I had the pleasure of attending the Starkey Genesis launch in Manchester in late October 2023. This article reflects on the highlights of the latest Starkey Genesis hearing aid. It benefits those in the market for the best hearing aids with streaming capabilities and understanding speech in the presence of background noise.
As you can see the flare of the evening was "all-new beginning, Starkey Genesis". Starkey CEO Brandon Sawalich and his team were on the European roadshow to introduce the product in the EU, with one loud and clear message, this is a new beginning.
The presentations clearly explained why this is a new beginning for Starkey hearing aids. Some of the highlights are:
51 hours battery run life, the longest in the industry
Starkey Neuro S1 processor, the fastest sound processor hired in hearing aids ever (helps better AI processing).
Edge+ mode (enhances speech understanding in a noisy environment)
Ergonomic design to sit behind your ear and a new speaker to be comfortable and the hearing aid be invisible from any direction
Improved Bluetooth results in improved streaming and handsfree talk
A bigger dynamic range on louder noise allows for a better listening experience in situations such as live music
Improved IP68 humid, water and dust resistance
New fitting software and new hearing aid App for Starkey Genesis
After the above summary let's dive into #StarkeyGenesis with a detailed Q/A. Please see the full catalogue and Starkey price list here.
Is Starkey Genesis the best hearing aid for hearing speech in the market?
Does Starkey Genesis do deep neural network processing?
What's the benefit of deep neural network processing in Starkey Genesis?
Does Starkey Genesis hearing aids offer the longest battery life on the market?
How is the streaming soundtrack managed in Starkey Genesis hearing aids?
Is Starkey Genesis waterproof?
Does Starkey Genesis come with a portable charger?
What's new with My Starkey App?
What are the differences in technology levels of Starkey Genesis?
How much is a pair of Starkey Genesis in the UK market?
Is Starkey Genesis the best hearing aid for hearing speech in the market?
Starkey Genesis was introduced to the hearing aids market just about 14 months after Starkey Evolv. More importantly
Does Starkey Genesis do deep neural network processing?
Yes. Starkey S1 processor hires a Deep Neural Network (DNN) accelerator engine that mimics the cerebral cortex of the human brain to help fix what years of hearing loss have broken. Read more about this on the Starkey website.
What's the benefit of deep neural network processing in Starkey Genesis?
Utilizing complex pattern recognition with advanced machine learning technology, it adapts to more listening situations than ever before. The unprecedented speed of the Starkey Genesis S1 processor opened the door to a patented additive compression system. By synthesizing the signals from slow and fast compression systems — like the neural fibres that code different information for the brain — Starkey Genesis delivers optimized perceptual outcomes.
Does Starkey Genesis hearing aids offer the longest battery life on the market?
Absolutely. Starkey Genesis hearing aids offer 40 to 51 hours of run time when fully charged. That is about 50 to 60 per cent more run time on one charge than any other hearing aid in the market. ultra-low design of the Starkey S1 processor allows such a leap in rechargeable hearing aids. In my experience, rechargeable hearing aids are yet to become widely accepted among hearing aid users because some still are concerned if the hearing aids would hold a meaningful run time battery after the end of the warranty.
How is the streaming soundtrack managed in Starkey Genesis hearing aids?
Listening to music with Starkey Genesis is more pleasant. This is because the Gensiss has the highest input dynamic range of up to 118 decibels at saturation. This is a critical factor if you love listening to live music. Unless you have a high input dynamic range, it's difficult for the hearing aid to collect all of the nuances of the music you're listening to, and if this input saturation limit is too low, music may sound distorted.
The other update to Starkey Genesis is that Starkey discontinued the StreamBoost program in the Genesis model. I could use Starkey fitting software to set up a dedicated Music Program on your Starkey Evolv, but now the Starkey Genesis automatically processes the streaming sound for music (if it is music and not a podcast e.g.). Smart, isn't it?
Is Starkey Genesis waterproof?
Yes. Starkey Genesis takes advantage of 8 waterproofing techniques to provide the most durable, dust and water-resistance hearing aid on the market. It is classified as IP68+ which means it is more resilient to failure due to exposure to water, moisture, acid, salt brine, and salt mist. Read more about waterproof Starkey Genesis here.
Does Starkey Genesis come with a portable charger?
I love the new design of the portable charger for the rechargeable Starkey Genesis. The portable charger comes in two models, a portable charger with a power pack and a version with a power pack that allows charge and go. The Starkey Genesis power pack charger has been introduced in the US but will be available in the UK market in 2024. The other good thing about Starkey charging units is that they hold magnets that keep the hearing aids in place, also the Genesis charger units have reasonably good space to hold ear tips or earmould in case they are fitted for severe to profound hearing loss.
What's new with My Starkey App?
Starkey hearing aids are the most sophisticated hearing aids ever made available to users with hearing loss when it comes to functionality. Some of the extraordinary functionalities that Starkey hearing aids through the My Starkey App bring to the mix are:
Edge+ - The Edge+ mode is a feature that helps understand speech in a noisy environment. This feature can be activated by double tapping the hearing aids (your hearing care professional can activate it for you), or through My Starkey App.
Fall detector - Thanks to the accelerometers in Starkey Evolv and Starky Genesis you can set up My Starkey App to send SOS texts to 3 people in the Contact list of your smartphone in the event of an accidental fall. of which one could be a private carer or even a local emergency services.
Reminder - You can set reminders in My Starkey App to receive reminder messages on your hearing aids. This feature is very useful for people on the verge of memory loss, or just simply forgetting a routine. Once I set it to remind myself to drink more water as I often carried away and drink less water than I should. It worked like a charm. you can set it up to remind you to do stretches, take your medicines or do any other daily routine.
Health - The app continues to track physical activity, hearing, and wellness. You can add a carer or a relative to the recipients of your health report so they receive a copy to monitor and ensure that you are active and healthy.
Translator - The My Starkey App can translate the speech you hear into 26 different languages. That means if you go to Portugal or Spain for vacation, you can set up the App and let the person you are talking speak in Portuguese or Spanish and you'll see the translation in English on the screen of your cell phone, how cool that is?!
What are the differences in technology levels of Starkey Genesis?
Starkey Genesis comes in 3 technology levels (see below comparison table below).
Although the single biggest factor of hearing better with any hearing aids is the skill of your hearing care professional, as per the below table you can see that in order to benefit from all the features of Starkey Genesis you need to consider Starkey Genasis Ai 24. Level 16 is the essential level of Starkey Genesis that can be a great option for those mostly at home watching TV and busy with their hobbies, but might not impress you with hearing and understanding speech in a noisy environment. Contact us if you have any questions about the different technology levels of Starkey Genesis.
How much is a pair of Starkey Genesis in the UK market?
Just like any merchandise the price of a pair of Starkey Genesis hearing aids depends on where you purchase them from. In the UK a pair of Starkey Genesis could range from £2,500 to £5,000 and of course, depending on the technology levels of the hearing aids. Our full collection of Starkey Genesis hearing aids is on sale for £2200 to £2750 for a pair, including VAT, 5-year warranty and aftercare. Please see our Starkey hearing aids collection. Please see Starkey's full price list here.
I have a pair of Starkey Genesis hearing aids, how do I insure my hearing aids?
Please see this link for more guidance on hearing aid insurance.
Conclusion
What do I say about Starkey Genesis? I'd say it has been an impressive new design inside out and certainly quite an upgrade from Starkey Evolv. The biggest win is the high-speed low-energy-hungry S1 Neuro processor that allows Deen Neural Network and artificial intelligence to perform in coherence. Better and more stable Bluetooth connectivity is another plus. My advice to patients is at the time of purchasing new hearing aids make sure to try at least 3 different brands of hearing aids. This way you will have a good basis for comparison.
Update: October 2023
I received a pair of Starkey Denesis hearing aids, programmed them right away for me (binaural mild to moderate cookie bite SNHL) and started my test drive. I had the experience of Starkey Evolv Ai and just did a trial on Signia Pure Charge & Go IX (Integrated Xperience). The first impression revealed the following:
The surrounding sound in the clinic (relatively quiet) is much better than Starkey Evolv Ai
The ergonomic shape of Starkey Genesis Ai makes it feel like it integrated with my pinna, sitting nice and comfortable
The new speaker wire helps the wire to sit gently on the side of the head much better and more unnoticed
My voice is very natural and didn't need any fine and tuning to manage the occlusion
The charger unit is much nicer than the Starkey Evolv and easier to put in my pocket, but it is not a power pack (Starkey promised to roll out a power pack portable charger to the UK market in 2024)
The wind noise cancellation is not impressive. If you are into outdoor activity e.g. golfing my best advice is to choose Oticon REAL
I had high hopes to see an improvement in Bluetooth stability and streaming. I found the streaming pretty much to be of the same level and quality as Starkey Evolv. I used Starkey Genesis to listen to music and podcasts over the past few days when my iPhone is in my coat pocket, and in my pants pocket. In any condition, the streaming sound on the opposite side is sluggish and noisy. If streaming on the go is important for you try other hearing aids. Please see this article on the best hearing aids for streaming music and hands-free talk.
Read this article if you are curious about whether you can purchase a pair of custom-made hearing aids remotely.
Update: June 2024
Today Starkey announced that the Edge mode in Starkey Genesis Ai hearing aids has been modified to scan the soundscape in real time and adjust to the environment to allow optimal setting for the hearing aid. The result is an impressive 11% improvement in the patient's word recognition score.
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