#63

I do wonder whether your Costco person is correct because all the GN Resound Nexia advertising mentions LE Audio and says nothing about any firmware updates. Also GN Resound sell the TV Adapter+ which specifically uses LE Audio.

#64

My Costco aids work fine with the TV Streamer +. As far as I know, it’s an auracast device.

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#65

Exactly, it is certainly an LE Audio Auracast, device.

#66

That was my thought too. The penny dropped though that the Jabra might be based on the Nexia, but it’s not the Nexia. I can’t find anywhere it’s stated that the Jabras are enabled for it now. I can’t find any report where someone’s definitely been able to us it.

If it’s the + model, I think it does both.

#67

Not saying the Jabra’s don’t support LE Audio, but Oticon made similar marketing claims previously without consequence.

#68

The Jabra Enhance Pro 20 is the Nexia. It’s rebranded because for eg Resound doesn’t want Costco’s pricing model to undermine the perceived premium value of the Resound brand everywhere. But we know that the Resound fitting software sees a Jabra Enhance Pro 20 and announces it as a Nexia as it connects.

Edit: If you head over to the LE Audio thread in this Forum, you will be able to read a Jabra press release that specifically says that the Enhance Pro 20 does support LE Audio and Auracast.

3 Likes
#69

From their website. Seems clear cut really. I’d still like to hear from someone who’s actually done it.

Jabra Enhance Pro 20 hearing aid users with compatible Android smartphones*, can connect to the next generation Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast broadcast audio. Bluetooth LE Audio provides enhanced performance with hands-free calls. Auracast broadcast audio will enable new audio experiences in private and public places, making the world more hearing friendly and accessible for everyone.

Jabra Enhance Pro 20 is the industry first hearing aid to connect to Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast. Users with compatible Android devices can gain immediate access to both hands-free calling and Auracast broadcast functionality.

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#70

What do you mean? I’ve actually done it. My Jabra 20s hooked up to LE Audio the first time I paired them with my phone. The problem was, calls wouldn’t work correctly. The person on the other end heard a weird clicking noise and couldn’t hear me very well. Tried it with multiple people. Don’t know why it won’t work. Maybe I’ll try again after the next Android update and Jabra update.

#71

That’s what I mean. Thank you. And it gave you visual confirmation that you were connecting with LE Audio, not ASHA? Did you give up making calls at that point? Switch to ASHA somehow?

#72

I turned off the LE Audio switch under the Bluetooth settings for my hearing aids and it then automatically went to normal Bluetooth pairing (ASHA?). Calls then worked fine, but not “hands free”, as I think I still have to have my phone somewhere near my face. I haven’t really tested that though. Just assumed it.

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#73

Hi,

I’m coming in very late in this discussion, but I have some very recent results that might be of interest. I own two MoerLab transceivers (TxRx) and one MoerLab USB dongle transmitter. My hearing instrument specialist (HIS) got a loaner ReSoud Nexia hearing aid set and a TV Transmitter+ for us to try out. We did so one week ago, and here is my summary note back to him:

Thanks for bringing the ReSound Nexia hearing aids and the TV Streamer+ for a trial. As a result of our testing my (still very tentative) conclusion is that (1) they work well together to transmit and receive Auracast™ from the TV (though any audio source should also work), and (2) the hearing aids DO NOT (yet) receive transmissions from a general purpose Auracast™ transmitter (in this case case, my MoerLab TxRx device).

The latter conclusion is reinforced by this reply from Google’s Bard (which sometimes makes things up):

As of January 25, 2024, ReSound Nexia hearing aids are not directly compatible with receiving Auracast™ broadcasts from other sources besides the TV Streamer+. This includes Auracast™ broadcasts in public spaces, through other devices like smartphones, or dedicated Auracast™ transmitters.

The HIS checked with the (presumptive) head of R&D at ReSound, and here is the reply that he received from ReSound:

So he needs to pick up the Auracast signal from whatever device he has. So he hast to do this from my [sic] Samsung phone. If he doesn’t have a new Samsung phone, he hast to wait until it’s updated in our app or Apple puts it out. We will have it in our app this fall. Auracast devices are coming on the market, place faster than predicted.

I’m kind’a bummed for several reasons: I’m a Phonak user for over several generations of their system, and I did not like the quality of sound from the ReSound HA (perhaps lots of fine tuning by the HIS could’ve tweaked it to my satisfaction); apparently Phonak will not play in the BLE/Auracast™ game; I desperately want to introduce Auracast™ to my retirement community, both in the auditoria and in the muted TVs in the gym. And, for now, at least, I’m kinda stuck treading water with my MoerLab transceivers and dongle. C’mon, Phonak, get with it!

3 Likes
#74

Seems like lots of folks will at least have to get new HAs to make it a worthwhile proposition for the organization to invest. An interesting question is whether everyone who is interested will also have to get new phones. Sorry if I missed this, but can a phone be an Auracast switcher if it’s not BT LE Audio-compatible? If not, it’s new phones, too, for everyone who wants to get into the game. Clicking a button on one’s HA to switch Auracast channels is a non-starter for me, if that mode is in the works, too, to avoid having to get a new smartphone…

#75

I think I mentioned this before, but at the Auracast demo at CES, participants were handed iphones to use as broadcast assistants. The iphone is not (as yet) LE Audio-equipped. I think all the assistant is doing is passing along a few parameters and instructions to the aids. Just a guess really, but you should be able to do that with old-school BT Low Energy.

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#76

I could imagine Apple making their phones Broadcast Assistants but retaining a “special sauce” component to keep people locked in to the Apple universe.

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#77

I would bet BT LE Audio will require software/firmware changes in the phones, and possibly h/w changes, too, and phone manufacturers are not known for slowing down the obsolescence in their phones. I needed a new phone for ASHA to work, and I’d bet a lot that we’ll need new phones for Auracast to work.

#78

sorry, my email to you bounced. Here is is:

On Feb 4, 2024, at 8:47 PM, Jim Lewis via Hearing Aid Forum - Active Hearing Loss Community <no-reply@forum.hearingtracker.com> wrote:

Seems like lots of folks will at least have to get new HAs to make it a worthwhile proposition for the organization to invest.

Just like any new technology. But all the big guys have already signed up, and Resound Nexia/Jabra Enhance™ Pro 20 already incorporate Auracast™, but so far only hook up with their TV Transmitter+. More players to come by year’s end, though.

An interesting question is whether everyone who is interested will also have to get new phones.

Probably software updates. Apparently the latest Samsung top of the line phones already receive Auracast™

Sorry if I missed this, but can a phone be an Auracast switcher [“assistant”] if it’s not BT LE Audio-compatible?

I think not.

If not, it’s new phones, too, for everyone who wants to get into the game. Clicking a button on one’s HA to switch Auracast channels is a non-starter for me, if that mode is in the works, too, to avoid having to get a new smartphone…

For many years, T-Coils will also work.

#79

I thought there was a demo at a show using an iphone to provide the assist?? and iPhones don’t have LE audio yet.

WH

#80

Some current model Samsung TVs support Auracast, so I expect the Nexias and Jabra EP 20s can connect to them without a TV streaming device.

That might also enable the new Samsung TVs to output both HDMI ARC/e-ARC and Auracast simultaneously.

The Samsung ear buds are available with Auracast, too - or maybe it’s only announced - I don’t follow the ear bud market.

The Samsung TV announcement came at least 6 months ago, and I expected catch up from LG and others by now, but I haven’t seen any.

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#81

I have a Pixel 8 pro. I’m able to pair my Jabra Enhance Pro 20 hearing aids with my phone. Audio from the phones sounds reasonable (not a lot of bass which is to be expected) and clear. However, I have observed that any time the mic in the hearing aids are used, the sound is very stuttery and almost unintelligible. So if I use the hearing aids hands free with the hearing aids being both the speaker and mic for a phone call, my voice sounds very bad to the other party. This is also true if I make a recording using the Google Recorder app and the hearing aid mics.

BUT, I observe that if I turn one hearing aid (either one, it makes no difference) then my voice is crystal clear to the other party or to the recorder app. So the issue seems to be related to having the mic in both hearing aids on at the same time…like they are a bit out of phase or competing with one another…if Jabra or Android had an option to turn of off of the mics, all would be well…

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Jabra EP 20, Galaxy S23+, full hands free vs. hearing only
#82

I forgot to mention that my description is when I pair using Bluetooth LE on my phone. If I disable Bluetooth LE for the hearing aids, the sound quality is not quite as good, the battery life on the phone is slightly less, BUT I can make phone calls, just not in hands-free mode…the mic in the phone is used instead of the ones in the hearing aids.