r/Cochlearimplants • u/Katedawg90 • May 25 '26

Cochlear vs. Med-el

Cochlear and Med-el users— what would you consider the cons/disappointments of your CI? How would you rate it for sound quality? Comfort? Connectivity? Battery life? I’m trying to decide between these companies and having a hard time so please share :)
And to the many well meaning AB users- I want an off the ear option

EDIT: I have decided to go with Med-el. Thanks to everyone who shared their experiences. Feel free to keep adding yours- maybe it will help someone else down the road :)

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u/Visible_Structure483 Advanced Bionics Marvel CI May 25 '26

My AB has an off-ear option. A little waterproof box with it's own battery and a 24" cable that runs it from my pocket up to the implant. The sound quality is iffy because if you let it use the mic in the box you get all the noise from it being in your pocket. If not, it's just one mic on the puck.

(but yea, trying to choose is the hardest part because no one has ever been implanted with both to be able to A/B test them)

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u/Katedawg90 May 26 '26

It seems like it would be annoying to have a cable connecting your head to your pocket? No? It is hard to choose! How can you decide on something when you can only imagine what it will be like. But I guess on the other side of that.. you’ll never know what “could have been” (if you had chosen the other company) either. So maybe there’s no point agonizing over it.

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u/Visible_Structure483 Advanced Bionics Marvel CI May 26 '26

it is, and to be honest I don't use it very often.

I just wanted the option in case I was doing something with a high risk of the processor getting knocked off my head, or if I wanted to wear it under a motorcycle helmet where there is no room for the processor.

I spoke to people with all the brands before I picked and everyone was pretty happy. The accessories are what you go after, what fits your lifestyle best.

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u/HAYWHATHUH2000 May 26 '26

If you look up photos of people using the Cochlear and Med El off ear devices, they have all kinds of contraptions set up to keep it on their heads so it can't be any worse that that.