Cochlear BP100 vs. Oticon Ponto Pro: A side-by-side comparison

[Denise S]

O.K. Russ,  I'm gonna stay tuned.   Still waiting to hear if insurance will pay, etc.

I did speak to someone else who got to do trials of both and she too has opted for the BP100.   Not sure if she is on this site or not.   

[Pooter]

Just a note of clarification, Russ very much disliked his BP100 and (so far) has been enamored with his Ponto.

Small, but salient difference. 

Brian

[leapyrtwins]

My money's still on the BP100.

To each his own, and best wishes to Russ on his Ponto.  Hope it works out well for you, Russ.

Jan

[rust1975]

Just a note of clarification, Russ very much disliked his BP100 and (so far) has been enamored with his Ponto.

Small, but salient difference. 

Brian

You'd dislike it too if you've had it for 7 months with no success whatsoever programming it. Funny how not more than 2 weeks after getting the Ponto I'm up and running with few problems device-wise.

Disclaimer: I think I might be one of the few unfortunate ones who just isn't benefitting from the BAHA system as a whole. I just can't seem to filter voices well, even though the Ponto Pro is "working" for me. Might have been a mistake for me to get the abutment placed on the side opposite of where I'm used to wearing my previous bone oscillator (bone conduction hearing aid) the past 30 years. ...sigh...

[leapyrtwins]

Might have been a mistake for me to get the abutment placed on the side opposite of where I'm used to wearing my previous bone oscillator (bone conduction hearing aid) the past 30 years. ...sigh...

I wonder how much effect that is having on your results with both the BP100 and the Ponto Pro.  I would be interesting to get an audiologist's take on this.

Jan

[Kencutus]

Might have been a mistake for me to get the abutment placed on the side opposite of where I'm used to wearing my previous bone oscillator (bone conduction hearing aid) the past 30 years. ...sigh...

I have to disagree.  I'm glad to get rid of the bone conductor on the headband after 47 years.  I'm tired of painful and sores after each night and I don't want to put it on ever again.  Baha is probabvly the best thing for me and I don't regret it.  Now I have bilateral Bahas.  What the heck have I been missing after all these years?  Of course, Baha is not perfect but at least for me, it's much better.  I guess some people just have luck and others don't.  Sorry to hear it's not working out for you.

[rust1975]

Might have been a mistake for me to get the abutment placed on the side opposite of where I'm used to wearing my previous bone oscillator (bone conduction hearing aid) the past 30 years. ...sigh...

I have to disagree.  I'm glad to get rid of the bone conductor on the headband after 47 years.  I'm tired of painful and sores after each night and I don't want to put it on ever again.  Baha is probabvly the best thing for me and I don't regret it.  Now I have bilateral Bahas.  What the heck have I been missing after all these years?  Of course, Baha is not perfect but at least for me, it's much better.  I guess some people just have luck and others don't.  Sorry to hear it's not working out for you.

Sounds like you were like me with the bone conduction aid on a band thing. My question really is: did I learn how to hear and only exercise the muscles in my bone oscillator side at the expense of deadening my other side where the abutment now sits? Do you remember having an adjustment period once you got the baha on your "not normal" side? Any stories might be insightful for me. Thanks!

[Lynn Mc]

Hi Everyone,

Just wanted to let you know I am following all this really close.   2 months post op & I am already sick of saying WHAT!!! Or missing out completely. I had about a 60% hearing loss before and it is amazing what I was able to hear with only 40%.  I did miss a lot before but I seemed to at least have had a clue. Have been doing a lot of research and am leaning toward the BAHA.   What I am not really clear on is how much directional sound you receive??

Happy Trails,
Lynn

[leapyrtwins]

Lynn -

I hated being SSD too - it depressed me and made me miserable - so I can relate to where you're coming from.

Although BAHAs generally aren't known for directionality, I've found that I do have it with my Divino.  I didn't have it right away, but it seems to have gotten better over time.  Now mind you, it's not perfect.  I think that Lori may have some directionality too.

I'm hopeful that the BP100, since it's an upgrade to the Divino, will give me directionality also.

Jan

[grega]

Hi Jan, Lynn et al,

Just got back to reading a bunch of BAHA threads here, since my BAHA activity is increasing at a furious pace  . 

Re the BP100, highly advertised features include automatic adaptive multi-band directional system, 12-channel sound analysis, 3 user-defined programs, automatic noise management and active feedback cancellation (whew!).  These make the device very desirable to me, as I'm seeking directionality and various programs for situations in which I find myself .... by choice or by chance   .

Lynn, perhaps a Cochlear rep can answer your questions on directionality, etc, to help with your decision-making.

Recently I've met with audi and ent doc, and also set up appts for pre-op stuff.  I'm due to have the implant on tax-day .... hey, can I use that as an excuse for late filing .... 

OMG, guess I better choose a color!

Stay well!
Greg

[JerseyGirl2]

  Have been doing a lot of research and am leaning toward the BAHA.   What I am not really clear on is how much directional sound you receive??

Hi, Lynn,

The "directionality with BAHA" issue gets discussed from time to time here on the forum.

In April 2009 I attended a symposium on the BAHA sponsored by the New Jersey chapter of the ANA. The doctor who spoke (he was not my doctor, by the way) said that he always makes sure that his potential BAHA patients understand two things from the outset: (1) the BAHA will have no effect on their current level of tinnitus -- it will not make it better, nor will it make it worse; and (2) the BAHA will not restore their pre-SSD ability to determine directionality. He subscribes to the theory that the brain permanently loses its ability to determine directionality within a very short time frame (perhaps as short as just a few weeks) following the onset of SSD.

I've worn a BAHA Intenso for almost two years now and find it to be quite helpful. I had lost almost all my hearing in my AN ear prior to my diagnosis (it was a very, very gradual loss over a number of years, and since I had no other AN-related symptoms, I thought I just needed to get a hearing aid ... and I wanted to delay doing that for as long as possible!), and my brain had become well-adjusted to hearing via only one ear. I've thought from time to time over the past couple of years that yes, I really can determine direction -- I'll hear an ambulance siren, for example, while I'm driving and look in the direction from which I think it's coming ... and sure enough, there it is. But probably for just about every time I've looked in the correct direction, I've experienced a time where I've looked in the wrong direction, so all of this might just be a case of  "being lucky and guessing right" about 50% of the time.

But there are some forum members -- Jan and probably some others -- who feel that they truly have regained their sense of directionality with the BAHA, so perhaps this is further proof that we all have individual outcomes!

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[Denise S]

O.K. just have to comment on Catherine aboves post.    Glad you shared what your doctor said, but seems like I have had a few people say they think the BAHA helps with the tinnitus some (of course some say not at all.....but none said it made it worse).   It sounds like it may help kind of like cover up the sound some and helps people mask out the tinnitus more.   Once again, like everything here.....each of us have so many differences       

As for the direction you mentioned "being lucky and guessing right" about 50% of the time.   That made me giggle....I guess it should be given a 50% chance....since our head only turns 2 ways        (I think I said that right....just trying to be silly)
Denise

[JerseyGirl2]

O.K. just have to comment on Catherine aboves post.    Glad you shared what your doctor said

Hi,

Just want to clarify this comment, Denise. The doctor whom I heard at the symposium was a doctor from New Jersey ... he has never been my own doctor. And he did say that the BAHA won't make the wearer's tinnitus worse. I may have misinterpreted your comment, but it sounded as though you thought he said the BAHA may make the tinnitus worse. Sorry if I misunderstood, but I just wanted to make his statement as clear as possible!

Catherine (JerseyGirl 2)

[Denise S]

Oh no, I new what you meant.   I was responding to the fact because I posted something before about asking if tinnitus got any better with hearing devices.   My conclusion was that it won't make it worse.   So, we were on the same page there :-)

[leapyrtwins]

Denise -

I think I posted on your thread about tinnitus, but I can't remember.

Anyway, my doc told me that tinnitus won't be affected by a BAHA implant.  If you have it, it isn't going to disappear or get worse.  On the other hand, if you don't have it, a BAHA won't cause you to develop it.  I am one of the lucky ones who doesn't suffer from tinnitus - never did; my BAHA implant didn't change that.

Grega -

WOW!  I am so excited for you.  A BAHA on tax day    I have taken the liberty of adding your surgery to the AN Calendar.

Please PM your address to me so I can send you one of Lori and my Official BAHA Recovery Kits!  We just sent one to jazzfunkanne and we're dying to send out another 

Jan