Does anyone have a list of compatible, companion mics for the KS 10.0?
• Best Budget Models? (less than $100, used OK)
• Lastest Tech Models? (manufacture date of 2023-2024)
• Personal Favorites?
• Models to Avoid?
For budget, get a used PartnerMic. Great for one on conversations. Person you’re talking to clips microphone on clothing to keep it near mouth.
Latest tech is Roger On iN V2 Very pricy.
Roger On iN V1 and Roger Select iN are also very nice. Roger Table Mic (not sure of versions) is also nice. For the Roger Mics make sure you understand the significance of the iN and make sure it has receivers installed. Lots of discussion of this on FORUM.
If you just want something to have a conversation with one person in a noisy place, PartnerMic is great. if you’re wanting something to use with a group, Roger is better, but notably more expensive.
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Thank you, MDB!
Regarding the PartnerMic… I’m seeing both an Easy Line and a Phonak branded model online.
Can anyone confirm compatibility with the KS 10.0?
I can’t positively confirm compatibility with KS10 as I don’t have one but I’m pretty confident. Phonak PartnerMic works just great with my KS9. I think EasyLine is just a version made for Costco. Either should work
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If you have Roger receivers in your KS 10, you could use an older Roger Pen 1.1. The Roger On is newer, smaller, better, but the Roger Pen 1.1 works great in noise, and has the pointer function.
But, my Roger On In was $1600 and it is worth every penney!
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A mic app on your phone works just fine. I have an Android using an app called Sound Amplifier and then bluetooth to the aids. There’s a small delay of course. I have no experience with other remote mics though so can’t speak to any delay in them. Maybe they’re like the TV Connector with no delay.
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Thanks again for all responses! My status update:
I purchased a refurbished Phonak PartnerMic off eBay for $68.98 (total including shipping and tax) from repurpose_sound_accs.
It did successfully pair with my hearing aids even though KS10 wasn’t listed as a compatible device.
The pairing took multiple attempts. The first couple attempts, I got the dreaded 5-second red light (i.e., Pairing Failed).
But I just kept powering cycling the hearing aids and PartnerMic. Turn it all off. Then turn it all back on.
Looking forward to maiden voyage at next noisy dinner out!
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I’d be interested to know of any lag/delay. If you can watch some tv and see if the lips are out of sync or that you hear an “echo” might be a test.
Yeah, if I remember correctly for successful pairing the hearing aids and PartnerMic have to be very close together. Good persistence!
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Dear z10user2,
The PartnerMic is five-year-old tech at this point. Date first available, November 2019.
I believe it’s a single purpose device. That is, it only does one thing well: Bluetooth transmission of speech from single human when placed roughly 8" below speaker’s month.
The equivalent aged tech for TV streaming (for my KS 10s, anyway) is the Phonak Wireless TV Connector.
Thank you. I have the V2 TV Connector. It’s awesome. No lag or slight echo on optical. I haven’t used a remote mic for aids so I was wondering about any lag.
Earlier this morning, I used the Phonak PartnerMic at public speaking venue complete with pipe organ, cathedral ceiling, and stone floors.
There was zero observed lag of sound to optical.
As to echo… The PartnerMic actually corrected the natural echo (i.e., reverberation) occurring in that venue.
How? Well, my PartnerMic was clipped onto the gooseneck riser of the lectern mic.
But then on my smartphone’s hearing aid app (Easy Line Remote for KS 10), I was able to adjust the Ambient Balance setting. By sliding the pointer between Surrounding and Mic, I dialed into the desired level of reverb.
The resulting sound was comparable to (read, just as good as) streamed audio from a podcast or YouTube video.
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Technically neither the PartnerMic nor the TV Connector use Bluetooth. Although it does use the same 2.4 GHz frequency as Bluetooth, it’s proprietary to Phonak and called AirStream.
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Thank you for the distinction, MDB!
I’d wondered why the PartnerMic was not showing up on my smartphone’s listing of connected Bluetooth devices.
Sure enough, AirStream is referenced in the attached Technical Data sheet.
Radio information
Streaming technology: AirStream technology
Frequency range: 2.4 GHz ISM band
RF power: 20 mW max. (conducted)
Transmission range: Up to 25 meters / 80 feet
Max. connected devices: 1 pair of hearing aids
Also of interest (to me, anyway) was the qualifer, ISM band, next to the 2.4GHz frequency spec. After a couple Google searches, I landed on below explanation.
ISM radio bands are portions of the radio spectrum reserved internationally for Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) purposes, excluding applications in telecommunications.
Definitely not Bluetooth!
Phonak PartnerMic Technical Data.pdf (449.5 KB)
My mention about optical was the optical cable connection. Analog from the sound source might be fine also but I know that the optical out from a tv box before the tv and also listening to the tv at the same time there is a slight echo/lag. Very slight. Standard bluetooth has more of a lag.