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Samba !


Knickohr

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Hi !

 

Today, I got a package from Med-El :

 

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I didn't buy anything, I didn't awaiting any post from anybody, but this is from Med-El, so I unboxed it :

 

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2 SAMBA processors ! :D  I'm wondering, why the processors are send directly to me, not to my audi :unsure:

 

Anyway, I got my 2 SAMBAs for testing. All pieces are packed very well and are brand-new.

 

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What's in the boxes ?

 

- 2 SAMBA hearing processor

- 2 hairclips

- 2 Remote controls, yes 2 :huh:

- 2 packages of batteries

- 1, only one, magnet number 4 :(

- 2 handbooks

- 1 contract (3 copies)

 

Additional, you need 2 batteries (size AAA) for one RC. The second one is not necessary.

 

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Today, it's to late to go to my audi for fitting. Will do this on Monday, if he as a little time for me :rolleyes:

 

Comparison between the Samba and the Amadé processor :

 

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It's the same size, only the shape is a little bit different. Samba comes in a high glossy black cover. First impression, the Samba looks bigger, but it isn't !  There are no knobs, buttons or switches, so the RC is mandatory. Only the battery-tray is for power on/off the processor.

 

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Cover removed :

 

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Some more pictures :

 

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More from Samba-testing in the next days, stay tuned.

 

Thomas

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That's great Thomas!

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That's awesome Thomas! Let us know how things go

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Hello Thomas,

I was lazy to do this and I am very interested what will you say about Samba. :D

Your unboxing is - perfect! :P

Let's go little bit further:

I use Samba now more than a month and I am very pleased with it. It has more natural, lots of people say much softer sound. It gas automatic sound menagment - this means that we are finally upgraded to the level of CI users whose devices adapt to their sound environment: sound is not equal all moments. This means, for instance that when you are in quiet environment you do not need to "hear" the background noise, on the other side - in loud environment it adapt that you hear what is important not everything :D very important in the car.

I am unilateral so I can not describe what it is like to hear with 2 mic's and bilateral but even with one side I am extremely happy with the upgrade.

CONS: yes, of course there are - remote control is efficient only about 10cm away of the head - who would say why? :(

On the RC you can switch programmes (there are 5) but also raise or lower the sound level - but you do not know when you are on the top of the box.:(

When you switch off the device in the matter that you pull out the battery it goes to the programme 1. This anoys me a lot because I use programme 5 which is little bit louder than the other.

Beside this, I hear much finer sounds and overall am much more satisfied although Amade was a major breakthrough for me.

And - mine Samba is white sand colour, it sits very well. Unfortunately, I have lost my safety loop - this part is extremely complicate: hiw to attach the loop. Why? I don't know :(

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First fitting session is tomorrow 3:00 PM.

 

Ivana, these Sambas are only for testing. So I cannot choose my color. Maybe my audi has some other covers to exchange. I must send my Sambas back in 4 weeks. It makes no difference, if I like it or not, my health insurance will deny it. Can get my next hearing aids maybe in about 3 years :(

 

Hope, Med-El is accommodating and give me an option to upgrade to Samba cost neutral or very cheap. I think, I have to pay for my own. We will discuss this in about 4 week again.

 

OK; I will ask my audi, if he has some extra safety loops. You mean this little transparent/white eyelet on the processor ?  I also have to modify it with my piercing safety line ;)

 

I am very curious to see how the Samba sounds and works.

 

Thomas

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I am looking forward what you will conclude :)

Yes, that transparent eyelet - I asked for a safety pin as it was on Amade. Yes, I remember of your fantastic modification ;)

I have been reading Matt's post and remember that I don't have possibility to hear music loud, but really LOUD. Not often but there are some songs which I like to hear like that. For short time, of course. ;(

I hope also that Med-EL will think about something because we didn't know about the upgrade. :(

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OK; fitted ! :D

 

Nice sound, not so sharp, it's much softer and more comfortable. There are too much programs (for the beginning), to much parameters for fitting. I think it takes some time to understand all these settings and how they work. I think understanding is better, but I'm not sure, not yet. Let me some time for experience.

 

Have a little howling on the left side, but this will be resolved in the next fitting.

 

Remote control is terrible :angry: I must put the RC direct on my nose to control both Sambas at the same time. If I'm too far away, only one processor will response or none of them.

 

Thomas

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Sounds like a success Thomas. Except for the RC. Keep us updated

Adam

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OK; fitted ! :D

Nice sound, not so sharp, it's much softer and more comfortable. There are too much programs (for the beginning), to much parameters for fitting. I think it takes some time to understand all these setting and how they work. I think understanding is better, but I'm not sure, not yet. Let me some time for experience.

Have a little howling on the left side, but this will be resolved in the next fitting.

Remote control is terrible :angry: I must put the RC direct on my nose to control both Sambas at the same time. If I'm too far away, only one processor will response or none of them.

Thomas

You're good - I have to put it on my shoulder :(

Yes - it's softer and my understanding is better. It is far more easier to listen although I miss a little bit of volume which I can not add enough with RC. Don't know why :( :(

Interesting - I had howling with Amade but not with Samba.

I guess I will have to change my avatar: from r2D2 to an old TV :D

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Day 5, second fitting !

 

We raise the volume about 6dB and fixed some little problems. Understanding is now great, much better as with Amadé. Automatic sound management works. For my opinion a little bit too good, noisy environment is reduced too much and too heavy.

 

Another interesting thing. We started with an vibrogram. Complete different hearing threshold, complete different lines !  My BC-hearing is much better on the left site, specially for the lower tones, nearly "normal". Maybe this results in the in situ measurements or the older "false" audiology. Maybe it's caused by the different placing of the sound transducers.

 

Much more bandwidh in the "music-program", sounds natural, not sharp, no howling anymore. I'm still activated for 3 programs, will introduce my audi to activate all 5 programs for "playing" with some different parameter settings in the next fitting session on Wednesday.

 

And another great goal !  I can hear an loud emergency siren of an police car or an ambulance without clipping. It's really crazy, I can chat with my friends, if the ambulance is driving past me, it's link an natural ear !  Will test the Sambas while I driving a car. I had never put on my hearing aids, when I drove.

 

Magnets are much more powerful. Now I'm using No. 4 on both sides, but 4 is a little bit less for my right side, will get an No. 5 at next fitting session. I'm feeling more secure with this powerful magnets.

 

Another interesting thing. Any RC from SIEMENS works with the Sambas. Maybe this is an option to use your stethoscope with the Samba, Ivana !

 

Ivana, your audi can set an threshold and range for the volume for the RC. My range is set to 18dB (+/- 9dB), thats enough, but we can go higher. It's an setting in the Symfit software. I'm still below the max. volume of my "old" Amadé, there is more spare gain left.

 

Thomas

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Hi Thomas congratulations for your switch !

I have two questions for you .

1 ) the program music is 'more clear , natural and sharp than the other? The volume of this program is most high? ivana also had written the same thing .

2 ) I did not understand the question of the range of the volume to do with the software.....can you suggest me how to set it ? thank you !!

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Yes Thomas - can I sign your comment? :P

That's exactly what impressed me at most during my car driving - I can hear my mobile phone while radio is working at max, when I am druving on the highway I do not need to boost the volume in order to understand anything; not to mention, I can hear classic masters again ;)

Regarding my stethoscope - yes, that's exactly my plan. I have found the solution: right now I am in the process og buying my Siemens MiniTEK and ordering stethoscope which should work in the combination.

When everything will artive and be tested I will write about it. Don't know how long I have been waiting this. :D

Regarding the automatic sound managment - perhaps yes, but it gives superior clarity of speech. I would keep as it is and for all other occasions I use my music program where the dinamic range is excellent.

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Hi Andrea.

 

Correct, music program is not cut and filtered as much as possible. And it is set 2 or 3dB louder, but it can be changed. Tell it to your audi, he lower the volume. But music program is only usable in quite environment, otherwise you get too much background noise.

 

The RC must be attached with the Samba. In this tab of the fitting software you (your audi) can set an threshold and an max. range of the gain for the RC. normally it is set to 50% threshold and + / - 6dB (12dB), but you can change it to more or less. This is the range, the RC can set the volume.

 

Ivana, it's possible to set the entry-point and the strength of the automatic sound management. It's another tab in the fitting software.

 

Thomas

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Hello Thomas,

I have got my RC independently of my fitting - so it should be "paired" during the fitting with Samba? That's the reason why it is not much effective....

I don't feel that I get the amplification which I can obviously remind with my RC. Perhaps I am wrong...

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Ivana,

 

if your RC is working, it works. RC must enabled in an fitting session. The bad range is caused of an uncoded transmission. If you and I are together, you can control my Sambas and I can control yours ;) Transmitter and receiver are not paired, thats the crux :(  Go into a theater and you can control all SIEMENS hearing aids which are in range.

 

Thomas

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Thomas,

I can change programmes but I do not feel that I raise volume at all - this is misterious to me.

And - no, my RC came after my fitting session.

Ha-ha... Better that international leaders do not wear Siemens hearing aids anymore :P Terrorist would have any easy and bloodless job ;)

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"The remote control allows the user to switch between the different fitting programs as well as to change the overall volume in each of these programs (refer to “volume control range” on page xxx). At this stage, it is also possible to register an alternative remote control e.g. the miniTek™* if available."

 

"Volume Control Range - The volume control range (figure x), defined by the shaded area around the 65 dB gain curve, allows you to select the amount of overall gain the user is able to set via the remote control (from 0 dB up to 32 dB). It
is recommended to leave the pre-defined 8 dB range as it stands."

 

RC must be activated with an checkbox in the fitting software. Change the pre-defined range ;)

 

See page 8 at http://s3.medel.com/downloadmanager/downloads/soundbridge_prof/en-GB/28494_1_1.pdf

 

Thomas

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Not sure - is it possible that my RC was activated without Samba being present? And then sent to me.

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Good question for your Medellin rep Ivana. Maybe you have inside influence with them :D)

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:D

 

Maybe your audi has "automatically" activated the checkbox while fitting. Have you told him/her before that you want to use a RC ?

 

Thomas

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If your remote control settings are similar to the Fine Tuner for CIs, the audiologist has the ability to set the remote different ways. My Fine Tuner is set at MAX so I can only turn down the volume. If my audiologist sets my Fine Tuner at less than max, I could turn up the volume. At least this is how I understand it.

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Day 10, 3rd fitting.

 

Only small parameters changed today, not really necessary. We higher the compression in the low tones a little bit and lower it in the main speech area. This gives an tremendous better understanding in noisy environment. Don't need to change volume anymore. Great !

 

In 10 days I have an meeting with my Med-El representant, we will talk about this studies of the new Samba. Hopefully, there is an option to upgrade to Samba in a cost neutral way.

 

Thomas

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  • 2 weeks later...
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That was supposed to read MEDEL rep. Auto correct got me

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