Is HeardThat Remote Microphone Kit worth $99 a year?

Has anyone bought and used this successfully?
The offer is very ambiguous - says it works at longer distances within the home and also improves directional hearing in public places.
In addition to the one time cost to buy it, the “service” costs $99 yearly after the 30 day trial period or you can get 30 minutes per month free.
At my age we don’t go out very much but if it would extend to longer distances within the home, as seemingly claimed, than we get with the Phonak/KS9 PartnerMic, then I might be interested in the physical product without the annual subscription. But I only get roundabout, impatient answers from the vendor’s tech support. What is it that this does that Android’s Sound Amplifier on my phone doesn’t already do? And would I be limited to 30 minutes per month just using it at home? When I ask specific questions, they just sent me a link to the manual, which of course I had already studied.
https://amzn.to/3yxbHbr

I would suggest try it based on Digby’s review… Neither he nor HearingTracker was paid to write the review. Guessing some people will like it more than others, depending on how sensitive they are to latency effects. Would love to hear more people’s thoughts.

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Thank you for reminding me about that review, which is excellent but still leaves me not understanding whether or not it works at longer distances between rooms at home than our PartnerMic, which only works when we are both in the same room. I asked specifically whether the 30 minute subscriptionless limit applies to use within the home or just to restaurant challenges, as at our age and health I am not interested in the restaurant solution at all. But can’t seem to get the answer,

Is there no way for you to try it and get a refund if it doesn’t work out?

Actually, I bought it from Amazon with right of return, but it’s a catch-22 because, absent an advance written commitment from HeardThat support, I would have to let the first 30 days run out without subscribing in order to find out whether or not it continues to work between rooms at home without a subscription; and of course I would then be beyond Amazon’s 30 day limit for returns. I feel silly even writing this, but logically it’s a fact. I asked the vendor several times, several different ways whether or not the 30 minute limit after 30 days as a nonsubscriber, applies to at home usage and all they do is send me links to the manual I already have.

@bruce.sharpe Bringing this to your attention :slight_smile:

Thanks, @AbramBaileyAuD.

Hi @NateS, Bruce from the HeardThat team here. I’m sorry you haven’t been able to get answers to your questions. With regard to the 30-minute limit, yes, that applies to home use as well as anywhere else.

If you are happy with the way the mic works during the 30-day free trial period, you can decide whether it is worth it to you to buy a subscription.

Background for others reading this thread: Because it is hard to know ahead of time whether any products like this will fit your needs, we provide no-risk ways to try them. The app has a no-obligation 30-day free trial period. After that, you can use the app for free for 30 minutes a week. You can buy a subscription to remove that limitation. (Pricing information is here.) The mic kit is a one-time purchase with a 30-day return policy. You can use it with HeardThat anytime that you can use HeardThat.

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Hi Bruce!
Although I was hoping for that not to be the answer, I thank you very much for clearing that up.
Regards,
Nate

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