LIBRA A13 User manual

76133-000 6/01 BKLT6136-00-EE-ST
©all rights reserved

1
your hearing instrument page 1
identifi cation page 2
batteries page 3
insertion and removal page 6
switches page 8
volume levels page 9
feedback & multimemory settings page 1
learning to hear well page 11
realistic expectations page 12
the communication process page 13
handling and wearing page 14
adjusting to a noisy world page 15
start in quiet, familiar places page 16
focusing on specifi c sounds page 17
hearing the television and radio page 18
using the telephone page 19
enjoy, but don’t overdo it page 2
how family and friends can help page 22
speak clearly and normally page 23
minimize distractions page 24
time for added consideration page 25
let others know what you need page 26
hearing instrument care page 28
putting it in the right place page 29
daily cleaning and care page 3
avoiding moisture page 31
service and repair page 32
troubleshooting guide page 33
working together page 35
FDA information page 36
earhook
microphone sound inlet
volume control
multimemory switch
(optional)
microphone - telecoil -
on/off switch
battery compartment
Your Libra A13 Digital Behind-The-Ear
(BTE) may be programmed to match
your particular hearing requirement .
The programmable feature of the Libra
BTE include frequency re pon e, com-
pre ion characteri tic , and volume
control re erve gain. The e parameter
have been et by your hearing profe -
ional or the manufacturer, and
are not adju table by the wearer.
The A13 i connected by the earhook
to the cu tomized earmold that fi t
comfortably in your ear. Thi mold wa
crafted directly from the ear impre ion
taken by your hearing profe ional.
table of contents your hearing instrument

23
identification batteries
earhook
Each in trument can be identifi ed by it
erial number, located in ide the battery
compartment.
We are confi dent that your li tening enjoy-
ment will be enhanced by the attention
given to the performance and appearance
of your Libra BTE.
Your BTE u e a ize
13 battery a it power
ource. Be ure you
u e the correct ize
and type cell for
your in trument.
Becau e of their
ize, it’ a good
idea to change and
replace the battery above
a table or de k to reduce the ri k of
dropping or damage.
To in ert or replace the battery, open the
battery compartment by placing your
fi ngernail under the edge of the
wing-out door and gently
pulling outward.
DO NOT open the battery door too far
or damage is likely to occur.
(manufacturer’s name)
(model name)
year
made
serial
number
-
battery
door

45
batteries batteries
Remove the
exi ting battery
by pu hing it
out the top of
the door.
Place the new
battery in the
compartment with
the plu (+) ign
facing up.
Clo e the battery compartment by winging
the door until it nap ecurely. NEVER
FORCE THE DOOR SHUT. Thi could re ult
in eriou damage. If the door will not clo e
ecurely, check that the battery i placed
properly in the compartment.
Becau e batterie can vary in ize and
performance, your Hearing Profe ional
i your be t ource for life pan e timate
and verifi cation that you are u ing the
proper ize and type if problem per i t.
WARNING
HEARING INSTRUMENT BATTERIES
ARE DANGEROUS IF SWALLOWED
Upon removal from your in tru-
ment, di po e of pent cell
immediately in the proper wa te
or recycling receptacle.
To help prevent the accidental inge tion of
batterie , keep them out of the reach of
children.
Alway check your medication before
inge ting - batterie have been mi taken
for tablet .
Never put batterie in your mouth for any
rea on, a they can ea ily be unintention-
ally wallowed.

76
Before placing
the Libra BTE
earmold into your
ear, be ure the
battery i in erted
properly and the
battery door i clo ed
ecurely. If your in trument ha a M-T-O
witch, be ure it i et to “O” (off).
To in ert, hold the earmold on the outer
ide near the tubing
with your thumb
and forefi nger.
Gently in ert the
canal tip of the
earmold into the
ear canal. Then
oftly pre the
earmold into place
with your fi ngertip.
insertion and removal insertion and removal
Carefully place
the in trument
behind your ear
with the earhook
and earmold
tubing wrapped
over the top.
To remove, take
the in trument
out from behind
your ear and
gently pull the
earmold out-
ward. Pulling
down on the
ear lobe may help
loo en the ear-
mold a it i
removed.

89
switches volume levels
Your Libra BTE u e a
three-po ition witch
confi guration, labeled
“M-T-O.” The “M” or
microphone po ition i
u ed for tandard operation
and to turn the in trument
“on.” The “T” or telecoil
etting i for u e with
the telephone. The “O” off
po ition turn the in trument “off.”
The volume control enable
you to adju t the amount of
amplifi cation provided by the
in trument. You may wi h to
change level a you encounter
different li tening ituation .
To change the ound level, u e your
fi ngertip to rotate the vertical volume
control. The number on the control pro-
vide an orientation for the proper volume
etting. When the control i et at “4,“ the
volume i at the maximum level.
To make ound louder rotate the control
upward. To make ound ofter, rotate the
control downward.
Con ult your Hearing Profe -
ional if you have que -
tion regarding the u e
of the witche and
volume control
on your Libra
BTE.

1110
learning to hear well
Many of life’ important
activitie involve learn-
ing. Although not alway
ea y, learning combine
de ire, practice and a
belief that if you keep
trying, ucce and enjoy-
ment will eventually occur.
Thi i true of your hearing.
When you were young, you learned how
to li ten. Your brain learned to focu on
pecifi c ound and concentrate on voice ,
even in the mid t of many other noi e . A
your hearing gradually dimini hed, o did
that ability to elect ound .
Now with the help of your hearing in tru-
ment, you’re about to relearn the elective
hearing proce . Ju t a the
battery i your hearing
in trument’ power
ource, a po itive atti-
tude i your brain’
“power ource”
for learning.
feedback & multimemory settings
When the in trument i “on,” you may occa-
ionally hear a whi tling noi e known a
feedback. Feedback i cau ed by amplifi ed
ound e caping from the ear and refl ected
by your hand into the in trument’ micro-
phone. It i more likely to occur if the in tru-
ment i “on” during in ertion and removal,
and hould cea e when you move your
hand. If feedback per i t after the in tru-
ment ha been in erted correctly, contact
your Hearing Profe ional.
Libra BTE with a horizontal
multimemory witch let you choo e
between two etting to com-
pen ate for different li tening
environment . When the witch
i toward the left, your
in trument i mo t likely pro-
grammed for normal li tening
ituation like one-to-one
conver ation .
Moving the witch to the right
acce e the econd memory,
which your Hearing Profe ional
ha preprogrammed for your pecifi c
hearing need .

1312
Hopefully, your hearing in trument will
be extremely effective - o much that you
become dependent upon them. However,
hearing aid will not re tore normal hearing
and will not prevent or improve a hearing
impairment due to organic condition . So
don’t judge their effectivene too oon.
Likewi e, other ’ experience with hearing
in trument - good or bad - have no bearing
on your ucce and houldn’t affect your
attitude.
Hearing i only one part
of how we exchange
thought , idea , and feel-
ing . Effective communi-
cation combine li tening,
under tanding, attention,
concentration, intere t, and
vi ual, or non-verbal cue .
You may have relied on the e ever-
pre ent cue a your hearing lo gradually
impaired your under tanding of peech. Now,
they are equally important a you learn to
hear with hearing in trument . Reading the
lip , facial expre ion and ge ture of other
can enhance the learning proce , and up-
plement what amplifi cation alone may mi .
If nece ary, your Hearing Profe ional may
provide additional auditory training and lip-
reading a i tance.
realistic expectations the communication process
Al o, don’t a ume that you will hear and
under tand all peech with your
hearing in trument . It will
take time and patience a
you learn to adapt to thi
new way of hearing. In mo t
ca e , incon i tent u e of
hearing in trument
doe not permit you
to attain full
benefi t from
them.

14 15
handling and wearing adjusting to a noisy world
From the moment you get them, it may
be tempting to wear and u e your hearing
in trument con tantly. However, thi can
lead to di comfort, fatigue, and di appoint-
ment - all factor that can prevent ucce -
ful learning.
The level and complexity of ound environ-
ment ‘out in the real world’ make it a le
than ideal place to hear in, even if you had
normal hearing. It i be t to begin your
in trument u age gradually, until it i fully
integrated into your daily life. The amount
of patience and practice – combined with a
po itive attitude – will mo t likely determine
the degree of ucce .
Your in trument
and their control
are maller than
mo t other regularly
handled item . It i
expected that changing bat-
terie , in erting, removing, and
adju ting your in trument are new
experience that will take ome practice to
perform correctly.
Minor irritation and infl ammation may
occur a your ear become accu tomed to
having an object in it. Thi i normally
cau ed by pre ure from the earmold on a
particularly en itive area, and may ea ily
be corrected through trimming and pol-
i hing by your Hearing Profe ional.
If an actual allergic reaction occur , alter-
native earmold material are available.
Severe reaction , di charge from the ear,
exce ive wax, or other unu ual condi-
tion warrant immediate con ultation
with a phy ician.

16 17
start in quiet, familiar places focusing on specific sounds
At fi r t, u e your
in trument only
in familiar, quiet
urrounding , where
you can identify and
locate imple background
ound - running water, door clo ing,
bird inging - that you may not have
heard for awhile.
Other ound , like your own voice, will
ound different. In the ame quiet environ-
ment, practice li tening to and conver ing
with omeone facing you, who ha a famil-
iar voice and under tand your need .
Don’t be alarmed if you can’t immediately
under tand everything. A low, comfort-
able volume level i preferable a you
adapt to the new ound quality, even
if you occa ionally mi oft
ound or part of
conver ation.
A you wear
your in tru-
ment in a wider
variety of ound envi-
ronment , practice elect-
ing pecifi c ound and
voice and focu your
attention on them.
Enhance your under-
tanding by following
non-verbal expre ion
and ge ture .
A you venture into familiar
public place uch a church and
meeting , it rea onably clo e and within
ea y vi ual di tance of tho e peaking.
Becau e every area ha it own ound
characteri tic , you may need to
try different location
for the be t re ult .

1918
hearing the television and radio using the telephone
The u e of mu ic,
ound effect , and
it overall pace, can
make TV viewing
with hearing in tru-
ment take a little
longer to get u ed to.
Depending on the
fi delity and ophi tication
of your TV’ ound y tem, it
eight to ten feet in front of the creen
with the TV volume et to a normal, com-
fortable level for other .
Adju ting to the radio will depend on the
environment in which you’re li tening,
and whether it i an AM or FM tation. It
will likely be more diffi cult to fully under-
tand an AM tation while riding
in an automobile,
than an FM
tation playing
on a larger
ound y tem
in your
home.
BTE’ with a telecoil feature
enable you to comfortably u e
the telephone without removing
your in trument or earmold. The
induction coil amplifi e the ignal
emitted naturally from the
telephone receiver.
To u e the telephone, move the
M-T-O witch to the “T” (telecoil)
po ition.
Then place the hand et over your
ear and lowly
move it up-
ward, nearer
to the in tru-
ment until
the be t ignal
i received. Some
practice and
experimentation
may be nece ary
to fi nd the be t
po itioning.

2120
enjoy, but don’t overdo it remember:
• Better hearing with hearing in tru-
ment i a learned kill combining
de ire, practice and patience.
• It i important to develop reali tic
expectation of what your hearing
in trument can and cannot do.
• Hearing i only one part of your total
communication proce .
• Begin wearing your in trument
gradually, fi r t in quiet, familiar
urrounding .
• Practice focu ing on pecifi c ound ,
u ing both verbal and non-verbal cue .
• Over-practice can cau e fatigue,
ten ion, and di appointment.
Re t when nece ary.
In a few week , you will probably be
able to u e your in trument all day with-
out fatigue or ten ion. Hopefully, you’ll
be like many who fi nd them elve “forget-
ting” that they are even wearing a hearing
in trument.
Even o, be careful not to over-practice.
If you fi nd your elf becoming tired,
nervou , or irritated, don’t he itate
to re t for awhile by turning your
in trument off and/or removing them.

2322
speak clearly and normallyhow family and friends can help
There i a tendency
for tho e around you
to peak loudly–
e pecially if it i how
they previou ly commu-
nicated with you. With
your hearing in trument( )
on, a loud voice can actually make
under tanding more diffi cult, if not
more irritating.
Now that the hearing in trument provide the
amplifi cation, other hould peak clearly
at a normal level, without ru hing or lurring
their word . Be ure they have your full atten-
tion before they begin peaking. It’ often
preferable to rephra e rather than repeat the
ame word over and over, a you may fi nd it
ea ier to under tand different word .
Many people initially treat
hearing problem a an
individual matter, ome-
thing that can be dealt with
by them elve . But becau e
communication involve
more than ju t one per on,
o too doe the impact of
your impairment.
Con tant reque t to repeat, louder TV
volume level , and hift in behavior are
element of hearing lo that tho e around
you mu t live with and accommodate.
The continuing under tanding and upport
of family and friend are crucial a you
pur ue improved hearing and communica-
tion. Perhap they have already demon-
trated their willingne by encouraging
you to eek help.
While you are adju ting to the acou tic part
of amplifi cation, family and friend can help
you with the many p ychological and emo-
tional need that accompany the tran ition.

2524
Many people
uncon ciou ly
create di trac-
tion a they
peak. Talking with
their mouth full,
hand covering mouth ,
a well a unexpected,
udden head and body move-
ment all make it harder to under tand.
Make certain you can ee their face , expre -
ion and ge ture clearly a they peak
to you.
Background ound can be di tracting a
well. A you are learning to elect and ort
pecifi c ound , it i wi e not to attempt
conver ation while watching the TV,
for example.
There are
time when
hearing may
be even more
diffi cult. When
you are tired or
aren’t feeling well, it’
likely that you won’t hear or
under tand a well, either. Thi i
when the patience and under tanding
of other are e pecially appreciated.
Everyone adju t to hearing in trument
and develop li tening kill at their own
pace. The common en e and attitude of
your family and friend are a important
a the in trument them elve . Their
encouragement and upport give you a
ignifi cant advantage a you become
reacquainted with the world of ound .
minimize distractions time for added consideration

26 27
let others know what you need remember:
• Your family and friend are equally affected
by your hearing problem.
• Be ure other have your full attention and
you can ee their face when they peak.
• Have them peak normally, naturally, and
clearly - rather than louder.
• Rephra e rather than repeat word for word
if you don’t initially under tand what i aid.
• Don’t he itate to a k other for help - their
upport and encouragement are ju t a
important a your de ire to improve.
Remember that mo t people don’t know
you, and cannot “ ee” your hearing prob-
lem. There are way of non-verbally
encouraging other to face you when
peaking and talking more lowly. Mo t
won’t mind helping you, but you have to
let them know what you need. The way
you a k – verbally or non-verbally –
determine how they re pond.

2928
Your hearing
in trument repre ent the ultimate in
miniaturized ophi tication - e pecially
when you con ider the environment they
mu t function in. Heat, moi ture, and
foreign ub tance can accumulate and
degrade performance, or interrupt opera-
tion entirely.
Proper preventive care and maintenance
will go a long way en uring trouble-free
performance of what i a ignifi cant
hearing inve tment. Thi include daily
cleaning on your part, a well a regular
comprehen ive examination by your
Hearing Profe ional.
hearing instrument care putting it in the right place
When not
wearing
your BTE,
turn it off
and open the bat-
tery compartment door to
prevent exce ive reduction of
battery life. An in trument left “on”
can produce feedback that might attract
curiou pet - po ibly re ulting in hearing
in trument chewed beyond repair.
For imilar rea on , it i be t to tore
your in trument where you can ea ily fi nd
them, but afely out of reach of pet and
children. It i not nearly durable enough to
urvive being u ed a a toy or nack.
If your in trument( ) will not be u ed for an
extended period of time, remove the battery
completely, place the in trument( ) in the
pouch and tore in a cool, dry place away
from direct unlight or heat.

3130
avoiding moisturedaily cleaning and care
Your earmold
hould be
cleaned on a
regular ba i
u ing a oft,
damp cloth.
Periodically,
you may wa h it in
warm oapy water. Be certain that the
in trument i detached and far away from
any moi ture before cleaning. A bru h
may be provided to remove earwax or
other particle that may have accumulated
around witche and the battery compart-
ment of your in trument. Never u e ol-
vent , cleaning fl uid or oil to clean your
in trument or earmold.
It i a good idea to perform all cleaning
and battery change above a oft cloth or
towel on a de k or table. Thi will keep the
in trument from potentially damaging fall
to hard urface if you drop it.
Your
in trument
may be o comfort-
able that you forget you have them on.
So develop the mental habit of checking
your ear before going wimming, taking a
hower or applying hair pray. And do the
ame with pocket of clothing before they
are wa hed.
Should it get wet, do not attempt to dry
your in trument in an oven, microwave
or with a hair dryer - the heat will mo t
certainly damage it. In tead, di po e of the
battery and et the in trument on a towel
in a afe place, leaving the battery com-
partment door open to promote
air drying.

3332
Symptom: Dead
Cause: Depleted battery
Solution: Replace battery
Symptom: Dead
Cause: Blocked earmold
Solution: Clear tube blockage
Symptom: Dead
Cause: Defective in trument
Solution: See your Profe ional
Symptom: Not loud enough
Cause: Low battery
Solution: Replace battery
Symptom: Not loud enough
Cause: Blocked earmold
Solution: Remove blockage and clean
Symptom: Not loud enough
Cause: When wa hearing la t checked?
Solution: See your Profe ional
Symptom: Incon i tent performance
Cause: Low battery
Solution: Replace battery
Symptom: Unclear, di torted performance
Cause: Low battery
Solution: Replace battery
Symptom: Unclear, di torted performance
Cause: Defective in trument
Solution: See your Profe ional
service and repair troubleshooting guide
If, for any
rea on, an
in trument
fail , do not
attempt to
fi x it your elf.
Not only doe
it likely violate
any applicable
warrantie or
in urance, you
could ea ily cau e exten ive damage.
Should your in trument( ) fail or perform
un ati factorily, fi r t check the guide on
the next page for po ible olution . If prob-
lem per i t, your Hearing Profe ional i
the per on to contact for a i tance. Even if
you are away from home, mo t profe ion-
al are willing to help. They are able to
olve many common problem right in the
offi ce. If you are uncertain who provide
ervice in your area, write to the addre
hown on page 37.

34 35
remember: working together
• Proper care and maintenance can help
en ure trouble-free operation.
• When not in u e, tore your in trument
in a afe place, away from medication ,
pet and children.
• Never allow liquid to enter the in tru-
ment - internal damage will likely occur.
• Keep in trument away from exce ive
heat and direct unlight.
• Avoid dropping your in trument -
perform cleaning and battery change
over clo e, oft urface .
• Never permit cleaning olvent , hair
pray or perfume to come into contact
with in trument .
• Do not attempt repair - alway con ult
your Hearing Profe ional
for ervice.
Be a ured
that, together
with your Hearing
Profe ional, we are prepared to do all that
we can to help achieve the highe t po ible
level of hearing ati faction.
Even if it’ when you vi it for batterie ,
be ure to have regular, periodic examina-
tion of both your hearing in trument and
your ear . Both are ubject to con tantly-
changing factor that can ignifi cantly
impact our effort to provide better hearing.
You may have friend and relative who
al o experience hearing diffi culty. Encourage
them to have their hearing te ted by the
Hearing Profe ional li ted on your
warranty card.
No one hould neglect their hearing,
e pecially a more people may benefi t from
today’ new hearing technology.

3736
The following additional information i provided in com-
pliance with U.S. Food and Drug Admini tration (FDA)
regulation :
Warning To Hearing Aid Dispensers. A hearing aid di pen er hould
advi e a pro pective hearing aid u er to con ult promptly with
a licen ed phy ician (preferably an ear peciali t) before di pen -
ing a hearing aid if the hearing aid di pen er determine through
inquiry, actual ob ervation, or review of any other available
information concerning the pro pective u er, that the pro pective
u er ha any of the following condition :
i. Vi ible congenital or traumatic deformity of the ear.
ii. Hi tory of active drainage from the ear within the
previou 90 day .
iii. Hi tory of udden or rapidly progre ive hearing lo
within the previou 90 day .
iv. Acute or chronic dizzine .
v. Unilateral hearing lo of udden or recent on et within
the previou 90 day .
vi. Audiometric air-bone gap equal to or greater than 15
decibel at 500 Hertz (Hz), 1,000 Hz and 2,000 Hz.
vii. Vi ible evidence of ignifi cant cerumen accumulation
or a foreign body in the ear canal.
viii. Pain or di comfort in the ear.
Special care hould be exerci ed in electing and fi tting a hearing
aid who e maximum ound pre ure level exceed 132 decibel
becau e there may be ri k of impairing the remaining hearing of
the hearing aid u er.
Important Notice For Prospective Hearing Aid Users. Good health prac-
tice require that a per on with a hearing lo have a medical
evaluation by a licen ed phy ician (preferably a phy ician who
pecialize in di ea e of the ear) before purcha ing a hearing
aid. Licen ed phy ician who pecialize in di ea e of the ear
are often referred to a otolaryngologi t , otologi t , or
otorhinolaryngologi t . The purpo e of the medical evalua-
tion i to a ure that all medically treatable condition that may
affect hearing are identifi ed and treated before the hearing aid
i purcha ed.
Following the medical evaluation, the phy ician will give you a writ-
ten tatement that tate that your hearing lo ha been medically
evaluated and that you may be con idered a candidate for a hearing
aid. The phy ician will refer you to an audiologi t or hearing aid
di pen er, a appropriate, for a hearing aid evaluation.
The audiologi t or hearing aid di pen er will conduct a hearing
aid evaluation to a e your ability to hear with and without a
hearing aid. The hearing aid evaluation will enable the audiologi t
or di pen er to elect and fi t a hearing aid to your individual need .
If you have re ervation about your ability to adapt to amplifi cation,
you hould inquire about the availability of a trial-rental or pur-
cha e-option program. Many hearing aid di pen er now offer pro-
gram that permit you to wear a hearing aid for a period of time for
a nominal fee after which you may decide if you want to purcha e
the hearing aid.
Federal law re trict the ale of hearing aid to tho e individual
who have obtained a medical evaluation from a licen ed phy ician.
Federal law permit a fully informed adult to ign a waiver tate-
ment declining the medical evaluation for religiou or per onal
belief that preclude con ultation with a phy ician. The exerci e
of uch a waiver i not in your be t health intere t and it u e i
trongly di couraged.
Children With Hearing Loss. In addition to eeing a phy ician for a
medical evaluation, a child with a hearing lo hould be directed
to an audiologi t for evaluation and rehabilitation ince hearing lo
may cau e problem in language development and the educational
and ocial growth of a child. An audiologi t i qualifi ed by training
and experience to a i t in the evaluation and rehabilitation of a
child with a hearing lo .
FDA informationFDA information
©Libra World Headquarter
P.O. Box 9457, Minneapoli , MN 55344
Libra Europe
Rugenbarg 69, 22848 Norder tedt, Hamburg, Germany