I’m considering buying a used pair of Marvel M-90’s as backups to my KS-9’s. All of the ones I’ve seen have telecoils which I don’t use. Is there any downside to having unused telecoils?
Nothing to worry about
You may even find them useful in the future as new Bluetooth Auracast shows up in public places as a way to interface with it.
Not sure on those aids, but i thought the Resound aids with telecoil are larger in size than those without
Thanks for the responses. I went ahead and purchased the aids. The ones I bought use 312 batteries. There were LOTS of M90-R’s for sale.
I have the marvel 30s 312t, personally I haven’t found the telecoil to be amazing. Mostly because neck loops are almost useless with how weak the coil is, along with me using the Rodger select and partner mic for lectures I haven’t needed to use the coils. Most of the public spaces around me do not have tcoils installed and most have resorted to using ALDs instead or use a Bluetooth system(not sure how it works). I was told telecoil is amazing but in my experience the ability to use is just so low I really only use it with the t coil hooks for my radio at work. Knowing what I know now technology has advanced more in that hearing aids can connect easier then telecoil which is expensive for places to install. I would get ones without Tcoil if it’s a large price difference but if you could find use out of it then go for it. The aids are slightly longer by maybe 1/4 inch then the ones without.
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I got the ReSound Omnia 962s that take a size 13 battery just for the battery size. A telecoil comes built into those models. IIRC, my audio showed me a model without telecoil for comparison (maybe the model that takes 312 batteries?). I didn’t think the 962 was markedly bigger, just slightly so. YMMV, according to what HA brand and model you’re looking at. For me, where the receiver wires run, how the molds fit and work, etc., are much more significant concerns than a modest increase in HA body size (which is already larger because of the larger battery size). I agree that I haven’t found any need so far for the telecoil, and with ReSound software fitting, you don’t have to have the telecoil setting included in your base set of programs (you’re only allowed four base programs and implementing the telecoil program would take away one of the others). So, it’s nice to have the option if I need it, but so far, I haven’t found a venue where I can use it, and then I’d have to sacrifice one of my other programs all the time to have telecoil available “just in case.” There ought to be a way in smartphone apps to automatically activate the telecoils when needed and turn them off otherwise.
I have telecoil in my Oticon engage hearing aids from the NHS. I’ve only had the chance to use it once and it was amazing. It was during a speech in a local cathedral, the speaker was so quiet everyone was complaining they couldn’t hear, so I was hearing better than everyone else!!
There was a pair of M90’s available that took size 13 batteries but I opted for a pair that took 312’s b/c my KS9’s take 312 batteries and I have a bag of batteries I was given recently. My new/used M90’s come in two days. I bought a one year protection plan to try to minimize the risk of buying used. Total price was about $600.
I used to use K-9s. My initial ones didn’t have t-coil capability, but within the trail period Costco started carrying the K-9s with t-coil capability and I traded. They were slightly larger, but not so that I would have noticed.
Unfortunately the places I frequent don’t have t-coil loops installed, with the exception of a church that we attend annually while on vacation. On those opportunities, I found the audio environment amazing. The advantage over Bluetooth systems is that there is zero lag. I wish more places installed hearing loops. I gave a talk recently at a large, modern retirement community and was surprised (and disappointed) that they didn’t have it installed.
How would a telecoil for use with electromagnetic waves be useful with Auracast over 2.4Ghz radio frequency? You would need devices with the latest Bluetooth version capable of receiving Auracast / “Bluetooth LE Audio” transmission.
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It will take years for people to upgrade their hearing aids to aids capable of receiving Auracast (not yet available). As we transition, a neckloop plugged into an Auracast receiver could stream to the telecoil in aids we already own.
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I genuinely hope tiny receivers for such a purpose are created. I don’t yet have my hopes too high for this, since the consumer electronics are still in the “coming soon” phase for anything LE Audio.
Great story about the cathedral!
When I was on a tour of the Normandy battlefields–with a leader/lecturer every day–I could stand at the very back of the group, engage my HA telecoil to sync with my “neckloop” and receive the lecture directly! I heard far better than the others who were closer to the front. Look up “telecoil neckloop” to read more about these devices.
‘Wdgowen’ may find it very handy!
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I have used my T Coil when we go to the Hale Center Theater. (Plays and musicals). They are the best thing ever. The actors’ mics streams right to your ears, and it’s so easy to hear everything going on. Very useful!
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