Hearing aids turning off when I put my headphones on

[jim_lewis]

I guess different HA’s might work differently in detecting a magnet but with my ReSound Quattro’s, putting on my Surface Headphones would cause the Quattro’s to think that I was putting a landline receiver to my ear and the HA’s would switch to the Acoustic Phone (old-fashioned landline) program. Since I didn’t need the old-fashioned landline program, I removed it from my HA settings (DIY) and then I no longer had any problem - nothing funny happens - when putting on my over-the-ear headphones. Perhaps something similar happens with your HA’s and if a landline, magnetic phone program is active and you don’t need it, you might want to consider turning it off (or have a provider turn it off) and see if that cures your problem.

In the post referenced below, I mention that there are lots of other posts on the forum going back at least to 2011 about headphone/HA problems so there might be some very useful info in some previous forum posts:

Music and over the Ear Headphones

I must have missed this comment in first participating in this thread. I accidentally added the Acoustic Phone program to my Quattro’s and sure enough, every time I put on my Surface Headphones over my HA’s, I activated the phone program because of the headphone magnets. Usually when I went into the Smart 3D app on my smartphone, I could switch the program back to the program that I really wanted to use with my headphones but after awhile I decided that I really had no use for the Acoustic Ph…

[legsmaniac69]

If I understand right, you have converted a pair of headphones to a double loop system to get stereo in your hearing aids?

Absolutely correct. I’ve made at least three pairs now that I can recall. Very easy to do.

[Raudrive]

When your aids cut out from putting on the headphones, how do they come back on? Is there a little tune or do they just start functioning again?
Are the headphones playing music when you put them? The speech in loud noise could be shutting them down.

[Bugtao]

Yes, they play a tune when they come back on, just like when they are turned on normally. They turn off even with the headphones off with nothing playing. It must be the magnets that are causing them to turn off.

[Raudrive]

Sure sounding like it.

[Don]

Sounds like either acoustic phone mode, or t-coil mode.

[Raudrive]

If this is correct a simple turn them off in the software would fix it.
The OP did mention them starting up with the little jingle song.

[fortnotes]

I also wear the Audeo BR 90, and I frequently use over-the-ear headphones. I’ve never had this happen to me. But I’ve never tried the Sony headphones.

As far as neck loop goes, I use the Phonak Compilot 2, and it streams stereo just fine to my aids. I don’t have to worry about mono. However, this solution does not block out the ambient noise from the airplane. Maybe you could use some passive over-the-ear hearing protectors and they would not interfere with your BR 90s, and then you can stream music to those. I believe the Compilot has the ability to plug in to the sound on the airplane, but I’ve not tried it.

[Bugtao]

Thanks for all the replies. I have found that if I put them on carefully I can get them on without the HAs turning off, especially now that I know what is happening. It may take a few attempts and makes me look like an idiot to any one watching, but I guess that’s just another cross I have to bear!

I have heard about the compilot, but haven’t felt the need for it up to now. How does the sound quality compare between listening to music through the compilot to using over the ear headphones with HAs in?

[jAn3t07]

So this might be a stupid question, but I am wondering why you don’t just stream directly to your hearing aids? Is it due to sound quality?

[Bugtao]

No, it’s not a stupid question. I don’t currently have the capability to stream direct. I would need to get the compilot 2. I am interested to hear others experience with this compared to using headphones with HAs.

Although, because my primary need is to listen to the entertainment systems on planes, just streaming direct won’t work because I also need to cancel/reduce the background plane noise.

Something else that is confusing me is why my HAs turn back on automatically when I take the headphones off. When I fit the HAs in the charger, they turn off but do not turn on automatically when I take them out. They have to be turned on manually. This suggests to me that it is not simply a case that they are turning off because they think they are being put in the charger.

[legsmaniac69]

When I fit the HAs in the charger, they turn off but do not turn on automatically when I take them out. They have to be turned on manually. This suggests to me that it is not simply a case that they are turning off because they think they are being put in the charger.

Could be something to do with the fact they don’t get/sense a charge with the headphones but of course, they do with the charger?
Again, just a guess.

Do you have an magnets to hand? Some strong fridge magnets or whiteboard magnets perhaps? You could try holding some to your aids, see what happens. This would at least confirm magnets are in play if they do turn off. Strong ones are quite cheap to buy from most stationers shops.

[legsmaniac69]

As far as neck loop goes, I use the Phonak Compilot 2, and it streams stereo just fine to my aids.

Since the Compilot only has one single loop that feeds both coils in the hearing aids simultaneously, there is no way you can get a true stereo effect.

However, this solution does not block out the ambient noise from the airplane.

It would if the aids are switched to coil/loop only (no Mic option) thereby the aids cannot pick up any outside sounds, only the neckloop. Unless of course there is a Mic feeding the Compilot.

[Bugtao]

It would if the aids are switched to coil/loop only (no Mic option) thereby the aids cannot pick up any outside sounds

The outside sounds are getting direct to my ear drums, not from the HAs, but through the open domes that I have (and much prefer to the closed domes I have tried, by the way).

I think the Compilot 2 does provide stereo sound via Bluetooth.

[Bugtao]

Do you have an magnets to hand? Some strong fridge magnets or whiteboard magnets perhaps?

Good idea. I put a fridge magnet next to the HA and low and behold it turns off.

Also, not sure what this proves, but I tried putting the HAs in the charger and removing them straightaway. They still turns off but do not turn on automatically. I also tried fitting them in the charger with the charger disconnected from the mains. They don’t turn off.

So it seems magnets are doing something different to what the charger does. I had read somewhere in the forum that there is special mode for using the HAs with a phone and that this is activated by the magnet in the phone speaker. However, my HAs, are not affected by putting a phone next to them.

[jim_lewis]

However, my HAs, are not affected by putting a phone next to them

The phone has to be really “old school” to do it. Our Panasonic cordless handset doesn’t have a strong enough magnet to do it, our REALLY old “Princess” phone does.

[Don]

Since the Compilot only has one single loop that feeds both coils in the hearing aids simultaneously, there is no way you can get a true stereo effect.

I’m not sure how it communicates but I dont think it is tcoil. I can confirm that it is stereo. There is no doubt about that.

[fortnotes]

Since the Compilot only has one single loop that feeds both coils in the hearing aids simultaneously, there is no way you can get a true stereo effect.

Yes, there is only one single loop. But the signal is sent differently to each aid. It is a stereo signal, and I’ve verified that. I do not know what type of protocol the Compilot uses to communicate with the aid, but it is not telecoil. My aids to not support telecoil.

[fortnotes]

I have heard about the compilot, but haven’t felt the need for it up to now. How does the sound quality compare between listening to music through the compilot to using over the ear headphones with HAs in?

I find that the sound quality streaming through the Compilot is quite good. However, since my aids use open domes, the bass is not very strong. I’ve not tried streaming with over-the-ear protectors on – maybe the bass improves?

[legsmaniac69]

Apologies. Seems my understanding of the ComPilot was wrong. I’m guessing the “loop” is either merely something to hand around a neck or some kind of “aerial” for transmitting whatever mode it uses. I understand now it doesn’t use the pick-up coils but it’s own internal wireless transmission/reception. Similar, I guess, to the iCube. So yes, stereo would certainly be possible in this way. Thanks all for the corrective info.

Wish I could get one now. Just a shame they’re SO expensive. A bit overkill for me just to listen to music with.

I put a fridge magnet next to the HA and low and behold it turns off.

Also, not sure what this proves

It merely proves it’s definitely magnets in action. Why is obviously yet to be ascertained.

I tried putting the HAs in the charger and removing them straightaway. They still turns off but do not turn on automatically.

Maybe they’re set not to when they detect a charge?

I also tried fitting them in the charger with the charger disconnected from the mains. They don’t turn off.

Electro-magnet?

I had read somewhere in the forum that there is special mode for using the HAs with a phone and that this is activated by the magnet in the phone speaker.

Yes, I saw that too. But you also confirm that you hear the “turning on jingle” which implies they’re turning off? If they are switching to the pick-up for telephones then surely you would hear the headphones thru the coil as the speaker coils still produce some EMF. Again, you could test this with the fridge magnet, placing your ear next to something electrical, such as a charger transformer like those used for charging phones. You should hear the electric hum of mains if the coil is activated. That is, assuming your aids have been programed with that function.

All the above is merely guesswork again really and at the end of the day, your headphones cause you a problem due to the magnets, that much we do know. Wonder if it’s a function that could be turned off in the programming? Since you don’t use the telephone in that way it’s not a feature you need, I presume? That would certainly solve your problem.