Phonak introduces Marvel platform and Audéo M hearing aids

Right now, it seems there is some finger-pointing going on between Phonak and Apple. This is not new to me because I was a first-try guy for the Resound Lynx, Starkey Halo, and Widex Beyond Fusion, all MFi. The advantage that the Marvels have over MFi is that you can have truly hands-free phone calls because you can speak through the Marvel’s mics. This is probably where the problem is between the XS and the Marvel’s. I have installed the beta version of iOS 12.1.2 (mainly connections fixes) to see if eventually they will push a fix to this BT Classic issue.

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This doesn’t make sense to me; venting should have minuscule effect on high frequencies.

Just hazarding a guess, but perhaps feedback limited the amount of gain that could be applied. With a more closed fitting, more gain can be applied without getting feedback.

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Just got the low battery notice on the right aid. Got these on the afternoon of the 10th, so exactly 5 days. No music streaming, but a couple hours of phone calls every day.

How much were the Marvels?

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Warneral,
I’ve been using the Phonak Remote app to adjust the volume up and down. Are you saying there is a difference if I use the up/down volume control on the hearing aids themselves vs. using the Remote App?

The built in RogerDirect feature was one of the key factors in my decision to go with the Marvels. The main reason I finally decided to begin wearing hearing aids is because I have been having problems with conversations when eating out or in a noisy environment and everything I read about the RogerDirect Pen and the Select seemed a perfect solution. What I don’t understand is why we have to wait a year for the firmware update (they indicated Fall 2019 and we are still technically in the Fall so I’m guessing it will be a year from now)??? Plus my audiologist indicated we will have to pay a fee for the firmware update.

You are probably correct that it was feedback that was limiting the gain achievable with the “standard” vented domes that came with the Marvels. I’m very new to all of this but she did start out with the Feedback testing and then moved to the REM. I’m not sure but I think she replaced the domes almost immediately during the testing and she told me she had done the same with the three previous fittings she did on the Marvels. Actually she told me the “standard” dome did work okay in my left ear but the small closed vented dome she put on worked better in her opinion based upon her measurements.

Played golf today for the first time with the hearing aids. The only problem I encountered was the fact I could hear everything my playing partners were saying when they were across the fairway from me and instead of concentrating on my shot I was distracted by their conversations. Before the hearing aids I wouldn’t have even heard them!!

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Yes it is different. As Daali said above, there is a setting in the app where you can change the balance between streaming and external sounds.

So in the app, you can adjust the overal sound up or down. Or you can click on the little thing at the bottom (it only appears in streaming mode) to change the balance

From your HA, when you turn up/down volume buttons in streaming mode, it will just change the balance of surrounding vs streaming.

Here is the cheat sheet she gave me:

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Okay, so I have the same “cheat sheet” from my audiologist. I also did see the Audio vs Surrounding adjustment in the app when streaming but I really didn’t understand what it does?? What does “Surrounding” mean and what does “Audio” mean? I know they only work when streaming but I’m used to the word “Balance” meaning adjusting from right to left but I’m thinking that is not what it means in this case?? I have found the music streaming to be excellent but I would like to reduce the noise coming from non music sources if possible (e.g. nearby people on their machines shouting back and forth while I’m trying to listen to Chris Stapleton!!).

Regarding the volume adjustment on the hearing aid itself, I understand from my “cheat sheet” that a short press will raise or lower the volume but does it do it only for that hearing aid or for both at the same time? I have been using the app to lower the volume by moving from zero to minus three or four but as someone else mentioned if I turn them off (to take a shower) then they go back to the zero or neutral setting. The app does allow me to split the volume adjustment if I want to adjust each aid separately but I haven’t yet used the split feature. So I guess I’m kind of confused what each of these adjustments (in the app vs. on the hearing aids themselves) does. I guess I can just experiment but hopefully you or others can provide more insight??

Okay I should have tried the Streaming feature before I posted the previous comments. I just tried it and Wow! Moving the “Balance” to Audio increased the volume of the music and decreased the volume of the TV on in the background. This is great! No more listening to someone else’s conversations while working out and it also seems to increase the quality of the music although that could just be the increased volume. Anyway, thanks for showing me the light!!

You are welcome! It is a great feature. It will also be nice on phone calls.

The two buttons on this HA is new. In the past, my HA had one button, which limited how much of a change I could make by just touching behind my ear.

Yes if you touch either HA for up or down, it will adjust both HA. As you later discovered the balance I was talking about was external or surrounding environment vs the streaming from your phone. When I ride my bike, I will want to hear cars behind me and my music. In a noisy situation, I might want to only have the streaming sound.

This is all great stuff. I’m really enjoying everybody’s comments.
I don’t know at all about these Phonaks but other aids have a programming/fitter choice to separate the volume so as to control the individual aid. Maybe these Phonaks have that.
I’m not sure why one would want that but the option might be there.

Other aids also have the ability to remember the last settings for as long as the battery stays in. ie. they have a turn off feature. But open the battery door and it all resets. Maybe these Phonaks have a turn off feature without removing the battery.

Yes you can adjust left and right ear separately through the Remote App, but I haven’t wanted to. That is only in regular mode, not streaming mode.

As far as memory, I have the rechargeable ones and I’m not sure if it is remembering my streaming balance settings from day to day. I haven’t intentionally paid attention.

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Oh rechargeables. Right. I guess I mean with replaceable batteries where there would be a door.
Is there an “off” feature somewhere? And would it come back to what you had previously been set up on? Like maybe a different program from auto and then turn off and it comes back to that different program?

Insurance paid $3,981.78. I paid $962.96. Total: $4944.74.

This amount was for the Starkey Muse that I started out with. When I traded them in for the Marvels, he implied that they were more expensive, but he wasn’t going to charge me any more because this was a great learning experience for him. Make of that what you will.

Comparable to what I paid for the Siemens 3 years ago.

That doesn’t sound right. :thinking:

What does the “very long” press do? That part is cut off.

My cheat sheet looks different. I’m pretty sure these functions are configurable by the audi.

You’ve shared lots of great info by the way. Thanks.