(Using demo Linx2 with open domes and I’m a brand new user of HA’s)
First thing is that they sound really bad with open domes. I think they should state that the Phone Clip + is not recommended for open domes. The quality while on the phone is not good and the quality of music is very, very bad.
I put my pinkie fingers in my ear to simulate closed domes. Both phone calls and music streaming sounded very good that way. I don’t fault ReSound for this other than they should recommend closed domes or power domes for use with the Phone Clip +. I have to think that this would be the same outcome for any brand of HA and streamer.
But here’s the deal breaker with the Phone Clip +. The caller on the other end has poor quality for me no matter where I locate the position of the Phone Clip in orientation with my mouth. That is just not acceptable. I will not buy one.
On top of this, I found out that my Motorola Droid Turbo 2 Android phone is not fullycompatible with the Phone Clip +. Steaming works but the remote app does not. For Android the Phone Clip + only officially supports Samsung Galaxy and Note.
The phone clip + is niot the problem, as no streamer, regardless of manufacturer/maker, will have any quality sound with open fit as much of the of output from the steramer will exit the ear canal rather than to the eardrums. So, if you can only live with open fit HAs and quality of fidelity is important to you, then don’t bother getting any streamer, regardless of brand.
I agree the Phone clip+ microphone isn’t the greatest, I don’t think it is much worse than other HA streamers. The challenge of using more powerful micrphones is that they would more quickly drain the batteries, resulting shorter charge. As newer batteries life keeps improving, as they are in smartphones, then the streamers microphone will likely improve also.
The phone clip + is niot the problem, as no streamer, regardless of manufacturer/maker, will have any quality sound with open fit as much of the of output from the steramer will exit the ear canal rather than to the eardrums. So, if you can only live with open fit HAs and quality of fidelity is important to you, then don’t bother getting any streamer, regardless of brand.
I agree and it was probably unfair for me to say this in expressing my dissatisfaction with the Phone Clip +. However, I did address this in my initial post.
I agree the Phone clip+ microphone isn’t the greatest, I don’t think it is much worse than other HA streamers. The challenge of using more powerful micrphones is that they would more quickly drain the batteries, resulting shorter charge. As newer batteries life keeps improving, as they are in smartphones, then the streamers microphone will likely improve also.
Even being new to the world of HA’s, I’d have to agree that there probably isn’t much difference in brands here.
Knowing what I know now, I’d only only recommend the Phone Clip + for people that use closed domes, power domes or custom molds and are interested in streaming music. Even though the hearing will be very good with phone calls, don’t expect the person you are talking to to be pleased with the way you sound.
The sound quality from your streamer is bad because your hearing aids are programmed to amplify only the tones and volumes that you CAN’T hear naturally, and allow passage of sounds you CAN hear though the openings in your domes. While streaming, the sounds you can hear naturally, are washed out by the amplified sounds you need help with. Your audiologist can give you a program for streaming and phone conversations that turns up the sounds you normally don’t need help with. If plugging your ears with your fingers makes it sound richer, have your audi turn up the base tones for your streaming program.
As for the voice quality on the other end of a phone call, I totally agree. The mics in all remotes are way too sensitive and pick up too much ambient noise (much like talking on speakerphone). I would much prefer to have an OPTION to use my HAs to hear the phone conversation and my phone to speak into as normal, but my android doesn’t have that option. On headphones it works one way, and on Bluetooth it works the other. No user changeable settings for the mic.
When I simulated closed domes by using my pinky finger tips to seal in the receivers in my ear canal, the sound with the phone and music are both very good. So, the low frequencies are being reproduced even though my hearing is close to normal below 2K an the aids are programmed for that. Boosting those frequencies in a program my help but I’m skeptical at how much. Maybe some help for the receiving end of a phone call but probably not much for music. I’m more with what Mustang said about this.
Even if there is some improvement to be had with programming, that part of the discussion isn’t as important in my assessment of the Phone Clip +. The deal-breaker is that it is just not acceptable to have the caller on the other end not hear me well. I totally agree with you and Mustang on that part. You are right that it would be much better if the Android app would give the capability to use the phone’s mic. When connected directly to an iPhone without the Phone Clip +, this is the only way it will work. The iPhone also has the capability to stay connected so the remote control works but the Phone can be set not to call at all. That allows a person with open domes to use the phone held to the ear normally. A nice advantage. But, I’m an Android guy.
I’d also have to trade my Motorola Android out for a Samsung to get a phone to work at all. Don’t have to consider that now since the Phone Clip + isn’t a good option for me anyway.
You can have them adjusted to work better with open domes, but I’m concerned about your callers experience. Mine can’t really tell the difference in talking through the phone and the phone clip+. I use it for phone calls and webex meetings.
When you say, “Steaming works but the remote app does not.”, which app are you talking about?
The “Smart” app will only work with compatible phones with a BLE connection direct to the aids. The “Control” app is the one that works with the Phone Clip+ and should work.
I had a Moto w. SC+ and it worked fine and never got a complaint about the mic in it. I asked about it and people said my voice was normal. I believe that mic is noise cancelling also.
Streaming is a problem with open fit. I have double domes and it isn’t a problem. Some with open fit find they can get it adjusted to work while others find it unsatisfactory. That’s personal views and somewhat relative to their loss.
That is not correct. There is an Android app that will remote control the HA’s (through the Phone Clip +) and is certified to work with Samsung Galaxy and Note. The app is called “ReSound Smart” and is available for download on Google Play.
This app is not compatible with my Motorola Droid Turbo 2 Android phone. It will not install.
ReSound also has an older obsolete Android app called “ReSound Control”. My Audi said that will load on any Android and remote control my HA’s (through the Phone Clip +) but it is short a couple of features that the newer Resound Smart app has (namely bass/treble and wind controls). The older app does indeed install on my Motorola phone but it doesn’t work reliably controlling the HA’s. It starts off working but then quits. But call streaming continues to work as it should.
I am going to try this Phone Clip + again shortly with another person to see if they concur with what my wife said. She said she would not want to talk to me very long with the way I sounded.
I don’t know why you would be having a different experience with other-end call quality that myself, Mustang70 and Moccasin seem to have.
So I just got off that call. This was my brother who I often have fairly long conversations with. I was sitting at my desk where I am when I usually talk to him and had the Phone Clip + clipped to my collar.
He said that while I was loud and understandable, I sounded very unnatural to him. Almost sounded like a different person. He also said I didn’t sound as well as when I talk to him through the bluetooth that is built-in to my car. Bottom line was that he could understand me but sure preferred the way I sound on my phone directly or the wired headset that I use sometimes with my cell phone.
As far as how he sounded to me, I could get used to it even with the open domes. It’s not perfect but I can hear and understand fine.
Bottom line is that I’m not going to buy the Phone Clip +. I guess how I can see where some people will be fine with it. I expected better but maybe I was expecting too much. I also can get along fine using the phone without it. With the hearing loss I have, it’s not an impact when it comes to a phone. On HA’s with open domes, I can use a phone like I always did even while wearing them.
I got a call from my buddy Jack the other day. I didn’t recognize who it was. I think I’ve been through 3 phones with him and none had the problem. His company had given him a work phone. I understood him; I just didn’t know who it was.
Samsung Galaxy 6. My experience is that the Phone Clip+ works better than most Bluetooth headsets I’ve used. All that I’ve tried sound more like you are on a speakerphone than a real phone. The phone clip+ is somewhere between those (speakerphone and real phone).
I recently purchased the phone clip from buy hear.com I am using an in the ear, ear mold I love the phone clip so far. Any adjustments I call them and they walk me through. So far I am please with my phone clip.
I think it makes more sense for someone with closed domes or ear molds as long as you don’t mind not sounding the best to the callers on the other end.
I turned my demo Phone Clp + in to my Audiologist this morning as I won’t be buying it. With my open domes it was useless on music and I’d rather use other options for my phone calls.
Is your phone the Droid Turbo 2?
Like I said, the Smart app won’t even install and the one called “Control” quits working after a very short amount of time.
What’s your experience here?
