Advertise on podcast: Starkey Sound Bites

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of Starkey Sound Bites, host Dr. Dave Fabry, Starkey's Chief Hearing Health Officer, sits down with songwriter, hearing aid wearer, and hearing health advocate Emily Haber Davila for an inspiring conversation about self-advocacy, overcoming stigma, and the life-changing impact of hearing technology. Emily shares her personal journey with hearing loss, from being diagnosed at age four to performing in a touring family band, building a successful songwriting career in Nashville, and ultimately becoming a passionate advocate for people with hearing loss. Together, they explore how hearing technology has evolved, the importance of personalized hearing care, and why advocacy is essential in workplaces, healthcare settings, social situations, and everyday life. If you or someone you love is struggling with hearing loss, this conversation offers encouragement, practical insights, and hope for a brighter, more connected future. Like this video, subscribe to the channel, and share it with someone who could benefit from learning more about hearing health and advocacy.

Send us Fan Mail The best hearing technology in the world still fails when we ignore the person wearing it. Host, Dr. Dave Fabry, kicks off a Legacy Series conversation with Robert Sweetow, former chief of audiology at UCSF, to look back on how hearing care evolved from screwdrivers and body aids to digital, apps, and AI hearing aids, and to ask a sharper question: did the profession grow more human along the way, or more device-driven? Dr. Sweetow shares his origin story, training at Northwestern under Ray Carhart, and the real-world moments that pushed him beyond “matching target” into tinnitus management and aural rehabilitation. We get honest about why tinnitus is so emotionally loaded, why cognitive behavioral therapy for tinnitus became a turning point, and why many “miracle” sound solutions never delivered a cure. We also talk about what still frustrates clinicians and patients alike: uneven adoption of speech-in-noise testing and real ear measures, counseling that sounds scripted, and the lack of consistent follow-up that could prevent many problems before they snowball. From bimodal stimulation to brain-wave driven algorithms, we explore what might be next and what should never be outsourced. AI can streamline fitting and tracking, but it cannot replace empathy, clinical judgment, and the skill of engaging patients so they actually practice, participate, and improve at home. If you care about patient-centered audiology, tinnitus counseling, and better long-term hearing aid outcomes, this conversation will leave you with practical ideas and a clearer view of what “fitting the brain” really means. If this resonates, subscribe, share the episode with someone who cares about better hearing, and leave a review so more listeners can find the show.

Send us Fan Mail Dr. Dave Fabry and Henry Wong unpack Auracast and why it’s fundamentally different from the old Bluetooth routine: no fiddly pairing, just a simple search and select flow that feels more like joining a Wi‑Fi network than connecting a gadget. The headline is bold but practical a single transmitter can broadcast high quality audio to unlimited nearby listeners at the same time, straight to compatible hearing devices. We walk through what “integration” really means on two fronts. First, the devices: Auracast transmitters can be smartphones, TVs, tablets, laptops, and even public announcement systems, while receivers can include hearing aids, earbuds, headphones, speakers, and other hearing instruments. Then the locations: deployments are already showing up across countries, and we talk about the momentum that turns a cool feature into something you can actually rely on when you step into a venue.  From sports bars and gyms with multiple TVs to any place with a sound system, broadcast audio opens up choice and clarity for everyone, not just a small subset of users. We also share where to look for Auracast location profiles, plus how locations can register so the map gets easier for professionals and everyday listeners to use. Along the way, we connect the dots to hearing accessibility, the limits of older approaches like telecoils, and how making assistive listening mainstream can help reduce stigma for people who need support but avoid “medical” feeling gear.  If you care about Bluetooth LE Audio, assistive listening technology, hearing aids, and the future of accessible public audio, hit subscribe, share this with a friend who struggles in noisy venues, and leave a review with the first place you want Auracast to show up next.

Send us Fan Mail Connectivity plays a critical role in helping people hear their best, and few innovations are generating more excitement in hearing healthcare than Auracast™. In this episode of Starkey Sound Bites, Dr. Dave Fabry welcomes Henry Wong, Director of Market Development for the Bluetooth Special Interest Group (Bluetooth SIG), for a discussion about Auracast Broadcast Audio, Bluetooth LE Audio, and what these technologies mean for hearing aid users, audiologists, and consumers alike. Together, they explore: • What Auracast is and how it works  • The evolution of Bluetooth connectivity for hearing aids  • The benefits of Bluetooth LE Audio  • Why Auracast is often described as "Wi-Fi for audio"  • Real-world applications in airports, gyms, stadiums, places of worship, and public venues  • How Auracast can improve access to clear audio in noisy environments  • The future of hearing accessibility and assistive listening technology  • Resources for hearing care professionals looking to champion Auracast in their communities Whether you're a hearing healthcare provider, hearing aid user, technology enthusiast, or simply curious about the future of audio accessibility, this episode offers a practical look at a technology poised to reshape how people connect with sound.

Send us Fan Mail Men’s Hearing Health is often overlooked, but it should not be. In this episode of Starkey Sound Bites, host Dr. Dave Fabry sits down with athlete, coach, and hearing health advocate Tyson Gillies to talk about living with hearing loss, overcoming stigma, and why so many men delay getting help. Tyson shares his personal journey from childhood hearing loss and adversity to competing at elite levels, coaching Team USA Deaf Baseball, and preparing for international competition. This conversation dives into confidence, identity, and how hearing health directly impacts communication, performance, and overall well-being. You’ll also hear how today’s technology, including Starkey’s Omega AI hearing aids, is helping people stay connected, perform at their best, and protect long-term brain health. What you’ll learn: - Why men often ignore hearing loss symptoms - The link between hearing health and brain health - How hearing loss affects confidence and performance - The role of technology like Omega AI in daily life - Why hearing protection matters in loud environments like sports and concerts If you’re experiencing hearing challenges or know someone who is, this episode is for you. Subscribe for more insights on hearing health, innovation, and real stories that inspire better living.

Send us Fan Mail A hearing clinic can buy the same equipment as everyone else, but it cannot copy trust. That is the thread running through our conversation with Dr. Zack Miller, a private practice owner who now leads Midwest Hearing Aids across 31 locations in Kansas, many of them in small towns where your reputation travels faster than your advertising.  We talk about the real work behind practice ownership: building a team you can count on, staying “coachable,” and keeping a culture where you still learn from patients and staff. Zack shares what he believes cannot be commoditized in audiology and hearing healthcare, even with over-the-counter hearing aids and price pressure in the market: patient service, time, and relationships. We also get practical about what happens when someone tests and walks out, how follow-up works without a high-pressure sales feel, and why inviting a spouse or family member into the appointment often changes everything.  On the technology side, we dig into modern hearing aids and fitting strategy, including Omega AI, Edge Mode+, DNN 360, and why many patients succeed with a simpler approach that starts with hearing better before getting lost in app features. We also address AI fatigue and privacy concerns, then explain how data logging helps clinicians personalize care by checking wear time and real-world listening environments.  If you care about better hearing outcomes, better counseling, and building a practice that lasts, you will get a lot from this one. Subscribe, share this episode with a colleague, and leave a review so more people can find better hearing care.

Send us Fan Mail The biggest risk in hearing aid innovation is not dreaming too small, it’s shipping a promise that doesn’t survive real life. Starkey Sound Bites host, Dave Fabry, PhD, sits down with Dr. Maddie Olson, Starkey’s Manager of Clinical Product Research, to unpack how clinical research, verification, and product validation protect patients and providers when new hearing aid technology moves from the lab to the field. If you’ve ever wondered who makes sure a feature works on Tuesday afternoon in a noisy café, not just in a polished demo, this conversation is for you.  We talk about what “validation” actually means: user requirements, regulatory expectations, safety and effectiveness, and proving meaningful benefit compared with what’s already on the market. Dr. Olson explains how Starkey recruits from a large participant database to find the right listeners for the right tests, and why trust and honest feedback are as critical as any instrument. We also explore how modern hearing aids have become full systems, including Bluetooth connectivity, smartphone app performance, and the growing need to consider the provider workflow, not just the signal processing.  The conversation expands into hearing health and whole health, including balance, falls, and wellness research, plus how questionnaires can help connect hearing loss with outcomes like social isolation and depression. For clinicians, we dig into practical measures you can use now: APHAB, DOSO, Hearing Handicap Inventory, and QuickSIN for speech in noise. Dr. Olson also breaks down ecological momentary assessment and hearing aid data logging as tools to reduce recall bias and fine-tune fittings based on what patients actually experience, moment by moment.  If this helped you think differently about audiology, clinical research, or hearing aid outcomes, subscribe, share it with a colleague, and leave a review so more hearing care pros can find it.

Send us Fan Mail Auracast for Hearing Aids: What It Means for the Future Chief Hearing Health Officer Dr. Dave Fabry sits down with Dr. Heike Heuermann, Starkey’s Vice President of Product Integration, to explore the transformational impact of Auracast™ assistant and Google Fast Pair™ on hearing technology.  With more than two decades of experience across hearing science, engineering, systems design, and product management, Dr. Heuermann brings a unique holistic perspective on how cutting‑edge tech can reconnect people to the world around them.  Together, Dave and Heike dive into:  – How Auracast™ assistant works — Learn how this next‑generation broadcast audio technology allows a single sound source, like a TV, classroom, or place of worship, to stream high‑quality audio directly to multiple listeners at once. No accessories, no pairing hassles.  – The end of pairing frustration — Heike explains how Google Fast Pair dramatically simplifies setup for Android users, creating seamless, automatic connectivity across phones, tablets, laptops, TVs, and more.  If you’re curious about where hearing technology is heading, especially around connectivity, accessibility, and audio personalization, this episode is packed with insights.

Send us Fan Mail Reality TV star Gerry Turner gets real about hearing loss. After he proudly wore hearing aids while looking for love on national television, Turner says no one should be embarrassed to wear them. In this episode, he talks about how hearing aids have positively impacted his life and urges others with hearing loss to stop letting stigma get in the way of being connected to the ones they love. Link to transcript

Send us Fan Mail At Starkey, our mission is to serve our customers better than anyone else. Our team answers 2,000 calls a day within five seconds. Those calls are answered by a live voice, and our operators know most of our customers by name. In this episode, Starkey’s Chief Customer Officer Chris Van Guilder explains why these statistics are so important for the success of our business, and why it’s important for hearing care providers to make customer service a priority for their patients. Link to full transcript

Send us Fan Mail Rockstar legend Alice Cooper is back on tour and not letting hearing loss get in his way. He talks with Dave about how hearing loss is an unfortunate reality for many professional musicians — particularly rockers from his generation — and shares stories from his long and storied career, including working with Johnny Depp and Paul McCartney. A proud wearer of “clearing aids,” Alice encourages young musicians to put their hearing first and not let the stigma of hearing aids and hearing protection be a barrier to better hearing health.   To learn more about Starkey hearing aids, visit Starkey.com Link to full transcript

Send us Fan Mail As up-and-coming NASCAR driver William Sawalich prepares for his first Xfinity race, he sits down with Dave and his dad, Brandon, to talk about his racing career and why he’s passionate about hearing protection, especially at his young age. It’s a loud sport, and as we observe Protect Your Hearing Month this October, we hope this episode offers motivation to make hearing protection a priority.  To learn more about Starkey’s industry-leading hearing protection product, SoundGear, visit SoundGear.com. Link to full transcript.

Send us Fan Mail Starkey’s latest hearing technology has arrived! Chief Technology Officer and EVP of Engineering Achin Bhowmik, Ph.D., sits down with Dave to share what excites him most about Edge AI. The highlights include: 30% more accuracy at identifying speech, 6 dB additional reduction in low-level noise, and 100 times the processing power, all while maintaining Starkey’s industry-leading 51 hours of battery life. Tune in for a deep dive that explains why this technology gives patients and professionals the edge they've been looking for. To learn more about Edge AI, visit StarkeyPro.com Link to full transcript

Send us Fan Mail Research shows people with mild hearing loss are three times more likely to have a history of falling than peers with normal hearing. In this episode, during National Falls Prevention Awareness Week, Dave chats with Dr. Patricia Gaffney, an audiologist with a specialty in vestibular diagnostics and treatment. They talk about emerging research, as well as the important role hearing professionals can play in helping their patients prevent falls. As the only hearing aid manufacturer with fall detection and alerts built into our hearing aids, this is a topic we are passionate about. To learn more about these features in Starkey hearing aids, watch this video on the Starkey YouTube page. Link to full transcript

Send us Fan Mail Loud noises are part of the job for first responders, but protecting their hearing is tricky because they must always maintain situational awareness. In this episode, a 40-year law enforcement veteran talks about the importance of hearing protection, and how SoundGear has been a game changer for the Arizona State University police department.   To learn more about SoundGear, visit www.SoundGear.com. Link to full transcript