@cvkemp: Yes, that’s what I’m hearing, too, Chuck. But perhaps the differences we’re hearing are just due to the differences in our perceptual apparatus. As you often point out - everyone’s hearing is different.
1 Like
I would guess, by reducing the background - ish constant noise, your brain was able to focus on hearing the peepers you knew were out there.
The constant window wind noise is reduced slightly the same as my heater fan noise sitting a few feet back left of me.
I am guessing!! 
I had also met with the Oticon rep for an appt for a fitting issue, who told me same as Audi how More Sound Booster worked. The AC vent was located in the ceiling in front of me, and I wanted to be able to hear the air in P1. Then I clicked on MSB and AC noise was slightly reduced. Conversation with 3 people, not all directly in front of me in room remained unchanged. No forward beam switching / feeling like in Speech in Noise program, which I have had forever and use.
Perhaps a less severe hearing loss, one may feel MSB is a Speech in Noise substitute or perceived forward beam sound boost. Use it the way it works for you!
2 Likes
I did actually and again just now. My hearing loss is severe to profound. Your loss is very different than mine, therefore our experiences are going to be different.
2 Likes
Yes, exactly. So I think you’re correct in that we’re going to have to learn what these programs and settings can do for us, and what they can’t. (Can you post an audiogram?)
[Sorry, gotta run … TTYL]
1 Like
Thanks for testing this out and sharing, @Mago ! That’s really great to hear that it’s not just the beam forming effect, but apparently Oticon also does take special consideration to reduce constant mechanical noise in the MoreSound Booster on top of the beam forming. Although I don’t have any booster with my OPN, and I’m used to and can tune out the constant mechanical noise around me like fans and refrigerator and stuff, it would be nice once in a while not having to tune it out using the brain, but actually just simply not hearing it or hearing very little of it.
Regarding your comment about feeling more like the Booster makes certain sounds more quiet as opposed to boosting any sound, I would assume that they’re implying that non mechanical constant noise being attenuated in ALL directions simply helps boost your “focus” on other kinds of sound that you may hear, if they exist. But in a quiet/easy environment when you don’t have other sounds except the droning mechanical sounds, then your take is probably valid that it’d feel more like MoreSound “Suppressor” as opposed to MoreSound “Booster”.
1 Like
@Volusiano: Actually, V, when I experiment with MSB in a quiet environment, @Mago is correct: it does seem to function as a MoreSoundSuppressor!
Thanks, that’s great to hear another confirmation, Jim!
Yeah, Oticon should use it as a double marketing speak -> MoreSound Booster in noisy environment! MoreSound Suppressor in an easy environment! You get 2 for the price of 1! But wait, there’s more… it’s smart enough to engage only in the default program, so your other beautiful, fine-tuned built-in programs won’t get trampled on by accident! The all-smart, all-in-one revolutionary MoreSound Booster/Suppressor!
3 Likes
@Volusiano: Yeah, I concur with your sarcastic assessment of Oticon’s MoreSoundVoodoo. Nobody would expect them to give away the store when explaining how MSV works, but a bit more transparency might fo a long way to allowing us users to use the feature in the most helpful way.
This is about all I could find from Oticon about this “core feature”:
Complete explanation by Oticon of MoreSound Booster
Notwithstanding the company’s shortcomings, I’d still rather have a single default program that can handle 80-90% of my needs than the useless autoselect feature of my previous Unitron North Moxi Fit 800s, that seldom selected the right one.
I agree that they are adding features the users can turn on or off themselves is a good thing. I find the More Sound Booster to reduce background noise, which is helpful at times. I find the streaming EQ to be dreadfully inadequate. It’s a simple little EQ device which I don’t find does much of anything. I have played with it a lot and found that the only use I make of it is to reduce the volume on the mids where I am getting distortion from podcasts. It’s range is very limited… toy like.
1 Like
This, in one brief sentence, summarizes my primary source if irritation with Oticon. They seem to pitch their aids to a pretty sophisticated user that wants more sound and understands the concept of BrainHearing, yet they present these users with toy-like appendages.
This is an amazing observation. I will try to reproduce.
Only once have i been in a situation where MSB clearly helped and that was at a loud restaurant where sitting in a corner facing my wife with my back to the crowd the MSB noticeably made the background fade out so i could focus on my wife’s speaking. That was very helpful.
I find it puzzling that Oticon marketing has not been able to accurately articulate what MSB does and how it works and where the limits are. Maybe I missed it but even the video posted elsewhere in this thread does not speak to the limits and conditions that need to exist for it to work.
Most people walk away thinking that the button does nothing… I used to think this too.
Thanks for posting.
1 Like
I agree (FWIW).Exactly. I hope it was clear that I was being sarcastic at Oticon and not at any of the forum posters who contributed to this thread. It’s just sad that we have to share our trial and error experiences here on this forum to figure out exactly what the Booster does beside the vague description Oticon gives about it.
Below is another slightly more informative video on the Booster featuring Don Schum, but this was when it was introduced for the OPN S as the OpenSound Booster. I’d presume that the OpenSound Booster and the MoreSound Booster are exactly the same, but again, who knows? because Oticon doesn’t share enough info to explain if they’d done anything differently as an improvement on the MoreSound Booster as compared to the OpenSound Booster or not.
3 Likes
@Volusiano: Thanks for this, MrV! It gives me a better notion of what MSB does than I had before! [Dr Donald Schum is so soft spoken and well-spoken, it makes me sorry that he’s decided to decamp in favour of Whisper!]
Further to the video: I had an encounter with my stovetop fan while I was preparing lunch that confirmed (to me, at least) that MoreSound Booster is a strong beamforming getup within my More1s, (which I would never choose for more than short-term use in specific situations) and that it has different operating characteristics than Speech in Noise.
[Addendum: @strong beamforming getup" may be relative. Perhaps someone who’s used to one of the primarily beamforming makes might consider the MSB effect to be mild or moderate.]
1 Like
I have found that it works for me to concentrate on a the TV content when I am not able to use the TV adapter, also if I am in a meeting and I need to concentrate on one person that is talking.
Of course are fine, and I hope everything is figured out
1 Like
Sorry I am great just sinuses. The weather is great for hiking. And I am back doing my art.
Sorry to resuscitate this stale thread, but I can’t come to any clear understanding of what MSB does or doesn’t do, so that I can incorporate the features into my HA usage patterns. (In other words, I want to understand better so I can rationally decide when to switch it on, other than on a trial and error basis.)
I’ve repeated Mago’s brilliant test with my bathroom turbofan, with the same results, however my results in the more open areas of the house are ambiguous and variable.
Has anyone had any further epiphanies regarding the behaviour of the mysterious Oticon MoreSound Booster?
The best I can explain MoreSoundBoost is that when enabled by my ON app on my iPhone then I am better able to focus on a single conversation in a room where a number of individuals are talking among themselves. I also find it helps when I am wanting to hear the TV or a video and the TV adapter isn’t an option.
2 Likes