By Katie-Louise BaileyI had the opportunity to try it out the new AquaCase at the Advanced Bionics Family Fun day at Centre Parcs, Nottingham, UK. Before trying the AquaCase, I had already experienced hearing in water using my very own lime green Neptune.  Hearing in water makes swimming so much more fun. You’d be surprised at all the sounds you’ve been missing if you have not heard while swimming before. You won’t want to go swimming without it!

Holding  the AquaCase in my hand, I can see the best things about it.  The AquaCase is clear, slim and small.  It’s not too bulky.  And it looks very secure. Parents won’t have to worry about their child’s Naída CI Q70 breaking or getting wet.  They’ll have peace of mind since it is especially made to protect children from opening it. Even me… It took me a while to open it. It’s a bit like a child lock in the car. With a little practice it becomes much easier to open.

I wear a Naída CI Q70 every day. And only tend to wear my Neptune for swimming and for backup if my current processor breaks.  Do you ever worry about breaking your processor? I do all the time. It’s like your lifeline. As soon as it hits the floor – the first thing comes to mind is does it still work?

The AquaCase is shockproof, so it protects the processor if you drop it.  It still works. So if you fancy going down the waterslide or do any rough activity you’ll have a worry-free experience.  The AquaCase may even be stronger than the Neptune!

The AquaCase goes with anything. There are multiple wearing options, from clip, to lanyard and armband.  I prefer to wear it on my armband just like my Neptune. I wear it with a 15 inch cable.  You can easily clip it to your bathing suit. Men may prefer to clip it onto the armband.

Wherever you go you don’t have to change processors from Naída CI Q70 to a Neptune to go swimming. You can just wear your Naída CI Q70 anywhere. Just make sure you have the case with you. You don’t need to put it in a plastic bag, which could affect the sound quality. The AquaMic and the AquaCase are both 100% waterproof.

Placing your Naída CI Q70 In the AquaCase is pretty simple too. You don’t need to change the ear hook or anything. Just make sure you have the 110 battery and of course the right microphone. You can easily tell the difference between the AquaMic and the normal UHP headpiece.

The AquaCase and the Neptune have similar wearing options, and the same sound quality.   As for the AquaMic –  to have the best experience in any activity I would suggest that you make sure to have the right magnet strength so you don’t have to worry about it falling off. It took me about 2 swimming session before I determined the right strength. Now I dive into the water and it doesn’t come off at all! I use two magnets inside the AquaMic, which is enough for my long, thick hair.

I’ve used both the AquaCase and Neptune in lots of watersports and other sporting activities. If I had to choose between a Naída CI Q70 with an AquaCase or a Neptune, I would choose the Aquacase.  You don’t have to keep changing devices.  And the AquaCase turns the Naída CI Q70 into a Neptune, so you can feel secure in wet or dirty environments, or even just for rough sports or amusement parks.

I’ve broken the Neptune cover one or two times – I’m very active! The AquaCase seems even stronger, and I don’t think it will break. I’ve worn it playing football, and on waterslides, and it held the processor very securely, even though it was bumped many times.

My advice is that you hand dry the AquaCase before opening it, so that all the water is off before the processor comes out.  When you use the Naída CI Q70 in the AquaCase, you should also put the processor and the AquaMic in the dry box over night.

About the Author

I’m 26 years old, profoundly deaf since birth due to genetic causes.  I was meant to get a cochlear implant when I was 7 but my parents decided against it because cochlear implants were still quite new then.

I had a life-changing operation when I received my cochlear implant at age 19. After being implanted It took a lot of practice to be able to understand all the new sounds. I now use my voice practically all the time. People call me a chatter box!  I love music, which never even interested me before.

I really would love to go bilateral. Here in the UK, the National Health Service only allows children under the age of 19 to go bilateral.