone sounds like Donald Duck! This has changed drastically for me even in the short time. I am hearing less muffled voices and more clear speech in my new ear. I have been activated for little over two weeks. It takes time for the brain to adjust to this new way of hearing. I was harder with the first implant. So hang in there. Train hard with single words as well as stories or speeches. I really like listening to TED talks now. Try it out! They have the option to follow the transcript and listen as well. It has really helped my speech comprehension. Mary Featherston, Mary Beth, Jewel and 1 other 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Elgab Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 I was activated May 8th, and had my 2nd mapping session two days ago. I was given a bit more loudness, that's all. But today's session with audio books, especially in conjunction with the corresponding print book, was helpful, and things sound better today. How about that piano, where all the keys sounded the same: did that change? On my piano, many of the keys sounded the same.... How about a cellphone? Can anyone hold the phone to his/her ear? Or does one have to always use an intermediary device like the Roger? Things improve at different speeds. Last night I was very depressed and worried, and then today everything sounds much better, so I am optimistic again. I listed to a large number of audio books -- just a small part of them, to test out my comprehension -- and found that women readers are lots easier for me to understand. Do others feel that way also? I plan to listen to TED this evening. And I am talking to other folks a lot, and assume that at the rate things improved today, I may not need to focus that hard on their faces. Cheers from Altadena, California! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 17, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 Sounds great @Mary Elgab! You are still in your early weeks. A lot will change yet for you. Yes the piano sounds great now. I returned to playing it after years of being unable to play. I can even hear when I hit a wrong key in a chord now. Smile. I can hold a cell phone up to my processor mic and hear fine. I do not use the Roger System at all. With my Sonnets or Opus2, I stream audio to BOSE QC35 BT headphones (stay on M) or use the Artone 3 MAX BT neckloop (MT or T). With my Rondos I stream audio to Artone 3 MAX BT neckloop (MT or T) or plug Cozy Phone headband speakers into the sound device (stay on M). Jewel 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Elgab Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 Hi Mary Beth, I am amazed. I was hoping to do these things also, and I really don't care for intermediary devices. How long did it take for you to be able to understand on the phone? I have never -- well, hardly ever, used headphones. With the headphones, what does M stand for? Will they work on an airplane? On an MacBook Air computer? How long since you were activated? Regards, MaryElgab Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 17, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 Hi @Mary Elgab CIs are amazing technology. They amaze me over and over again. Using the CI on the phone went in stages for me. I practiced phone listening often with Telephone With Confidence, which is a recorded message and you can follow along with the transcript online and also with my family. At first, I used a landline and used my Fine Tuner to put my processor on MT. Then I switched to staying in M on our processors like we do all day long. When I started using my cell phone primarily as my phone, I found that even cell phones rated high for hearing aids and set to hearing aid compatibility settings still have an annoying interference sound when in MT or T. So I learned to use my cell phone by just staying in M like we are all day. Headphones are great with CIs as they do not cause any feedback issues. Yay! I prefer around the ear headphone styles so that my entire Sonnet or Opus 2 fits inside. Soft cushy pads do not put pressure on my coil. The perfect fit for me is BOSE QC35 BT noise canceling headphones. They connect via BT to all BT sources (cell phones, computers, BT audio streamer, etc) and can be plugged into any headset jack with the enclosed cord (for airplane sound systems, etc). Terrific sound quality. Many Med-El CI users have been discussing how wonderful they are. We are quite a fan club. I have been using CIs now for 3 years, 2 months. Time flies right by. Smile. Don’t worry about timelines for when you are able to do various things with your CI. Everyone’s journey is unique. Compare what you can hear today with what you heard last week, last month, etc. That will show you how things are progressing. I had fun keeping a private journal. Jump into aural rehab and help train your brain. We have lots of suggestions in our aural rehab topic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Elgab Posted May 17, 2018 Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 Thank you, Mary Beth. You are a veritable warehouse of useful information! And of encouragement, which I need. I do not know how to use FineTuner to go between M, MT, and T. I guess I'll check it out. You mention BT. What's that? Most of my life I was on body aids, and could hear movies on airplanes by holding the speaker jacks to my body aid on T. Once I moved to BTE and ear molds, I never even asked about headphones -- I guess I never knew about peer support groups such as this one, and I shrugged it off as not an option. This peer group is unbelievably informative and useful to me, and encouraging as well! Thank you for helping me so much! And now, again, about headphones: what's BT?And where can one buy these headphones? Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 17, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 17, 2018 @Mary Elgab There are a lot of helpful people here. We are a nice group. I’m glad you found us too. BT is a shortcut for BlueTooth. So the sound can travel from the sound source (phone, computer, iPad) and not need us attached by a cord. I ordered my headphones online through Amazon I believe. Ask your audiologist to show you how to use your Fine Tuner to move between M and MT and T. Which processor do you have? Megan L. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted May 18, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 @Mary Elgab So this is the fine tuner. As you can see it has many buttons! Look at the ones with the letters. M MT T. These are the buttons Mary Beth was talking about. So when you use a device with Telecoil for example you would push the button with the T. It would make sound go straight to the processor you are using. With no background noise. Since you don’t have any accessories that your using you won’t need to worry about this for a while. MT is used when you use a loop system. So you can hear what’s going on around you as well as what the speaker is saying. M is is everyday mode. Means you are listening with the mics on the processor only. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 18, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 @Kara of Canada No fancy skins on your Fine Tuner yet? Smile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted May 18, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 Lol @Mary Beth that is my new one and I haven’t opened the second skinit package yet. I was thinking to leave it as a spare but it has ended up as my coffee table spare for training!? this one I keep in my purse. I was kind of disappointed that I didn’t get a wallet case for my second one. It was a lanyard. What would I do with that? Lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 18, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 @Kara of Canada What does a lanyard for a Fine Tuner look like? I never use those wallet cases for the Fine Tuners but I think I already gave them away. I will check and if I still have one, I will message you and you can have it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Kara of Canada Posted May 18, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 Here it is! And awesome thanks @Mary Beth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 18, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 @Kara of Canada Oh that is terrible. People really want a phone app instead of the Fine Tuner. I wonder if that will happen at some point. I’ll check my supplies. I tend to donate things I don’t use so I may not have those wallets any longer. I never used them. But I will check to be sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mary Elgab Posted May 18, 2018 Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 Other than the lanyard and the wallet case dialog, I have been learning by leaps and bounds. I know what bluetooth is, but somehow it didn't click when you called it BT. I had not checked the fine tuner but the photo above shows me that I should have, because of course I know (having been a lifelong hearing aid user) what M, MT, and T refer to. I guess I'm in a new world for now, and have to get my bearings. On the good side! I went to the Apple store today for something I just had to ask them, and absolutely dreading the noise. And I found to my delight that the CI has separated the sound of the speaker from the background noise and I could understand clearly what I was being told. Hearing aids were never this good. Awesome! And for the first time I used my BT car phone and could understand a bit of what my husband was saying. Last week, it was a no-go. So...I pinch myself and enjoy the progress! I could not understand TED, but am having a wonderful time with Douglas Adams' THE RESTAURANT AT THE END OF THE UNIVERSE. It's a light read, and Adams, a Brit, reads his own amusing words, and of course I am reading the print version as I listen, and it's only one of a half dozen or more. Jane Fonda (MY LIFE SO FAR) is read by a woman and is easier to understand, and I think all the books read by women are easier to follow (for me, anyway). And this fun stuff is called brain training? It's a lovely way to spend time (I'm a retired librarian) and I'm very happy. Thank you all for your help! Jewel and Mary Featherston 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 18, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 @Mary Elgab I fell absolutely in love with audiobooks after getting CIs. I have always been an avid reader but never enjoyed audiobooks. Now I do both, read books and listen to other books on audio. I have a monthly membership to Scribd ($8.99/month) that gives me unlimited audiobooks which can be downloaded and enjoyed while offline. Our library has audiobooks too but the titles are limited and you must wait until one is available and then have a limited time to enjoy it. So for me, Scribd is wonderful! They have ebooks too, so you can listen on one device and follow print on another if you wish while you train. Sounds like you are off to a fabulous start! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HearPeers Heroes Mary Beth Posted May 18, 2018 HearPeers Heroes Report Share Posted May 18, 2018 @Kara of Canada I checked my supplies and I had already passed those two Fine Tuner wallets onto other users. Sorry. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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