Rexton Stellar RIC 8C User Guide

Instrument Type

Your hearing instruments are a RIC (Receiver-in-Canal) model. The receiver is placed within the ear canal and connected to the instrument via a receiver cable. The instruments are not intended for children under the age of 3 years or persons with a developmental age of under 3 years.

A power cell (lithium-ion rechargeable battery) is permanently built into your hearing instrument, enabling easy charging with an inductive charger. Wireless functionality allows for advanced audiological features and synchronization between your two hearing instruments. Your hearing instruments feature Bluetooth® low energy technology for easy data exchange with your smartphone and seamless audio streaming with your iPhone.

* The Bluetooth word mark and logos are owned by the Bluetooth SIG, Inc., and any use of such marks by the legal manufacturer of this product is under licenses. Other trademarks and trade names are those of their respective owners.

** iPhone is a trademark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

Getting to Know Your Hearing Instruments

It is recommended to familiarize yourself with your new hearing instruments. With the instruments in your hand, try using the controls and note their location on the instrument. This will make it easier to feel and press the controls while wearing them.

If you have problems pressing the controls while wearing them, ask your Hearing Care Professional whether a remote control or a smartphone app to control your instruments is available.

Controls

The push button can be programmed by your Hearing Care Professional for various functions. Here is a general overview:

L = Left, R = Right

You can also use a remote control or smartphone app to change hearing programs and adjust volume. The app offers even more control options.

Hearing Programs

Your hearing instruments may have up to six hearing programs, which can be changed as needed. An optional signal tone indicates program changes. Refer to the section "Changing the hearing program" for more details.

• Program 1
• Program 2
• Program 3
• Program 4
• Program 5
• Program 6

Features

The Tinnitus Function generates a sound to distract you from your tinnitus.

Charging

Place your hearing instruments in the charger. Follow the instructions in the charger's user guide for tips on charging.

Low power indication: You will hear an alert signal when the power cell is running low, repeated every 15 minutes. Depending on usage, you have approximately 1.5 hours to charge before the instruments stop working.

Battery lifetime: The power cell has a finite lifetime. If fully charged instruments do not last a full day (16 hours regular use without audio streaming), contact your Hearing Care Professional for a replacement.

Image description: A hearing instrument charger with two hearing instruments placed inside.

Turning On and Off

You have two main options to turn your hearing instruments on or off:

Via charger:

• Turning on: Take the instruments out of the charger. A startup melody will play, and the default volume and hearing program will be set.
• Turning off: Place the hearing instruments in the charger. Ensure the charger is connected to a power supply. Refer to the charger's user guide for details.

Via push button:

• Turning on: Press and hold the push button until the startup melody plays. Release the button while the melody is playing. The default volume and hearing program are set.
• Turning off: Press and hold the push button for several seconds.

Refer to the charger's user guide for charging tips.

Switching to Standby Mode

You can switch your hearing instruments to standby mode via a remote control or smartphone app. This mutes the instruments. When you leave standby mode, the previously used volume and hearing program are restored.

Note: In standby mode, the hearing instruments are not turned off completely and draw some power. Use standby mode only for short periods.

If you need to leave standby mode and the remote control or app is not available: Turn your hearing instruments off and on again (via push button or by briefly placing them in the charger until one or more orange LEDs light up). In this case, the default volume and hearing program are set.

Inserting and Removing the Hearing Instruments

Your hearing instruments are fine-tuned for your right and left ear. Colored markers indicate the side:

• ● red marker = right ear
• ● blue marker = left ear

Image description: A hearing instrument with a red marker near the receiver connection, indicating the right ear.

Inserting a hearing instrument:

For Click Sleeves, ensure the bend of the Click Sleeve aligns with the bend of the receiver cable.

Image description: Two diagrams showing the correct alignment of the Click Sleeve's bend with the receiver cable's bend, with a green checkmark indicating correctness.

Hold the receiver cable at the bend closer to the ear piece.

Carefully push the ear piece into the ear canal (1).

Twist it slightly until it sits well.

Open and close your mouth to avoid accumulation of air in the ear canal.

Lift the hearing instrument and slide it over the top of your ear (2).

Image description: Two diagrams illustrating the insertion process: (1) pushing the ear piece into the ear canal and (2) sliding the hearing instrument over the ear. Arrows indicate the direction of movement.

CAUTION: Risk of injury!

Insert the ear piece carefully and not too deeply into the ear.

It may be helpful to insert the right hearing instrument with the right hand and the left hearing instrument with the left hand.

If you have problems inserting the ear piece, gently pull your earlobe downwards with the other hand. This opens the ear canal and eases insertion.

Retention Strand: The optional retention strand helps to securely retain the ear piece in your ear. Position the retention strand carefully into the bottom of the bowl of your ear.

Image description: A diagram showing the retention strand positioned in the ear bowl.

Removing a hearing instrument:

• Lift the hearing instrument and slide it over the top of your ear (1).
• If your hearing instrument is equipped with a custom shell or a Click Mold, remove it by pulling the small removal cord toward the back of your head.
• For all other ear pieces: Grip the receiver in the ear canal with two fingers and pull it carefully out (2). Do not pull the receiver cable.

Image description: Two diagrams illustrating the removal process: (1) lifting the hearing instrument off the ear and (2) pulling the receiver out of the ear canal.

CAUTION: Risk of injury!

In rare cases, the ear piece could remain in your ear when removing the hearing instrument. If this happens, have the ear piece removed by a medical professional.

Clean and dry your hearing instruments after usage. Read more in section "Maintenance and care".

Adjusting the Volume

Your hearing instruments automatically adjust the volume to the listening situation. If you prefer manual volume adjustment, press the push button. Refer to section "Controls" for the setting of your push button. An optional signal can indicate the volume change. Once the maximum or minimum volume has been reached, you may hear an optional signal tone.

Changing the Hearing Program

Depending on the listening situation, your hearing instruments automatically adjust their sound. Your hearing instruments may also have several hearing programs that allow you to change the sound if needed. An optional signal tone can indicate the program change.

To change the hearing program, press the push button briefly. Refer to section "Controls" for the setting of your controls and section "Hearing programs" for a list of your hearing programs. The default volume is applied.

Further Adjustments (Optional)

The controls of your hearing instruments can also be used to change, for example, the volume of the Tinnitus Function. Refer to section "Controls" for the setting of your controls.

On the Phone

When you are on the phone, hold the telephone receiver slightly above your ear. The hearing instrument and telephone receiver have to be aligned. Turn the receiver slightly so that the ear is not completely covered.

Image description: A diagram showing how to hold a telephone receiver near the ear, aligned with a hearing instrument.

Telephone Program: You may prefer a certain volume when using the phone. Ask your Hearing Care Professional to configure a telephone program. Switch to the telephone program whenever you are on the phone. If a telephone program is configured, it is listed in section "Hearing programs".

Audio Streaming with iPhone

Your hearing instruments are "Made for iPhone" hearing instruments. This means you can get phone calls and listen to music from your iPhone directly into your hearing instruments.

For more information about compatible iOS devices, pairing, audio streaming, and other useful functions, contact your Hearing Care Professional.

Airplane Mode

In areas where the use of Bluetooth technology is not allowed (e.g., on some airplanes), you can activate airplane mode. This turns Bluetooth in your hearing instruments off temporarily. The hearing instruments still work without Bluetooth, however direct audio streaming will not be possible and other functions will not be available.

To activate or deactivate airplane mode, use the smartphone app or the controls of your hearing instruments. Refer to section "Controls" for more information. An alert tone indicates when airplane mode is activated or deactivated.

Hearing Instruments

Cleaning: Your hearing instruments have a protective coating. If not cleaned regularly, you may damage the instruments or cause personal injury.

• Clean your hearing instruments daily with a soft, dry tissue.
• ? Never use running water or immerse the devices in water.
• Never apply pressure while cleaning.

Ask your Hearing Care Professional for recommended cleaning products, special care sets, or more information on how to keep your hearing instruments in good condition.

Drying: Your charger dries the hearing instruments while charging. You can also use conventional products to dry your hearing instruments. Ask your Hearing Care Professional for recommended drying products and for individual instructions on when to dry your hearing instruments.

Image description: An icon showing a faucet with a red prohibition sign over it, indicating not to use water.

Storage:

• Short-term storage (up to several days): Turn off your hearing instruments via the push button or place them in the powered charger. The charger must be connected to the power supply. If the charger is not connected, the instruments are not turned off when placed inside. Note that turning off via a remote control or smartphone app puts them in standby mode, still drawing some power.
• Long-term storage (weeks, months, ...): Fully charge your hearing instruments and turn them off via the push button before storing. Use drying products while storing. Charge the instruments at 6-month intervals to avoid unrecoverable deep-discharge of the power cell. Deep-discharged cells cannot be recharged and must be replaced. Recharging more frequently than 6-month intervals is recommended.

Observe the storage conditions in section "Operating, transport and storage conditions".

Ear Pieces

Cleaning: Cerumen (ear wax) may accumulate on the ear pieces, affecting sound quality. Clean the ear pieces daily.

• For all types of ear pieces: Clean the ear piece right after removal with a soft and dry tissue. This prevents cerumen from becoming dry and hard.
• For Click Domes or Click Sleeves: Squeeze the tip of the ear piece.

Image description: A diagram showing cleaning an ear piece with a tissue. Another diagram shows squeezing the tip of a Click Dome or Click Sleeve.

Exchanging: Exchange standard ear pieces approximately every three months, or sooner if you notice cracks or other changes. The procedure depends on the ear piece type.

Exchanging Click Domes: To remove an old Click Dome, use the removal tool or follow the instructions on the packaging. Be careful not to pull the receiver cable.

Image description: Diagrams illustrating the process of exchanging a Click Dome using a removal tool. The tool is shown engaging with the dome, and then the dome is detached from the receiver.

The removal tool is available as an accessory.

Take particular care that the new Click Dome clicks noticeably into place.

Check the firm fit of the new Click Dome.

Exchanging Click Sleeves:

• Turn the Click Sleeve inside out.
• Grasp the Click Sleeve and the receiver (not the receiver cable) with your fingers and pull the Click Sleeve off.
• Take particular care that the new Click Sleeve clicks noticeably in place.

Image description: Diagrams showing how to remove a Click Sleeve by turning it inside out and pulling it off the receiver. Another diagram shows attaching a new Click Sleeve, with a "click" sound indicated.

Professional Maintenance

Your Hearing Care Professional can perform thorough professional cleaning and maintenance. Custom-made ear pieces and wax filters should be exchanged as needed by your Hearing Care Professional. Ask your Hearing Care Professional for your individual recommendation of maintenance intervals and for support.

Safety Information

For more safety information, refer to the safety manual supplied with the device.

Accessories

The type of available accessories depends on the instrument type. Examples are: a remote control, an audio streaming device, or a smartphone app for remote control.

Some hearing instrument types support CROS and BICROS solutions for people with single-sided deafness. Consult your Hearing Care Professional for further information.