Background noises interferes with phone calls

Hearing Aids
#4

Maybe I’m missing something, and although I don’t wear Phonak aids, I thought that while you’re streaming content for phone calls or music or videos, you should be able to just manually mute the mics on the hearing aids so that it doesn’t pick up any environmental noise around you and mix it in with the streaming audio, no? Then all you would be hearing is your caller’s voice and nothing going on around you.

Or are you talking about the background noise on the other end of the phone call where your caller 's microphone picks up the noise around him/her on their end? If that’s the case, then it’s really up to your caller’s microphone circuitries to filter out their background noise and emphasize their voice over their background. There’s really not much you can do on your end because the streaming audio content is what it is.

#5

You can’t mute Mics for phone calls. Max is -6dB due to the Mics needing to be on for picking up your voice. Impossible to mute Mics.

2 Likes
#6

Ah, OK, thanks. That’s what I’m missing. On Phonak the mics are used to pick up your own voice so that’s why it’s not possible to mute the mics. I think that’s a drawback of using the HAs’ mics instead of the phone’s mic.

But is there an option to choose to use the phone’s mic instead of using the HAs’ mics? If so, then at least there’s a choice there to compromise and use the phone mic so you can mute the HAs’ mics.

#7

Unfortunately not……

#8

Yes, that is correct. There is no software setting even in Target to do the mic muting.

7 Years ago, I used to have Phonak Naida V that was paired with Compilot II. That was a beautiful combo and works so beautifully. And mistakenly thought the same concept should work with the new Phonak model without needing a streamer. I was sorely disappointed for that aspect.

This is something that Phonak absolutely failed to grasp the importance of phone calls. How did they not get this right?

#9

How Phonak Marvel and onwards work is very differently to the older Phonak Venture which I also used.

Phonak also use Classic Bluetooth so all theses features of MFi also won’t be there.

Have you tried the settings I explained in my first posts?

Regarding phone calls, I pick up no background noise but I was explained about where lows over power the highs from the hospital. @PeterH knows what this issue is actually called. I have no issue with background noise at all but then I’ve had an audiologist who saw me 30 years ago when I was a baby so is experienced.

#10

Thank you for the reply. I happened to be the Android guy.Unless I get an Iphone with Dual SIM support (physical SIMs, not eSIM). Not particular fond of IOS’s file management limitations. Let’s see how IOS 17 progresses,

#11

@miku see this post.

#12

So I guess I will have to try turning off these three features:
Noiseblock
SoundRelax
Windblock

One by one. Cheers.

1 Like
#13

My Dad has a Motorola Android Phone and it is so so loud compared to my iPhone. Have no idea why. None of my iPhones have been anywhere near as loud with the volume control.

#14

The background noises is from my side, when I answer the phone call. And it is the hearing aid that picks up the background noises as well a my voice. When in fact, it should be the phone picking up my voice. But then I realise that it defeats the purpose of hand-free communication.

#15

@Zebras I guess you mean the Iphone features? I use Android, so I would try find something similar.

#16

@Zebras
Upwards masking

Just increasing volume, often doesn’t improve speech recognition as ALL frequencies, not just the ones you want, resulting in lower frequencies overpowering speech. In my limited time of self programming Marvels, if I increase gain on speech frequencies, I reduce gain in the lower and mid frequencies to compensate

understand speech in noisy environments
#17

YES!!

Thanks.

@miku This is what I mean.

#18

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This is my Phone + mic settings page for my Paradise. I’ve not altered this from default and it works just fine. The aids are also set to “Adaptive Bandwidth” in Device Options. This can be done in the MyPhonak app too. People can hear me fine, both indoors and outdoors, and I can hear the caller clearly. I find this an improvement over the Compilot II and Compilot II air systems I had with my Ventures

Peter

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#19

I have all my fancy features like WindBlock, NoiseBlock and more turned completely off and I can’t hear any background noise but my Mics are also set at 0 dB.

#20

@PeterH

To solve the issue of upwards masking, have you slightly lowered your lows and higher your highs or just higher your highs?

I lowered my lows on phone call program by 2 dB myself.

1 Like
#21

@Zebras @PeterH

Gentlemen, thank you so much for more ideas. I shall do these during the weekend.

Though I still think this is something Phonak should recognise the difficulties hte HA users are facing. The target software should allow an alternative way to use the phone mic instead of the HA mics. And offer workarounds too.

#22

I was told this was limited because you’re working with Classic Bluetooth in what they can do.

Form my understanding, AirPods are LE Bluetooth as well.

#23

@Zebras

In all other streaming settings I have Windblock etc completely off. I have Whistleblock on 4, as 0 did create feedback.

In the phone setting, I’ve left all “as is”, as things like windblock will help the listener.

Peter