HeardThat app and BiCROS hearing aids

Hearing Loss Apps
#1

I have SSD (completely deaf on R, ARHL on L; not ready for a implant). I wear Widex aids, and Widex does not allow direct Bluetooth connection; I would need to wear a Comdex.

The Widex aids are OK, but I am lucky in that my insurance company is now willing to pay for an upgrade. I’m thinking BICROS aids that allow BT connectivity, because (1) I would like to stream calls etc. and (2) because I would like to try HeardThat (SIN is a big problem with one ear). HeardThat requires a BT connection with my phone.

Phonak has a BICROS, and I understand that it streams BT. However, I recently read that it only streams to one ear and uses some other modality (BT?? something else like FM) to connect to the contralateral ear. I’m not sure whether that’s true, but if it is BT, would I be somehow precluded from using HeardThat – I potentially would be connecting to two devices via BT (my contralateral ear and my phone), if I’m thinking this through correctly.

There are other BICROS manufacturers, I know (Oticon for awhile, Signia and ReSound lately). Does anyone have thoughts on these alternatives in view of my desire to stream from my phone and use HeardThat?

Comments welcome, with thanks.

#2

With Cros devices not capable of output they don’t connect to phones for streaming via Bluetooth. Streamed audio is output from the hearing aid so it’s like why send it somewhere else first. I don’t know if you could just have the one hearing aid paired in Heardthat or if it requires a dual pairing for stereo sound?
I’m familiar with Oticon and Phonak Cros systems and they are both great. The Oticon Cros doesn’t show in the app at all whereas the Phonak Cros does and you can see stuff like predicted battery life. If you’re an Android user that could make Phonak more appealing as they use Bluetooth classic rather than MFi/ASHA