Sunday 31 October 2010

Halloween Week

......And so the rains came, no sign of Noah yet but all the customers seem to have taken the same hint.

Mrs DS has settled with her Fuses after a bit of inital concern. Seems like the shape of her post- operative ear canal was the root cause. The new bullet domes appear to have put this one to bed, not only because they allow the receiver to sit farther in, but also due to the improved seal with the variation in the closed versions, rather than one tulip size fits all. Only slight tricky issue was a failed faceplate (again!).  It's a crying shame that nobody can produce a decent standard ITC that doesn't fall apart, rip or get blocked full of wax.

Starkey full shell fittings seem to have stuck despite some initial concerns with the users. Starkey's vc is still the most incredible thing out there - you tell the software to disable it, yet it still turns the aid on and off. Hopefully the Welsh speaking aid will pacify one wearer. (Mr GT) In his particular case he's struggling somewhere between his hearing and other types of degeneration - the original oversize VC proved too much to deal with. Fortunately his program changes are audible to the 'helper' so he can be set in either 'normal' program un or choir/music program dau.

Resound Be are still dying in use - Mrs EP is on her third swapout - possibly going to be happy with a fuse as an alternative, but I'd prefer her to stick with a working Be 7 as it is one half of a pair. Resound appear to have collectively disappeared up their own fundament, with the exception of sending out some Alera (sans TV-link) I haven't heard a sausage from them since Hearbuy.

Open week next week to drum up lots of trade, no doubt. Though they'll probably only want the free Cawl.

Saturday 23 October 2010

Spice-Spice Baby,

Yeah, it's here, it's good and it's expensive. There are three separate zoom functions built into the full blown Ambra product with less in the watered down V and III Audeo S Mini. The Stereozoom is a very powerful function all made possible by the paradigm shift of true binaural synchronisation. My main concern would be the difficulty of some (rich) customers being able to identify which zoom suits which situation the best. It's going to suit a button-presser, but not somebody who wants the aid to do all the work.
Is it enough to start using Phonak again? we'll see if we've got any takers on the Open week in November. Phonak are really pushing the smaller form factor too, it's all part of their plan to take over the world: no doubt. Target fitting software is now out there - seems OK - bit less messy than iPFG.

In other news, a couple of  ITE in the form of Starkey S5 for less dexterous and demading customers are in the pipe-line: one of these has already been fitted and a pair are sitting on the desk for next week. Starkey's turnaround times are shorter than it takes Widex to receive an aid in the post - sort it out Jon.

Rob Davies is pushing AIHHP membership as a credible alternative to the party-politik of BSHAA, might be worth a punt for the Hearbuy discount, but that may get soaked up on the socialising........

Friday 15 October 2010

Shooting plugs and shooting (kayak course) assessors.

After my Kayak coaching assessment on the weekend, it's nice to get back to the mundane stuff again.

Puretone have pulled their finger out of their bottoms this week, by getting some CENS II flex to us within a month of ordering - unfortunatley they look nothing like the picture in the flyers, which is what the client was expecting. They seemed to work ok though. HOWEVER - the fitting kit received with them was fantastic, big box of wipes, auragel, dessicant container and lots more goodies. As a bonus, they also throw in a free replacement acrylic speech filter module, to use should the electronic one need servicing.

Two more Unitron Fuse failures this week, another torn LHS with failed receiver and one with an inverted gore-tex mic cover, which didn't cause any problems initially, but basically killed the aid as soon as there was a smear of moisture or wax. Hopefully these issues will diminish or it looks like I'll be getting out of the crossover products when the next batch is finished. Which is an utter shame, especially when people like the concept and the sound (as in the Be), but we are being let down by the execution.

Customer issues this week have been fairly limited, some handling and insertion technique for Mrs DS with her new fuse (tip selection/feedback issue too). Nicola McMahon was on site to assist, though she can't take the battery doors off with her fingers.......

It's generally quiet here on the Manufacturer front as they are all doing their thing in EUHA. I'm really surprised that we haven't seen more activity from Resound on the Alera, but there you go.

Anyway, Phonak launch Spice range next Friday, so we'll be seeing the new Ambra product combined with the new Target software. Perhaps there's be an option for a different 'mainstay' product. Possibly a RIC from them.

Saturday 9 October 2010

Short week this week.

Away on a canoe course on Thursday and Friday so not a lot to report.

Mrs SJ now getting on really well with the Fuse despite her initial reluctance and preference to stay with the Be. Slight management issue regarding mobile phone use and settings pushed up a fraction to nearer full description.

Mr VW has returned the fitted fuses, preferring to try out Siemens Life BTE from Amplifon across the road. I was going to offer an Alera 61 instead, but if he's going to try to play off one dispenser against another, he can deal with the sound from the Siemens by himself.

We'll see how they get on.