Before the discussion began, I wrote down the following comments, focusing on the technical part:
I became interested in music in the mid-1950s. Back then we only had access to AM radio and 78 rpm records. So I’ve experienced the transition to FM radio and EPs and LPs. And later CDs. I have also been plagued by bad compressions of music to data files.
20 months ago I discovered that something was wrong with my hearing. Went to the nearest audiologist, who turned out to be owned by Oticon in Denmark. They only sell Oticon products. I was offered a few HAs and chose the most expensive one. Would have better sound quality than the others. Later I discovered it was called More 1. I also discovered there was an adapter for TV, the Oticon TV Adapter 3.0.
When I connected the HA with the TV adapter, a TV program with a symphony orchestra was broadcast, I experienced a sound quality that I have not experienced since I was young and listened through high quality headphones. It’s better sound than regular stereo. Imagine being able to hear the tambourine again! If the TV broadcasts with 5.1, you experience a fantastic four-channel quality. I am impressed by how such a small device can reproduce such fine sound.
Note that you have to test to get domes that suit your own taste.
How has Oticon managed to achieve such good sound quality?
My guess is that the explanation is due to the fact that the audio is not converted to analog until it reaches the HA. The sound comes digitally to the TV. The Oticon TV adapter is connected to the TV with a “digital link”. Between TV adapter and HA, Oticon uses its own protocol, they call BLE, on Bluetooth Classic.
One function I like is that you can adjust the hearing curve from the Oticon ON app. Especially useful at the beginning, as the ear is not used to the high treble.
When, after a few days, I was spoiled by the fantastic sound from the TV adapter, I bought an adapter for the computer. Oticon calls it ConnectClip, can be used for various purposes. I use it exclusively to transfer music from the computer to the HA. On the computer I have the disc archive and access to the internet. My source on the internet is ClassicalRadio and its sister stations. They maintain really good sound quality.
Once I discovered the benefits of streaming music via ConnectClip, the next step was to get a mobile phone with ASHA. I think that feature came to the iPhone several years ago. For Android, it came to Sweden in 2022 with Samsung. ASHA uses BLE. This means you can stream music digitally with the apps on ClassicalRadio.com, directly to HA.
The description above is about Oticons More 1. I have no experience with other manufacturers’ devices. Since I bought a new mobile, Samsung S23, I have been listening to the apps on the mobile, and only used ConnectClip when I watch TV on the computer.
I think the excellent sound quality is due to having a completely digital transfer from the source all the way to the HA, where the sound is converted to analog. Distortion in the speakers is avoided. I have never before heard a grand piano as free from distosion as now in my HAs. So I don’t believe at all that you can get real HiFi through the microphone in the HA.