The app is a bit quicker to get to. I use it when it’s working. However, the Iphone ‘accesibility’ feature includes Live Listen, which the app doesn’t. I haven’t done much with this last function, but it indicates that the IPhone has more options for my aids than the Signia app. Which is bizarre, if you think about it.
The Signia app has had a two star rating forever. It sucks, essentially. If it merely managed to consistently connect, I’d be happy.
Having more sounds available and your brain doing the filtering keeps your brain fit and research has shown that “loss of hearing” can have have a negative effect on the brain and could have a role in developing dementia.
Thanks for this review. It’s very helpful. I’m trialing Phonak Lumity L90-RT and having a few issues so will be moving on to the Oticon Reals next.
A few quick questions:
a) Can you adjust the external volumes microphones separately when you are either on the phone or using BT to stream music, podcasts, TV, etc. The Lumitys don’t allow this external mic control except in a roundabout “mixer” type of approach which IMHO doesn’t work very well.
b) If you happen to have an iPhone, how would you rate the integration between iPhone and Reals? I realize Apple Watch support is not yet present but will hopefully be coming.
Thanks very much.
I currently have the More but am getting the Real. They are both made for iPhone so work very well. The Phonak aids just have basic Bluetooth classic pairing.
Yeah, the Phonaks only work with nearly any bluetooth phone, tablet or computer out there. Pretty limited.
WH
Thanks. Can you control the external microphones separately when doing streaming of phone calls, TV, podcasts, etc?
Lastly, do you know if a Mac will connect natively for bidirectional audio / video like a Zoom call or is intermediate device needed.
Thanks so much.
You need a ConnectClip to connect to a MacBook but you can connect to an iPad directly.
I have not checked. I think the microphones are muted. If using a TV connector you likely can control the external microphone level. I know I could with my Rexton MFi aids.
Ha ha.
Putting aside blue tooth levels and the like, I found the Lumity Apple integration a mixed bag. The native bidirectional access to Macs, iPads etc is awesome, but not being able to get to MyPhonak while on a call feels like a major miss. Similarly, I thought the “ambient control” mixing board approach was a poor substitute for controlling external mics. Lastly, a lot of us rely on Apple Watch for a range of activities which can’t integrate with the Lumitys.
As a former software product manager who understands how the sausage is made, I find it hard to understand how Phonak ignored all these requirements unless they made the determination their Lumity base technology and market position were so strong they could basically do whatever they wanted and still be highly profitable
I don’t see a way to do that. Also, I’m watching tv while streaming music to the hearing aids on and off, and I don’t sense that the external mics are muted. The TV volume sounds the same whether I play music or not.
Except for the two bluetooth lapses, quite good. When I have bluetooth enabled it routes calls and music to my hearing aids quickly and I don’t have to fuss with it.
What type of receiver are using for the Oticon Real? 100 , 105 dB in an aclyric mold or power dome?
Thanks
What type of receiver are using for the Oticon Real? 100 , 105 dB in an aclyric mold or power dome?
Of course you can. There are several ways.
For on-the-fly control:
Go to the Control Panel, select the Hearing Aid icon, and it’ll get you to the screenshot below. Just slide the Microphone Level slider to control its volume. This is NOT the streaming volume of the phone call or podcast or music or video sound from your iPhone (you control that via the iPhone volume buttons). This is exclusively for the mics on your hearing aids.
If you connect the More or Real directly via ASHA, I don’t know much about this, but I assume that there’s probably some kind of control similar to the Apple MFI interface to let you adjust the mics volume separately from the streaming volume. Otherwise use the alternate methods below.
Open the ON app and once connected, select the Mic icon at the bottom right (see screenshot below), then control the volume slider to adjust the mic volume on the HAs. Again, the streaming volume is adjusted either by the phone volume buttons, or you can select the Speaker icon in the middle then adjust its slider. That’s the differentiation between the mic volume and the streaming volume.
Manually, while you’re streaming, just reach to the hard buttons on your aids toggle the mic volume up or down. If you have the disposable battery version, you can mute with a long press if left as default. There’s no Mute option on the hard button for the rechargeable version. In that case, just keep toggling until minimum volume, which should be almost as quiet as mute.
If using the ConnectClip (like with an Android phone or a laptop with BT):
Below is a screenshot of the ConnectClip manual on page 27 to tell you how to mute the HAs mics. I don’t think there’s a way to control the mics volume on the fly (short of muting it per the manual). Of course you can have your audi do the mic volume preset via Genie 2 as outlined in option 5 below.
Below are some option to control the streaming volume (not mic volume) from the ConnectClip:
Not on-the-fly control:
You can have your audi go into the Genie 2 Accessories menu and select either Phone or TV Adapter or ConnectClip and adjust the HAs’ Mic level relative to the streaming volume. You can also preset the streaming volume loudness in there as well. And you can adjust the sound quality to be Fuller or Brighter and the Power Bass perception as well. Below is an example screenshot of the Phone setup in Genie 2.
Turning the microphone level down still allows the Bluetooth streaming to come through at correct volume.
Thanks very much. Perfect!
Thanks very much for all the detail. This is exactly what I expected to see and similar to how my Resound Enzos work. With the Enzos I can also use the iPhone accessibility triple click shortcut to manipulate HAs volume.
As best I can tell with the Lumitys, the only real way to manipulate HA microphones while streaming a phone call or other audio content is to set the HAs microphone volume level relative to the BT streaming volume (which Phonak calls “ambient control”) – similar to what’s shown in the step 5 option above.
For myself, particularly when I’m exercising or driving and like just a little HA microphone volume and full-ish streaming volume, the Lumitys don’t provide the options you’ve shown above with the Oticon.
Very much looking forward to trying out the Real 1. Thanks again.
I am using 105dB receivers with custom molds. Audiologist said these were upgraded from the Mores that I had trialled last month and are more powerful so there is room for the future should I need it. So far, I have had to turn down the default volume setting!
It’ll take a while for me to get used to them, especially coming from BTEs and custom molds that I have worn for at least 38 years. Even just the size of them is madness. I just can’t believe I can wear such a small pair of hearing aids and hear as well as I can, especially compared to my OPN PPs. Streaming is so much better too.
I have a couple of Teams meetings today so will see how they go online… I’m in Denmark for the week, and this is where I have got them and going back Friday for some minor adjustments including turning the default volume down!
Thanks for the wonderful photo. I am having More 1 with power dome. In the next appt with the Audi, I will get acrylic custom molds with 105dB. Can the 105dB receiver be removed from the acrylic mold for cleaning or changed if not functioning?
My last resort will be CI. If customs molds with 105dB will be able to improve hearing capability or solve my hearing loss, then I am happy.
As Oticon is MFI, streaming sound or voice directly into the ear is wonderful. That’s what I like. If custom molds solved my minor problem, then I will not look for Oticon Xceed 1 HA.
Have a nice day and safe flight back to UK.
I am waiting on my 100 dB power molds. My understanding is the receiver cannot be removed but the wire can be replaced. My audiologist cautioned there are old and new style wires which are incompatible. I think the molds use different wax filters.
Are you sure you cannot set the balance of the Lumity hearing aids using the up and down buttons? I am not sure this works when taking a phone call, but it certainly works on Phonak aids when streaming. The up and down buttons set the external mic balance v what you are streaming via bluetooth or the TV Connector. This can also be set when using the App. I would be amazed if you can’t do this on the Lumity.
