We spoke to Aaron not too long ago, a couple weeks before he was set to get his Ponto. Those weeks moved slowly for Aaron as he eagerly anticipated the day that finally came last week– the day that he got to snap on his new Ponto Pro.
So, what’s changed for Aaron?
A lot. But, what he’s realized is that it’s many little things that are making up a very big change. It started with getting used to the volume of his own voice. “I was overwhelmed at how I could hear. I had to take a moment in the elevator to collect myself,” Aaron shared.
Then, he focused on what he could hear. He was surprised at the distinct sound of tires bumping along the freeway as he road to the airport for a trip to Vegas. “I went to the airport after I got setup, and I couldn’t believe how loud the concrete was while driving on the highway. I had ask, ‘is that normal?'”
What he could hear became even more apparent while doing one of the things he loves most– listening to music. Throughout each conversation we’ve had with Aaron, he’s mentioned his love for music. He’s now noticed that listening to songs he’s heard before might take some getting used to. “When I hear songs that I know, I hear instruments that I didn’t pick up on before. I even asked my wife, is that a remix?” Aaron’s been experimenting with his playlist, seeing which songs are changed now, just by sounding so slightly different.
While Aaron is personally exploring changes, others are taking notice too. One of the benefits that many Ponto users experience is being able to hear well in a group. Particularly, a meeting room or dining table with many people. So, this time, it wasn’t Aaron pointing out the change, it was the group members he met with. “I went to a meeting with a long board-room-like table, the table was long enough to fit about 20 people. When we finished the meeting, the group mentioned that they could actually tell that I could hear better. I would turn my head as a new person spoke, paying attention in a quicker and more focused way.”
A not-so-subtle change that Aaron was expecting is the noise level around his house. He knew that living in downtown Dallas would be a different experience with his Ponto Pro. “Of course I expected to hear the crowds on the weekends, but I can also hear the cars driving down the service road. It’s louder to live here than I thought,” Aaron realized.
Although Aaron will tell you, he’s still adjusting to his Ponto, he’s learning a lot and has a very valuable suggestion. That’s to use the clip that ensures the device won’t fall to the ground if it comes off– at least for the first couple of weeks. “I’d only had my Ponto for about 20 minutes, and as I was getting into the car, I bumped my head on the window. It didn’t get damaged when it feel to the floor, but I don’t want to have to live without it now that I finally have it.”
One of the parts of the experience that Aaron enjoyed the most was getting his device programmed by Johanna Whitson, Au.D., CCC-A of Southwestern Medical Center. “I’ve heard that the software makes a huge different in the sound quality,” Aaron mentioned. And, he’s right, not only is it incredible and interesting, we spend a lot of time ensuring that the software is part of the quality experience. (Foreshadowing: We see a blog post of its own on this topic coming up soon).
We’ll continue to follow Aaron throughout his journey of getting used to all of the little things that have changed. He’s already inspired by how much those little things have contributed to such a different way of living life.
Do you have a question for Aaron? You can always ask him in the comments section below. Also, we’d like to take the time to thank Aaron for sharing his experience. It’s been incredible to be a part of the change in a Ponto user’s life in a whole new way. You can read the full series here.
If you’d like to share your story, you can let us know here.