Stethoscope Winner: Harvey Elite, DLX or Harvey Triple Head??

[Medbound786]

Hey guys;

Which of these stethoscopes would you say is top of the line and most useful (not keeping money a factor):

1. Welch Allyn Harvey Elite

2. Welch Allyn Harvey DLX

3. Welch Allyn Harvey Triple Head

thanks

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[Random]

Top of the line would probably be the DLX triple head. It's also the one most likely to get stolen, though. Most useful is probably the Elite (it's what I use). They're all good scopes.

 

[Medbound786]

Thanks Random. Why would you say Elite is the most useful? Does it have something the Triple Head is lacking?

I also noticed that Triple Head may not come with the Pediatric Accessory Kit. Do you know if the kit does come with the Triple Head or if it is purchased seperately, whether the ped diaphargm and non-chill rims would fit the Triple Head.

I really like the Triple but just wanna make sure it is convertible and versatile for peds as the Elite is.

Thanks

 

[Jape]

even though this is an old thread I wanted to get some updated information. I tried to look for some info online comparing the two, but I couldn't find any So if anyone has experience with the two of these please share your insight with us 🙂

DLX or Elite

 

[nick_carraway]

even though this is an old thread I wanted to get some updated information. I tried to look for some info online comparing the two, but I couldn't find any So if anyone has experience with the two of these please share your insight with us 🙂

DLX or Elite

DLX doesn't have the non-chill rings and is more old school than the Elite. I liked the ability to use the scope without having to warm up the scope before each use. The DLX was based on Dr. Harvey's original design, while the Elite is tooled for students as a competitor to Littman's Cardiology III.

While I prefer the industrial design of the DLX, I opted for the Elite this year and purchased it from steeles.com. I played with the three-head design last year, since all M1s at Georgetown get it at the white coat ceremony. While I think it sounded better than my Elite does as a layman, I don't think I'll reach the level of auscultation where I'll really notice the difference. I also didn't think I wanted to stand out with the DLX and the Elite hides better in the sea of Littmans.

From Steeles, you'll get the peds accessories as a student regardless of the scope you get (enter your school info at checkout). For $15, the choice came down to the Elite being more versatile.

 

[drcarter77]

don't buy the triple head. they are really really heavy and you'll never use the corrugated diaphragm. Georgetown issues the triple head to all of the first years because Harvey, the inventor, was a Georgetown doc, and by second year half of the class has already shelled out another $200 to buy a littmann (i'd recommend the cardiology III or master cardiology), mostly just because we prefer something sleeker and lighter to stick in our coats when we're in the hospital

 

[astropilot]

Proctor Harvey literally wrote the book on heart sounds; a giant in cardiology. The head is heavy for a reason - to transmit sound better. You also want heavy (i.e. thicker) tubing. You will also want shorter tubing - less sound dampening from the length it must travel.

Finally, if you are not using the corrugated diaphragm, you are missing out. It amplifies the heart sounds to help you hear the faintest murmurs (mild aortic regurgitation).

I own the cardiology III and master cardiology as well. I have chosen the Harvey for the above reasons, f/b master, f/b cardiology III (I do not like the diaphragm/bell concept - too easy to activate the bell).

 

[Forthegood]

I love my Elite. It is light, well constructed, and LOUD. Which helps when you are an amateur like me. Also, it looks pretty basic, so it may be less attractive to a thief.

 

[Pierat]

This thread is very instructive. I have one question. Between the DLX (double head) and the Elite, which is louder?

 

[Pierat]

In the interest of scientific enquiry and self-directed learning, here's my amateurish attempt at comparing three oft-mentioned stethoscopes on this forum. The comparison is based predominantly on the differences between the three. Please note that this is not a scientific study - so your mileage may vary.

First of all, all three are good scopes. They would not be popular otherwise.

Littmann Cardiology 3 (28")

The Cardio 3 has good amplifying qualities. First impression is that this steth is loud. The issue with amplification is that ambient noises are also magnified. Amongst the three models, I'd say this steth has the most amount of ambient noises coming through. The harder the chestpiece is pressed (for higher frequency sounds), the more these ambient noises become apparent. Heart sounds have this distorted bass profile, like some one blasting distorted "toof toof" music from the car. I converted the pediatric side to a bell - also bassy, and distorted.This scope is chestpiece-heavy.



Welch Allyn Harvey Elite (28")

Loud (perhaps just a tiny touch softer than Cardio III), with some amplification of ambient noises. The trick is to place just enough pressure on the chestpiece when performing auscultation (the ideal amount of pressure is the weight of the chestpiece). Since there is less ambient noise, the overall sound output is louder than the Cardio 3. Heart sounds are clear with only a very slight distored bass profile - I'd rate clarity higher than the Cardio 3 but not as high as the DLX. Bell is loud and very slightly bassy. This scope is very well balanced and user-friendly.

Welch Allyn Harvey DLX - 2 Head (28")

My first impression is that the sound is softer than the Elite and Cardio 3, but with very good clarity. Given good technique however (just enough pressure, see entry on Elite above), the overall loudness is on par with the Elite and Cardiology 3, since it produces the least amount of ambient noise. Any distortion is kept to a minimum (there's hardly any to begin with). Acoustically, the clarity is alot better than the Cardio 3, and slightly better than the Elite. The bell is also the best amongst the three (no sign of distortion). The DLX also provides the biggest difference in terms of low/high frequencies between the bell and the diaphragm. As the chestpiece is heavy, it's not as well-balanced as the Elite.


Summary
Loudness (heart sounds only): Cardiology 3 > Elite > DLX
Loudness (overall, including ambient noise and artifacts): Cardiology 3 = Elite = DLX (note that perception is highly subjective)
Clarity: DLX > Elite > Cardiology 3, with DLX >>> Cardiology 3
Balance: Elite > Cardiology 3 > DLX

They're all well-built.

I'm inclined to believe that amplification can lead to increased distortion, ambient noise and artifacts, therefore maximising amplification is not in itself a good idea (especially without some form of ambient noise reduction). Clarity can be achieved at a cost to loudness, but this is not a problem if ambient noise is well-controlled.

Personally, I'll be keeping the Elite and DLX.

 

[Marcus Brody]

this beast right here

 

[jdh71]

don't buy the triple head. they are really really heavy and you'll never use the corrugated diaphragm. Georgetown issues the triple head to all of the first years because Harvey, the inventor, was a Georgetown doc, and by second year half of the class has already shelled out another $200 to buy a littmann (i'd recommend the cardiology III or master cardiology), mostly just because we prefer something sleeker and lighter to stick in our coats when we're in the hospital

I'm horrified. Why anyone would actually spend money on a POS littmann when one had a free W/A Harvey is . . . well . . .

EDIT: My DLX owns lung sounds . . . and that's about all I really care about.