Costco Hearing Aids

Kirkland Signature 9.0 Hearing Aids

The Kirkland Signature 9.0 hearing aid range is made up of one Bluetooth enabled Receiver In Canal hearing aid at one premium level of technology. While the range is limited, the hearing aid will fit most hearing losses because of the interchangeable receivers (speakers). The Kirkland Signature 9.0 can use four different receivers,which allows the hearing aid to cover hearing losses from mild to severe to profound hearing losses.

The device is an IP68 rated hearing aid with a dual control that is powered by a 312 zinc-air battery, it doesn't have a telecoil on board. Again though, it is a Bluetooth hearing aid and unlike other Bluetooth hearing aids, it offers direct connection to any Bluetooth enabled cell phone. The new Kirkland Signature 9.0 is manufactured by Sonova and it is built upon the same hardware as the Phonak Marvel and Unitron Discover. It is important that you understand that the Kirkland 9.0 is similar to these hearing aids but is not exactly the same.

Hands-Free Phone  Calls

The hearing aids provide hands-free phone calls from your connected cell phone. You simply press the button on the hearing aid to answer the call and talk away.You can also end the phone call with a simple touch of the button on your hearing aids.

TV Audio Streaming

There is a TV streamer accessory for the device that allows you to stream audio from any TV or sound system direct to your hearing aids without a streamer. The TV accessory provides excellent sound quality.

App Based Remote Control

There is also an accompanying app for both Android and iPhones which will allow you to control your hearing aids remotely from your smartphone.

Kirkland 9.0 Prices

Overall, the Costco Kirkland Signature 9.0 Hearing Aids seem like pretty good hearing aids considering their purchase price of $1499.99 for a pair. As I said, the technology is not identical to the Phonak Marvel or Unitron Discover line of devices, but they are similar. Kirkland hearing aids, or any of the hearing aids available at Costco do not have any kind of Tinnitus Features inside of their devices, so it’s something you need to take into consideration if that’s important to you.

Kirkland Signature 9.0 Features

The Kirkland Signature 9.0 uses the Sonova Sword chip for communication and the features are as follows:

• Third-generation enhanced automatic operating system
• Premium-level classification of environmental sounds and streamed media
• Binaural signal processing and binaural beamforming
• Direct connectivity to any Bluetooth phone with audio streaming to both ears
• Hands-free phone calls with built-in microphones
• 20 fine-tuning channels, 9 automatic programs, 3 manual programs
• Receiver-in-canal (RIC) form factor with 312 battery
• 4 receiver power levels
• Accessories: TV Connector

Kirkland Signature 8.0 Hearing Aids

The Kirkland Signature 8.0 hearing aid range is made up of one Bluetooth enabled Receiver In Canal hearing aid at one premium level of technology. While the range is limited, the hearing aid will fit most hearing losses because of the interchangeable receivers (speakers). The Kirkland Signature 8.0 can use four different receiver, an S which covers mild to moderate hearing loss, an M which covers moderate to severe hearing loss, a P which covers severe hearing loss and finally a HP which covers severe to profound hearing loss.

The device is an IP68 rated hearing aid with a rocker control that is powered by a 312 zinc-air battery, it doesn't have a telecoil on board which is a shame. Again though, it is a Bluetooth hearing aid so it offers direct connection. The devices come in ten different colour options. As I said earlier, the Kirkland Signature is manufactured by Sivantos and it is built upon the same technology as the Signia 7 Nx and the Rexton 80 8C. In general, in the professional world, the Kirkland Signature is felt to be most similar to the Rexton 80 8C.

Reviews of the hearing aids

The reviews of the Kirkland Signature 8.0 hearing aids on Hearing Tracker (about the only hearing aid review site I trust other than us) are overwhelmingly positive. They have an overall rating of 75% from 79 reviews (20/06/2019).  The general feedback appears to be that they deliver pretty well with some drawbacks around streaming audio.

Overall, the Costco Kirkland Signature 8.0 Hearing Aids seem like pretty good hearing aids considering their purchase price of $1600 for a pair. They are not identical to the Signia 7 Nx line of devices, but they are pretty similar. Kirkland hearing aids, or any of the hearing aids available at Costco do not have any kind of Tinnitus Features inside of their devices, so it’s something you need to take into consideration if that’s important to you.

Kirkland Signature 8.0 Features

The Kirkland Signature 8.0 runs on the MyCore platform, the features are as follows:

Costco Resound Hearing Aids

As I said earlier, the Resound hearing aids available at Costco are based on the LiNX Quattro 9 (the Preza) and the LiNX 3D 9 (the Vida). Both of which are premium hearing aid platforms from GN. I like Resound products, and I love the Resound Smart 3D app. That may sound strange, but the app gives you so much power over your hearing aids and your day to day experience. Let's take a look at the hearing aids and the accessories.

Resound Preza Hearing Aids

The Resound Preza range at Costco is made up of two Receiver In Canal hearing aids, one of which is a lithium-ion powered device and the other, a traditional zinc-air powered device. The Preza is available in one technology range which appears to be similar to the 9 level of LiNX Quattro hearing devices. Let's take a quick look at the models.

A Lithium-ion Rechargeable Made For iPhone Hearing Aid

 

The LiNX Preza LT-61, which you can see above, is a rechargeable direct connection, Bluetooth enabled or Made For iPhone hearing aid. Resound have redesigned the wireless radio for the new platform and it is more powerful than ever before meaning more stability when streaming audio. Making it a lithium-ion rechargeable device makes a lot of sense, although Resound has used chip upgrades to improve power consumption, a rechargeable option allows you the comfort of never having to worry about hearing aid batteries. The battery life is also fantastic, they say that you will get 30 hours of use on one charge and 24 hours of life even if you are streaming for 50% of the time. Unfortunately, the device doesn't have a telecoil.

 

Traditional Zinc Air Powered

The LT-62 is a traditional zinc-air powered Made For iPhone device that takes a size 13 battery. It has a telecoil on-board and offers a multi-functional button which acts as volume control and programme button. The device is water resistant. This might be the device for you if you want an on-board telecoil receiver.

We know very little about the feature set available on the Preza to be honest with you. One thing we do know is that it doesn't have any tinnitus management features to speak of. If Resound has followed the pattern up to now, the Preza should be a slightly de-featured Quattro 9.

Again, we can't confirm that for sure and we will continue to search for the feature set information. If and when we come across it, we will post it here.

Reviews of The Hearing Aids

There actually aren't many reviews of the Resound Preza online right now. When I searched the forums, I came across a few happy buyers though. In general, the outlook seems pretty happy. No matter what though, $1,249.99 per hearing aid seems like a great price.

Resound Vida Hearing Aids

The Resound Vida range at Costco is made up of three BTE hearing aids and six custom ITE hearing devices. The Vida is available in one technology range which appears to be based on the 9 level of technology on the LiNX 3D platform.

The Features

Again, it is a bit difficult for us to get our hands on a definitive list of features, however, it appears that the Resound Vida has the same features as the LiNX 3D 9. We will continue to search for a definitive list and when we have them, I will add them here.

Reviews of The Hearing Aids

Again, there are very few reviews online, but there is some talk within the hearing aid forums. In all, the outlook online is favourable. No matter what though, $1,249.99 each seems like a great price. Let's take a look at the models.

Resound Vida MIH (Microphone In Helix hearing aid)

The MIH is a small microphone in helix custom hearing aid (which is unique to Resound). Because it is so small you will lose some of the benefits of Resound technology. However, that is always the trade-off for discretion. The device is available with four levels of receiver power, LP, MP, HP and UP which means it can cover a lot of hearing loss, in fact from mild all the way to severe to profound. The size of the receiver available is based on the size of your ear canal. If your canal is too small, you won't be able to avail of the higher power receivers.

The functional features of this model are as follows, it can have a push button, volume control, the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. But you lose out on the direct audio streaming, no ear to ear communication, and no wireless accessories. The aid takes a size 10 battery. 

By choosing discretion you do lose out on a lot of features and benefit. Firstly, there is no telecoil, something that many like. You also miss out on the new Resound smart 3D app and the remote assistance. You lose all the directionality functions because you only have one mic, no Wind Guard and you lose all the wireless functions.

Resound Vida 9 IIC (Invisible In Canal Hearing Aid)

The IIC is the smallest of the Resound Vida custom hearing aids. Like the MIH, its size means that you lose out on some of the benefits. The device is available with only one level of receiver power, the LP. It will only cover hearing losses to a max 70 dB in the low frequencies and 85 dB in the high frequencies. Like all invisible hearing aids, suitability for this device is also based on the size of your ear canal. If your canal is too small, you won't be able to avail of it.

It can not have a push button or volume control, but the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. But you lose out on the direct audio streaming, no ear to ear communication, and no wireless accessories. The battery size on this aid is size 10.

Again, by choosing discretion you do lose out on a lot of features and benefit. Firstly, there is no telecoil, something that many like. You also miss out on the new Resound smart 3D app and the remote assistance. You lose all the directionality functions because you only have one mic, no Wind Guard and you lose all the wireless functions.

Resound Vida CIC (Completely in Canal)

The CIC is a discrete device, again size means fewer benefits. The device is available with four levels of receiver power, LP, MP, HP and UP which means it can cover a lot of hearing loss, in fact from mild all the way to severe to profound. As with the MIH, the size of the receiver available is based on the size of your ear canal. If your canal is too small, you won't be able to avail of the higher power receivers.

The functional features of this model are as follows, it can have a push button, volume control, the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. But you lose out on the direct audio streaming, no ear to ear communication, and no wireless accessories. The battery size on this aid is size 10.

Again, no telecoil, and you also miss out on the new Resound smart 3D app and the remote assistance. You lose all the directionality functions because you only have one mic, no Wind Guard and you lose all the wireless functions.

Resound Vida ITC (In The Canal)

The ITC is an in the canal hearing aid which is slightly larger than a CIC. Like it's smaller brother the CIC, because it is so small you may well lose some of the benefits of the technology. The device is available with four levels of receiver power, LP, MP, HP and UP which means it can cover a lot of hearing loss, in fact from mild all the way to severe to profound. Again, the size of the receiver available is based on the size of your ear canal. If your canal is too small, you won't be able to avail of the higher power receivers. The amount of technology that they can include in the hearing aid is also based on ear canal size.

The functional features of this model are as follows, it can have a push button, volume control, the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. It may have directional microphones, depending on the size of the device. However, you will get direct audio streaming, ear to ear communication, and wireless accessories. More importantly, you will get access to the Smart 3D app and all the benefits that it delivers to your experience. There can be a telecoil on-board, however, it is only available with the MP HP and UP receiver versions. The battery size on this aid is 312.

Resound Vida ITE (In The Ear)

There are two ITE devices available, they are basically the same hearing aid just in different shell sizes. They can come in a half shell or full shell hearing aid. The device is available with four levels of receiver power, LP, MP, HP and UP which means it can cover a lot of hearing loss, in fact from mild all the way to severe to profound. Again, the size of the receiver available is based on the size of your ear canal. If your canal is too small, you won't be able to avail of the higher power receivers.

The functional features of this model are as follows, it will have directional microphones, it can have a push button, volume control, and the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. You get the direct audio streaming, ear to ear communication, and wireless accessories. More importantly, you will get access to the Smart 3D app and all the benefits that it delivers to your experience. There is a telecoil on-board, however, it is only available with the MP HP and UP receiver versions. These hearing aids use a size 13 battery. 

Resound Vida 67 BTE (Behind The Ear)

The BTE 67 is the smallest of the behind the ear hearing aids from Resound. It can be fitted with either a thin tube, which you can see on the device or a traditional tube and mould. It has a telecoil onboard. The device is suitable for hearing losses from mild to moderately severe. The BTE is a sturdy hearing aid model with great reliability. They very rarely break down.

The functional features of this model are as follows, it has a push button, volume control, the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. You will get direct audio streaming from iPhones, ear to ear communication, and wireless accessories.

More importantly, you will get access to the Smart 3D app and all the benefits that it delivers to your ongoing experience. This device takes a size 13 battery which should last you up to seven days. 

Resound Vida Standard BTE (Behind The Ear)

The Standard BTE is the mid size behind the ear hearing aids from Resound. It can be fit with either a thin tube or a traditional tube and mould. It has a telecoil onboard. The device is suitable for hearing losses from mild to severe. The BTE is a sturdy hearing aid model with great reliability. They very rarely break down.

The functional features of this model are as follows, it has a push button, volume control, the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. You will get direct audio streaming from iPhones, ear to ear communication, and wireless accessories.

 More importantly, you will get access to the Smart 3D app and all the benefits that it delivers to your experience. This device takes a size 13 battery which again should deliver up to seven days of use.

Resound Vida Power BTE (Behind The Ear)

The Power BTE is the largest and most powerful of the Vida behind the ear hearing aids from Resound. It is fitted with a traditional tube and mould. It has a telecoil onboard. The device is suitable for hearing losses from moderate to severe. While it will help some people with profound hearing loss, it will struggle depending on the exact level.

The BTE is a sturdy hearing aid model with great reliability. They very rarely break down.

The functional features of this model are as follows, it has a push button, volume control, the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. You will get direct audio streaming from iPhones, ear to ear communication, and wireless accessories.

 More importantly, you will get access to the Smart 3D app and all the benefits that it delivers to your experience. This device takes a size 13 battery which again should deliver up to seven days of use

The Accessories

The wireless accessories are worth considering because they can make your experience so much better on a day to day basis. They connect directly to your Vida hearing aids, so no need for a streamer. If you have a Smartphone, there is probably no need to consider the remote control, of course, if you don't, well then the remote control is a really handy option.

The phone clip is of use if you want to talk on your phone handsfree, it is also the only way at present that you can stream audio from an Android phone. While the Vida and the Preza are both Bluetooth hearing aids, they won't connect directly to Android cell phones for audio streaming. They will, however, connect for the use of the wonderful Resound app. I say wonderful because I love it.

The microphones are excellent, the micro-mic is discreet but offers real benefits to you when you are in noisy situations. The Multi-mic is outstanding and hugely versatile, it will allow you to connect to FM systems and loop systems as well as having dynamic microphones on board.

You can read more about wireless hearing aid accessories here.

Costco Philips Hearing Aids

Costco has just introduced Philips HearLink hearing aids to its line-up as a replacement for Bernafon devices which they carried for a long time. Philips is a new entry to the world of modern hearing aids, although, they are also a legacy brand in the hearing aid world. Philips offered some outstanding hearing aids many years ago but left the hearing aid market. Recently they have entered into an agreement with Demant (the owner of the Oticon and Bernafon brands) to re-enter the hearing aid market.

Philips hearing aids share their hardware with both Oticon and Bernafon, however, the strategies and features onboard are very different. For instance, Philips hearing aids use a different amplification strategy than the other brands.

Costco HearLink Hearing Aids Pricing

Costco is offering the premium 9010 hearing aids starting from $1249.99 per hearing aid.

Only The Non-Custom Hearing Aids?

It appears from the Costco site that they are only offering the RITE and BTE devices. There is mention of custom ear molds but no mention of custom hearing aids and the images they are using are all of RITE and BTE device. It seems that only the non-custom hearing aids are available at Costco.

The Features

The HearLink 9010 uses the latest super-fast chipset from Demant and its new feedback control system. The features unique to Hearlink hearing aids are as follows:

• SoundMap Noise Control: This feature uses a conventional approach with Directionality and Noise Reduction, using a twin-microphone to estimate noise more accurately.
• SoundMap Amplification: SoundMap Amplification is an interesting feature, it changes the amount of compression applied to speech based on the noise that is present. They say that once the signal is cleaned, it is transferred to SoundMap Amplification where compression takes place to ensure audibility of sound details. Here, an additional noise estimate is used to adapt the compression ratio to the noise level and better preserve speech information in noisy environments.

The Models Available

The Costco range seems to be made up of three Receiver In The Ear (RITE) hearing aids and a Behind The Ear (BTE) hearing aid as follows.

HearLink 9010 MiniRITE

Small and sleek Made For iPhone RITE instrument with size 312 battery that fits discreetly behind the ear. This hearing aid can have different speakers for mild to severe hearing losses.

HearLink 9010 MiniRITE T R

Lithium-ion Made For iPhone rechargeable RITE instrument with a lithium-ion power pack. Fully charged within only 3 hours and providing a full day of use. This hearing aid can have different speakers for mild to severe hearing losses.

HearLink 9010 miniRITE T

Discreet Made For iPhone RITE instrument with size 312 battery, telecoil and double Program Button. This hearing aid can have different speakers for mild to severe hearing losses.

HearLink 9010 BTE PP

Full-featured powerful Made For iPhone BTE instrument with size 13 battery, telecoil and double Program Button. This hearing aid style is most commonly used for severe to profound hearing losses. It’s powerful and easy to handle.

Hearing Aid Clean & Care

Your hearing aids are a costly and important investment in your life, they have been designed to be both reliable and durable. However, to keep them in tip-top shape involves some commitment from you, we have a guide that will help you to care for your hearing aids no matter which type they are. 

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Hearing Aid Technology & Features

We thought it would be nice if someone could explain hearing aid technology levels and features in the plain language that everyone could understand. So we did, if you want a plain speaking explanation, just click on the button below to see our guide. 

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Hearing Aid Types

Yes, you guessed it we thought we would do a plain-speaking guide to hearing aid type while we were at it. So if you want to know what the types of hearing aids are and what you really need to know about them, just click on the button below. 

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