Tag Archives: upgrade

What New Users Have to Say about Ponto 5 SuperPower

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During the month of July, we have been traveling around to film a series of new user stories with wearers of the Ponto 5 SuperPower. Our subjects have provided us with wonderful insights into their experiences so far, and we are excited to share a preview of their opinions in this blog post.

On choosing to get the Ponto 5 SuperPower

“I’ve heard about many people with Ponto 5 SuperPower devices and wanted to try them. I heard that it was terrific regarding the sound quality, power, and no feedback.” – Camilla G.

“Coming from the 3SP and then to the four, I was always looking for a little more sound from the P4. The P5SP now has all that and then some!” – Jay W.

“Sounded very similar to P5 Mini because of the programming that fits me comfortably and it’s already excellent as the P5 Mini.” – Sarah S.*

“We were very excited to hear OM was coming out with a Ponto 5 SuperPower! (My daughter’s) hearing loss is severe enough that the extra headroom of the SuperPower allows for access to as much sound as possible, and, equally, as little feedback. – Katelyn H.

“I have been using the Ponto 5 Superpower since it became available, and it is so great!” – Anonymous user

First impressions of the Ponto 5 SP

“At my office, I made some hot coffee; I noticed that buzzing noise in my right ear Ponto and realized that it was the steam from my coffee. Maybe my office was very quiet that day or I didn’t know hot coffee had a sound.” – Camilla G.

“A very vibrant and robust sound quality.” – Jay W.

“I like the SuperPower for its longer battery life, especially when streaming wirelessly.” – Sarah S.

“The first thing I noticed when (my daughter) put on the P5SPs was that she was more aware of background noises and high frequency sounds, like birds, bugs, water, the pool filter, and background noise like other people’s conversations going on around her.” – Katelyn H.

“Hearing this naturally makes a really big difference day to day and there is a depth to the sound that I have not experienced with any previous bone conduction device (I have used).” – Anonymous user

Improvements noticed wearing the Ponto 5 SuperPower

“I can communicate in a social situation, such as a restaurant, a meeting, and various appointments. Before, I struggled with understanding what people were saying in social situations. Now I can engage more without listening fatigue.” – Camilla G.

“I can be in the living room watching tv and hear subtle noises from the laundry room which is around three corners and down the hall. That wasn’t possible with my older devices.” – Jay W.

“Wearing my Ponto 5 SuperPower allows me to hear the surrounding environment through OpenSound Navigator™ (full 360-degree soundscape).” – Sarah S.

“At school, (my daughter) is more confident in group settings. She’s better focused in class and isn’t constantly interrupting or distracted, trying to keep track of what’s being said behind her.” – Katelyn S.

“The amazing streaming volume, which to me sounds louder and not distorted, and I would say that this is certainly a step forward compared to any of my previous devices.” – Anonymous user

Five things wearers love about Ponto 5 SuperPower

“Music, music, music… I think I made that clear!” – Camilla G.

“I find that in some situations it actually is almost too loud. I find myself turning it down instead of wishing it had more power, which is awesome.” – Jay W.

“I like that I have the choice to control the volume either through my phone or onboard features.” – Sarah S.

“(My daughter) loves hearing the birds and crickets. She found a baby bird nest the other day by listening to their cries and going to see what it was.” – Katelyn H.

“I now have the power and processing that makes sounds feel incredibly natural. I can tell that there is a calmness and relaxation in my body and mind when I am wearing the Ponto 5 Superpower.” – Anonymous user

Ready to try out or upgrade? Learn everything you need to know about Ponto 5 SuperPower!

*Disclosure: Sarah S. is a summer intern with Oticon Medical as well as a Ponto wearer.

Nancy Smith Oberman on upgrading to Ponto 4

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Part 2 of 2

As we shared in Part 1 of Nancy Smith Oberman’s upgrade story, she had her concerns about moving to a bilateral Ponto 4 bone anchored hearing system from her Ponto 3 SuperPowers. The following post traces her journey from deciding to upgrade through her life with Ponto 4, which she originally shared via a series of Facebook posts.*

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Decision made – Nancy chooses Ponto 4

Steel Gray Ponto 4

I authorized my audiologist to order my right, steel-gray Ponto 4, and will order the left in January. I’m still absolutely amazed by how well the Ponto 4s work for me. I’m very lucky that I’ve been able to trial them in just about every situation I experience on a daily basis. I was not very positive they would work for me, but as I tell people all the time — louder does not equal good hearing.

I think the thing I’m most impressed with is the fact that I can hear behind me, at least when someone is speaking to me. I don’t necessarily have to face the speaker, which has been a blessing. I’m also quite surprised I don’t get feedback, because I’m pretty sure they are set at the ceiling. Sometimes I will turn them up a tad — my left cochlea is not as good as the right, which is why I’ve always boosted the Pontos with a traditional hearing aid, which gives me the needed extra amplification on the left.

I love that I can control my settings with my Apple® watch! With Ponto 4, I’m experiencing sound that seems even more natural and with less vibration, if that makes sense.

I’m just as happy as I can be… as are my staff!  I find that only I can hear what I’m listening to now and so am enjoying taking my phone calls via Bluetooth® anywhere. Who would have thought?

Follow-up after getting Ponto 4 confirms better hearing

Audiogram

Just left my audiologist’s office to pick up one new Ponto (second will be procured in January). As I’m getting ready this morning, he shoots me an email reminding me to bring my SuperPowers to the appointment. He wants to test me with both, to compare. Actually, I was looking forward to doing just that; cannot deny I’ve had a twinge or two over the last month, thinking I may very well have convinced myself the Ponto 4 was better because it was newer and had that direct connect Bluetooth.

We go into the sound booth and start with the Ponto 4s. After the tone thing, he does the speech recognition, where I have to repeat sentences that are spoken with increasing background noise and voices. I thought I did okay, so great! Next, we move to the SuperPowers. No change in program; exactly what I’d used for the last two-and-a-half years. What did I think? Yep, the SuperPowers were going to work better than the 4s, which were much quieter… sigh.

When we finished, my audiologist was grinning. “Well,” I asked, “was I wrong in thinking I heard better with the 4s… kinda bummed?”

“Nope,” he said. “You actually understood speech better with the 4s!” With 1-3 being normal speech recognition (1 being better than 3), I hit at 1.6 with the Ponto 4s. With the Ponto3 SuperPowers, I hit at 2.8. Yay, I was correct — I really do hear better with the 4s!

Advice to Ponto wearers considering an upgrade

My advice to others considering whether to upgrade to a Ponto 4 from their SuperPower device is that you have got to give a trial more than five minutes, or even five hours or an entire day! I sat in a noisy restaurant with friends the other day and didn’t miss any of the conversation even with all the clanking of dishes, crying children, other conversations, etc. While you might not experience a big “a-ha” moment of noticeable hearing improvement, don’t be discouraged. The changes are so subtle (which I think is awesome, actually) that it may take your brain a day or two to catch up to the marked improvement. This is as close to normal hearing as I can remember all those years ago, before the onset of my hearing loss.

I think Oticon Medical has hit this out of the park!

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Click the button if you want to learn more about our Ponto bone anchored hearing systems or arrange a trial.

*NOTE: Originally shared via a series of Facebook posts with permission.

Are you ready to open up to the future?

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We are proud to demonstrate our strong commitment to you, our potential and current Ponto system users, and your hearing enjoyment both now and in the future. We do this by paying attention to your feedback on your hearing needs and preferences, and constantly seeking opportunities to better fulfill them. As a result, we regularly come up with new and exciting technological innovations designed to take your hearing experience to the next level.

One solution does not fit all

As you probably know, bone-anchored hearing systems (BAHS) are all different and no single solution works for every patient. For example, if you have a profound hearing loss, you would probably benefit most from a system that offers more power. And if you haven’t worn a BAHS secured to an implanted abutment, you might not be enjoying the full effects of aided hearing.

Even if you are satisfied with whatever device you’re currently wearing, it’s worth exploring all the options now available and making the most informed choice possible about your future hearing. Like all advanced technology, the “top of the line” features offered in BAHS manufactured only a year ago have probably been surpassed by current offerings — and certainly will be by whatever comes in the (near) future!

The Oticon Medical upgrade opportunity

We are offering all patients who purchase a new Ponto 3 family sound processor between March 1, 2019 and July 31, 2019 a one-time complimentary technology upgrade to the next generation of our sound processor as soon as it becomes available.*

UPDATE: THIS OFFER HAS EXPIRED.

Whether you’ve never worn a BAHS, previously worn another manufacturer’s system, or have an older model Ponto, we encourage you to contact our customer service department at 1-888-277-8014 to learn more about your options.

*NOTE: Offer only available to users in the U.S. and Canada.

Ready to Upgrade Your Bone Anchored Hearing System to a Ponto Plus? A Checklist to Help You Decide

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Maybe you’ve heard from those who have made the switch from a different bone anchored hearing system to a Ponto. Maybe you’ve seen the data on how the Ponto Plus offers the best Bone Anchored Hearing System (BAHS) sound quality possible, and you’ve been thinking of upgrading your Ponto for a while.

Upgrade to the Ponto PlusYou’ve been thinking about it, now what’s next?

First, it’s important that you have access to all of the information that will help you decide. Below, we’ve created a list of upgrade information that will equip you with what you need to know about leveling-up to the Ponto Plus—whether it’s from a different bone anchored hearing system, or you’re moving from an older Ponto model on up. You’ll find user stories about experiences upgrading, more about the upgrade process, Ponto product and accessory information and more. 

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Upgrading Your Bone Anchored Hearing System: Why and How

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Like most technology, there’s a lot of conversation around the value of making the leap from one product to another—whether it’s moving to the most recently released product within the same brand, or making a larger change by switching from one manufacturer to another. Your hearing, and quality of life, is at stake.

That’s something we take extremely seriously. So, we wanted to give you a more intimate view into why to consider a bone anchored hearing system upgrade and how to go about getting a new bone anchored hearing system.

What’s an upgrade?

First things first, what is considered an upgrade? There are two different types of upgrades: An upgrade from one Ponto model to another—i.e. switching from the Ponto Pro to the Ponto Plus. And, the second, a change from one device provider to another.

An independent study tested the Ponto against similar bone anchored sound processors, and findings show that two out of three prefer the Ponto.

An independent study tested the Ponto against similar bone anchored sound processors, and findings show that two out of three prefer the Ponto.

While this is terminology that we use, we checked in with community members to see if this makes sense from a bone anchored hearing-user perspective too.

“I usually call both upgrades. And if it’s to a different brand, I say something like, ‘for this upgrade, I switched to…’” – Katie Maslar

“I went from the BP110 Power, to the Ponto Plus Power…that was an upgrade, lol! But, in all seriousness…my insurance calls it an upgrade.” – Nancy Smith Oberman

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