Advertisement
Starkey image
Advertisement
Starkey image
Kirkland Signature (Costco) 10.0

Costco's Kirkland Signature 10.0 Hearing Aid — KS10

Reviews and Prices

Ratings

4 stars stars

3.9 stars from 89 reviews

$1,400 / pair New Purchase
Hands-Free Calling Yes
iPhone Streaming Yes
Android Streaming Yes
Rechargeable Yes
IP Rating IP68

KS10 availability update — November 2022

In November 2022, HearingTracker broke the news that Sonova, manufacturer of Kirkland Signature KS10 and Phonak Brio hearing aids sold by Costco, had decided to discontinue sales of all products to Costco, citing “the decision to focus the distribution of our Phonak brand with strategic channels and eliminate our offering in certain large retail chains.” That means, at this writing, you cannot purchase the KS10 or Brio 4 and Brio 5 models previously sold by Costco. If you've been fitted with the KS10 or Brio products, you will still be able to receive all services and support associated with the hearing aids from Costco hearing care professionals.

HearingTracker Audiologist Matthew Allsop provides an update on the pause in sales and possible discontinuation of the Costco KS10.

Costco’s Kirkland Signature hearing aids look a lot like the latest hearing aids from Sonova, the Swiss hearing aid manufacturer behind brands like Phonak, Unitron, and Hansaton. They were available for $1,399.99 per pair, including a portable charger, at all U.S. Costco Hearing Aid Centers.

Kirkland Signature 10.0 with Tcoil

The new Kirkland Signature 10.0, and what comes in the box.

Based on product descriptions from the KS10 User Portal and product information brochure, it seems that the latest Kirkland Signature hearing aids don’t just look like the other popular Sonova hearing aids—they are functionally similar too:

  • Simultaneous connections to two Bluetooth devices
  • Built-in motion sensor that improve speech understanding when walking
  • Personalized noise cancellation via smartphone app
  • Tap control to answer phone calls, pause/resume streaming, activate voice assistant
  • Lithium-ion rechargeable batteries
  • Onboard tcoils to pick up landline calls and hearing loop broadcast audio
  • 20 fine-tuning channels, 9 automatic programs, 4 manual programs
  • Tinnitus relief
  • 4 receiver power levels
  • Accessories: TV Connector, PartnerMic, RemoteControl, Power Pack, and Roger compatibility

KS10 Rechargeability

The KS10 hearing aids come with a plug-in hard-shell charging case. The hearing aids may be recharged fully within 3 hours, and to 80%. capacity within 1.5 hours. A separate Easy Line Power Pack is available for purchase, which provides multiple charges on the go.

KS10 Charger

KS10 "Charger Case" and "Easy Line Power Pack".

KS10 versus latest Sonova hearing Aids

Importantly, it seems like the new KS10 is functionally similar to the most premium Sonova models (which typically cost 3-5x as much as the KS10), because Sonova has included premium features like “Echo Manager” (presumably similar to Echo Block), and “Speech Boost”, which again is only available in the most premium Sonova models as “Speech Enhancer.” Additionally, the KS10 includes 20 fine tuning channels, just like other top end Sonova models.

Costco versus local practice

Is it worth spending more at a local independent hearing care practice? Well, that all depends. Many people in the Hearing Aid Forum are completely happy with their Costco hearing aids. However, some have reported long wait times, and variable quality audiological care. The most important thing in succeeding with hearing aids is receiving the absolute best quality of care (research shows it means more than the hearing aids in terms of your ultimate benefit with the devices). So, be sure to evaluate the local options, and ensure you choose the best service provider available to you!

KS10 Physical Specifications

Model details listed above may be incomplete or inaccurate. For full specifications please refer to product specifications published by the original equipment manufacturer. To suggest a correction to the details listed, please email info@hearingtracker.com.

Back to Table of Contents

KS10 Technology Details

KS10
Price $1,399.99 / pair
Rating
77%

89 reviews

Technology specifications listed above may be incomplete or inaccurate. For full specifications please refer to product specifications published by the original equipment manufacturer. To suggest a correction to the details listed, please email info@hearingtracker.com.

Back to Table of Contents

KS10 Accessories

TV Connector

TV Connector

Functions

  • TV Streamer

Compatible Aids

  • 10.0

Back to Table of Contents

KS10 Videos

KS10 Video 12 August 2021

Costco Hearing Aid Center Review | Secret Shopping Kirkland Signature 10.0

Costco Hearing Aid Center Review | Secret Shopping Kirkland Signature 10.0 Hearing Aids. Doctor Cliff Olson, Audiologist and founder of Applied...

KS10 Video 01 September 2021

Costco Kirkland Signature 10 Detailed Hearing Aid Review | KS10 | KS 10.0T

Costco Kirkland Signature 10.0T Detailed Hearing Aid Review. Doctor Cliff Olson, Audiologist and founder of Applied Hearing Solutions in Phoenix...

Back to Table of Contents

KS10 Reviews

Hearing aid reviews are fundamentally different from reviews for most other consumer electronic products. The reason is because individual factors, like degree of hearing loss, have a profound effect one's success and overall satisfaction with the product. When purchasing a hearing aid, you'll need to consider more than just your hearing outcome ... Continue reading

Write a Review

Overall Ratings

Hearing Tracker uses a ten-question survey to assess consumer feedback on hearing aids. The percentage bars below reflect the average ratings provided per question.
Note: Original answers provided in star rating format.

Benefit in Quiet
No data available
85%
Benefit in Noise
No data available
72%
Benefit on the Phone
No data available
80%
Clear and Natural
No data available
83%
Music Improvement
No data available
69%
Physical Comfort
No data available
85%
Reliability
No data available
72%
Feedback
No data available
80%
Hearing Improvement
No data available
83%
Value
No data available
69%
Anonymous
Anonymous 14 August 2023
1 star stars

Same charging station issues as others.  In March of 2023, Costco took my defective Phonak 10.0T rechargeable hearing aids and replaced them with another same problem defective pair.  Costco now wants to send my second pair back to Phonak and have them replace them with another questionable 10.0T (probably defective) pair.  This is just a game of wearing the consumer down!

Anonymous
Anonymous 06 May 2023
2 stars stars

First time hearing aid user.

This brand has major issues. Does not charge, streaming cuts out 

sometimes working both ears, sometimes just a one ear.

Costco sent it twice for a repair twice it came back with same issues.

Costco pulled out this brand from their stores for good reasons.

Spend your money on another brand. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 19 April 2023
2 stars stars

The hearing aids work okay. The charging ability, however, is very unreliable. At least eight times in the past two years, I’ve found one hearing aid, properly placed in the charger, completely dead in the morning. I always check twice before bed to make sure they’re charging, so somehow it just quits charging during the night. During the last call to Costco, I was told how to reset it so it would charge. This doesn’t, however, solve the problem of being without the hearing aid for at least four hours while it charges. 

ppersch

My solution is to not rely on the magnetic capture. Push them in until the LED starts blinking. I do not close the case at night so that I can see the LED blink if I wake up. Had to reset the aids once during my 3 year usage. I suspect as was written that Phonak saw too many sales go to Costco.

Virgo09
Virgo09 29 November 2022
5 stars stars

I purchased the non-rechargeable aids on the recommendation of the person who worked with me. I'm very glad I did. No problems at all. The batteries I am using last 5 days. I tried a few brands before I discovered these. Powermax is the brand. I loved them the first time I wore them. Many times I go to bed with them on because I forget I am wearing them. So comfortable. They work great with my smart phone. I can't imagine any working any better. I use the Phonak app that allows me to make lots of adjustments on the aids depending on my needs. Highly recommend.

Anonymous
Anonymous 30 October 2022
1 star stars

I bought the hearing aids September 2021

To get an appointment with help pairing to cellphone 5 days, for something that it took 3 minutes 

My hearing DID NOT IMP

Anonymous
Anonymous 29 October 2022
5 stars stars

I've had my hearing aids for six months now, and I've had no issues with them at all. They charge just fine. I'm a retired IT pro and have been very impressed with my hearing aids, the audiologist and the hearing aid staff. Highly recommended, and a very reasonable cost.

Anonymous
Anonymous 26 October 2022
3 stars stars

The new Easy Line app. is a piece of junk, showed up with no reason, most annoying, takes away from the value of the hearing aids. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 20 October 2022
5 stars stars

I have been wearing hearing aids for 30 years. I lost most of my hearing at age 40. One day I couldn’t hear my alarm clock and haven’t heard it since. I have worn many brands of hearing aids fitted by professional audiologists and these KS10.0T aids are just phenomenal. For the first time in 30 years, I have very good word recognition with live spoken speech. I don’t miss a word when people talk to me. Costco technician got settings correct the very first time. Excellent professional people to work with…

Connectivity to iPhone, MacBook, and TV is solid and streaming sound quality is outstanding. The sound is like being in a concert hall. Very rich tones for bass and treble. Rechargeable batteries easily last an entire day.

KS10.0T is manufactured by Sonova in Switzerland. The wax guard design is very unique. With all previous hearing aids, I needed to change wax guards frequently. I have been wearing these new aids now for two months and have yet to change wax guard. Costco’s policy of free cleaning and replacement of wax guards and ear domes is a tremendous cost savings.

Wind noise and background noises are very subdued. Very little road noise when driving in car. Technician created a special telecoil program for me that allows hearing aid use with aviation headset. Zero feedback when used with active noise reduction. Sound quality is excellent when wearing over-the-ear headset. This is easily worth entire purchase price of $1399. KS10.0T is an excellent value….

I want to buy a second pair of KS10.0T but discovered that Costco is not selling them now due to product recall. If/when they become available again, I will be first in line to purchase…..

Anonymous
Anonymous 12 October 2022
1 star stars

Always a charging problem and into center every other week with wire or charge problem hard to reset yourself too

Anonymous
Anonymous 22 September 2022
5 stars stars

Purchased K-10 hearing aids about 5 weeks ago to replace expensive, 6 yr old, Phonaks. I'm really happy with them and with the really knowledgeable Costco hearing aid techs. My techs are very well schooled and listened to my comments, unlike the certified audiologists I've dealt with in the past at the expensive hearing aid centers. Costcos hearing tests are more sophisticated too compared with those places. Overall, my new K-10 hearing aids work great, the techs are great, and the price can't be beat. The 3 yr warranty includes damage and loss protection. It's icing on the cake. Why would you go elsewhere and waste several thousands of dollars more? If you are not a Costco member, it would be worth joining just to purchase these hearing aids.

Anonymous
Anonymous 18 September 2022
5 stars stars

I have had  hearing aids that cost 4800 dollars,  that did not work as well as the Kirkland 10' s work. These hearing aids of more than my previous hearing aids. Great 👍 

Anonymous
Anonymous 15 September 2022
3 stars stars

Sound quality is okay but there is terrible Bluetooth connection on my iPhone, the connection drops every 5 minutes or so.

Anonymous
Anonymous 15 September 2022
1 star stars

I have had my hearing aids for two months and the left unit had a feedback squeal from about day two. the right unit was not able to control the volume and now both units have totally quit after 7 weeks. I'm not usually disappointed with Costco-Kirkland brand but this product tarnishes their reputation for both value and high quality......... Is the Costco brand starting to slip?

Anonymous
Anonymous 27 July 2022
4 stars stars

I like my KS-10 hearing aids except for one issue.  When I'm talking thru the hearing aids on the phone, and there is slight background noise, the other party hears the noise very loudly and we cannot continue to talk.  Does anyone have a solution to this issue?

georgiasunflower
georgiasunflower 27 July 2022
5 stars stars

These are only my 2nd pair of HA’s. I replaced a lost one due to Covid Mask incident. I LOVE the KS-10’s.  It has taken some time to get used to recharging vs batteries. There are pros and cons but the quality of these HA’s is excellent.  The price wonderful!  My 1st pair was over $4000!  These are every bit as good for 1/4 the cost. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 23 July 2022
4 stars stars

I'm 36 years old with no ear drum from a floppef surgery. The KS10s have suited me well i like them better than my KS9s. I did send them in for repair once due to sweat killing the hearing aid. But other than that they are pretty good for the price.

Anonymous
Anonymous 10 June 2022
4 stars stars

Good hearing aid, good service, but specifications are far from good. I am travelling to UK, want to know whether I can use an adaptor with 12w ports, but I cannot find the wattage anywhere. Are these rechargeable hearing aids 12 w? 

Member

I'm traveling to Europe also this summer. Did you ever get an answer? How do I use the charger in France?

Member

My charger for my case is duo voltage so just need the adapter to the round pin they use in Europe. On Amazon I like this one, Bates- European Travel Plug Adapter, Adapter with USB, European Plug Adapter,

Anonymous
Anonymous 03 June 2022
1 star stars

I am now on my second pair. Neither would connect with my iPhone 12. The first pair I had were fine at first, I liked the way they blocked out background noise. After a few days the volume would go up and down constantly making it difficult to hear at times. When the volume would go up it would become too loud. Then they just started cutting out and then coming back on. I took them back and waited 2 weeks for them to come back, I was told this was a new pair replacing my defective ones. Bear in mind if anything goes wrong with your hearing aids you will lose them for 10 to 14 days having them repaired. Lucky for me I still have my Kirkland 8 hearing aids which are fantastic especially given the disaster of the Kirkland 10s. This is my first day with my second pair of Kirkland 10s, but were not off to a great start with them refusing to pair with my phone. My Kirkland 8s pair instantly with my phone. Given how much I liked my Kirkland 8s I could not be more dissappointed with  my Kirkland  10s. We will see what happens but I am leaning towards returning them and spending some more on Widex Aids

Anonymous
Anonymous 28 May 2022
5 stars stars

I love my Kirkland’s HA.  Especially one on one conversations and phone calls are really nice!  It’s not too good in a crowd but I really am thankful for these.

Anonymous
Anonymous 07 April 2022
1 star stars

I bought the Kirkland brand... WHAT A MISTAKE.

The battery does not last. if your out who do you recharged... carrying the case?

Pay a little bit more and go for another brand

Anonymous
Anonymous 05 April 2022
5 stars stars

The sound quality and automatic settings are great!

Anonymous
Anonymous 31 March 2022
1 star stars

Had to wait two weeks from order to delivery ... picked them up around 3 PM on Tuesday this week. Wore them until 10 PM then put them in the charger. Woke up Wednesday morning and started wearing them at 9 AM. All day long the Automatic program kept cycling between modes every minute or so until I set it to Music. The right hearing aid completely broke at 7:30 PM ... about 18 hours of total use and a complete failure. No power, no light, no connection, cannot turn back on, doesn't light up in the charger, everything. First thing today since I was out I stopped at COSTCO to hear "You don't have an appointment" and "Did you try turning it on?" and then, with a smirk, "You seem angry." Well, I'm $1400 of upset especially to find out COSTCO DOES NOT REPLACE ONE DAY OLD DEFECTIVE HEARING AIDS. They are being sent for repair so in effect I will end up having paid FULL NEW PRICE for used/repaired hearing aids ... as if I'll ever trust the repaired units to last like my 12 year-old Phonak units did. Buyer beware!

Anonymous
Anonymous 27 March 2022
5 stars stars

Simply amazing!  I have been resisting getting HA's due to my young age (49) and refusal to believe I needed them.  After putting it off for 7 years and waiting for HAs to connect via Bluetooth directly to an Android device, I can say I am so happy and satisfied!  The connectivity for phone calls and streaming music is seamless (Galaxy S10). The sound quality on phone calls is excellent for me and the people on the other end.  I love that they function like a Bluetooth headphone where the mic is integrated to the HA. I can answer a call with a double tap of my ear and talk to family or friends completely hands free and my phone isn't even close to me!  Sound quality for music I find comparable to that of my Bluetooth earbuds (NOT tinny AT ALL).  As for the automatic adjustment for different environments...it seems to be working so well that I forget I am wearing HAs.  I was at a very loud live Hockey Game and I could hear people next to me, but the background noise was not overwhelming. I have been on loud buses and in my home, and it all sounds great! I can even hear the TV and the dialogue, all without any additional pieces of hardware (no need for TV streamer). Connection via Bluetooth to my Windows 10 PC is also perfect for Zoom calls or watching videos. If I don't stream, I can hear my computer sound and dialogue just as clear through the HA's.  I concurrently was testing out another HA from an online website and their sound quality wasn't nearly as full or clear (voices).  These others didn't switch programs automatically based on the environment, but I had to use the phone app to make program changes. Bluetooth connectivity to my S10 dropped many times throughout the day requiring a phone reboot to take place for reconnection which was absolutely needed to be able to change programs or hear calls in both ears.  All in all I can say if you aren't a Costco member, the price to join is worth it JUST to get these HAs over other OTC HAs!  If I could give more than 5 stars I would.  I have NOT tried HAs from an audiologist as I don't see the point, as these are working amazingly well for 1399 plus tax!

Adam R

Really appreciate this review. I'm 44 and in the same boat. Looking for my first pair of HAs and it seems like there's a million choices out there!

The new technology is what I'm looking for since I'm on the phone, in meetings and talking with co-workers constantly throughout the day. I really need something that can switch between those seamlessly without costing me $6k at my audiologist's office. Thanks for posting.

Anonymous
Anonymous 23 March 2022
3 stars stars

I’m a heavy phone user.  The KS10 battery drains reasonably quickly when I’m using the Bluetooth connection to my phone. Not a dealbreaker for me in itself but will be a problem as the battery health declines with time. The big issue for me is that the aids chime regularly when I’m on the phone. This momentarily cuts off the connection to the person on the phone.  This has happened as regularly as every 20secs in a call. I’m working with Costco to fix the problem but so far no luck. Lastly, I find occasionally the aids just don’t process voices clearly. I can have some one in front of me with little background noise and the KS10’s just can’t translate the voice clearly. Generally though they aren’t bad aids, but in some ways they don’t perform as I want them to. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 22 March 2022
5 stars stars

I've had 3 different sets of aids from different companies. All did not help my hearing, ,last set cost $4800, no good  !!!I I tried Costco aides, because they were rated by Consumers Report #1. Cost $1300 , I'll tell you, the best investment, I have spent !!!! I CAN HEAR !!!!

Anonymous
Anonymous 17 February 2022
5 stars stars

I love both the performance and the functionality of these ks 10s. I've tried several other more expensive brands and the ks 10s are as good or better at a fraction of the price.

Member

May I ask how long you have had them for? I just returned my rexton's due to rhe left HA continually dropping out when the blue tooth was on. I tried them for 6 months.

Anonymous
Anonymous 15 February 2022
4 stars stars

OK, I am cheating because I haven't bought mine - yet. But I read all the reviews thoroughly and found some common problems which are putting me off buying at the moment. Most of all, the Bluetooth is old technology (v4.2) which was updated elsewhere (v5.0) back in 2016.  It explains some of the connectivity and latency problems that affect those who stream music.  So I may just wait wait until the next iteration KS 11 arrives and see if v5.2 is present.  I've worn HA's for 20 years and watched (listened?) as improvements are made so it's a bit disheartening to read that such expensive items often disappoint. Yes I know many HA's are priced even higher but these ones cost the same as a classy OLED TV.

Anonymous
Anonymous 30 January 2022
4 stars stars

My first hearing appliances - so really difficult to give them a "5"... or anything under a "4".  I'd say they are quite workable for my modest high-frequency hearing loss.  I can now hear "tiny", "far-away", "high-pitch" sounds that I could no longer formerly hear, such as the sound of fabric rubbing together, or the drop of a fork into the utensil drawer, or birds and wind rustling.  That makes my human existance come out of "fuzzy" and into sharper design, like the first time I wore eye glasses.  So this I like.  After a week or two trying to figure out how to put them in, I've got it down pat now - easy!  I wear them all day (11 hours) and have Bluetooth connection to my iPhone and to my Windows10 laptop for use with both Zoom and Teams conference calls.  Works just fine!  I don't use the app at all and can't figure out why I'd need to? So all the complaining about the mobile app is just "noise" to me (get it?).  The Kirkland 10.0T hearing devices for the money, are a viable, sophisticated piece of technology, that is a good entry into the world of defined listening.  Recommended.

Anonymous
Anonymous 17 January 2022
2 stars stars

I bought these and unfortunately I lost the left one at work. They got me a new left hearing aid that is not compatible with the right one.  I can't hook them both up with my phone now! They have no idea why they aren't compatible. They are useless and is frustrating to spend that much money on worthless heating aides.

Sarah C

But you are in reality, then, criticizing the skills and service of the hearing professionals fitting you, no? In a (rare but possible) private practice with doctors of audiology who understand auditory function and technology, and who perform electroacoustic analysis and real ear measures and are skilled troubleshooters, this wouldn’t happen. By the way, the aids just need re-connected as a pair in the software, then might need re-paired to the phone and app. This is why it’s worth paying extra for private service.

Anonymous
Anonymous 11 January 2022
2 stars stars

Just purchased KS10 hearing aids. They seem to work OK, but the Sonova Easy Line app is crap! Even the Costco HA tech could not get it to connect with my hearing aids. Oddly, the bluetooth on my phone registers the aids but Easy Line app does not. Apparently, I have only three options: (1) live with the aids as they are; (2) purchase an HA remote; or (3) return them to Costco!

audscott
audscott 08 January 2022
3 stars stars

One side is distored and range bound.  I'm sure it's the programming but I should not be having this problem considering a professional tuned it.

Anonymous
Anonymous 01 December 2021
4 stars stars

My hearing aids dial various people in my contact list.  I have checked with Apple and the settings on my phone are correct.  I have Bluetooth connected correctly and Voice Control is off, although the blue voice control menu appears on my phone.  Otherwise, the aids are excellent and I haven’t heard so well in years!

Anonymous
Anonymous 30 November 2021
1 star stars

Only have had HA for less than a week. Been back to audiologist twice to address "spring-like sound" originating in right ear (I assume the 'master'). With each step I take my head fills with a sound like you'd hear from a BROKEN mechanical reverb unit (i.e. a spring rubbing against a metal plate). Too annoying, these will be going back to Costco.

Member

Costco employs hearing aids fitters, not qualified audiologists.

Al Humphreys

My testing, fitting, and adjustment was performed by an accredited audiologist at Costco, Niagara Falls, Ontario.

Inrchld
Inrchld 27 November 2021
5 stars stars

I’ve owned and worn my hearing aids an average of 11 hours per day since purchasing them in 8/2021. So simple to use, well concealed, can handle FL sweat. The price was amazing, all things considered and due to traffic, the 15 mile trip to our nearest Costco can take 1 hour & 15 minutes! However, the phone support is excellent and right there for you, so while I like to understand and trouble shoot issues myself, if I’m pressed for time or need a little more info until I’m a master at what typically turns out to be very simple, I know phone support will come through for me. These are a gift. Costco will 1st show you a scope pic of the inside of your ears for wax. Next, the test and where you are on average for your age. My hearing loss was just a little worse in one ear than average and spot on the other. I’ve used a BT device for 20 years, along with my phone on a dual lanyard around my neck. Myself and all I’ve spoken with, can’t get over how clear and realistic I sound and I can listen to music or podcasts and they’re set to shut that off while I take a call, returning to what I was listening to, afterward. I’m sure the EasyLine app will be perfect. That’s the only one I’m having some issues with and I could adjust the treble, etc.. once I’ve got that going on. Huge thanks to those who put the work into designing and manufacturing these hearing aids. When I take them out at bedtime the silence is remarkable. People are no longer, politely requested to speak up as my hearing isn’t the best!

Anonymous
Anonymous 24 November 2021
5 stars stars

We are really surprised that my husband can hear so well with this hearing aid he has severe severe loss and I was thrilled that the new technology is working for him.

Anonymous
Anonymous 21 November 2021
4 stars stars

The hearing aids are excellent for my moderate hearing loss. Bluetooth connectivity is really great to have. But there are caveats

1. The related application is a garbage in my opinion. It has not worked properly after the first one or two uses. The app does not recognize or detect the left hearing aid despite reboots of all devices involved" phone and aids. reinstalling app is no help. It is really a weak app rated in the mid 2s in the app store.  I am a very surprised Costco would be associated with this app or, alternatively, would not lean heavily in the developer to get it straightened out.

2. The bluetooth connection is very flakey when I attempt to connect to my Chromebook which is a fixture on my treadmill. Says it is connected when it is not and so on. The Chromebook connects fine with to my other bluetooth devices.

The aids DO connect well and reliably to my android phone and tablet

The net of this is the hearing aids are fantastic, the bluetooth implementation is so so and the app us trash.

Anonymous
Anonymous 19 November 2021
1 star stars

If you save a setting for ie. TV at if you have a saved setting ie. TV At Home and try to adjust and save the settings GOOD LUCK the app doesn’t work. You get an internal error. If you try to save it with a different name GOOD LUCK the app doesn’t work it won’t save it. If you make all the adjustments you want and try to save it all you get is the Automatic program with a different name. Junk junk BUY A DIFFERENT BRAND. These are junk. I guess you get what you pay for. Returning these

Ohio Hearing Aid User
Ohio Hearing Aid User 15 November 2021
3 stars stars

An online video review of the KS 10 says it's not forward compatible with the new version of Bluetooth. The new Bluetooth version apparently is 5.2, which reportedly "ushers in the next generation of Bluetooth audio — LE Audio"). 5.2 with the LE audio LC3 codec is supposed to be significantly better than prior Bluetooth versions. The video review says if we buy the KS 10 we'll have to buy a different hearing aid if we want Bluetooth 5.2, and that some other hearing aids are forward compatible with the LE audio LC3 codec. True? I am not sure it's a good idea to buy hearing aids now and then find out I want to replace them in 2 or 3 years. Apparently other hearing aids already are compatible with the new Bluetooth according to DrCliffAuD's video review.

Anonymous
Anonymous 10 November 2021
4 stars stars

I like the hearing aids but also agree with others who are not thrilled with the connectivity to iPhone. I have the iPhone 13.  The app is so-so. In addition, I cannot connect to my iPad. The aids themselves are terrific even though  many times while on my iPhone calls tend to drop for no reason. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 09 November 2021
5 stars stars

These hearing aids are everything they say they are. My second pair of Kirkland hearing aids. They are awesome with Bluetooth to my phone and tablet. I am using android devices and have no problems. Ear tapping to turn Bluetooth on and off take some getting use to but not rocket science. I am also hearing things I could not hear before with my 7 year old aids. Recharging also works great. No more batteries. Overall I give these hearing aids a 10.

Anonymous
Anonymous 09 November 2021
4 stars stars

I've had the new aids for about three months and am pleased overall.  My hearing of female voices is much better.  The only down side is that I am getting s's that sound like SH.  "So" and other words starting with S becomes "SHO" or an SH sound with most voices, not all. I have a follow-up with my Costco Tech this afternoon and hope that she will be able to solve this problem. Otherwise, I'm hearing better than I have in years, and these aids are much more comfortable in my ear channel, than my previous ReSound aids and the improvement in hearing is remarkable.

Anonymous
Anonymous 08 November 2021
5 stars stars

Got them very recently. They seem to work very well. The features are good. The problem I am having is that the wire to the receiver in the right ear is a little bit short. The one in the left ear is fine. They are both number 4. Is it possible to get a wire a little bit longer for the right ear. This would solve the problem.

Hugh B
Hugh B 08 November 2021
5 stars stars

Virtually identical to Phonak Paradise but at a price that I could afford. Somewhat improved over my Phonak Marvels. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 01 November 2021
5 stars stars

I have been wearing hearing aids for about 20 years. The last two aids have been from Costco. Best performing and fitted aids I have owned and the after sale service has been outstanding. These K10's are magic and give me the best hearing performance I have  ever had. The fitting process my Costco's offer is light years ahead of what I had previously received by other vendors in my area. What is amazing is the Costco aids keep get better and the price keep going down. Thanks Costco.

Anonymous
Anonymous 31 October 2021
2 stars stars

I have had mine under a month. I thought everything was fine until I answered a phone call and the person calling could barely hear me. It happens all the time. Today on Halloween I started with both of them fully charged T 8:30 AM and at 4:10 PM my right ear phone is dead and wont' take a charge. Sadly I will have to return them.

Anonymous
Anonymous 27 October 2021
5 stars stars

Went to Costco hearing center in Niagara falls Ontario Katelyn was the audiologist she was very knowledgeable taking time to explain how the hearing aids work . Excellent service from front desk . Price was great . All around a very great experience!! F.J

Al Humphreys

I also had Katelyn at Niagara Falls Costco perform my hearing test, program my new KS-10s and perform minor adjustments after 3 weeks. Excellent service from her and the desk receptionist. No problems pairing these hearing aids to both my Android phone and my iPad.

Member

I’ve been told Costco does not employ audiologists (Drs.), only hearing aid fitters. Stands to reason they would not be as qualified to tweak settings to meet individual needs.

TheMiller

Over the years, I've gone through a LOT of Audis.Some couldn't program their way out of a paper sack. The Costco folks have a LOT more experience fitting than any of your Audis do and I've found that's exactly what's needed. FYI, two sets back, I had the Audi program them and then bought the hardware needed to tweak them myself. If you're REALLY not happy with Costco, you could do what I used to do and that is seek out non-profits (like Audi clinics at universities where they teach audiology) because they have no profit incentive, they'll spend the time to get it right.

Anonymous
Anonymous 24 October 2021
5 stars stars

Quality product at a good price, just got mine 2 days ago and they are great, can't believe what I was missing

Anonymous
Anonymous 20 October 2021
4 stars stars

I use these hearing aids with my iPhone 11Pro. After a phone conversation more than 10 minutes my sound goes dead for the other party on the phone. Re-dialing connect me again. I went to T-Mobil and to Apple to check their product they work fine. Costco has no solution. Does anybody have a similar experience?

Hugh B

Not I.  A few days ago I had about a 30-minute conversation through my KS 10s. No problems at all.  Costco has a liberal no-questions-asked return policy.  You could return yours and then re-order another pair and see if the problem goes away.

Di Shearman

If you touch your hair or bump your ear it will hang up. Remember to keep your hands clear of your ear during phone calls. I tend to fiddle with my hair when I’m on the phone, so I’ve accidentally hung up on people quite often. If I have my phone in my hand when a call comes in I just change to the speaker on the phone.

Member

I have a similar problem but it’s only when the battery is getting low on charge when charged good no problems.

Montalvo
Montalvo 06 October 2021
5 stars stars

This hearing aid provided the most profound improvement in my hearing in the 20 years that I've been wearing aids! I've purchased three prior aids from Costco, the last being a Resound aid which I returned after finding it inferior to a Hi Health Innovations aid subsidized by my United Healthcare insurance plan. But in addition to the KS10's performance, the features that I most appreciate are the rechargeable batteries, the Bluetooth performance and the ability to answer calls without removing my phone from my jeans pocket. My only complaints are that warranty service may not be available to me during our winters in Mexico and that my phone connections are compromised by interference from high ambient noise. The KS10 is a fantastic aid at a bargain price with the warranty and confidence that I've come to expect from Costco.

Anonymous
Anonymous 29 September 2021
5 stars stars

I have only one functional ear, and age related loss in my "good" ear.  I recently upgraded from one K9 to two K10s.  I could never afford the hyper-expensive CROS options, but now the K10s are capable of CROS style connectivity! Fortunately, my incredibly smart and dedicated Costco specialist was happy and able to hook me up that way. 

I can now hear sound from my deaf side into my hearing ear, and it's amazing.  Any time you get new hearing aids, it takes some tweaking to get things tuned properly, and this added an extra level of fussing around, but with a little patience and persistence we've got it working well. 

I was lucky enough to hear out of both ears for a few years, long enough to discover how much of what I thought  was my personality, was just my way of adjusting to hearing loss.  When I lost my hearing again, I vowed not to go back into that shell.  My K10s are making that much easier now. 

Make sure your Costco specialist is game to give this a try.  You may have to shop a bit to locate one as helpful and capable as mine, but apparently there is support for them to do it from the manufacturer or their reps.  Have them put your two hearing aids on separate transactions.  That way, if you're not happy with the results you can return one and still come away with one great hearing aid without having to send them both back and start from scratch.

Anonymous
Anonymous 24 September 2021
5 stars stars

Love mine. I am a musician, did much research and asked many other musicians. Most HATE theirs. I have found mine to be excellent even for gigs. They just correct in freq. bands you are deficient in. I've played very loud stages, no distortion and very quiet stages, prefect supplemental freq. correction. So subtle that I forget I'm wearing them. I think the quality of the set-up audiologist makes a big difference.

StratoBlaster

I play guitar and just got my KS 10s. I really like them a lot except for when playing guitar. Hitting the E string on the 12th fret.... it sounds like it is oscillating (like I am playing my guitar in front of a fan). Other high pitched sounds like the beeping when I open my car door do the same thing. Btw.... it does this in all modes, including the Music mode. Have you experienced this? Any thoughts on it? Thanks,

Anonymous
Anonymous 22 September 2021
3 stars stars

Turning on or off of hearing aids via button on hearing aids is too long. If lag time could be reduced to 1/2 the time (IE: 2 seconds) that would be a big improvement. Also the lag time connection / reconnecting is too long. Again, if this lag time could be shortened, that would be a welcome improvement.

Anonymous
Anonymous 13 September 2021
3 stars stars

I have had my hearing aids for 5-6 days.  The first day I was on cloud nine, certain I had found the holy grail of hearing aids.  Sadly after 24 hours my ears began to hurt - actually feel swollen and raw.  I feel like these are VERY snug in the ear canal and even have to work them in slowly to get them all the way in.  After a few seconds they either feel good or they feel like ear plugs, blocking all sound.  It is incredibly frustrating. They requires constant readjustments through out the day to hear clearly.  The problem seems worse in my right ear.   

As for sound quality, WHEN they fit properly, the sound is perfect.  I honestly feel it is equal to my natural hearing.

Another problem I am having is my right hearing aid gives off an intermittent feedback sound that not only I hear, but my family members hear too.  Even my hair brushing the side of the hearing aid can create this sound.  If there is no feedback sound my hair brushing the aids gives off a constant rubbing sound.  I have long hair and did not have this problem with my old Halo Hearing Aids.

 I am having connectivity issues with my iPhone.   At times my hearing aids have beeped and then hung up the call.  They were fully charged as was my phone so I am at a loss.  This has happened several times.  Also sometimes when I answer my phone the sound comes through the hearing aid and other times it is via the phone.  I do not know what to expect each call.  No settings have been changed.

Many of these things seem unrelated, yet each one is quite frustrating.    

I am looking forward to my appointment to see if any of these things can be addressed though I am expecting a confused technician.  She seems very nice but I am not confident she will know what to do.

HOPING to be able to provide a better review later

---  Loyal Costco Customer

Hugh B

Give your ears a week or so to get used to your HAs.  No kidding.  Both in the canal and behind the ear, as the KS10s, being rechargeable, are a bit larger than battery-operated HAs.  Years ago, when I first started wearing HAs, I purchased a squeeze bottle of MiraCell/ProEar lubricant for itching ears from Amazon.  The best way to use it is to moisten your finger and then apply it **sparingly** in the canal and/or behind the ear.  Works well.  But, you really don't have to spend money on that.  Just use a few drops of olive oil on your fingertip.  

Also, your purchase at Costco includes free adjustments, both in the store and over the mobile phone through Costco's EasyLine app for the KS10s.  You could also try different models or sizes of domes.  That could give you some relief.  Historically, my right ear canal has a habit of ejecting molds and now semi-closed domes.  No big deal with the domes; I just poke them back in.  Life isn't perfect, but for me the KS10s are near-ideal.

Member

Due to my severe hearing loss, I requires the custom ear molds instead of the "domes". I tried the domes at first with my set of Kirkland 9.0 aids and they were fairly painful in my ear canals, in addition to the high-pitched feedback. The custom ear molds fit perfectly and are completely painless to the point that I forget they're in my ears, and I get no feedback noise whatsoever!.

Anonymous
Anonymous 12 September 2021
4 stars stars

Not sure the domes are fitting properly and also Bluetooth phone quality js not always good. 

Member
Member 02 September 2021
5 stars stars

For me, they are perfect...no dislikes at all.

Anonymous
Anonymous 28 August 2021
5 stars stars

I'm just amazed at what I have gained from buying more modern hearings aids. Eight years after acquiring a set of Phonaks for $6,000, one finally gave out and I chose not to get it repaired. So i bought a set of $1,500 Kirkland 10 hearing aids at Costco in Durham NC two weeks ago. I'm suspecting advances in technology over that time are the reason that I can finally understand my granddaughter, my wife doesn't have to repeat herself so much, I don't need subtitles on as many TV shows anymore and I can hear Bluetooth music streaming from my phone in stereo at any time. Maybe my previous audiologist didn't do a good job. Maybe I didn't maintain the old hearing aids properly. But I'm thinking it was worth getting replacements, regardless of brand, just as I would get a new smart phone or a laptop.

Anonymous
Anonymous 27 August 2021
5 stars stars

I love my KS10s!  These are my first hearing aids, and I love hearing the crisp sounds I've been missing: the jangle of grocery cart wheels, shrill bird calls, and the content of most phone conversations. I don't use the app at all, since it never connected successfully, but my phone handles the Bluetooth connections seamlessly! 

I'm impressed by the long battery life and short charging time. I wear mine all day, every day. The size is comfortable, and my short hair shows off the silver "machines". My only disappointment was the limited color range. I would have loved purple or blue ones!

I'm a HA newbie, but so far mine have exceeded my expectations. I can drive with the window down and the radio on; I can stream NPR from my phone while I'm out walking, and I wear them kayaking because they are water resistant (in case I capsize)! Just one question: what's a "dryer"? Mine have a charging case which I leave open all the time. Do I need a dryer? I occasionally wipe the devices off with an alcohol pad to sanitize them. Should I be doing something different? 

Two thumbs up for better hearing and more convenient streaming!

Eddy

A dryer is a separate device that will improve the permanence and longevity of the hearing aid.

They're very good to have. Much more important in areas with higher humidity than in areas with low humidity. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 22 August 2021
5 stars stars

Buying them was easy. Wearing them is easy, too. Got my hearing test done at the Cleveland Clinic and took the report to Costco. They were very helpful and efficient. No problems so far. I bought a UV cleaner and dryer from Amazon. I wear the hearing aids to great advantage 12 hours per day and then put them in the cleaner/dryer for a three hour cycle. Then into the charger. I particularly like the Bluetooth feature and I listen to music through them almost all day. Biggest advantage to me is that I’m not always asking my wife to repeat things for me. Of course, that’s an advantage we both enjoy. 

Member

I bought a UV cleaner and dryer from Amazon…

Which model did you buy (and why)?

Anonymous
Anonymous 08 August 2021
5 stars stars

I would give it a 5 star simply for the sound quality derived from the new fitting program...but...the charger dryer is a pain. Ergonomically, it is difficult to handle. The lid does not have a spring to pop it up a bit to grab and falls flat open after opening. You must use both hands on the rounded design that is difficult to grasp and open. The dryer is also about a 1/3 larger than it needs to be.

The rechargeable design is still working for me after 15 hours each day with quite a bit of streaming time from the computer and TV.

Anonymous
Anonymous 08 August 2021
3 stars stars

I have been wearing the KS6 models and just bought the 10.0 this past week. There are annoying, possibly intolerable, issues with the new model that take away greatly from the generally better technology.

First, I strongly dislike that the iPhone accessibility app is not connected with these. I found swiping up on the locked phone very useful in making adjustments. This includes being able to shut down the volume completely when wearing a hat or ear muffs or when there were objectionably loud noises. I also like the Live Listen option, it helped to be able to put the microphone of the iPhone anywhere I needed it. 

   I strongly dislike that touching the hearing aids changes various functions. I have changes settings and hung up on people already numerous times simply by scratching my ear, swatting a mosquito, putting on or off hat, mask, glasses, and so on. Siri also speaks up without my deliberate initiation - which can be startling.

   Also disliked is the numerous occasions in which the various jingles/musical tones are heard. When I hang up the phone I expect silence, darn it! Often these tones and Siri's voice occur for no apparent reason, even when I am not touching my head. It makes no sense. 

I have not received a call when driving yet, but I love using my time on the road to make and receive phone calls. If someone calls me, apparently I will have to tap my ear to accept the call. I have already tried this and it does not work well: other unintended things happen instead just as often. 

When I receive a call, I like it to directly come into my hearing aids, as with the KS6 aids. With these, I have to fiddle with my phone to unlock it and select the audio routing - by which time the caller is wondering what's up or else hanging up. 

The same is true of any other adjustments - one has to unlock the phone, open the special app, wait for maybe 30 seconds or so, and only then be able to start making an adjustment, whereas with iPhones internal "Ear" that I used to access from a locked or unlocked phone, things were able to be done nearly instantly. 

I am leaning towards returning these because I of all the above.

georgiasunflower

I have had my new hearing aids fir two days.  I find all of your complaints to be spot on.   I really dislike the connectivity with my iPhone.  Its is not fluid at all.  I am also finding these new ones hurt my ear canals.  They are a snug fit which is good for hearing but bad for comfort.   Everything so far has been fifty fifty for me.  

DaveL

"I have not received a call when driving yet, but I love using my time on the road to make and receive phone calls. If someone calls me, apparently I will have to tap my ear to accept the call. I have already tried this and it does not work well: other unintended things happen instead just as often. "

That doesn't work for me.  Tapping my ear didn't work at all. Audiologist suggested that I tap on the side of my head just above my hearing aid. That's worked for me every time.

Hope this helps.

Anonymous
Anonymous 06 August 2021
4 stars stars

This could easily be a 4.5 or a five star review. Big bang for your buck. Having worn hearing aids for over 10 years these are amazing. There is one huge drawback however, the software application and the connectivity with Bluetooth leave a great deal to be desired. Personally, after deleting the software app and re-setting the hearing aids they definitely exceeded my prior two sets. I feel your value is exceptional and extremely well supported by Costco. You just have to deal with wait times when you want to have your aids cleaned and new pads put on. Their support is excellent with a 180 day trial time frame Which I’ve never heard of.‼️ 

Anonymous
Anonymous 01 August 2021
4 stars stars

I got my 10 hearing aids about a month ago.  They are my second pair of hearing aids from Costco. There’s no question they are a big improvement over the Phonak’s I got five years ago. I have some problems however with the connection to my IPhone. I get a Siri type voice in my hearing aid saying that she didn’t understand the message. I had trouble with random phone calls being initiated until I shut off voice control on my phone.  

I have the tv connector but so far I haven’t used it very much because I would hear the tv when my wife turned it on to watch something. I could be in another room and didn’t really want to hear her tv program.  I found it annoying.

Member

There's a setting to turn off the feature that causes the hearing aids to connect to the "TV Connector" automatically. I turned it off for the same reason you mentioned. I can now connect to the TV Connector manually.

Anonymous
Anonymous 28 July 2021
5 stars stars

I've had these hear aids for over 2 months and I can't say enough positive things about them.  The quality is great and sound is wonderful.  Battery life is great.   The many features are great.     

Member
Member 24 July 2021
5 stars stars

I had the KS 9.0s before and now have the KS 10.0s.  The main difference is the KS 10 s are rechargeable and will pair with my android cell phone. Added bonus is better sound quality and some tinnitus relief.

Anonymous
Anonymous 16 July 2021
3 stars stars

I have this Model and have been trying to connect to smart TV via Bluetooth. No luck. Have tried pairing with Bose speaker via Bluetooth as well as the smart TV audio itself, without success Does one need a TV connector box to make these things work?

Member

Have you checked the tv settings to see if the headphone volume is turned up? It seems like it could be set to zero to cause you that problem.

Anonymous
Anonymous 30 June 2021
5 stars stars

I have worn hearing aids for many years, the Costco Kirkland signature 10.0 are the best aids I have ever had. They are loaded with features and speech quality is very good. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 21 June 2021
3 stars stars

I am a music lover and enjoy streaming from you tube music, apple, etc. When streaming, the audio range of the 10.0 hearing aids is poor. There is no low end at all. It’s like listening on a cheap one dollar pair of ear buds. There is NO comparison to Apple air pods at all. If I want to listen to streaming music, I have to remove the aids and put on my air pods. Now, I fully understand hearing aids are designed for speech, but don’t let anyone tell you they’re good for music streaming…they just are not even close to air pods. 

Member

I am not an audio snob, but I am someone who really needs hearing aids. So I feel the need to point out a specific disagreement with your opinion with using hearing aids to stream music. I know of no way to get near the specific correction that hearing aids give you when listening through standard headphones. I can get close from a laptop with a Chrome extension that has both an equalizer and programmable dynamic compression. Some other applications on my MacBook do that but I haven't found anything similar on the iPhone or iPad. You may be lucky enough to not need that level of correction, but for me having my hearing aids do that automatically is a huge bonus. And I don't find my Kirkland's to sound all that much different than my over the ear Sennheisers.

bvail

I have used Senhiesers for several years. I have two pair and they are tremendous aid in watching tv. I slap the speakers right over my ears and voila, I miss nary a word. 

I have ks9s but will get my 10s ASAP.

GREG

There are two streaming programs on your KS10, one for voice and one for music. I suspect you were streaming music in the voice stream program. 

Member

I have the KS 8 with the S2 receiver. I listen to music a lot, every day. Also use the power domes. The sound quality is excellent compatible to Apple Air Buds the 8s produces lots of base. i recently purchased the Jabra hearing aids from Costco to replace the 8s. Have had them re-program three times to increase the low tone. They just don’t have the capacity. Everything is extremely sharp like a cheep transiter radio. I am returning the and try the KS 10s

Anonymous
Anonymous 16 June 2021
5 stars stars

I have had mine for 4 weeks,  I  get the whistle sound that my batteries need charging after wearing them 7 to 8 hours. Why don't the last longer, my old Phonax ran forever. Lou Gray

GREG

Lithium batteries need to be exercised when new to fully form. Full charge to empty 3 to 5 times should do it.

Member
Member 16 June 2021
5 stars stars

wow, some of these  reviews come from left field.

Ive had my ks10's since their release in April. Very satisfied. good phone connection with Pixel 3 and tv with phonak adapter. had ks9's prior, and the new ones give me a better word understanding. music tonal range is only ok, with double dome ear pieces, i tried the acrylic molds and they broke after 4 months. great costco servkce.

Enkue
Enkue 15 June 2021
4 stars stars

for me, the sound clarity is not as good as KS 9.0.

Anonymous
Anonymous 15 June 2021
5 stars stars

Love them.  The blue tooth is great. So much better than the last ones. 

Beachboy
Beachboy 15 June 2021
3 stars stars

I am a first time HA user with moderate to severe high frequency loss. Costco first suggested KS10 which I tried for about 2 weeks and returned to try Philips Hearlink.

KS10's first tuning was awful with watching TV with connector. (Without TV connector, but just with the TV program in the app, I could not make out any dialogue). All word sounded like sharp at end like shhhhh at end of most words. The second tuning was better where the technician lowered some gain and tv watching was ok where I could understand dialogue without subtitles most of the time. But then connectivity was issue. The right hearing aid would just randomly shut off while watching tv even when battery was 20%. And phone calls would go from left to right ear and then drop off at times.

I am with Philips Hearlink 9030 for last 3 days and good so far. Except I did have to get audio clip since my Android is 9 and not ASHA certified. So if I buy Philips instead of KS10, it will cost $400 more for the HA plus some for audio clip (not sure how much).

It is nice if KS10 had reliable connection, then I would not need audio clip and philips hearlink.

Anonymous
Anonymous 14 June 2021
4 stars stars

Need some help

 I'm looking hard st the KS 10.  I travel a lot to Europe

  Will the recharger work on EU 220 voltage too?

Member

YES...There is also a travel charger which in the U.S. I think is free in Canada you have to buy it.  It plugs in to charge like your Computer etc. or elec. shaver.  No problem...this was important to me as I travel a lot but in Canada I can't get the travel charger so I got an extra cord and plug so I don't have to take the one from home I just detach the white charger box and the cord is with my other travel cords.  We need an international wireless charge station for all we drag along with us.  

Anonymous
Anonymous 12 June 2021
5 stars stars

This is only my second set of HA’s.  My first was Kirkland KS7 and had them for 4 years.  I upgraded to ks10 about 2 months ago.  The easiest way to describe the change is a night and day difference.  I am hearing things I haven’t heard for years.  The difference is amazing.  The only complaint I have is the ks10’s are slightly larger and my vanity comes into play with hiding them.  Longer hair helps.  Glasses add to the sticking out of ears.  HA benefit wins over looks and feelings though. 

What??
What?? 11 June 2021
4 stars stars

Four stars because nothing is perfect. I've been wearing the 10's for a month now after upgrading from the 6's. as for the main reason for wearing hearing aids, understanding speech is much better. Going from replicable batteries to rechargeable isn't as big a deal as i thought it would be. I am a heavy user of the streaming with the Bluetooth and the aids are around 20% or better battery life at the end of the day. Time will tell on that one. Seamlessly going from media on my phone to the media on my pc is great. (maybe too easy, I've watched more you tube on my phone in the last month than all of last year. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 08 June 2021
3 stars stars

What I DON'T like about it is that I've had Costco KS-8 hearing aids for barely over three years. I just lost one and have been informed by Costco that it cannot be replaced (warranty is only 2 years) and I must purchase a full new pair because Costco is now selling KS-10. That INFURIATES ME as I don't think I should be subject to a three year planned obsolescence cycle. I can buy a four year old car or parts for cars more than ten years old - I'm not required to buy a brand new car every time something malfunctions. This problem requires federal legislation / regulation to stop the rip-off of older people with the incredibly short life-cycle of these very expensive devices.

Tom Luebben

JA

Check eBay.

Member

For what it's worth, I had a HA fail out of warranty years ago, and my Costco shop let me buy an extended warranty after the fact. Cost $125 or so.

Anonymous
Anonymous 04 June 2021
3 stars stars

This is my 4th pair of Kirtland HA and possibly right up there with KS-9 as worst!  Nouse cuts in and out.  Recharged batteries do not last 20 hours.  I could add other complaints but these are foremost.

FRED O
FRED O 03 June 2021
4 stars stars

I've had these aids just a couple weeks and am not completely used to them yet but here's some preliminary impressions.

pros:

1. Favorably impressed with dispenser, Lisa @ Costco in Prescott, AZ

2. They help me hear better than the KS7's they replaced. Some of this may be because Lisa used more aggressive gain settings but I now hear things inaudible before such as the trill from a towhee call.

3. They stream to my phone & laptop seamlessly, better than the KS7's, which required an awkward Smart Connect and which never worked with my Dell laptop.

4. The rechargeable batteries save me buying throwaways that I've not even been able to recycle.

5. Battery charge life seems more than adequate.

cons:

1. They are awkward to turn on & especially off.  I miss the battery doors.

2. A slight bump from handling will turn them on when I don't want them on such as from putting them in the dryer.

3. Very little documentation on the programs such as "Speech in loud noise" and especially "Comfort"

4. The Easy Line app (on iPhone) initially reports no device from right aid. Not sure whether this is temporary.

I bought a Partner Mic. that report ably was delivered to the store but my appointment for fitting it is in a couple weeks.

alvin1

Please tell me why you would want to turn them off.  I leave mine on all the time, with no apparent effect. Charge lasts over 20 hours even with streaming. 

GREG

One ks10 is the master, the other is the slave. The master operates all the programs and also streams audio to the slave. This may be why your software only sees one.

Note also this is why one aid uses slightly more power each day, its the master and is working a bit harder.

Member

I've been wearing KS 7 as they first came out. I love them except with the 4 programs not sure what program to use in a crowded restaurant and it plain doesn't work. I'm going to get my KS 10's on September 1 however I'm not sure there any better than my 7's. A big plus I was thinking about the advertisement on the Costco website was a microphone that clips onto somebody's clothing and transmits to the hearing aids, does it work? Something I was reading was the "partner mic" or using the microphone on your phone, mine is an android. Still not sure about the KS 10's

HOHKate
HOHKate 03 June 2021
4 stars stars

I dislike "regular" bluetooth. As an iphone user, I find Apple's proprietary BT-LE provides a more stable, stronger & faster connection. Also find Resound's TV connector (had KS6's previously) WAY better than Phonak's in all the same ways -- stability, connection strength, and how that I can be 30+' away from the TV & still have great sound (Phonak's is marginal at about 15-20'). I *do* prefer that the input from the TV v surroundings is adjustable. I also like the KS10s have a less sharp "sound" than the KS6s.

msrobin
msrobin 03 June 2021
5 stars stars

These things are great! I can answer my phone or stream music to them, however it does tend to run the battery dead quickly, I think the app should have more options for adjustment but it is sufficient however they do disconnect frequency. The battery life could be better for the hearing aid but if your not steaming they last longer but must be charged at the end of the day, need to make it so they can be charged on a charging pad like a phone so the charging box must go with you if you travel. still in my first week with them so will possibly update later. they have a great warranty from costco  at least it sound like they might havn't tried to use it yet.

Anonymous
Anonymous 02 June 2021
5 stars stars

I love the sound, automatic modes, ear wax protection and rechargeable batteries. A huge improvement over my previous Resound Fortes. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 02 June 2021
5 stars stars

Previous aids were Phonak Bro 3.

Love the Bluetooth streaming and that I now hear the phone in both ears.. People at the other end of phone calls say that my voice comes across very well.

But - the Easy Link app is useless except for checking the battery levels. It won’t maintain adjustments.

Member

On Android, if you go to 'Settings', 'Bluetooth', and look at the line for the hearing aids, you should see battery level ... without an extra app.

(Works on my Android 13, Pixel 4a, anyway :)

Anonymous
Anonymous 02 June 2021
4 stars stars

I traded my KS-9 for 10 and the REM fitting was terrible so went back and he used the six month prior K-9 REM & audiogram test and things improved immensely.  Went back yesterday and fine turned soft children voices and now I am impressed KS-10 better than 9.  Auto-sense is better.  Birds and frogs sound really naturally.  No road noise in car.

Member
Member 02 June 2021
4 stars stars

These are my second pair of Hearing Aids, upgraded from Hansaton SHD.  These are also my first pair of Bluetooth capable hearing aids.

They are rebranded Phonak Audeo Paradise P90s. Nearly every feature is carried over, however I was told by my Audiologist that Costco will not activate the Tinnitus Masker program.

Currently dealing with fitting issues and getting custom ear molds made to help with that.  My vented domes put pressure on certain spots and cause throbbing pain.  This may be due to my ear canals being oddly shaped.  The KS10s are slightly larger than the Hansaton SHDs.  Not really noticeable unless you are comparing them side by side.

Battery life is excellent and I can go from 6AM till 11PM and still have nearly 45% battery life.  Charging case is easy to use and spacious to fit some extras.  They are compatible with the Phonak Mini Charging Case which I have purchased on eBay.

Sound Quality when streaming Bluetooth leaves much to be desired, I am an audio snob and these sound muddy and could be outclassed by a pair of Apple EarPods.  This may or may not be related to the fitting issue I mentioned earlier.  I currently have them paired to my iPhone and MacBook Pro.  I am able to take calls and the range is really impressive.  I would estimate their range is as good as AirPods.

The App is a bit clunky and uses BlueTooth LE and has to reinitiate the connection every time the app is opened, or switched back to.  This takes 15 to 30 seconds each time.  There are controls to change various settings including the balance of BlueTooth Audio and Mic input.

Autosense 4.0 does a decent job dynamically adjusting the settings to match the surrounding environments.  For example, when I turn on my Vacuum, Autosense applies Noise Reduction.  When there are multiple conversations, it will focus on those in front of me.

Telecoil functions as expected, just press and hold the top button to switch programs.

Anonymous
Anonymous 02 June 2021
2 stars stars

They were not stable, would always switch between programs even with all the phone settings off, would burst loud volume randomly killing my ear drum.  App would never work. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 02 June 2021
5 stars stars

I can’t think of anything I don’t like but I’ve only had them a few days so I’m a newbie. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 02 June 2021
4 stars stars

remote control programs change back to automatoc every time the phone does any action

Fred F
Fred F 02 June 2021
4 stars stars

My HA experience is limited, I have only had one other pair, KS4 , which I used for nine years. Holding at a rating of 4/5 

+ The automatic mode generally seems to adjust well

+ Being able to adjust streaming/mic ratios is very good for example hearing pages while using devices at work, hearing approaching vehicles while walking.

+ Battery time between charges was only an issue once, a very long day at work with quite a bit of streaming.

- Bluetooth drops occasionally, both with my phone and computer. Not sure if it is a KS10 problem or the other devices.

- Several times daily a fairly loud BEEPBEEP for some reason. Often this this accompanied by a momentary increase in background noise that then tapers back to normal.

+ Size is fine, with reading glasses and a mask.

+ Android app is convenient, seems to work well.

+ setting personal programs is simple

Anonymous
Anonymous 01 June 2021
5 stars stars

Bluetooth lack of stability when phone sounds occur shutting off the mics

Member

Can these hearing aids which I purchased and love answer land line telephone calls?

Back to Table of Contents

Discussion

Use the form below to leave a quick comment about the Kirkland Signature (Costco) 10.0. Alternatively, consider providing more thorough feedback using our hearing aid review system. If you review your hearing aids using our review system, we'll send you a $5 promotional credit for use in our hearing aid battery shop as a special thank you. Review your hearing aids now.

davidwess

I have the previous model of Costco hearing aid, for which I paid $1,500, picked them up on 12/26/19. Is the updated model a meaningful improvement? Does Costco typically offer a trade-in if you upgrade?

Abram Bailey, AuD

I believe they have a 180-day return period on hearing aids, but check with your local Costco. Yes, it would be worth upgrading for free.

Mirkee

Probably not free, as he bought in 2019

Abram Bailey, AuD

Oh, sorry to get your hopes up David. I missed the year. Yeah, you probably will need to buy at full price.

Member

If you have the 2 year insurance, they will repair or replace them for 2 years.  You would probably get the new ones as a replacement.

Tim C

Are the KS10's user programmable?

Mark B

I'll try clarifying the question. Are they "locked" only to Costco?  I would be surprised if they are since the similar KS9 are not.

Rose

They are not locked

Adam W

Rose is offering a lot of opinions dressed up as facts throughout this forum. There is also a ton of misleading comments and flat out false statements. Kirkland hearing aids are locked to strictly Costco locations. They are priced appropriately because of the locked programming factor and the fact that they are a private labeled defeatured hearing aid that has more in common with the Unitron Moxi Move 3 than it does the Paradise product from Phonak. The fact that they do not pair with roger devices should be a red flag

This is not unique. It's actually quite common throughout the industry. Most clinics have $700-$800 hearing aids that rival these Kirkland brand hearing aids. The reality is they are rarely what a patient needs. The main complaint via patients in the hearing aid world is HEARING IN NOISE. Technology is the biggest culprit here. We are talking about medical devices here folks. In no other medical device profession or medical profession in general do you want the VALUE proposition. Do you want a Value pacemaker or a Value Hip replacement? YOU Want the best of the best or at the least What you medically NEED.

"You get what you pay for has proven itself over and over and over again" It's no different here.

I have no issue with Costco or their model as it provides many patients their first set of hearing aids or patients that simply cant afford premium technology a chance at better hearing, which is awesome. I am okay with Costco because those same patients then come to my clinics for their second, third set and so on once the kirklands no longer cut the bill and they need better tech or better more consistent service.

Real Ear Measurement is a wonderful fitting tool that provides an objective response from the ear but it is not the end all be all. We use real ear and still have many follow ups for fine tuning and follow the process of aural rehabilitation to help counsel the patient to their best possible hearing. There are subjective preferences to hearing and sound and they cannot and should not be ignored. Practitioners that use real ear to fit and then nothing more are not using best practices...that's laziness dressed up as best practices.

The no commissions is not an argument for lower overhead. It actually means you have more overhead because I am certain you do not work for free. You work on a monthly salary. Which also typically disincentivizes specialists and Audiologists to put in the work necessary to test patients properly and make a proper technology recommendation.

I have no loyalty to any manufacturer and because of that I work with the big 7 Oticon, Phonak, Unitron, Widex, Resound, Signia and Starkey. With that said a big red flag is the fact that Costco doesn't dispense Oticon hearing aids. Which is by far the best and most reputable hearing aid manufacturer in the World. They are no doubt on the pricier side but any Audiologist that has been around a while will confirm they are the cream of the crop, Phonak is second.

Simply put we all have a role hearing in helping patients hear better. My private practices in particular are not in competition with Costco as I said before...it is mostly a different patient demographic centered around new users. What I have seen at many Costco locations is sub par evaluations/fittings, no aural rehabilitation, lack of follow through, and high specialist turnover....which unfortunately most get away with at $800-$1000 an ear.

My advice is get tested at a few places and listen to patients in the area but ultimately make the decision you feel is best for your hearing health.

God Bless!

Member

Sorry Adam, but you obviously have a bias against Costco.  I am on my third set of HAs in six years.  The first two were branded Phonak and the third are Kirkland 10.0s.  Costco uses Real Ear measurements.  My Costco HA specialist is state licensed and came from private practices.  She is phenomenal.  I can say from personal experience the Kirkland 10s are fantastic.  The improvement in technology over the last six years has been significant.  These are my first rechargeables, and I noticed at the end of the day one of the aids was showing 8 - 12 % less remaining battery life.  Costco replaced both HAs and now at the end of the day remaining battery life is within 1 % left to right.  

I follow HA forums and have read many posts from patients who were very displeased with their HA providers, and many of those providers were private practice.  My HA specialist at Costco told me she quit a private practice because she did not agree with their business practices.  The good thing about Costco is they have a 180 day no questions asked return policy and their specialists are not on commission.  So, my advice to those reading this is you can probably trust Rose, who apparently works for Costco.  

Member

I own a pair of KS10's and I can set up programs with my Easy Line Remote. 

Member

I have had Phonak aids fit at the audiology clinic of a major research hospital and I've gotten Kirkland  aids from Costco. As far as fit, etc. I was happy with both. You make a point about how hearing aids are "medical devices" and that we shouldn't be looking for the "value" proposition with medical devices. Yet, frustratingly, hearing aids aren't uniformly treated as medical devices. The paltry amount my (otherwise very good) insurance covered at the University hospital still made a reasonable set of hearing aids more expensive than the Kirklands.

Most people get no hearing aid insurance coverage. A comparison between less expensive hearing aids and a cheaper knee replacement is disingenuous, and as an audiologist in private practice you should know that. 

teknoid

Gee, that's odd. I've been using hearing aids for 40 years. The Kirklands are the best I've owned, and at half the price.

Member

Costco carries a Philips branded hearing aid. I happened to find that Demant may be the bigger umbrella that includes and supplies the Philips and Oticon brands. Are you able to describe the differences between the Costco Philips brand and the Oticon? The Costco Philips model is the MNR T R - 9030. Thank you.

Abram Bailey, AuD

We don't have a comparison but the feature set is fairly similar.

Member

Yes they are proprietary to Costco and Costco software only. You cannot take Costco hearing aids to another hearing aid company for adjustments.

Mikeleti

Where did you get that information???

Stephen M

They WERE locked to Costco, but I have heard from several people that have been able to have them reprogrammed outside of costco. I'm not sure if the newest model is not locked or if this is because of a firmware update or if the programming software was updated to include these.

Rose

We use  “real ear verification”  during the fitting process, a measure of best practices.

This process usually precludes you from needing to make further adjustments through an app on your phone however the app will allow you to adjust lowers, mids, and high frequencies for particular situations.

Member

Does your fine tuning take into account loud tintinitus and make adjustments for sounds to mask it?

Rose

We have fine tuning.  Whether it will successfully impact/address your particular case would have to be explored.

There is a wide spectrum when it comes to tinnitus suffering.  Most of my patients are absolutely elated by the fact that while they are wearing their hearing aids their tinnitus is not “center stage”.

However there are those who suffer tinnitus to a much greater degree who may find only a minimum amount of relief from hearing aids.  

Sometimes the relief is two-fold; if you have hearing loss and you also have tinnitus then perhaps some relief in both areas is worth exploring. 

At Costco you can get a phenomenal pair of hearing aids for about $2000 a pair.

We have board-certified hearing instruments specialists who use real ear verification on every fitting and adjustment:)

Oregon Health Science Institute (online) is a wonderful resource for information on tinnitus. Caffeine, salt, as well as some medications can exacerbate  this condition.

I hope that helps:)

Member

The  new Kirkland 10.0 look very nice. Are they powerful enough to help Profound Hearing loss? If not does Costco carry another reasonable priced model to help which is close to their branded price that helps with profound hearing loss?  I can’t afford 4- 6 K price per pair Hearing aids.

Rose

Yes Costco has some very powerful BTE’s that can be fitted with tubes and molds, just like outside clinics provide. We also have an array of custom products.

Prices range from $1400 for the pair to $2800 for the pair.   There are no taxes or fees on top of this, this is the “out the door” price.

3 year service and warranty, two year loss and damage policy included.

All our services are included with the aids for as long as you are using them.

When you are a patient at a Costco hearing aid centers you have the benefit of going to any clinic at any Costco location for assistance.

We do not work on commission, our only job is conduct a thorough audiogram, counsel you on the findings, share with you important information you should consider (most people don’t even consider the fact that Hearing is the function of the brain altering the brain’s experience is worth discussing).  There is no pressure, just information and support.

In most locations you can be fit with the hearing aids within  a couple weeks after purchase, some prior.

Member

Thank you Rose. 

I have used Costco in 2014 and recently in Jan 2021 and while chatting with the same audiologist that fitted me .. I asked her, what kept her at Costco and she indicated, she loves working for Costco.

Prior to my 2021 fitting I went to another hearing aid provider and TRIED a pair of aids for $4k and one thing I didn't realize, unless you do in the testing like Costco does it is a guess... I went back 3 times for the $4k aids and haven't had to adjust the aids from Costco...EXCEPT my audiologist made a TV CONNECTOR adjustment over the phone...saved me an hour of driving.

 

Member

I am wondering what a TV connector is or what does it do?  I have constant people complain that the TV is too loud-with my hearing aids in--I am curious if this would help my problem? TIA

Member

I have profound hearing lost and have the Rexton hearing aids with tubes and larger hearing molds. After 3 yrs I am upgrading to Phonax technology.

So yes they should work or another brand they have to offer. Costco is the Best and I've been wearing aids most of my adult life. Once I tried Costco 4yrs ago I recommend every person with degrading hearing to go to Costco. Price, service, and friendship!

I started with Costco in Altamonte and now Parramore Rd JAX near my grandchildren. The staff is caring, friendly and well diverse. Also aiming to help the client!

Best wishes to all!

 

Member

Hi Rose, 

Can the Kirkland 10.0 T ultra power be programmed for someone with profound hearing loss? The new features they have look wonderful and would not break the bank too much. I know I would probably need ear molds also, how much are those per pair to be made?

Rose

I have a phobia of commenting on audiograms unseen; however there is a lot of flexibility with a KS 10 as there are in most BTE units.

Earmolds are $40 a piece at Costco:)

Member

I just bought molds at Costco in Atlanta and they were $80 each. 

Rose

I would check to make sure you weren’t accidentally double charged 

39.99 per mold throughout Costco, there are some states that have different tax issues that have affected pricing, for example CA taxes mean all CA Costco prices are the same but slightly higher than neighboring states.

Maybe the same is true in GA.

Member

I have read a lot of owner comments with great interest and I am a recent purchaser of KS 10 from Costco Canada.  I went for the rechargeable this time and while there might be a problem if you forget to charge them I have had great results.  I am deaf in one ear but how I can't imagine I seem to hear now in both ears.  I guess its the Blue Tooth balancing the sounds.  I was startled by music....totally amazing....normal surrounding sounds ... sound normal.  A lot of comments are about T.V. telephone, running a bath and landing the Mars Rover but for those who bought KS 10 to hear....WOW...that works too.  I am sad that the extra's you get in the states aren't in the Canada offer as I travel a lot and would like the travel mini charger.  I bought the hand held volume control as I had that with my previous Phonex which KS10 is.  I would love to know if I can somehow order the travel charger with the multiple plug ends for different countries.....I'll forgo landing on Mars until after the first Starbucks opens in 22 but meantime I am happy to just hear great and would love the travel add on. Think about it.  Add on's are big business. Thanks Mr. Kirkland whoever you are!

DaaBoss

My Costco said $50 each a few months ago.  Another commenter here said $40, each.  I have mine provided from the VA.  I highly recommend the acrylic molds.   

You can also get great bass when if you use the molds and add plugs to the normally open ports, but only with Bluetooth.  The ambient amplification falls off sharply below 100 Hz.  BT can go just as low as the lowest pipe organ note.  I've tested full volume < 8 Hz.   Your molds will all come with open ports.  All the bass "leaks out" normally, so you won't get any great bass response with music through bluetooth.  Add "occlusion plugs", silicon inserts for the open ports, and then you hear that great bass.

This is the only effective way to restore bass response.  I haven't seen any way to change the frequency response of the sound sent to Bluetooth by W-10 or Android devices, including bass--it is all sent flat with no modifications.  This is perfect sound however, since the HA are tuned perfectly to your ears!  (You might get alternative drivers for Windows-10 PC's that have more capability to alter the sound, but messing with the sounds stack can also cause a lot more problems.)

As I've recommended elsewhere, ask your provider for some "occlusion plugs", which are silicon tubes that you can block off the port.  Once you do, the BT bass response is < 8 Hz sounds great.  Again, since your HA's are already tuned to you, the sound is as great as you can get anywhere, at any price.  

Don't believe you can get great bass with this setup?  I'll prove it:
Listen to the whole cut of "Imaginary Friends", by "Deadmau5" on this album: "W:/2016ALBUM/", with these occlusion plugs, using a lossless > 384k music source for your bluetooth.  The bass will tickle your ears and you can feel that bass, and all the other sounds vividly as well.  (All you AUD providers should try this as well, so you can stop telling clients that "HA aren't designed for music, and it will never sound great".  It is NOT true.)

The downside with these plugs, is that, when talking to someone, you must either turn down the balance of BT / outside sound, or just pull the mold part way out of your ear.

Since the "pull mold partially out" doesn't stay, and is not precise, I'd like to work with someone to create a mold that can be fitted with some mechanical means of opening / closing that port.  It is not practical to remove / re-place the silicon occlusion plugs in the acrylic molds, as it is a huge effort to just install them once.  Please let me know if anyone there has the resources to solve this problem.

Member

Rose,

I have Ks9 aids and in that 180 day period...

How many hours a day will the charge from the KS10 last?  I am currently using my aids around 13 hours.

I like the adjustability and several programs that I have made up for certain situations.

Rose

The amount of streaming smart technology will of course affect battery life however the rechargeable battery will give you more than 20 hours charge even if you stream excessively.

The body is bigger on the KS 10 than the KS 9.  I tell you that to make you aware that that has been some thing that patients have noticed that preferred the KS9.

Member

Rose,

I have had my KS 10s for two days. There are nice!!! But I can't get them to stream audio from anything other than a phone. The bluetooth connection is a disappointment and there isn't much documentation in the user guide or on the net :( 

Ken

Rose

Please let your specialist know, there is plenty Of information available for you, and your provider can definitely help you with this issue;)

Arun

Hi Rose/others in the forum,

Is anyone aware that we could opt for Titanium c-shell ear molds instead of acrylic c-shell in Costco along with KS10s?

Has anyone got them? How much do we need to pay extra for the titanium ear molds. 

This would help me in requesting for a Titanium of at all that’s possible as my ears are very allergic to the acrylic domes that I have used and I have had a bad itchy feeling in my ears.

Arun

Hi Rose/others in the forum,

Is anyone aware that we could opt for Titanium c-shell ear molds instead of acrylic c-shell in Costco along with KS10s?

Has anyone got them? How much do we need to pay extra for the titanium ear molds. 

This would help me in requesting for a Titanium if at all that’s possible as my ears are very allergic to the acrylic ear molds that I have used and I have had a bad itchy feeling in my ears.

Thanks.

Eddy

Rose, can I use the PhonakComPilot II with my new KS10's?

Member

Rose,

Just picked up our K10’s on Friday.  Tried to connect to a Samsung tv with blue tooth.

No luck,  I also show that they are available to connect on my iPhone.  When I click it connects but seems to then just disconnect. 

Any help is appreciated 

Thanks 

Tim Miller

Bob

Yes, I received my KS10.0s yesterday and have the same issue with the BlueTooth connectivity.  Works fine on my phone, but very choppy on my PC.  However, I have also noticed the choppiness more when the hearing aids are connected to both at the same time, so if I disconnect them from my phone, then the PC isn't as bad.

Member

Be a little careful with saying more than 20 hrs as the duration is dependent upon usage. In some cases that is pushing it.  I will say that I was initially skeptical of the battery life on the Kirkland 10s, but the battery life has been pretty good.  I get probably half a dozen telephone calls a day that probably last on average 5 minutes each.  On top of that, I have used the TV connector for three hours and ended up with 5% or less remaining battery.  That was on a 19 hr day.  So, you are not far off on the 20 hr estimate, but there is no perfect answer.  Maybe my experience will add some more context.

Adam W

Rose is offering a lot of opinions dressed up as facts throughout this forum. There is also a ton of misleading comments and flat out false statements. Kirkland hearing aids are locked to strictly Costco locations. They are priced appropriately because of the locked programming factor and the fact that they are a private labeled defeatured hearing aid that has more in common with the Unitron Moxi Move 3 than it does the Paradise product from Phonak. The fact that they do not pair with roger devices should be a red flag 

This is not unique. It's actually quite common throughout the industry. Most clinics have $700-$800 hearing aids that rival these Kirkland brand hearing aids. The reality is they are rarely what a patient needs. The main complaint via patients in the hearing aid world is HEARING IN NOISE. Technology is the biggest culprit here. We are talking about medical devices here folks. In no other medical device profession or medical profession in general do you want the VALUE proposition. Do you want a Value pacemaker or a Value Hip replacement?  YOU Want the best of the best or at the least What you medically NEED.

"You get what you pay for has proven itself over and over and over again" It's no different here.

I have no issue with Costco or their model as it provides many patients their first set of hearing aids or patients that simply cant afford premium technology a chance at better hearing, which is awesome. I am okay with Costco because those same patients then come to my clinics for their second, third set and so on once the kirklands no longer cut the bill and they need better tech or better more consistent service.

Real Ear Measurement is a wonderful fitting tool that provides an objective response from the ear but it is not the end all be all. We use real ear and still have many follow ups for fine tuning and follow the process of aural rehabilitation to help counsel the patient to their best possible hearing. There are subjective preferences to hearing and sound and they cannot and should not be ignored. Practitioners that use real ear to fit and then nothing more are not using best practices...that's laziness dressed up as best practices.

The no commissions is not an argument for lower overhead. It actually means you have more overhead because I am certain you do not work for free. You work on a monthly salary. Which typically disincentivizes specialists and Audiologists to put in the work necessary to test patients properly and make a proper technology recommendation.

I have no loyalty to any manufacturer and because of that I work with the big 7 Oticon, Phonak, Unitron, Widex, Resound, Signia and Starkey.  With that said a big red flag is the fact that Costco doesn't dispense Oticon hearing aids. Which is by far the best and most reputable hearing aid manufacturer in the World. They are no doubt on the pricier side but any Audiologist that has been around a while will confirm they are the cream of the crop, Phonak is second.   

Simply put we all have a role hearing in helping patients hear better.  My private practices in particular are not in competition with Costco as I said before...it is mostly a different patient demographic centered around new users.  What I have seen at many Costco locations is sub par evaluations/fittings, no aural rehabilitation, lack of follow through, and high specialist turnover....which unfortunately most get away with at $800-$1000 an ear.   

My advice is get tested at a few places and listen to patients in the area but ultimately make the decision you feel is best for your hearing health. 

God Bless!

Swordfish

A lot of patently false statements here:

I have had my KS9 adjusted by an outside audiologist (for a small fee) when I traveling out of the state and not anywhere near a Costco - so they are not locked. 

These HAs are certainly not "defeatured" - totally false statement. Only thing that Costco does not do is add in the Roger-Direct receiver and program it for Roger devices since they do not sell/carry these accessories. However I have had a colleague who was able to take his KS 9 to a private audiologist and get them connected to the Roger devices (for a fee) 

And analogy with pacemaker or other surgically implanted devices is again blatantly misleading. Yes, HAs are currently classified as medical devices (though not considered medically "necessary" by insurance companies, and see the bottom of my post about FDA issuing new rules) - but quite frankly they are no different than eyesight correction devices. HAs are not cochlear implants - they should be no more expensive or specialized than your eyeglasses. If you have additional eyesight issues like astigmatism or aspherical correction, then lenses cost a bit more - but you can get a really good pair of glasses (or contacts) for well under $200 to $400 a pair.  And most people would agree that your eyesight is not something to be trifled with!

I would love to hear the explanation why many HAs (from professional audiologists) cost as much or sometimes even more than the cost of the most common Lasik surgeries or even intra-ocular lens fitting (i.e. cataract surgery) which are carried out by MDs using extremely expensive equipment?

Yes - HAs have electronic circuits in them - but that should not mean astronomical prices of $3000 to $5000 a pair. Even the most expensive audiophile headphones in the world don't come anywhere close to that.

FDA was expected to issue new regulations soon (they are already overdue by a year) to allow for over-the-counter (OTC) hearing aids (like your prescription eyeglasses!) but unfortunately looks this might be delayed again due to other priorities. Once FDA issues the new rules, premium companies like Apple, Sennheiser etc. can get into the HA business and bring down the prices dramatically while giving even better technology enhancements.

Stephen M

I would also add that these are basically equivalent to Phonak P90RT, which are Premium HA, not budget HA. Bundling has raised costs, but current prices are insane.

Rose

Wow!  You accused ME of giving misinformation.

You speak with such authority about Costco's products, yet your statement is riddled with falsehoods that are easily dislodged with fact but I will not waste my time.  Respected Audiologists in our field are very aware of the high quality of Costco offerings.   

Real EAR is the end all be all when you know how to use it, no one suggested there wouldn't be follow-up care or adjustments necessary beyond real ear fitting.  I think you are looking for a way to feel superior, we have thousands of patients that come from the outside clinics with miserable fittings / programming / experiences, and they paid a PREMIUM for the displeasure!  

We take care of them for a reasonable fee.   I'm sorry you do not understand the business model of Costco to realize how it assists us in extending such fantastic prices to our patients.

You are entitled to your opinions and your misstatements.  Please do not speak about matters you know nothing about.  Costco product is not defeatured, it is in NO WAY a comparison to the referenced devices.  For the others that already know this, you look silly saying so.

Our profession should not be about disrespecting fellow providers, it should be about banding together to assist our patients.  There are patients for every practice, hold tight to your professional integrity...it is slipping away from you:/

Amy

Hello, 

Audiologist from South East US here.  I don't mean to intrude but a patient of mine led me to this forum and this back and forth specifically.  

I just read both of your comments carefully and read the entire thread as well. 

I am not seeing what you see in Adam W's comment to be honest.  It seems he said exactly what you just said.  We all have a role and went on to suggest a Patients should visit a few different clinics and make a decision they feel is best for their hearing health. 

I am sorry you feel attacked by his comments but again I didn't see anything false about what he said.  Put Costco's model to the side and lets look at Hearing Aid Manufacturers model logically. 

It would not make sense for Sonova the Mother brand behind Phonak, Unitron, Hansaton and Kirkland to undercut 90% of their portfolio and allow their premium products to be sold at 1/3 of the price their own retail chain Connect hearing sells them for.  They have millions of dollars invested in the private and non private retail market

It's no different than other private labeled brands across many industries.  Its never as good as the companies premium products. 

Without picking a side here I can also confirm.  

Kirkland Hearing aids are locked to Costco. 

I am a big Sonova Account and they have confirmed if we test Kirkland 10.0 Head to Head with Phonak Paradise 30, 50, 70 or 90 a patients ability to hear will speak for itself. They also confirmed this product is not manufactured by Phonak or Unitron their premium brands. 

All that said I just want to reiterate I have no issue with Costco.  They are in my market for the past few years and I actually saw an increase in my business not a decrease.  

Hope this helps someone in need of hearing help. 

Rose

You have made a ton of mistakes in this posting!

You should realty research before you declare.

Adam W

What an awkwardly forced offended take on my post....  Watch Dr. Cliffs unbiased video in the meat of this post and he confirms the Kirkland product is defeatured. 

What did I say that was false? You made that statement then claimed to not have the time to dispute .....prior to the next few paragraphs you apparently did have time for.

Bottom line is don't take my word for it. Call Phonak or Unitron and they will tell you Kirkland is not comparable to their latest products. You can confidently try a patient in Kirkland and then try them in Phonak Paradise, Unitron Move, Oticon More, Widex Moment, Signia X and they will see the difference for themselves.  Except for you (Costco) do not carry actual Phonak products like Marvel or Paradise or 90% of the premium hearing aid market.  

Once again don't take my word for it.  Dr. Cliff and Dr. Baily have other forums discussing what hearing aid is the best and what are the biggest most reputable brands.  

Oticon, Phonak, Unitron, Widex, Starkey and Signia make up over 90% of the market. You do not carry ANY of these brands. That can be confirmed on Costcos website. Your site says Phonak but I called Phonak and they confirmed you only carry the Brio which is another private label. 

Check it out for yourself.   Scroll down and you will see the top brands ranked. Oticon and Phonak land at 1 or 2 nearly every step of the way.  That prior to the Oticon More coming out which is blowing the competition away.  Their AI Technology is unparalleled.  

You seem to be in a Costco Sales mentality bubble.  I can back up facts behind my statements. Private Labeled hearing aids by Sonova are NOT unique.  Epic Hearing has one.  Its called the Vista and Relate.  These are discounted value options via insurance for patients that cannot afford or do not want to pay for premium products. 

Because I have a feeling you'll say I am making false statements again here patients can take a peak for themselves at the hearing aid map.

Only thing slipping or slippery in this thread is the snake oil being sold to patients....

Rose

Do you actually know what the true difference is between a Brio and a Phonak hearing is, they are both Phonak hearing aids, the Brio is what we call iat Costco.   At the beginning of this thread the dr. Carefully lists it’s features.  It is the 90 (top tier).  It is true we cannot engage the tinnitus in the software of the hearing aids, there are not many patients that believe that feature is worth the extra $5000 it will cost them to buy the same pair of hearing aids in your clinic.

I don’t begrudge you your product or your services, I just won’t stand for you undermining ours.   

In actuality most of our patients get there first pair of hearing aids from you, then they realize that outside clinics don’t have anything on Costco‘s product and for a fraction of the price they come to us for the second in five years later for the third and so on and so forth.  

You are the best advertisement for our product and services:)

John M

Rose....

I am about to get hearing aids....doing alot of research. After reading that guys review comments i would never go to some practice like his. Pompous.

Costco hear i come.

Rose

We are happy to have you😁

Member

Just done my hearing test today in Citrus Heights today 06/17/2012.

Was very happy with the professionalism and guarantee of return if I'm not satisfied or happy with the Kirkland Signature 10.0 with Tcoil. 

I will have them in about a week and to be continued...

 

K

Additionally, the devices at Costco are not "locked"--a private provider with the current software for the manufacturer is able to connect to/adjust the latest models of hearing aids.  They may not be visible on their version of the software, but they can be adjusted and are visible once connected.

Professional Member

Canadian Costco audiologist here - we not only use Real Ear measurement but provide no-cost ongoing services to our patients/members. Our goal, as I'm sure is the same for most professionals, is to make sure our patients have the best possible hearing experience, taking into account speech discrimination and hearing loss among other factors. Even nowadays with mask-wearing, there is a way to add a special program just for understanding better when the speaker is wearing a mask. An expert, no matter where they work, will always do the best for their patients. I think it's best to only attest to our own practice as this is arguing is demeaning to the profession. Cheers.

Rose

THANK YOU, it is beneath all of us to mud sling, I get so tired of being demeaned in this profession when I work next to people  Who are phenomenal at their craft with amazing product changing lives every day.

This is such an amazing profession so many wonderful opportunities to change lives.... let’s get to work!😁

Member

I can only speak to my own experience and my husband’s experience. We both got Costco hearing aids about 10 years ago and were well pleased with them. My husband started having additional problems with his hearing about 4-5 years ago. I can’t remember exactly what caused his additional problem, but the audiologist used the word “discrimination”. Costco honestly said they could not offer a solution, so he paid $6000 for top of the line Oticon hearing aids. It was the biggest waste of money ever. It’s been nearly 4 years with numerous trips to the audiologist for adjustments, cleaning, refurbishment, etc. At least Costco was honest about it. I am trying to convince him to get a consultation for implants. I, myself, have an appointment to get a new hearing exam and hopefully new hearing aids next week,and yes, the appointment is with Costco.

Member

It looks like the one doing the hard sell here is you. I've been happy with my Kirkland hearing aids and service for 3 years, now, and I've heard your spiel before as an optician in high-end optical shops. In my decades as an optician, I worked both high-end and low-end shops, and at Costco Optical, before retiring. All I can say is, you do not necessarily "get what you pay for." Yes, the low-end optical shops sold low-quality product, and the high-end shops sold expensive, good-looking, but often fragile and highly-overpriced frames, and the quality of lenses ran the gamut, depending on who was managing the lab at the time. Costco's frames are mostly of good, if not great, quality, and their lab work on lenses is as accurate and consistent as anyone in the business, with very fair prices. As a long-time dispensing optician, I wouldn't have my eyeglass Rx filled anywhere else, and - as a hearing aid user - I wouldn't go anywhere else for hearing aids. Oh, and your "God Bless!" - give me a break!

teknoid

My last set of hearing aids were Oticon. The Kirklands are MUCH better, and half as expensive in my opinion. And I've been wearing hearing aids for 40 years.

Member

Are the new Costco aids powerful enough for severe or profound hearing loss?

Abram Bailey, AuD

You probably want to look at the Naida Paradise

Rose

Costco also carries the more powerful Phonak BTE’s.

Costco has product to handle the same types of loss as private clinics with the exception of the Bi-Cros or Cros, as these applications are atypical.

Costco also uses real ear verification on every fitting!

Member

Rose:

I was just an hour ago fitted with the new KS 10s. I’m amazed at the kindness of my fitter, the science and explanation shared. The hearing aides are marvelous at this point. I tried hearing aids a year ago at almost 3x the price paid today. I’m absolutely excited a put my care and value. I am curious. Can you tell me what I’m not getting in the $3-4 thousand dollar models?  

Thanks. 

Rose

I feel I know the answer to that but I am going to actually do some further research to make sure that I know for sure before I report it to you.

Comparing prices in the outside clinics to the product inside Costco not an equal comparison because Costco can extend a price to patients  that most outside clinics do not have the ability to do.

One way they typically make our product offering different is they don’t allow us to engage tinnitus masking features inside the software. It’s not that the product is any different it’s just the ability to access a certain part of the software.

Let me end by saying that I am so happy that you are so pleased with your Costco provider and your experience with the product and our services… I am very proud to be a part of an amazing professional team.

I know my colleagues in the last two locations I’ve had the pleasure of working in our absolutely masters at their craft and amazing service providers♥️

teknoid

I have profound hearing loss in both ears. The Kirklands work very well. In fact, they're better than the $6,000 dollar plus Oticons they replaced.

Member

I currently have Oticon OPN (2016 model).  How would these compare?  

Abram Bailey, AuD

Some people prefer the "phonak sound" over the "oticon sound" (and vice versa) ... you'll just have to try them to see which you prefer. In terms of connectivity, Phonak wins imho. Also, much newer chip means comparison is probably more fair between this and the Oticon More (or the new Philips hearing aids at Costco, which are also manf'd by Demant). 

San Marcos

is there a particular model of phonak that would be as high a technology as the MORE? The oticon opn 3 minirite are usually ok in quiet settings, but when there is more than 1 person talking in my vicinity I can't separate the sounds. it all runs together.

SaraSane

I see that the Costco 10.0 hearing aid promises "tinnitus relief". Constant tinnitus is my primary issue but is profound enough that I've been using closed captioning for 20 years. How much relief from tinnitus do hearing aids actually provide?

Rose

That is a case by case basis, there’s no way to say, with confidence, how aids Will impact your experience with tinnitus.

I would encourage you to seek professional intervention.   If the tinnitus is associated with hearing loss, perhaps a demo would give you indication of realistic expectations.

Another suggestion would be to learn of some of those aggravating factors of tinnitus to see if by making some changes in your diet you can soften the sound.

SaraSane

Thanks for your reply. My bilateral tinnitus preceded minor left-ear hearing loss by 15 yrs or so. (I had a LOT of ear infections as a child, some as an adult.) I consulted an AudD 3 yrs ago who said that I probably wasn't quite ready for aids just yet; she loaned me a pricy pair of aids for a weekend to see if I liked them. I found them to over-amplify annoying noises (e.g., tapping a pen) but I did like the clarity of speech I had from them. I have an appt next week for a re-evaluation so maybe that will help.

Rose

I’m glad you are following up with your provider.

Remember that when you hear those sounds they may seem annoying to you at first but your brain has to make some adjustments embrace a new “normal“.

If your provider suggests that you should proceed discuss your previous experience so they can make sure to program you with transition in mind.

Acclimatization is a  feature we can engage to help you adjust more comfortably.

I can’t stress how important wearing them consistently is, remember the brain has a work to do, keeping it plugged into the information will help it get done:)

Good luck to you😄

Member

That is good to know Rose. I wore the hearing aid around the store before I bought them. There was no pressure to spend more money. I was told the KS 10 would be good enough for me. I appreciated that. The left ear was the worse set at 80%. Lots of information and I'm sure I didn't catch all of it. But my question is will they get better as you have to adjust to them? Left ear I could only understand 20% of words. Thanks to being a truck driver all my life. My main goal is to hear people in a crowd.

Member

I have high-frequency right ear hearing loss and high-pitched tinnitus in my right ear. I am lucky enough that I get significant relief from my hearing aid. You may or may not have the same luck, but I would STRONGLY recommend trying different brands/models if at first you don't get relief.

I tried a Signia hearing aid that did absolutely nothing to help my tinnitus. Then I tried a Phonak model and it worked wonders. Tinnitus is so variable from person to person, it's hard to predict or understand what will work for any individual person. Kirkland 10 is affordable so if it helps that's great. But, if it doesn't try different brands and different types. Having an "open" cap on the piece that goes in my ear also helps with my tinnitus for whatever reason.

Good luck!

Member

Does Costco offer a hearing aid comparable to the Naida Paradise?

Member

Does the new KS10T  use the MARVEL or the PARADISE chip?

Member

How are these with high frequency loss? I have a      3 1/2 year old pair of Resound Fortes that have never been good at anything for me other than amplification. Thanks 

Rose

The degree of slope is an important factor, Without seeing your audiogram and the results of your current programming through real ear, it’s hard to say with confidence that another pair of hearing aids would treat you better than what you’re currently wearing.

I run real ear on “outside”fittings, oftentimes the issue is in the programming.

It’s a good Conversation to have with your provider Who will be aware of the changes in technology, if you should consider it, and perhaps even allow you to demo so you can experience it for yourself.

Raymos65

Thank you Dr. Bailey- this is such good news for those that can't afford expensive hearing aids. Hopefully with new technology, there can be a middle road were clients can received the proper care of an audiologist without the huge cost of expensive hearing aids.

The only downfall of Costco is that you cannot get adjustments outside of Costco, also after 4 years or so they don't repair the devices because they claim "there are no parts for old hearing aids"

Rose

You have been misinformed.  

Costco only has one manufacturer with locked software (SBO PHILIPS)

All the rest can be Programmed somewhere else, however I am discovering that a lot of outside clinics do not use real  ear verification, I wouldn’t go anywhere that didn’t use real ear.

Costco can and will provide repairs up to 5 years (the first 3 years of S/W are free), after that often times the manufactures will not support repairs as they don’t keep parts on the shelf to repair older hearing aids, that is NOT a “Costco”thing that is an industry standard.

Adjustments, retest and reprogram are performed for the life of the aids...FREE of charge.

Hearing instrument specialists are highly specialized in testing and fitting healthy ears for hearing aids, if it’s appropriate to do so… If an underlying etiology presents we must refer to an ENT or otolaryngologist.

As with any profession there are varying levels of experience with hearing instruments specialist whether you are in an audiology clinic or in a Costco.

I have seen some unreliable audiogram come in from the outside, and have assisted many a patient who spent a lot of money on Hearing aids who were miserable with their experience.   

I say this to point out the obvious, there is great and mediocre in every profession.  Referrals are a great way to steer around pot holes😁

Member

Are these for Profound Loss?

Rose

I’m sorry, it is so hard to make a statement about a fitting range without seeing the audiogram.

I can tell you I feel VERY confident but will refrain from “gavel down”😁

JimDV

I have the Kirkland 6’s and like them, however it is maddening when  I change environments( coffee shop, restaurant, meeting, social gathering ,etc’ ) and don”t have my phone with me to make some (not so great) adjustments. Can you explain the functionality of the new channels and programs?

“20 fine-tuning channels, 9 automatic programs, 4 manual programs”

Is there any AI (artificial  intelligence) for automatic adjustments for venue changes like those above built in?

Thanks

Rose

It sounds like your KS 6’s could use a real ear adjustment.   They are Resound hearing aids, a highly respected manufacturer of hearing aid science.  

Channels (the number of) are more of a concern to those programming your hearing aids. 20 channels across the frequencies allows more than adequate ability for the specialist to program you into your ability zone.

There is some automatic intelligence on board that will allow you to move through your environments and enjoy the real time changes your hearing aids will make to assist you.

Tinnitus is Often times addressed by amplification merely because it provides more sounds to the brain which typically interrupts the buzzing/ringing sounds made in that part of the auditory cortex that wasn’t getting any stimulus.  Everyone is different; however most of my patients experience a significant amount of relief.

Rose

The app is designed to consider temporary or situationally appropriate adjustments to the default setting.

Your hearing aids can be programmed to Move to those settings via the button on the back, it depends how your specialist has programmed your aids.

I’m not sure how long ago you were re-tested, if you were my patient I would be conducting a new test and running a real ear reprogramming.

Member

What are the various  Name brands various models that Costco sells?

Rose

This is available on our Website, Costco.com if you scroll down to the bottom of the web page you will see Hearing Aid Center listed on the right-hand side.

For those who are familiar with the Major Manufacturers of hearing aids, you will be able to identify the manufacturers easily.

ScottR77
I have the Kirkland 6’s and like them, however it is maddening when I change environments( coffeeshop, restaurant, meeting, social gathering ,etc’ ) and don”t have my phone with me to make some (not so great) adjustments. Can you explain the functionality of the new channels and programs?

“20 fine-tuning channels, 9 automatic programs, 4 manual programs”Is there any AI (artificial intelligence) for automatic adjustments for venue changes like those above built in?  

Thanks for your question, it was helpful to see some replies 

Member

I agree, the replies were helpful.

 I have a KS6, I just made an appt- May 18- at my local Costco for a hearing test and to most likely upgrade to a KS10.   I have been heaving some weird issues with the KS6, when the microwave is operating my hearing aid will either disconnect from BT or jump from program 4 to program 1 - mid level sound. Now I am experience the same issue when the kitchen sink is running. I can’t find any info on either of these issues from other KS6 wearers. 

GREG

No idea on the kitchen sink, but Bluetooth is the same frequency band as microwaves. If your microwave is a bit leaky it can interfere with Bluetooth. (2.4 GHZ)

Member

I have a pair of OPN-1's for moderate hearing loss that I've worn since about 2017.  do you think the technology changes would make these a worthwhile upgrade?   

JimDV

What model of the Audeo Paradise are the Kirkland 10’s comparable to?

Abram Bailey, AuD

They are rechargeable and have a tcoil, so Audeo Paradise RT

Member

Does the new KS10T use the MARVEL or the PARADISE chip?

JimDV

Wow, top of the line!

Rose

Costco only carries the top of the line in each manufacturer, we do not have first tier 2nd tier 3rd tier… Only top-tier😁

Lew B

Rose, the case and mic slots appear to be different between the KS10 and Paradise. I wonder if the KS10 will have more wind noise? Any feedback?

Rose

There are many parameters that we can manipulate  in the software of the hearing aids to accommodate the concerns/needs of each patient. Wind noise happens to be one of those features that we can address aggressively or minimally depending upon the need:)

jsrnephdoc

I promise there will be a current question pertinent to this thread that emerges before I stop typing.

I'm a Montana transplant from Sonoma County, CA, where I had a WONDERFUL audiologist. Her husband was a hearing aid specialist. They worked for Connect Hearing.

I was forced to leave CA after we lost our home in the 2017 Tubbs Firestorm (living expenses insurance coverage stopped on the second anniversary of the fire, and we could not afford to add a rent payment (which was actually MORE than our mortgage payment) to the latter, for a house whose rebuild completion was many months away (turned out, almost two YEARS away.

I had begun wearing Phonak Hearing aids in 2015 after a revelatory experience with one of my patients. I'm a retired nephrologist. My patient had a hereditary disorder known as Alport Syndrome, which causes deafness and kidney failure. My patient was on dialysis for about 2 years before he received a successful kidney transplant. He was and is a very intelligent and resourceful young man, and he was a superb lip-reader, so my visits with him in the noisy dialysis center were always uncomplicated. However, once he received his kidney transplant and was able to see me for routine visits in my office things did not go as well. That was during the few years of the Federal Government insistence that doctors in outpatient practice convert to using electronic health records, which were (and still are) often very cumbersome and demanding of the practitioner's complete attention, so that the doctor may not be visible to the patient while the patient is being interviewed. My first post-op office visit with my own patient was like that, because he could not see me as I slouched on a stool hidden my my hi-res 27 inch flatscreen.

However, when he came for his second transplant follow-up visit things were much different. I was still slouched on that stool cursing at the programmers' inflexibility, but suddenly it dawned on me that my patient was answering my questions and asking ME pertinent ones as well. I peeked around my monitor's bezels and asked what had happened. He had brand new ReSOUND BT-enabled hearing aids, and they'd made a remarkable difference in his life. He demonstrated how easy it was to stream music, to take and receive phone calls, etc., By that time my own hearing deficits were becoming a burden to me and my partners, but my memory of hearing aid experiences was of elderly relatives who hadn't a clue that their hearing aids were blasting everyone else in the room with high frequency feedback totally inaudible to them.

However, the ReSOUNDS were a bust for me (too much amplification of high frequencies and a metallic quality to that amplification such that even though my word recognition was better, the experience was unpleasant. My wonderful audiologist at Connect Hearing in Santa Rosa told me she was not surprised by that and suggested I try the then-current Phonaks (their streaming was much more limited then, and they didn't stream in Stereo, and they only would work with a Bluetooth transceiver that I'd need to clip to my clothing. But they worked much better for their primary purpose.

I've lurked on this forum for the last year, rarely posting anything, but, given that there's NO Connect Hearing outlet within 1000 miles of my new home (and given that my Santa Rosa audiologist retired to the Northern California Sierras), when I decided to explore current technologies, there were rumors of new Phonak but Costco rebranded "KS-10" devices that would be equivalent or very similar to the Phonak Paradise V90s, and when they were released, I went in for my first hearing check in over 2 years.

I learned that my deficits hadn't changed. Without seeing the audiograms, the person who saw me replicated them in his own testing. Given all the new features, I ordered KS-10s, and I'm pretty impressed, except for one thing. If I'm streaming from my 4K OLED LG 65" flatscreen, the sound is just as good, if not even a bit better than when streamed to my AirPods Pro or Beats Pro X buds. If I'm working on my laptop and stream Apple music (the last few minutes of Mahler's gargantuan 8th Symphony, highlighted by the enormous organ in San Francisco's Davies Symphony Hall, I can tell that bigger speakers; e.g., the Dolby Atmos capable soundbar/subwoofer mated to the TV, can pump out more bass, and even the AirPods Pro produce a more immersive experience, but the KS-10s do remarkably well, and for conversational or new announcer speech they're remarkably good.

BUT (big but) when I take phone calls to the KS-10s, the speech is contaminated by pops, clicks, and scratches. I don't hear the distortion I create, and my caller doesn't hear the distortion he or she creates, but it's there, and its intrusive. I've not (yet) found others describing this, but is it a known problem?

Thanks so much,

Jim Robertson

GREG

On another HA blog there were complaints that the KS10 was more susceptible to wind noise.

Member

I'm very interested to know about the wind noise features as well! 

RobS

Do the Kirkland 10.0 have Roger Direct built in and are they compatible with the Roger Select IN or the Roger Pen IN ?

Rose

We don’t sell the Roger or program the Instruments to work with the Roger in our software, some of my patients have tried to go to Outside clinics to purchase the Roger, I am not sure if they have been successful.

Member

Wow!  Perfect timing!  I just a few minutes ago saw Dr. Cliff, Aud mention these on his YouTube channel and did a search for more details.  I have a Kaiser hearing test in two days (after a couple other tests in the past couple years that indicated some hearing loss but I have been putting off hearing aids because of cost and vanity).  In the past couple weeks I was researching and identified the Audeo Paradise at the top of my list because of the touch function and dual-device bluetooth connection.  NOW..... I have an option with the Kirkland 10 that are half the cost.  The description sounds like it has the same outstanding features with the tcoil, touch operation, 20 bands, RECHAREGABILITY! and... $100 bucks less than Kirkland 9's.  Great news! 

RobS

I currently uses a streamer with my  Oticon NHS hearing aids to stream music, tv and phone calls .

The streamer has a mute button so I can remove any background noise so that I only hear the phone call or music (ie switches off the hearing aid microphones), I find this extremely useful and it really improves the clarity of phone calls.

Do the Kirkland 10.0 have the ability to mute background noise when answering phone calls or streaming music ?

Member

I am also very curious about this, and also what connectivity to newer android phones does it take the mic sound from the phone or from the hearing aid? Do you need a clip on or necklace? And can you adjust whether or not you can hear your surroundings while on a call or not?

Member

I have been very happy with using the KS10s for phone calls. The mic audio comes from the HA and people on the other end report good quality. 

Rose

This is also an adjustable feature.  Not everyone would like the microphones to be muted while streaming.  It is up to the wearer which they prefer, then your provider can program them accordingly:)

Lew B

I am curious as to how these compare with the Paradise on wind noise. It looks like the mic placement is different between these and the Paradise. Any ideas?

I should have added that I got KS9.0s a few weeks ago and am not happy with the amount of wind noise. It SEEMS worse than my KS 7.0s. I hope that the 10's might be better, but the case seems to have the same mic locations as the 9.0s, and different from the Paradise. 

Rose

Please consider having your hearing instruments specialist adjust the wind noise controls in the software for you:)

Daniel

Do we know if these are programmed using the Phonak software or Costco specific software? It would be good to purchase and have my local audiologist program them. 

Member

"variable quality audiological care"

As if this weren't the case with independent audiologists!

Abram Bailey, AuD

I never suggested otherwise. Unfortunately, quality is variable industry wide, which is why I recommended doing your due diligence in selecting a local provider. Good luck!

Member
[Comment removed]
Abram Bailey, AuD

Your power of deduction is leading you down the wrong path here. Variable audiological care is something that exists outside of Costco too (I have written extensively about this), which is why I recommend that people look closely at their options, and if their local Costco has a great audiologist, by all means, patronize them... especially if cost is a concern. Your other assumption is also wrong. I am no longer working clinically, and don't own a practice. Hearing Tracker is my full time job.

Abram Bailey, AuD
For me, what vastly lower Costco pricing really highlights is how much markup is built into the pricing of hearing aids sold by independent audiologists (even allowing for the considerable discount granted Costco by a hearing aid manufacturer for an exclusive high-volume deal).

Forgot to comment on this. Did you know that most audiologists purchase hearing aids wholesale at a cost that exceeds the $1399 price at Costco? So, unfortunately, your math needs to be adjusted. Also, audiologists aren't raking it in, and typically are just getting by. It's sad really given the amount of student debt most of them have. The truth is the education is expensive, and the overheads are high. Is it fair that patients have to pay for the business and education costs of the practitioner? Maybe not, but given the current economics, and bundled pricing model, there would be no audiologists (or very few) without the high price tag. It's just the way it is... and yes, we all want to find a way to improve it. Trust me.

Rose

In all fairness, Costco doesn’t have some of the costs associated with an outside practice.

Some of the main costs that come to mind are:

1.  Overhead - as our practices are sharing the roof of the main store.

2.  The volume of business Costco does with the manufactures allows Costco to extend a fantastic price to patients.

3.  Costco hearing instruments specialist do not make commission. 

These three factors significantly impact the difference between outside clinic costs and inside Costco.

I have some colleagues that are hearing instruments specialist in outside clinics, I appreciate how hard they work, and the frustration they share with me:(

Rose

This is so true.  From state to state the criteria to practice is so different.   We have all seen the audiograms and heard the stories.  I don't understand why our field of practice is this way.  Afterall, shouldn't the audiological community be able to agree there is a correct way to construct an audiogram?    Guss Mueller would argue there is, and with good reason.     

Sitting on the board I see so many different processes that it is head spinning.  Granted there are likely more ways than one to come to a reliable conclusion; however I would argue that our industry would benefit from a standardized method since so many come to this profession through apprenticeship.

RobS

Any ideas when the KS 10.0 will be released in the UK ?

Maurice Frank

Can these hearing aids connect to my Dell Windows 10 computer with Bluetooth 5.0?

Can they connect to my Samsung TV which has bluetooth but an older version?

Thank you for the excellent information.

DaaBoss

Yes on the PC, but.... I can assure you that using Bluetooth for sound is not yet as common as it could / should be.  It will improve, but all the vendors of consumer electronics have a long way to go.  Just trying to get BT connected or disconnected from a source must be done on the device like a PC, if you want to switch to your phone.  Then, your PC will "try to help" by connecting to a different BT device if you have anther paired, which means you can't connect to your HA.  "Autoconnect" to the next BT is both a curse and a blessing.  Then, another huge problem is, do devices see your HA's as "headsets vs headPHONES".  If you talk using your PC on Skype or Meet or Zoom, then you will have issues sometimes.  For instance, if you HA ONLY are being used as headPHONES, then you will only be able to use the mike on your laptop.  HeadSET, and it uses the mike from your HA.  BUT, if listening to music with the headSET, mine crackles and doesn't sound as good, so I have to make sure it is set to HeadPHONES when not talking.   (Worse, W-10 calls these, "Music, [AND] Voice" when on headSET mode, and just MUSIC when on HeadPHONE.  TOTALLY opposite of common sense, since you can't talk on the "headPHONE" mode!)

The mike from your PC laptop is usually set to be highly directional, and eliminates much of the sound outside that cone.  So, it make lousy speakerphone for many people to talk.  It also adds any vibration from your fans or (spinning) hard drive.  

The mike on the HA on the other hand, will pick up especially distant sound and send that to your listeners.  So, your laptop fans or motors won't bother anyone, and they will be able to clearly hear anyone speaking that is close by.

Alas, you can't easily hook up the mike from your HA, or change to the PC.  There's no switch (yet) on the W-10 PC.  But, there will be in the future someday.  Connecting to your TV is another whole confusing mess.  Again, the issue is switching back and forth from one device to the next.  And the HA vendor can't help, since that UI is not theirs.  For instance, I got a great $235 55" TV that was not Android or Samsung, but has the Roku UI built in.  

Great.  I already had a remote that used BT to send sound there.  The new TV?  Nope -- Can't send ANY commands or sound to or from the better Roku remote.  But, I use the Roku APP with my phone!  With that, I can control the TV, and also hit the "send sound" to the remote on my phone.  BT is already connected to my phone, and now the TV sounds great thru my TV, to the APP, to my phone, and TO my HA.  Well most sound.  Except, that only works if the sound source is from WITHIN the streaming from the Roku internal app, or another streaming app.  Anything else like my cable box or external Fire TV, or Google dongle, will NOT play sound through that channel.

BT is great, but has long way to go.  Give it another five years and all the devices will support all the BT Ear Buds AND HA properly.

   

Maurice Frank

DaaBoss, thank you for the thorough reply. Lots of good insight.

Rose
[Comment removed]
Maurice Frank

Rose,

Bluetooth 9? The latest Bluetooth specification listed in Wikipedia is 5.2

Maurice

Member

I bought my KS 9.0 HAs in December and went to my routine check at Costco today. Saw the poster for the $1399 KS hearing aids and off-handily asked about that. He mentioned there wasn't much difference between the 9's and 10's but once he mentioned they were rechargeable (while I feel guilty doing so) I told him to refund my current ones and purchase the rechargeable ones. I love my current 9.0 but really hate dealing with batteries as they are too small and I always forget to carry extras and they go dead at the wrong times. Costco told me to keep the 9s and return them in 10 days when the 10's are ready. They have such good service. While I feel guilty returning them I did just dump $600 buying groceries I don't really need and seem to do that each time I come for HA adjustments. I'm very pleased with Costco. Just wish they sold wine in Maryland, but that is for a different forum I suppose. Even if I couldn't return the 9.0's I'd still consider also buying the 10's but I am weird that way I suppose. I didn't even know about tinnitus relief so look forward to exploring that, although suspect it wont help me since I have multiple levels of tinnitus.

Member

Haha...so true about being $600 poorer each time you walk out of Costco!

I just posted a question about sound quality of the music and movies, any opinions or insight is much appreciated!

OGauge4Me

Which Costco in Maryland did you purchase the HA from?  I ask because I live in  MD and have somewhat easy access to three Costco's.

Member

I phoned around before deciding on the Costco in Columbia (Elkridge) just because they were a combo of the best closest one. The Owings Mills costco sounded great as well, even better since they had more than one audiologist and I thought that would be easier to schedule over the next three years. Interestingly they had two at my last apt. Not sure if that is permanent or not. I love the sound booths. No dark tiny booth but just a whole soundproofed office. I just stare at the doors and wish I had something like that in my home for teleworking. 

OGauge4Me

TY.  I went to the Costco at Arundel Mills on the recommendation from a neighbor. Glad I did.  The service was excellent.  I pick up my Signature 10.0 this Friday.

Member

Lots of good comment and questions and @Rose thank you for all your helpful information.

I was planning to get the KS9 last year then the Covid thing happened.  Glad a newer and shinier version is out there now.

I'm really interested in the BT connection and the sound quality of it for listening to music, watching movies and talking on the phone.  Is the sound quality closer to say an AirPod or say a Amazon brand BT headset.

How is the mic's quality for the phone.  

I realized this is somewhat subjective but wonder what the consensus is from your customer feedbacks

Rose

I haven’t been n fitted in mine yet, but my patients are really pleased with the sound quality while streaming music, movies, etc.

This is another area of the hearing aid programming that is easily manipulate a bowl to adjust your sound experience..... and YOU’RE WELCOME 😉. 

I really appreciate this forum; to be able to answer questions and help people who are struggling with some of the experiences that they’ve had, it’s graat… Glad to help😁

Bernie M

I just purchased Costco’s Rexton hearing aids. It was between the new rechargeable Kirkland brand and Rexton. I have not received them. They have been ordered. After reading the reviews, I’m not sure if I should change my order. I’m wondering how the Rexton  compares to the new K10 in background noise and normal tone. 

Rose

M-Core is an outstanding platform.  Rexton also has the styleline, which is a very slender rechargeable that fits more comfortably behind the ear.

Just remember when the product is programmed correctly and real your verification is performed you were going to be in great shape as most current technology is pretty phenomenal😁

Bernie M

Thank you for your reply. If I am reading it correctly, you feel the Rexton is more comfortable, with good sound quality. 

I have them for about six weeks. I have been back for adjustments. The background noise is very loud, even with the noise/party feature installed in my phone. I also am having trouble with clarity. 

If I am understanding your answer, the K 10’s would not be any different? Is it similar to the Rexton with background noise and clarity, or would I notice an improvement  

Thank you in advance for your reply  

Rose

If you were still having issues with clarity please see you’re a specialist or asked to see the senior in your location. Any adjustment should be done with REAL EAR.

Without seeing your audio gram I have no idea what your discrimination ability is, sometimes the lack of understanding can be explained by the challenge your brain has identifying sound.

“Background noise” has a negative connotation, in my practice we call it the sounds of life.

Before you had hearing loss your brain was well connected to the sounds and able to navigate process and identify them with ease. After a time with hearing loss reconnecting to those sounds comfortably take some time.

Remember that Hearing is a function of the brain the more time passes that it stays connected to the sounds the easier it becomes, the less it will bring everyone of these sounds to your attention.

My daughter used to live near a railway station, when I would go to visit her I’m like how do you tolerate the sound of these trains, she said what trains?   :)   Her brain was so used to hearing the sounds that it no longer brought them to her attention.

This is why wearing hearing aids consistently is so important, giving the brain this information all its waking hours allows it to make this transition faster and easier when it realizes the new normal includes all these sounds:)  good luck

Bernie M

Thank you for your reply. I have had expensive hearing aids from an audiologist in my doctor’s office. The Rexton from Costco actually work better. 

I am familiar with the sound of life with hearing aids, and have adjusted. My Costco is using real ear, and I have been back for adjustments. They have been excellent to work with.  It is in a restaurant or a room filled with people that I have a difficult time. Normal day to day or one in one is not the issue. I will go back again to see if more adjustments will help. I have used the background reduction feature. I play around with it to get the best sound.  My question was is the new K 10 as good or better than the Rexton  I had Phonak previously, and I liked the Bluetooth features and price a  bit better than the Rexton  I was trying to determine if there is a difference  in clarity and background noise between the two. Is it worth the switch, or am better off working to adjust the Rexton.  

Thank you in advance for your reply. 

Rose

That is so hard to answer directly, they are both very good manufacturers with excellent features, if engaged correctly,  and programmed correctly, you should do very well in both of them. Without seeing your audiogram or really understanding thoroughly all the issues/variables  of the challenges you’re having it’s very difficult to answer that directly. 

You’re wearing excellent product if you can’t get to the place where you are feeling that you were doing excellent in your hearing environments and you have confidence in your provider then maybe it’s worth trying the KS 10 in a demo-type situation to see if you feel it is better for you.

Please don’t give up:)  perhaps it’s worth discussing with another specialist, sometimes a different perspective is helpful.   

I know I enjoy helping colleagues and patients who are experiencing challenges:)

Bobs

I have Costco bought 3 year old Phonak brio3r Ric aids. I am considering getting KS10's. Do you think I will notice any difference?

I not on any kind of budget when it comes to hearing. Please advise.

Member

I had Brio2’s and just got the KS 10’s.  Yes you will notice a huge difference.  The 10’s are a game changer.  So glad I got mine.😀

Member

I have been on my Brio2s now for more than four years and am booked to get KS10 on 12th of May. Your post is very encouraging. Can't wait to get KS10s now.

Rose

I am such a huge fan of appropriate programming in REAL EAR verification.

There are definitely differences in the two offerings,  I still believe any good manufactured hearing aid programmed correctly is

A great set of instruments, it’s hard for me to comment whether it’s worth you spending more money on a new set without intimately knowing your current audiogram/programming etc.

I use the same litmus test for deciding whether I’m going to spend a significant amount of money on a different experience. I’m sorry I Was unable to be more definitive:)

Member

Does the new KS10T use the MARVEL or the PARADISE chip?

Nancy Schoonover

Can anyone in Southern California recommend a good quality audiologist at Costco or elsewhere for that matter?

I just got my KS10s 4 days ago, but both visits to Costco I was not happy with their service and programming of the aids.  They just don't listen to me and refused to answer questions I had.

I've been hearing impaired my entire life & wearing aids for 35+ years so I've been thru this rodeo several times already.

Rose

I am so sorry to hear of your experience.

Based on your years of hearing loss, I am wondering if there are some audiogram challenges that stand in your way of having a better experience with hearing aid’s.

I say this because over the years I’ve had some very significant audiograms in my booth that present huge challenges.

Discrimination, dynamic range, are two of the largest that are out of our control, but do present parameters that limit us as specialists.

The goal is to get you Hearing as best as you possibly can with a pair of hearing instruments, with realistic expectations of their limitations.

 I would love to help you!

I am in Idaho.

Member

Hi

Does the k10 charge with Phonak mini charge case? 

Tnx

Member

It should since it is essentially a private label phonak paradise 9, but  I hope someone can confirm this

OGauge4Me

Is there a charger case that has a drying function available for this hearing aid?

Member

I would like to know that as well

Member

Do the Kirkland 10.0 have a tracking capability?  I have a parent who has been misplacing frequently. 

Rose

I’m sorry, the app does not track the aids.

Bob

I'd like to make a few comments about the KS10.0's that I received yesterday.  It might be interesting to know that there are a few features that you may not know about.  The most exciting one that I've discovered is the ability to double-tap your ear to bring up Alexa (or Google, etc.) when you're connected to your compatible phone and not using it for a call or streaming.  This was never mentioned in the advertisements.  As a matter of fact, I don't even remember where I found out about this feature, but it works great.

The double-tap feature can also be used to pause/unpause streaming from your phone (when not in a call).

I will mention, though, that the ability to connect to 2 bluetooth devices at the same time is a little flaky.  Yes, it will connect to 2 devices, but once you are connected, neither connection works very well.  If I connect to just my phone, I can stream music just fine, but once I connect to my PC, also, then both are choppy.  I would recommend that you don't try connecting to 2 devices.

In any case, I did extensive research comparing the KS10.0 to the Phonak Paradise P90 RT and cannot find anything that would convince me to pay $3500 or more for a pair instead of the $1399 at Costco.

Member

Thanks for the information. 

Hav you found any features that the  Phonak Paradise P90 RT has that your new KS10 doesn’t have?  Other than the price difference are they basically the same?

Bob

I've never actually had the Phonak, but this comparison chart shows the features of both, and how the Phonak P90-RT and Costco KS 10.0 have the same exact features called by different names.  I'm going to say that there are no differences.  Also, remember that the Phonak P90 is the more expensive RT version, which includes the Telecoil.  The KS 10.0 also have the Telecoil!

Bernie M

I decided on the Rexton. After about a week, they suddenly got a bit more quiet. I checked for wax,  but this wasn’t the case. It was between Rexton and the new K10. Anyone  have any reviews to share about either? Did anyone else experience a decrease in volume with the Rexton?

Rose

Make sure there is not any debris in the pathway of sound, this is the typical reason for the decrease in volume noticed over time.

There is also the possibility that your brain is becoming more comfortable with some of the sounds and is relaxing into them.

Larry

I purchased the 9.0 February and will be returning them for the 10.0 when the 10.0 I ordered comes in.   I was told that the 10.0 will be programmed the same as what was down for the 9.0.  Is this the correct why do set up the 10.0.    

Abram Bailey, AuD

Just make sure the hearing care professional performs REMs again. KS9 and KS10 are not the same devices, so the same settings may not yield the same results. 

eldernerd

Mr. Bailey, you mentioned at the beginning that the KS10's were Roger compatible.  Would you explain exactly what you mean by that?  I'm using a Brio 2 now but thinking about a X receiver for the compilot and a Roger mic but interested in knowing if those will work when I upgrade to the KS10.  Thanks for all the information.

Abram Bailey, AuD

From my understanding, the KS10's will work with Roger devices, but Costco doesn't currently sell Roger devices. So, you'd need to find a local audiologist willing to work with your KS10's who would sell you Roger devices and help get them synced up. 

blueminerals

I demo-ed a costco 10 yesterday, and it sounded very "tin-ny".  I didn't hear a lot of mid and low end frequencies. The tech uses an closed earpiece.  Some of this may be due to my 60 db loss above 3k. I tried a phillips 9030 and it sounded more normal. Why is the 10 so tinny ? 

Abram Bailey, AuD

It's likely to do with the tuning of the devices rather than a sound signature of the devices. 

blueminerals

I asked why she used a closed dome on the 10 and she said to increase the lower frequencies. But the phillips demo used a open dome. If I forced a switch to the open dome on the 10, would it sound less tinny?

Also, there is very little info around on the fine details of the phillips 9030, like does it have tinnitus capability?

Lew B

I had the same experience with the "tinny" sound when set up with the in the ear software--on both the KS9 and KS10's that I just replaced them with. I had the audiologist reduce the gain to 80% and things sounded more balanced. I can still turn them up if I want. 

It seems as if the Phonak software pumps up the highs too much, even though the graph I saw on her screen did not show that. 

The closed dome is supposed to give you MORE bass, not less. 

David_G

K10.0 ordered today. Will get them in 2 weeks.

Bernie M

How Do you like your K 10’s. How is the clarity and tone?

David_G

I got them from Costco near Canberra airport Australia. The service was excellent and they give a lifetime free clean and adjust,

The hearing aids are probably working fine but my computer fan and my 3d printer now makes a lot more noise.

So much I have not heard for a while.

It is going to take some time to adjust to the clearer sounds.

I am very happy with my choice

Bernie M

Thank you for your reply. If you have any additional thoughts as you use them, please advise. 

Bob B

I'm currently using KS-8s.  My previous experience had been with top of the line Siemens Pure 7s from HearX.  They were expensive and I had to pay about 3500 co-pay.  I also was unhappy with my HA person.  I used to spend a lot of effort at various meetings adjusting the aids through my phone app.  I still had a lot of difficulty understanding speech from some people.  I do have severe to profound hearing loss as a result of military service.

Once I got the HS-8s I had much better understanding of speech and (after a couple of adjustments) I rarely feel the need to switch programs of phone app settings.   While I don't have budget limitations regarding the hearing aids, I am quite happy to save a couple of grand and get a better hearing experience.  BTW, I'm very happy with my Costco hearing aid consultant.  Even though I'm quite satisfied with my current HAs, I'm considering getting the KS-10s for the rechargeable feature and for the ability to take calls through my phone.  

Member

I got my KS10 hearing aids about 3 weeks ago and had an issue with feedback (squealing) in my ears. Changed to different domes, no luck. Went back for a followup yesterday and my audio person found that my feedback manager program had quit working and he reinstalled it along with two other programs. I can change programs with a long press on my multifunction rocker, the mobile app is basically useless because any changes made there go back to Auto as soon as your phone sends your hearing aids a sound. Please fix the phone app! These KS10 hearing aids are GREAT! I'm hearing very well and they are very comfortable. 

Member

I just bought a pair of hearing aids from Costco and I am very disappointed in the quality I was sold the Phillips brand could someone who has the same experience comment I'm thinking about bringing them back and get the kirkland 10.0

Rose

I guarantee you it’s in the programming of the hearing aid not in the product!

Please work with a different specialist I guarantee you you won’t want to switch them out for KS’10’s!

mingus

So the Phllips are as good or better than the 10?

Member

I have had Costco Kirkland 9.0 hearing aids since January 2020.  These were my third set of hearing aids and definitely the best, although I know the technology changes every few years, so I will get the 10.0 even if I have to pay.My previous $5,000 and $6,000 devises (Odicon and Phonak) from a private audiologist were no good plus my audiologist quit and the hospital did not replace her, so I had to pay to get them reprogrammed once and had to pay for a warranty and repairs.

My recommendation is, trust Rose, Costco, and their audiologists.  Don't buy over-the-counter without seeing an audiologist somewhere.  Don't believe some of the comments made by others.

While I agree, everyone is different and every hearing loss is different, understand whatever you buy will be obsolete in one or two years, so paying $6,000 from a private  audiologist, is not a once in a lifetime (or a 5-10 year) purchase, so consider getting a $1,500 pair from Costco every year or whenever a new model becomes available.

Rose

Thank you:)

This is a great forum for sharing helpful information.

Member

Are you stating the Phillips are a better HA than the 10. ?

Bernie M

I purchased a Rexton, and the tone is good. I have some issue with clarity and background noise The Bluetooth doesn’t always work. I am interested in switching to the K10. How is the tone , clarity, and background noise in  the new K10. I like the Bluetooth features of the K 10. 

Member

I had a Costco hearing evaluation a couple years ago.  I would love to get a pair of the new 10.0 hearing devices but am not confident with the testing done at the store.  The booth was not sound proofed.  I was hearing conversations of shoppers just outside.  I mentioned this to the person who performed the evaluation and she said it shouldn’t have made any difference.  I disagree.  Are the hearing booths in all Costco stores designed the same?  I would like to give it another shot as my hearing has only gotten worse.

Rose

Each booth has to pass a certain test.  

It can happen that the seal, or door itself has shifted. 

This should be addressed but I would choose a different booth for your own piece of mind.

Mine is GREAT!:)

Member

I have the KS9.0 hearing aid with the latest firmware upgrade. I work as an interpreter and I wanted to try the Roger table mic. Can you please guide me in the right direction? Which one is compatible with the KS9.0 or KS 10.0; I have an appointment In July I will be upgrading to KS10.0.

Mike C

So twice recently I hear Siri (iPhone) telling me that she's calling (facetime once) someone from my contact list. I look at the phone and it says "Voice Control". But I have that turned at Settings - General - Accessibility - Voice Control.

It must be the double tap option to turn on Voice Assistant. Seems like it overrides the  Accessibility setting. Well it's off now.

MJ

My only problem is putting the ear plug in.  They seem to big for my ear canal and I have to use a piece of cotton to hold them close to my eardrum.  Do they make a smaller plug?  I just purchased mine a week ago,

MJ

My only problem is putting the ear plug in.  They seem to big for my ear canal and I have to use a piece of cotton to hold them close to my eardrum.  Do they make a smaller plug?  I just purchased mine a week ago.

Member

I just had a hearing test (Last test was in 2014) and tried the KS 10's at my local Costco. I'm currently using a pair of Unitron Moxi Fit Pro's that are  5 years old. I'm using the "P" receivers on my Unitron's, and the Costco hearing aid fitter says the fitting software for the KS 10's recommends the newer "P" receiver with power domes. Although I could hear things pretty well in the limited amount of time that I had them on, they sounded more synthetic than my current aids which have what I would call a very "natural" sound. Is this what other people who have purchased new aids recently have noticed, or was I just expecting something that doesn't exist?

Member

I am just starting to research my first hearing aid and it is quite overwhelming.

My impression so far is that the KS10's have the most technological features at their price point of $1400. The only thing missing for me is the tinnitus relief, which is not enabled on the KS10. 

Is there anything else available at a competitive price? What could an independant audiologist supply to compete at this price point?

Now that Bose have launched their first hearing aid it will be interesting to see if more competitors will enter the market and help reduce prices.

Member

It's my understanding that a fitter or Audiologist with Phonak Target software can enable the tinnitus feature on these aids from what I've read.

Member

Thanks, I have not seen any comments about that. I will have a search and see if I can find how much it would cost.

Member

Just ordered my KS 10's in Stone color. Fitting is scheduled for August 8th. 

Member

I purchased and was fitted for hearing aids (KS 9.0s) for the first time this spring.  I was committed to embracing them and have worn them everyday since I first received them. I found that it took about 2 to 3 weeks for my brain and body to adjust to  them, after that I barely know that I am wearing them.  I did change to KS 10s primarily because they were rechargeable.  I have been pleasantly surprised with the KS 10s.  They seem to have better sound quality and will pair with my cell phone.  This works great particularly in a noisy environment or on the golf course as I can actually hear who I am conversing with on the phone and it is not disturbing the people around  me.  An added bonus is about 75% improvement in my tinnitus.  I was not expecting that.

My health insurance covers hearing aids, but I purchased these at the Puyallup Costco for considerably less than my co-pay would have been elsewhere.  I was impressed with my technician and the suport personnel. 

Michel

Modifying my post after finding a workaround...

I started using Kirkland 10.0T 10 days ago, and at first I had one major problem with them. 

I could not get Bluetooth to work with Microsoft Teams on my ThinkPad Windows laptop.  When in meetings, my colleagues could hear me perfectly, but I could not hear them.  This was working very well with my previous hearing-aids, Costco Phonak with Bluetooth pendant (forgot the actual model number), although the sound from the microphone was often less than perfect.   Note also that Bluetooth is working well with Zoom on the same laptop, and with any video I watch from Chrome. 

This was a show stopper for me, but my company experts found a workaround.  We changed the settings in Teams to use the hearing-aids for the Speaker, and the laptop for the Microphone.  With these settings everything works. Note also that once set,  the settings remain from meeting to meeting. 

Michel D.

Member

Anyone having trouble with the sound becoming muffled in right ear (only) when there is a loud noise, such as traffic, toilet flushing, water out of the faucet? Thanks. 

mingus

While it appears that the 10's feature set is equivalent to the Phonak Paradise - and therefore would require the same Prism chip - I haven't seen that stated anywhere.  Can anyone confirm that the 10's use the Prism?  Or do they possibly have the Sword chip used in the Marvel?  The older chip would mean that some features, although provided, would not perform to the same level as on the Paradise, i.e., the implementation would be equivalent to the Marvel. 

Member

Tap control. Motion sensor. Up to 8 Bluetooth devices can be paired. Can connect to 2 Bluetooth devices simultaneously. Autosense 4.0. It's not the Sword chip used in the Marvel line. 

Member

Just got the fitting and collected my KS 10's. REM fitting and added a speech in noise plus TV/Music mode. So far impressive, especially the phone performance. My wife said I sounded better than I do through just the phone, and I could hear her perfectly. Even with a mask on she could hear me very well. Might need a small tweak or 2 on my follow-up appointment in 2 weeks. First impressions-Quite impressive.

Member

I've had the KS7, going on 5 years. I live here in JAX FL and  the Costco team, with my lead person, Nancy  have been nothing but outstanding, real pros. I am going for my next pair 8/26/21  KS10's  You can say I am happy with Costco.

- Randy form  Jacksonville ,FL

Member

i am happy with my KS 10's. Sometimes i just wear one aid while charging the other. It seems like only Right aid connects to Bluetooth fine. When i am wearing just the Left aid, i cannot get it to Bluetooth connect?

WhySee & Hear?

Can I ask my friend to buy a pair in the USA and bring it back to Malaysia. Do I need to send in the audiology hearing test?

Member

Rose and others, looking for advice and feedback. My 92-year old father has some hearing difficulties, quite moderate. He has finally decided to give hearing aids a try primarily because having phone conversations is more challenging than anything else. I am looking into various options and as it stands now, Costco/KS10 is my choice. All the comments on using the app to tweak the settings, Bluetooth issues, streaming music, movies, phone calls to the hearing aids, etc. have me concerned about his ability to deal with the HAs on his own. He has an iPhone X and its' sole purpose is to make and receive a few phone calls, period. Would someone with a very limited ability to deal with mobile devices and apps still get all the benefits of the hearing aids, with two main areas being phone conversations and watching TV, without having to deal with connecting to bluetooth?

Hear, hear!

I am encouraged by what I’m reading so far abnout the 10s. Based upon audiograms from mobile apps and at Costco, my hearing loss range from 40db to 60db with the most loss at the higher end of the frequency spectrum. I suppose this classifies me as having a more moderate than mild hearing loss. I realize the HA will have to be programmed to be fine tuned for the actual audiogram, but will the 10s be able to be programmed to achieve this much overall amplification, say 60 db over the whole frequency range? Note: I can hear quite well if the volume of sounds and voices, especially the TV are merely loud enough. Thank you!!

Leave a comment

Back to Table of Contents