#1

I am having trouble hearing certain clients in my conference room. I currently wear Oticon OPN S1 hearing aids (but have previously worn other brands). I have trouble hearing clients who are either very soft-spoken or who “mumble” (don’t enunciate). I know I can purchase a “buddy device” that the client can clip onto his or her shirt or wear on a lanyard, but that seems “too familiar” for a business setting, especially with brand new clients. So I am wondering if anyone knows of a table-top Bluetooth microphone for use in these situations. I am not looking for a microphone that blasts what the speaker is saying throughout the conference room because that would probably disturb the people in the offices on either side of my conference room. Also, my conference room is not huge—it has a table with 6 chairs. I just want really hard to hear people to be able to speak into the microphone to which my hearing aids are connected, so that I can hear the better. Thanks, Karen

#2

If you use an iPhone, I think there’s a way to use it as a remote microphone. Otherwise with Oticon it gets complicated. I guess you could try one of their Connect Clips and use it as a remote microphone. The issue is that Oticon is not using standard Bluetooth. It uses Apple’s LE Bluetooth.
There are very sophisiticated options available with Phonak Marvel, but that would be a major expense to change. In short, you are not going to find a simple table microphone that will work with your Oticons.

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#3

Oticon Opn S1 here - I haven’t managed to get satisfactory results with the iPhone as a remote mic.
I have bass domes with double vents. Using the iPhone as a remote mic produces a very slight, but annoying, delay between the sound from the iPhone and the natural sounds that come in through the vents.

#4

I think next step then would be to try an Oticon Connect Clip. No guarantees. If there’s any chance you’re still in your trial period, I’d seriously consider returning and looking at Phonak Marvel with Roger Select. Very pricy, but ideal for your situation.

#5

Does the Connect Clip have a Euro three prong plug? If it does the Phonak Roger X with Roger equipment might work.

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#6

There is a program on the Google store called live transcript. It translates what’s being said onto your phone. A word of caution. When you say somebody mumbles don’t be surprised if you get an indignant response such as I DON’T MUMBLE, YOU CAN’T HEAR

#7

I have 2 phonak remote mics. One uses the roger FM system and works well. The other is Bluetooth and has very annoying latency.

#8

@karen1, my first week of trial of the Opn S1, was without REM and I struggled somewhat with soft-spoken people (mostly women). After that we did REM on a separate program. With that program speech was much easier to understand. Initially it was a little less comfortable, but after a few days the REM program became my preference and that is now my default program.

#9

I use an Alead LiveMIC2 Bluetooth wireless microphone when I play cards with my wife. It isn’t much bigger than my thumb and I just place it on the table. I also take it with me for doctor visits and place it on their desk in front of their computer. The doctors and nurses spend quite a bit of the time talking while reviewing data on the compter screen. It works perfectly with my hearing aids (it connects to my left hearing aid) and makes a world of difference in my understanding what is being said. My Android phone connects to my right hearing aid.

#10

I have found the Live Listen feature on my iPhone to be helpful as a remote mic that streams to both ears using OPN 1 hearing aids. It picks up all sound, so you may hear the rustling of papers,etc. I usually mute or significantly lower the volume on my aids to help reduce the ambient sound entering. If you have a kickstand type ring or holder to point the mic end upwards it will help. It would be worth a try.
Unfortunately, the mumblers and people who cover their mouths…nothing helps. You are in a very difficult situation with those clients and co workers.

#11

No, the connect clip has only a USB connection for charging (and firmware updates). There is a EduMic that is targeted at educators for children who wear hearing aids - that has an audio line level input but not, as far as I can tell, a microphone level input. You could probably use a microphone with an appropriate amplifier with the output going to the line-level input.

https://www.oticon.com/solutions/for-children/classroom-hearing-solutions#oticonedumic

Both the ConnectClip and the EduMic have microphone arrays that are directional. You might be able to use the ConnectClip as a remote microphone as long as it was oriented correctly. When worn, the lapel clip is rotated such that the microphone “line” is oriented up.

However, my experience with a ConnectClip using it as the microphone part of a “headset” with an office Cisco VOIP phone resulted in the pickup of lots of ambient room noise besides my voice. I was asked to mute it so it wasn’t useful for conference calls. My OPN S 1 hearing aids are the other part of the headset.

I can’t comment on any possible latency issue and I don’t see a specification in the technical data sheet.

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#12

I have the Oticon Opn 1 and a ConnectClip. It works as a lapel mic but not so much with multiple people. I haven’t tried it but I’ve heard good results from the Roger desktop multi mic works very well. You just need a MyLink neckloop to make it work with Oticon HA.

#13

First, I do not have real experience with your problem.

However, I have the Oticon Bluetooth device that allows me to connect to my TV audio, and that I can speak about. I seem to remember that almost any audio source can be connected to the unit and it even has optical audio connections.

In my use with the TV, I have total control over the volume in my ears, and in fact, have super stereo. I hear things my full of hearing spouse does not hear. I find the blue tooth device to be most excellent with my OPN-1 system.

I suspect that it would work well in your need if you have a audio output jack from your conference phone system.

Good luck,
George

#14

All companies already have table microphones in their range, and only Oticon does not. It is very strange. What is this? disrespect for our needs? over-reliance on hearing aids?

#15

I would suspect that they (Oticon) are securing profit by making all their products only work with their peripherals and thus eliminating competition.

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