Question: Hi, my name is Debbie and I found myself where I need to replace my old Baha Divino sound processor with a newer version like the Baha 4 Sound Processor.
I have already tested twice the newer version like the BP100 and Baha 4 Sound Processor, but neither had the same loud volume as I’m used to with the Divino. I have told the expert about it and we tried a couple of things, but I have never gained the same quality and it was too quiet and I really struggled to hear. I tested it for couple of days to get used to it, but the volume was still not loud enough.
As my 7-year-old Baha Divino needs a repair, I most probably will need a new sound processor.
Can you please advice me how I need to handle the new Baha 4 Sound Processor so I gain the same or even better quality than with the Divino? // Debbie
Answer: Dear Debbie,
Thank you for considering the Baha 4 Sound Processor.
A number of research studies have shown the performance of Baha 4 Sound Processor to provide superior hearing experience to the previous generations – Baha Divino and Baha 3 Sound Processor (BP100). It should provide greater hearing performance through the scene classifier and automatic functions – not to mention the ability to connect wireless accessories. This performance improvement is actually delivered by superior signal processing and sound cleaning technologies, as the amplification and maximum output is essentially the same between the Baha Divino, Baha 3 and Baha 4 sound processors.
Actually, in terms of usable amplification, the Baha 4 Sound Processor has quite a bit more, as the feedback manager increases the available amplificationuntil feedback.
The feeling that you have of the amplificationor loudness being less with Baha 4 Sound Processor is quite common for people who upgrade from Divino. In Divino, the amplification was a single channel linear device, whereas Baha 4 has 17 channels and processes the sound in a non-linear way. This non-linear technology “squeezes” the speech so that more speech is audible and improves hearing performance.
But you may feel that it loses the “punch”. Additionally, there are sound cleaning features such as noise reduction and directionality which makes speech more intelligible but reduces the overall perception of background noise. Your hearing care professional can program the Baha 4 Sound Processor so that it is also linear and adjust these features, and in that way can provide a sound similar to what you had before. Then over the next few appointments he/she can adjust it as your brain has adapted to turn on more and more features.
~ Mark C. Flynn, PhD Audiologist, Cochlear Bone Anchored Solutions
