How much will ReSound/Jabra Multi Mic improve speech recognition of TV sound that comes out of Sonos Beam soundbar speakers?
I have LG C1 TV, Sonos Beam soundbar and Jabra Enhanced Pro20 HA.
***Edit 2/19/2025–I ended up using ReSound streamer 2 and is working fine thanks to help in lower posts.
LG C1 will only output sound to one device at a time so w Beam in use nothing else works.
Splitter/switch of HDMI or Optical from TV are not a good option w/ LG C1 (looked heavily into this)
This includes wired/wireless headphone devices, which also will not work when Beam is used.
Edit incorrect: TV speaker output, and any other output at same time is not possible with LG C1.
TV only outputs one CODEC at a time.
Sonos Beam has no sound output connections (only HDMI and network input).
Thanks. I was partly mistaken, LG C1 does allow TV speakers with other options including Optical so if one user was willing to listen to poor TV speakers (not Beam soundbar), Streamer + could be connected using Optical output. I may(?) ask my wife if she is OK with TV speaker sound but she already uses subtitles, so sound is an issue for her.
Edit: The only dual output is with TV speakers plus a second device.
Sonos Beam when used with eArc HDMI connection takes total control of sound so it becomes the only sound option so Optical, Bluetooth, … and 3.5mm ports do nothing.
TV can be connected with Sonos HDMI to Optical output adaptor but Streamer + needs the same connection port. Others who have tried to split/switch this output have not had success.
HDMI splitters are illegal due to copywrite issues.
I have no experience with a TOSLINK splitter as I don’t need one with my Oticon TV Adapter. It has an optical input and an optical output (both TOSLINK). If the Resound TV adapters don’t have an optical output, you should be able to use a quality optical splitter but as someone who worked in optics I would recommend only a reasonable quality ACTIVE splitter. The passive devices try to capture the light emitted by the input fiber cable and “split” it into two equal parts that then illuminates the input of the two output cables. So the output light signal of the split signal is always less than 50% of the input and for low quality cables, connectors or splitters, much less than 50%. Than may result in a signal that is insufficient for adequate reconstruction of the digital pulse train at the connected devices (Beam and TV adapter in your case). An active splitter converts the optical signal to an electrical one using a detector and amplifier and signal conditioning electronics and then uses that electrical signal to drive circuits and a light source to recreate an optical signal at each of the outputs. Passive splitters are simple and typically inexpensive but their performance can be poor (or they may not work at all). The two major disadvantages of active devices are cost and the requirement for some sort of electrical power (typically not much). The Oticon TV adapter requires 0.4 amps at 5 volts or 2 watts maximum.
I use the TOSLINK output of my Oticon adapter to drive a Beam with the TOSLINK to HDMI adapter provided with the Beam.
The other thing to remember when providing a streaming signal to hearing aids from a TV or other source, the streamer is providing a signal from only the source where a device like a Multi Mic is picking up the combined sound created from the source by the speakers AND all the room contributions (reflected sound, HVAC noise, and so on). So the streamer can provide a lower noise, higher quality signal to your aids than a microphone. If you mute the aid microphones you hear mostly the streamed signal especially if you have molds or domes with small vents.
@biggar I have ordered parts to do as you recommended to allow both Sonos beam and ReSound Streamer 2 to be used. Your detailed explanation encouraged me to look closer.
I will be using (in order from TV to streamer): Optical cable, Active optical splitter (Tendak Digital Optical Audio Splitter), with both Sonos TOSLINK to HDMI adapter (Beam std item then Beam) and (second optical cable to) ReSound Streamer 2 (eBay used) connected to splitter. This will connect to Jabra Enhance Pro 20 hearing aids.
LG C1 was then set in Settings to sound output: optical out. Jabra Enhance Pro was paired to streamer by holding down HA buttons (not using the app which is for Streamer +). I did a minor sound syn with Streamer 2 to minimize a very small echo but was not a must. Do not use eArc as it takes over sound control and will not allow Bluetooth, optical or other devices to run at the same time as Sonos Beam 2.
The Active (powered) splitter was the missing link that caused others to not get their system to work.
EDIT 2/19/2025: The above worked well!
The ACTIVE Optical splitter has worked for others to connect TV to streamers and sound bars.
After reading above messages and wanting better sound quality, I choose not to consider Multi Mic. It also is mono and not stereo.
When purchasing ReSound/GN/Jabra Streamer 2 used, as long as it is part number SAS-3 or Streamer 2 it is the correct product and one sold by Costco. It may also say Unite but not just Unite wo SAS-3 or Streamer 2.
HDMI (HDMI eArc for Sonos Beam) is a better sound output than Optical but LG C1 is not capable of outputting both at the same time. But sound quality between the two is not noticeable to me.