Evolution of the Hearing Aid
My entire life I’ve had hearing aids and I’m only 22. So, no, hearing aids are not just for the elderly. When I was younger, I believed my hearing aids were something to be ashamed of, but I have eventually grown to embrace them as a lifeline and as a part of who I am. I am not the girl with the hearing aids. I am the hard-working, talented woman who happens to wear hearing aids. It’s important that people realize that individuals with a disability are not stupid, incapable, or dumb. Unfortunately, I’ve encountered people who treat me as though I am.
iCom
I recently purchased new hearing aids (For the record, hearing aids are not covered by insurance and I am seriously considering lobbying against this in Washington, D.C.), which came with an optional add-on device called an iCom. This iCom is what you see in the picture above. It is a device that you wear around your neck that allows you to program multiple bluetooth-equipped phones. Thinking this was too good to be true, I tested it on the iPhone. Sure enough, I was able to send and receive calls hands-free without the phone (after dialing the number, of course), as long as I was inside a 30-foot radius.
Video iPod
Feeling empowered, I moved on to test the music adapater. The adapter connects to any music device with a headphone jack, such as an iPod. The hearing aids make a signaling sound to let me know that a device is connected wirelessly. I can control whether or not the music plays either through the device itself, or through my iCom with the simple press of the square button. In addition, the hearing aids work with FM radio, although, I have to admit I haven’t tried it yet. All in all, a pretty cool breakthrough for hearing aid technology.
Technology is taking a step in the right direction. If people without hearing loss are already hooking up their phones to a bluetooth device, doesn’t it make sense to build a hearing aid with the same bluetooth technology? It happened and I can’t wait to see what will roll out next. My hope is that the iPhone will be bluetooth-compatible with the music (apparently it’s not, right now). Does anyone know of a bluetooth-equipped phone that will play music?
Interested in finding out more about these hearing aids for yourself, a friend, or a loved one? Check out Phonak’s Exelia website. You can also read more about hearing loss at KidsHealth.org or TeensHealth.org (in English or Espanol).
Do the they work? How about back ground noise in public places?
What is the best hearing aid that I can buy?
Hi Sam, thanks for your comment. To answer your questions:
1. Yes, they work extremely well. They are the top-of-the-line hearing aids for my level of hearing loss. My audiologist and I chose them based on my lifestyle. I am young and tend to be in a variety of situations as opposed to a more sedentary lifestyle. Because I’m in a variety of places with varying degrees of background noise, these are equipped to handle such situations. I can go from my bedroom in the morning to a noisy bar in the evening and be happy in every environment that encounter throughout the day.
2. The best hearing aid is one that your audiologist can recommend after testing you to see what type of hearing loss you may have. Certain hearing aids work with certain types of hearing loss. If you have mild hearing loss, you may qualify for a very discrete in-the-canal hearing aid. Because my loss is severe, I need a more powerful hearing aid, which comes in the Behind-the-Ear model that you see on this post.
Hope this helps!
-Kristin
Sign me up if you decide to lobby for hearing aids being insurance-covered. Ridiculous omission, IMO.
A gentleman at Office Depot today informed me of bluetooth hearing aids — have been wanting something like this for a long while. I currently wear in-canal hearing aids and it’s quite a pain to spend the whole day removing and returning them in order to answer calls.
FWIW, I find that my iPhone’s included wired headset is the best one I’ve tried thus far. The sound is quite clear to me (even at lower volumes) and the people on the other end tell me I sound like I’m on a land-line. The problem is that I still need to remove my hearing aids in order to use them.
But an in-canal hearing aid that can double as a bluetooth headset? I’m in, even if I have to put a new battery in it every day.
BTW, I’m 43 this year. I was in an auto accident when I was about 10; this is what caused both my hearing loss and my tinnitus. I’ve only worn hearing aids since I was about 32, shortly after my first child was born.
Wow, that’s really cool. I knew the technology was coming; I didn’t know it was here yet. I agree that it’s a shame that health insurance doesn’t cover hearing aids. (I’ve worn them since I was 2 and I’m 30 now.) So can you flip a switch on the hearing aids and open a Bluetooth connection to the phone right away? Or do you need to have the iCom to get them to work with your iPhone or other Bluetooth phone?
@R3 It’s great to hear that you are so supportive of lobbying for hearing aid insurance coverage. I am in the works of coming up with an online forum for hearing aid wearers of all ages, but targeting primarily 15-65 year olds, as I feel that that demographic is more into the use of the Internet than anyone else and would be more likely to embrace an online forum.
You are lucky you can wear in-the-canal hearing aids, I have always wanted them, but they are not powerful enough for my level of hearing loss. I suppose you could call it a self-conscious thing. I can be blessed that I have long hair that covers the hearing aids so people do not stare. I’m sure you’re familiar with people staring at them when you’re talking…it can be distracting.
I also feel you on the frustration of having to handle phone calls. When I did research for cell phones, I wanted the M4/T4 hearing aid compatibility rating as I did NOT want to have to deal with fuzzy calls. I sadly eliminated the iPhone as I just felt it would be too difficult to hear on, but boy was I wrong. These hearing aids now make the iPhone sound crisp & clear (my bf has one). As for me, I ended up getting the Verizon LG Voyager and love it. I don’t have to set my hearing aids to a particular setting to hear on it nor do I have to max out the volume of the phone.
Regarding the battery life, it is surprisingly good. Granted, I don’t use the bluetooth capability a whole lot (more so for music than phone), the battery life is about a week and a half. I wish you best of luck in your pursuit for new hearing aids. My advice is to embrace the cutting-edge technology that is out there, which I think you are, so props to you! Feel free to comment back/email me if you have any other questions.
@Brad Glad to hear that you found me (no pun intended) through this blog post. To answer your question regarding activating the Bluetooth connection, you have to initially program your phone to turn on to Bluetooth setting and then have your iCom work in tandem with the phone. The initial set up takes the longest and after you’ve done that, it’s activated every time you turn on the iCom. I believe you can also program the hearing aid to other phones, say in the event that I want to talk to someone on another person’s phone. All in all, the iCom is required for the hearing aids to function in it’s Bluetooth state. Hope this helps.
I got my Siemans Life 500″s , the TEK remote and My Sprint Palm Treo 800w all to work together i got music and telephone sevice drom the fone to my ears .. kind of neet,, when there is nothing to hear , I’ve got something to hear …. all with no wires at all .. i think it should also work with the Phonak Icomm too if that is somewones desire …
There is a lot of good info on http://www.hearingaidforums.com if anyone is interested … John
I havae an 86 yr.old cousin who has worn hearing aids most of his life. It is so hard to communicate with him because he is always asking what I said. Even when I repeat myself he can’t hear. When I hear him say “ah ha” I know he did not hear me. He lives in D’Iverville MS. Is there a blue tooth hearing aid that will allow him to hear conversations with people and use the telephone to hear better?
@JohnEck Glad to hear your hearing aids are working out for you. It certainly does makes all the difference in the world.
@MargueriteDacey I feel your frustration. I have several people in my life who struggle with hearing loss, which can make it difficult to communicate. The only advice I can give you is to go to an audiologist who will help pick the right hearing aid for your cousin’s level of hearing loss. I own the Phonak Exelia and absolutely love it. In fact, I’m currently listening to music at work (shh!) through my computer speakers on Pandora.com, which is connected to my iCom through an audio cable. Talk about convenience! Best of luck, Marguerite.
Hi Kristin,
I just got Phonak Exelia Art BTE hearing aids with iCom and am enjoying them very much. But, I’m trying to find an appropriate bluetooth transmitter to connect to my TV to communicate wirelessly w/ iCom and thence to my aids. Unfortunately the Voiis TV bluetooth transmitter that Phonak recommends and markets does not have enough volume to be usable. I’ve heard that the Motorola DC800 bluetooth transmitter works well, but I haven’t tried it yet. (My audiologist is ordering one for me to try.) I’m wondering if you know if Siemen’s Tek bluetooth transmitter will work with the Phonak iCom? I’ve been learning that not all bluetooth implementations are compatible, but am hoping to find something that will work acceptably with the Phonak iCom.
Thanks for any info!
Best wishes,
Ted
PS Congrats on your upcoming wedding!
I just read your article, and I loved it! I am a 20 year old girl working on her doctorate in Audiology who just happens to have a hearing loss as well. I’ve also worn hearing aids for most of my life. I hope the hearing aids are working out well for you. As soon as I get enough money to purchase some, I am getting the bluetooth technology. It just sounds too good to be true. And now the iPhone 3.0 software update comes with stereo bluetooth compatibility. Just one more reason to get me some new hearing aids! Thanks for making me feel like I’m not the only person out there that feels misunderstood with a disability.
@Theodore/Ted I find it interesting that the Voiis TV bluetooth transmitter does not amplify the sound enough. To tell you the truth, I have never used a TV transmitter, but that exact one was the one my audiologist had recommended. I’m not quite sure which ones are out there, so all I can say is best of luck finding one that works for you! Please come back and let us know if you do find one that works for you. On a side note, for a device that works with landline phones, he recommended the AT&T model 5632. Thanks for the wedding well-wishes
@Jasmine It’s so commendable that you are working on your Audiology degree despite your hearing loss. I really do hope that you can get these hearing aids soon. Even if you can’t afford the whole thing at once, I’m willing to bet you most places (like my audiologist) can set up interest-free payment plans for up to 6-months to a year. I ended up doing a loan through my parents and paid them back. And by the way, I had no idea that the iPhone software came out with stereo bluetooth compatibility! I knew that you could use the iPhone before, but now you can listen to it with music? How awesome. Well, best of luck and keep me posted with everything!
Kristin, There is no volume control on the Voiis bluetooth transmitter and evidently Phonak is aware of many complaints about the low volume when using the device. Of course you can crank up the volume on your hearing aids, but then when switching to other sounds or for a phone call, it would be too loud. For me this is unacceptable and hence I’m looking for other solutions. Since your audiologist fitted you with Phonak she/he is just recommending Phonak’s suggested TV bluetooth transmitter (the Voiis). Mine did the same, but he is being very helpful in trying to find an alternative solution. I’ll keep you informed when we find something. I do like the Phonak Exelia Art HA though. Another question: Since you listen to music via a patch cord from your PC speakers to the iCom have you noticed (and been bothered by) the shutdown/startup “beeps” at the end/beginning of every track? I’m finding this distracting, to say the least….
Re: bluetooth on the iPhone for music playback, I’ve found most bluetooth stereo music quality to be very poor. It’s fine for voice and TV dialogue, but many (like I) find it unacceptable for music. I’d be interested in hearing Jasmine’s experience with her iPhone…
Cheers,
Ted
@Ted Makes sense that the audiologist is pushing for the products that they sell. Key is to get one like yours and mine who are both willing to go outside of that realm and cater to the customer, not the vendor.
Yes, it can get very annoying with the beeps, which virtually shuts down the audio for a split second. For me, most of the time, it doesn’t shutdown/start for each song. However, it definitely does if something in the room is loud enough for the hearing aid to recognize that I should probably be listening to it rather than the song (i.e. someone comes up behind me). Also, I remember that if you burn c.d’s you can specify if you want a one-second lapse between each song. May be something like that causing it for each song? Who knows.
You’re so right regarding the bluetooth music. My coworker also warned me against the “grainy” quality of sound, which he predicts won’t really pull together for a few more years. Music quality is just too sophisticated for the phone at this point, unfortunately.
Stay in touch!
@Ted I saw my audiologist today and regarding the Phonak Voiis, he had no idea that it had been received so poorly. He said prior to the Voiis coming out, he had recommended Sony’s Bluetooth Transmitter and Receiver for about $80.00. Might be worth a shot for watching TV. Let me know how it works out for you.
I have use the Phonak Naida IX UP hearing aids. I also have the same problem with low volume. I also have a second problem: because TV use a surround sound system for my wife, I get a delay between the Voiis and the surround system which causes an echo rendering the device useless. A work around solution is using earphones for my wife attached to the surround sound system. This cuts our the speakers. Any ideas on a better fix?
This is a great post, thanks for sharing your experience. I am 37 and have worn hearing aids for more than 25 years. Next week I am going to purchase a new pair of Bluetooth hearing aids. I am going to test out both the Phonak Exelia and the Oticon Epoq. Bluetooth is my #1 must have feature, because I want to be able to talk on the phone and listen to music through my hearing aids.
Can you tell me more about these “beeps” that you hear between songs? That’s only when you are listening through wires, not through Bluetooth? But you do that because the audio quality with Bluetooth when listening to music just isn’t good enough? I’d really like to know more, as I’m buying these next week and want to prepare myself to be disappointed if it’s not going to be as great as I’m imagining
@karenmcgrane
Have found away to increase the power / volume of the Voiis. There are several inline amps on line such as the: Icombi 3.5mm Bluetooth Dongle Audio Adapter ($60). Draw back is they are either powered by battery or bluetooth. So you need a way to recharg every 8 hours or so.
The second solution which is the route I am a taking is the : Behringer Xenyx 502 Mixer (($45 on Amazon). It is designed for mixing music and bands. You have selectable two sources .e.g. TV and DVD. The voulume is unlimited. It plugs into the wall and you never have to recharge.
Thanks, Henry and Kristin, for the info and tips. I’ll look into the Behringer Xenyx 502 Mixer. Right now I’m trying out the Motorola DC800 Bluetooth Home Stereo Adapter. It also doesn’t have a volume control, but the volume is higher than that of the Voiis and is acceptable. However I would like to be able to control the volume directly. Also, like Henry mentioned with the Voiis, there’s a slight delay in the sound which makes it impossible to use both the bluetooth sound to my hearing aids and the regular TV sound for my wife simultaneously. I tried to get my wife the recommended Motorola bluetooth headphones, HT820, but they seem to be out of stock everywhere except at outlets charging double the retail price. I haven’t investigated alternative bluetooth headphones yet. Anyone know of good ones? Unfortunately I don’t know of any other solution to the “delay” problem.
I found an answer to my earlier question about using the Siemens Tek bluetooth transmitter (which has a volume control) with the Phonak iCom receiver. It seems to be “no way”, at least until someone figures out how to “hack” the device. The Siemens Tex transmitter comes already paired to their receiver — they tout this as a “feature” — and they won’t disclose the pairing ID number so you can pair it to a receiver of your choice. This seems deliberate.
For digitrix6: Good news. For the Phonak iCom (w/ my Exelia Art HAs) the “beep” between songs while listening to music patched from, say, an MP3 player to the iCom can be eliminated. Lightly touching the on/off button on the iCom, once the music starts playing, disables the “automatic” on/off cycle that would occur at the end of each track. My audiologist got this info direct from Phonak — it wasn’t in the consumer user guide. Good luck and let us know what you discover.
For Karen McGrane (digitrix6). Yes, I’ve found music transmitted by bluetooth to be of unacceptable quality. Patching directly from an MP3 player or the speaker headphone jack to the Phonak iCom device works well with my Phonak Exelia Art HAs. The iCom device is extra — a bit pricey — but well worth it for both the “hands free” cell phone operation (I can now have intelligible cell phone conversations) and for listening to music without bulky headphones.
My previous post mentioned the solution to the inter-track “beep” problem I experienced when I first got my HAs.
Good luck!
I am having all kinds of problem getting my iCom to work with the Bluetooth found on the Apple iMac. After pairing it works, but if I exit all programs and then come back the connection is gone and I cannot get it restarted. Any ideas?
I believe you can get the connection back by going into the System Preferences –> Sound and then reselect the audio output again. But, I don’t use the Mac Bluetooth connection since the music quality is so poor over Bluetooth. I use the direct (i.e. patch cord) “MP3″ connection between my Mac speakers and the iCom. That works well, but, of course, you’re tethered to the computer. BTW, I also find that the iCom’s battery life is not too long if I use it listening to music so I (contrary to the instructions) also plug the charger into the iCom while listening.
Yesterday the Behringer Xenyx502 Mixer that you recommended arrived and I believe it will solve my TV volume problem. In fact the delay between the mixer + Motorola DC800 bluetooth transmitter and the TV sound is so slight that at the volume of the TV my wife requires doesn’t bother my listening via my hearing aids. The Xenyx502 Mixer seems a bit over-kill with the blue LED and all the other knobs and connections, though. Thanks much for the suggestion.
Just wondering if anyone has had problems using the Phonak iCom with an iMac computer? I can get the computer to recognize the iCom, but after pairing there is no connection. I know I can use a 3.5mm wire connection but would really like to enjoy the wireless function.
Henry,
Once you have completed the pairing of the iCom to your iMac, go to the Sound menu on System Preferences and select the output tab. You should see both iCom Bluetooth Headset and iCom Bluetooth Headphones. Select either one and you should then be connected. I’m presently listening to music on my MacBook through my iCom Bluetooth Connection after having done precisely as I described.
Good luck!
im 14 and have had an hearin aid since i was 5 and got told today by my ear docter im getting one is the fm radio built in?
@ash I know it may seem intimidating to have to step out of your comfort zone with a new hearing aid, but I’m pretty sure we can all tell you that you are making the right move! Best of luck, keep us posted
For Theordore Groves;
I was just fitted with Phonak Exelia Art BTE’s and am having great results. I use the I-Com with a Verizon Blackberry (Storm) and have great results with the bluetooth feature. I get binaural stereo and my speech recognition has improved significantly. I had been experimenting with 3.5 connector cabling from my laptop to the I-Com (for Video CD’s and internet re-plays of TV shows) and experienced much better speech recognition especially in shows with a lot of background noise/music. My audi just set me up with a Phonak Smartlink FM system paired with the I-Com and it is giving me unbelievable results with the TV. Run a Y-cable from the auido out (L & R) and plug in the Smartlink transmitter. The FM receiver button plugs into the I-Com and you are completely wireless FM transmission. No delay, great sound, and great range. I can walk out of the house aand down into the woods (I’ve been as far as a couple of hundred feet away) and still have TV audio clear as a bell. It is a bit expensive but the results are a huge quality of life improvement. I love the system.
@Don Sounds like your experience has been pretty great with the Phonak system. Having these accessories makes it feel like wearing hearing aids is a cool thing now.
Don… I like to advise you of the Phonak Telcom. This is a FM device which you can use with you new aids. The Telcom plugs into the home power. It can be hooked to the TV and telephone. When the phone rings and is picked up the TV is cut out and you hear the phone. I have mine hooked directly to the cable box. Therefore, I can get news or music any time by just have the box on the right channel and switching to the FM setting. I have a Telcom at both work and home. It is great. Unfortunately, Phonak will stop producing these as they move to Bluetooh. Check it out:
http://www.bayareahearingcenter.com/PhonakTelComSystem.htm
For Don Cheek,
Many thanks for the comments and info. I’ll ask my audiologist about the Smartlink FM system and give it a try, although my current bluetooth arrangement is more or less satisfactory….
Theodore, This is the first time I have posted anything but I did want to share my experience because it has really been a quality of life change for me. I have been very pleased with the bluetooth from my Blackberry, but the FM with the TV is great. I can watch TV now without closed captions and feel like I am understanding the bulk of the dialogue – and that is quite a change. My wife loves it! The cost is steep but results are great. I guess I have gotten a bit compulsive looking for other discussions on line regarding the same equipment I am using. I was wearing Resound Azures until Jan of this year, and the VA put me in Phonak Naida V’s for the Sound Recover feature. When Sound Recover came out on the Exelia Arts he switched me to them and so far I am very pleased.
Henry, Thanks for the info. I will look into that. Landline phones are still a problem for me, although the “duophone” feature on the Exelia Arts seems to help some. Thanks to all for the information you are sharing!
I just purchased my first set of hearing aids, I am 57 years old and medium upper range loss, whatever that really means, my audiologist informed there was no such device as a blue tooth hearing aid, boy am I a sucker.
She sold the Starkey S series 5 model, these having been my first I cannot tell you if they are good or bad, but I can tell you in my conversations with Starkey support they do not intend on making or supporting Blue tooth devices…
I feel like I was mislead, even though I should have done some research on my own.
I am looking at Siemens Pure as possible replacement, any recommendations?
@bobh So sorry to hear that you were misled by your audiologist. I currently use the Phonak exelia and absolutely love them. See what others have said through this “forum.” I can’t vouch for anything else as I haven’t tried anything, but perhaps someone else can chime in with their recommendations. Best of luck!
Hi, I am learning as much as possible about hearing aids and Bluetooth as well. I guess you could call me a pre-boomer, I am 71 with dwindling hearing. Got tired of losing out on conversation (my sister-in-law is a ’soft Sally’ speaker and I had given up on hearing her), and had begun to tune out on conversations around me.
I visited three different hearing specialists and settled on one who has provided me with the Phonak “Aude’o YES”, a BTE ear device. (This is not meant to be commercial for Phonak, it just happens to be the product sold by the specialist I chose.)
This coming Monday I go in to purchase and setup an iCOM device with my new hearing aids. From what I have read, I am looking forward to the features of the iCOM.
In addition, I have been searching for a device I will call a “car stereo Bluetooth transmitter”. Using that title I searched on the web and found the IOGear GMBA211. It is modestly priced and operates on a rechargeable battery. I plan to plug it into my car’s after market add in XM receiver. It should then transmit in Bluetooth mode to my hearing aids via the iCOM. According to the iCOM specs my phone can be prioritized so that an incoming or outgoing call will mute the stereo input.
I am excited about the possibilities of these new digital hearing aids and Bluetooth. I have a Bluetooth adapter on my laptop also, so I can listen throughout the house to my choice of music or whatever without disturbing others.
I sure hope all this works, and I will let you know how it goes if you are interested.
Glad I found your blog.
dan
I’m an audiologist and can add a bit of insight to the Bluetooth/Hearing aid selection process.
Currently the manufacturers making Bluetooth connective hearing aids are: Oticon, Siemens, Phonak, and Unitron. Until recently Bluetooth capability was found on only the high end hearing aids. Unitron’s new devices, the Latitude series, offers BT connectivity at low to mid price ranges as well ($3000/pr and up). Unitron is actually a sister company of Phonak so they are using the same iComn device.
All 4 of these manufacturers are strong manufacturers with a dedication to research and development.
I like certain features of each manufacturers BT offerings; I’d love to be able to mix and match each to come up with one super BT connection to the hearing aids. That said, I think the offerings from Phonak-Unitron and that from Oticon are the leaders. Their connectivity is more intuitive and seems to work well. To me the Unitron gets my first look because I can select less expensive devices if your hearing needs are less complex.
To the gentleman who just purchased Starkey hearing aids, go back to your audiologist and explain your dissatisfaction. We want satisfied and happy people and oftentimes the audiologist will go the extra mile to make that happen.
Scott
Here’s an update on my findings with Bluetooth and hearing aids..
I have the Phonak and iCom combination. For phone calls it is great. I can hear the sender very well, and they tell me they can hear me well also. Using my Bluetooth transmitter in my laptop for music, I have plenty of volume. Down side is lack of bass response. Also, although the Bluetooth xmitter in my laptop claims to have 33 ft. of range and will transmit through walls, it does not transmit well through humans. With the iCom on my chest, if I walk away from the xmitter I loose signal within about 10 feet. If I turn and face the source I get good reception.
I received today an IOGEAR GBMA211 Bluetooth transmitter. It is a compact, light weight device with a 3.5mm audio connector. It comes with an AC charger for U.S. and European power. It also has a USB cable for charging directly from a computer.
I have tried it successfully from my laptop, desktop and XM receiver in my car.
Unfortunately, I may have a bad unit, but I cannot get much volume from it. I must have my computer volume up all the way to get any decent volume. Likewise my XM volume out is max’d and is still weak and is distorted.
While listening to music on the IOGEAR transmitter, I placed a phone call. My iCom muted the music for the duration of the call, then unmuted the music following hang up, so that works quite well.
So everything works as intended, but the IOGEAR does not have enough volume to be useful. Tomorrow I will call IOGEAR to see if perhaps I have a bad unit. I find it hard to believe the volume would be so low.
dan
I am a 50 year old and have been wearing hearing aids since I was 7 years old. I am recently trying out the new Phonak Exelia Art hearing aids with iCom. I love them so far. It works great on my LG Dare cell phone and iPod. I am trying to connect to my land phone which has the Bluetooth compatibilty. I haven’t tried the TV yet. I was wondering what is the best way to connect to the TV and the land phone( I have the AT & T Bluetooth cordless phone).
Re: Bluetooth A2DP (audio only) transmitters
***Remember Phonak iCom and Unitron uDirect users – if you tap on the power button you can lock the device to stay on audio mode so that you don’t get the beeps in between songs and pauses.***
Volume
The VOIIS has been reported to be on the soft side. I found that IO Gear and Morotola work well. All are under $100. Keep your receipt from Best Buy or Radio Shack and return it if it’s not loud enough.
Delay
The slight delay is still there because that is a limitation of Bluetooth technology when using in audio-visual format. There is a tradeoff between sound quality and speed due to the size of information transfer. It’s a matter of preference.
Range
About 30 feet is typical for this class of Bluetooth. It’s usually sufficient for most people.
FM (old name, new game)
This older non-Bluetooth approach is still very much current and offers four huge advantages over Bluetooth: 1) no delay (less than 20 ms so you cannot tell); 2) greater range (up to 100 ft); 3) cosmetically appealing (can be incorporated into hearing aids/cochlear implants directly); and 4) you can take the microphone whereever you want (car, restaurant, TV, etc.). The drawbacks are the cost and the fact that you only get a mono signal (same info going to both ears). It is my first choice for everything except listening to music when I am not moving around (gym, sports, etc.)
Re: handsfree (cell phones) or headset profiles (landline)
These are both 2-way approaches to communicate via phone. I use all profiles on both devices: Phonak Smartlink+ and Phonak iCom. The Smartlink+ is a combination of Bluetooth to FM. The iCom is Bluetooth to digital induction. Both work very well. The problem that many people have, especially with iPhones, is understanding which profile they are using. It is understandable because phones do so much now (music and phone calls).
Hope this helps!
Fantastic insight, Jay. Thanks!
Thanks, Jay!! For all the info. I’m learning all about bluetooth devices. I would like to know what kind of IOGear and Motorola devices to get. I want to make sure I get the right one.
Thanks!
Jay, Thanks for that synopsis on different Bluetooth devices. At my Audiologist’s request I tried out the Voiis device over a weekend. It has a 100 meter range, compared to the IOGEAR’s 10 meter range. I found it worked better around home. The 10 meter devices’ signal is too weak to go through the human body. If I turned my back to the source, typically my laptop, I lost the signal, and music. The Voiis on the other hand has enough signal to provide continous listening throughout my home.
Also, the IOGEAR uses a rechargeable battery and is more transportable, and can therefore be used in the car. The Voiis is an AC operated device with no battery.
dan
I just got the Phonak Exelia ART BTE hearing aids, I absolutely love them.. I also use the iCom with the iPod. However, I am having trouble finding the best bluetooth transmitter for the TV to use with the iCom. I’m getting mixed meassages and I also need to see how it’s set up. Is there a website that I can see and read about it?