Jump to content

Experience upgrading from Rondo to Rondo 2


Mary Beth

Recommended Posts

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Joan recently upgraded from Rondo to Rondo 2 processors. 
 

I started this topic so Joan can share her experience with all of us.  She is very patient with questions.  Smile.

 

Has anyone else upgraded from Rondo to Rondo 2?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Mary Beth

Yes, five years after becoming a bilateral Rondo user (left side 02/2014; right side 09/2014), I upgraded to Rondo2s , which were activated two days ago 10/23/2019. 

My decision to upgrade to Rondo2 vs Sonnets was an easy one. My clinic is a two-processor clinic. I chose both an Opus2 and a Rondo for each ear and, in addition, was fortunate to be implanted during Med-El’s promotional period that offered a free Rondo with each implant.  That was the best thing that could have happened! Although prior to being implanted, I fully expected to become an Opus2 user. However, from the first time I put on my Rondo, I was hooked! No more BTE hearing aid OR processor! After five very successful years with Rondos, upgrading to Rondo2s was a no-brainer!

While I’m only two days in to my journey with Rondo2s, I am extremely pleased with them. They are lighter than Rondo1s, the sound is clearer, they recharge quickly and easily (and no more disposable batteries 😊), they are off my ear...and they even have mic covers that exactly match my grey hair! 😅

As with anything new, there are differences from my previous Rondos that I’m having to adjust to with my Rondo2s. The microphone seems to be much more sensitive, especially when the processors are touched. I liken it to the sensitivity of the Rondo without a mic cover. While I am hearing clearer and better in conversation and small groups, for some reason my brain is still adjusting to voices on television. That being said, however, that adjustment is already improving.

There is one single issue I have with the Rondo2s. During activation, I wanted to test the t-coil while using my Artone 3 MAX neckloop. When I switched to either MT or T, I heard a ticking, akin to a quick-paced metronome, in both processors, on all programs. Fortunately, a Med-El rep (who’s also an audiologist) happened to be at the clinic that day and had been invited to sit in on my MAPping. Neither she nor my audiologist had ever had such a sound reported by a Rondo2 user. We tried multiple things hoping to eliminate the sound, all to no avail. Contact was made with an audiologist at the NC headquarters. She was just as baffled. She had an employee who wears Rondo2s to test as I was doing and the result was the same. I have been assured the problem will be reported and researched. I can only hope they find a solution soon. I enjoy listening to both audiobooks and music using the t-coil and, at present, the ticking is a distraction that is always apparent to me in both MT and T. I would be interested in knowing if others have experienced the same.

If I have one disappointment with the Rondo2s, it is that they lack Bluetooth connectivity. I understand that is high on the list of possible improvements for the next generation Rondo, but, unfortunately, I will have a long wait for that.
 

As Mary Beth said, I’m happy (and, yes, even patient!) to answer any questions about my upgrade from Rondo to Rondo2 ...the upgrade process, the processors, etc.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Joan  that is a great Rondo 2 review from an experienced Rondo user.  
 

The ticking sound when on T or MT with Rondo 2.......let’s see if other members with Rondo 2 units hear that too.  I will tag a few people with Rondo 2.  I know I will miss many so please jump in!

@Mary Featherston

@Jewel

@Dave in Pittsburgh

@Jdashiell

@Nikki

 

BT connectivity, more specifically DIRECT BT connectivity without using an intermediary device, is probably the most talked about feature in CI processors at the moment.  I look forward to that feature in Med-El devices in the future for sure.  However it also gives me pause.  Presently both other brands are experiencing lots of issues due to the new iOS version on iPhones.  It is being discussed at length in FB groups.  Whenever Med-El introduces direct BT for all Med-El processors, I hope we don’t get caught up in messes like this one.  It has been going on for over a month so far and people are still struggling.

 

@Valentin  may have questions for you, Joan, as another long time Rondo user.

 

By the way, did you get waterwear for Rondo 2 in your US upgrade kits?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@MED-EL Moderator When you hear of a fix for the ticking sound in Rondo 2 processors when on T and MT, will you let us know please?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Mary Beth Yes, the Rondo2 kit included both a waterwear pack and a GripWear.

While I’m not very knowledgeable about BT connectivity, it is my hope Med-El would incorporate BT that would work with both iOS AND Android, not just one or the other, if that is even possible.

@Valentin If you have any questions, please ask!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Joan

I know absolutely nothing about the tech requirements of BT streaming but there are members here who do understand this kind of stuff so maybe they will jump in.

There are a few obstacles with direct BT streaming that need to be addressed......

-need it to work on both iOS and Android devices

-need it to stream to two receivers (one on each side for bilateral or bimodal users)

-need it to deliver true stereo (separate left and right audio for instrumental music)

-need it to use the least amount of battery power so our rechargeable batteries still last a full listening day 

-need it to be fast so there is no perceptible audio lag when watching videos

 

Right now the CI brands are approaching BT streaming in various ways with varying degrees of success.

-introducing direct BT only for iOS at first and expanding to Android years later 

-streaming to only one side even for bilateral CI users

-using intermediary proprietary devices

-using third party BT streaming options 

-using a BT receiver that is attached to the bottom of a BTE CI processor

 

It is an exciting time to be a CI user!  Tech is advancing so fast and the CI brands are all competing hard to reach new candidates with enticing features.  We benefit from this!

 

Sometimes I wonder what the top level CI engineers think about all of this.  It wasn’t that long ago when their focus was on helping us understand speech in quiet without looking.  Now we want great music, BT connectivity, smaller and smaller processors, longer and longer rechargeable battery life, etc.  Smile.  

It is a great time to be a CI user indeed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Mary Beth You may not know the tech requirements of BT streaming, but you nailed it with the obstacles that need to be addressed! I, too, hope there are some knowledgeable members who will jump in on this.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

Hi there, Mary Beth, I continue with Rondo yet, so I'm reading a lot about users with new "gadget" before to upgrade. Sincerelly when it's time to upgrade, I will continue with one piece processor. I think it is more clear and confortable unlike unit and coil processors.

I'm accord with joan, I think that BT technology it would be a great improvement for this device to avoid using a third party device for  T or MT functions. For avoid battery consumption, this option must to be able to activate or desactivate it.

And yes, actually I don´t use devices as Quatro or Artone for  Rondo. It woluld be some hard the TV, computer, Radio... but my ear is doing a good work. Probably with any of them help me a lot.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

Thank you Joan, I continue with Rondo,  reading a lot of the experiences of other users with new one... Perhaps when it's time to upgrade, It could be Rondo 3 🙂

  • Like 3
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes
what really worries me is the battery life, on a long trip for example. If Rondo 2 has not disposable batteries option, It could be a problem.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Valentin Although I rarely travel now, the battery life is a concern I have too. I have just purchased a portable charger and plan to try it with my Rondo2 chargers. I’ve never used one (and I’m definitely not tech savvy!) but I’m hoping it will prove useful in such situations.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Valentin

As you know, I share your same concerns about battery life.  We are so dependent on power to hear.

Long travel days, long days due to celebrations/emergencies/etc, power outages........... concern me.

As well as the effect of time on the built in battery.  All of the devices I have that use rechargeable batteries, end up lasting less and less hours as time goes by.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Joan .  The charger of Rondo2 has a USB/Micro USB or similar connector option? I ask you this, because if this were available, the charger Could be connected to a powerbank (for example), and I think it is a good option when travel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

@Valentin Yes it does. As luck would have it, I live in Northern California where we are experiencing multiple power outages due to wildfires. I recently purchased a battery powered lantern that has a USB port to use in these instances. The power was off the first night I had my Rondo2s and I was able to charge them using that lantern. So I’m nearly certain they can be charged with the  portable charger too. The one I purchased is scheduled to arrive today and we are going to lose power again sometime today for at least 2-3 days. If I can get the charger charged beforehand, I’ll give it a try.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Joan and @Valentin

Yes the Rondo 2 can most definitely be charged by plugging its charger into a power pack.  Med-El US demonstrated that at the HLAA conference in June.  They had the Rondo 2 on display sitting on its charger which was plugged into a portable power pack via the USB port.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

Guys, sincerely this is a great news that I din't know. Power supply fault is not a normal situacion today, howeber as Joan comment, It's happen. @Joan, have you tried charge Rondo2 with power bank two or three times, without charge the powerbank before?  This give us two or  three days of autonomy.

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

@Joan

That would be a great experiment!  How many times can your power pack charge your two Rondo 2 processors off of one single charge?

It would be double perhaps if only charging one Rondo 2.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

 @Mary Beth, @Joan, I haven't Rondo 2 yet. However please share your experience with the experiment. I have curiosity to know it.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 10/26/2019 at 3:51 PM, Mary Beth said:

@MED-EL Moderator When you hear of a fix for the ticking sound in Rondo 2 processors when on T and MT, will you let us know please?

Hi Mary Beth, Yes, good idea. We will let you know once we hear something. Kind regards, Mary 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes
On 10/26/2019 at 10:23 AM, Valentin said:
what really worries me is the battery life, on a long trip for example. If Rondo 2 has not disposable batteries option, It could be a problem.

Hey @Valentin. I used my Rondo2 on Saturday starting around 8 am for around 2.5 hours. Then turned it off for about 3 hours. Then wore it for 9 hours. Slept for 5 hours then put it back on from around 6:20 am until it died the next day at around 11:20 am.

By my calculations that was battery life of approximately 19 hours on 1 charge! I am very impressed with the Rondo2 battery life thus far. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • HearPeers Heroes

RE: Ticking

I did nor hear ticking or any other issues with my Rondo 2, However, I did hear a clicking sound with my left Sonnet processor.

after numerous troubleshooting I found the culprit to be the Rechargeable battery FRAME and changed it to disposable battery frame.

That also made it possible to solve a secondary issue with my Roger Pen and Roger Select microphones. That issue prevented me from being able to pair those microphones to the left Sonnet Processor while using Rechargeable batteries.

So for now I am back to using disposables, which in itself has benefits AND discrepancies. 

The Plus being able to wear for three days before changing batteries.

The minus being that I am adding to garbage - which I don't - I recycle (Are they truly recyclable?)

 

By the Way I have Rondo / Rondo2 as backup processors...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

Loading...
×
×
  • Create New...