Phonak introduces Marvel platform and Audéo M hearing aids

Why would that have anything to do with which hearing aid communicates with the phone? Both hearing aids get the sound.

I don’t see any incentive to continue MFi development. Phonak is proving they can make regular Bluetooth work, and that includes iPhones and Android phones. Other HA manufacturers would put their R&D money in matching or exceeding what Phonak has done. My guess is that Resound would be next.

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@Don
I seem to think I’ve read here that the bluetooth connects to one side. Then to further the guess I guess it then copies the audio over to the opposite side using methods that have been around for a while.

As for your other comment…Phonak could still try doing this using the newer BT5 LE. But yes…I’m likin’ this Phonak approach.

The mic that receives the sound of your voice during a phone call is designated by the ear chosen, as I understand it.

The ear chosen also receives the audio coming from your phone and then streams it in real time to the other ear.

So my right Marvel is the designated one and it is also the one with the most amplification. Occasionally I do notice the right hearing aid rechargeable battery is a little lower than the left but for the most part they stay at the same charge level. You are probably correct that phone calls are being transferred from the right to the left but it is not noticeable and I really like having the calls go to both ears while the phone remains in my pocket.
All of the above notwithstanding, when I’m streaming music from my iPhone to the aids I definitely get stereo separation as some tones come from the left and some from the right and some from the middle. The hands free calling and the music streaming are outstanding features.

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This is a great clarification. I’ve been looking for confirmation on this wondering if it’s just the same audio copied to the other side.
If you try some older Beatles real stereo or some Pink Floyd that tosses sounds all over the left and right then you could really tell.

Okay at your suggestion went into my iPhone music library and played Strawberry Fields. Starts out with a lot of clear bass in the left ear, then kicks in with rhythm in the right ear and then moves back and forth and voices come from the middle. Horns in right ear, drums in the left ear. Very clear and exceptional sound; I can hear all the various instruments; lots of stereo separation. Then Penny Lane; Wow!! Bells in left ear horns in right. Almost makes me dizzy switching back and forth so much for the various instruments.

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Fantastic reporting. Thanks for that.
I had every expectation that it would but it’s just nice to confirm these things.

So the designated aid gets both stereo channels and feeds the other aid the channel it needs. It is not a mono copy. I’m surprised it doesn’t use both hearing aid mics for phone. That would be a way for it to isolate the speakers voice.

Are you sure it doesn’t use both microphones for voice on phone calls? I have had no problem with people on the other end hearing my voice thus far, even in windy or noisy (restaurants) situations.

Are there any news for bluetooth with iphone XS and iphone XS MAX?
I got tired of using the iPhone 6.

So I emailed my audi and told him I wanted to try vented domes. I think that would help with the music streaming, and sometimes I like to mute the aids at work, but with these open domes muting doesn’t do much. Also, @Neville suggested I shouldn’t be in open domes anyway.
The receptionist called me and said she had a stock of Phonak domes, so this would be no problem. I pointed out to her that Phonak had a different series of domes specific to the Marvel. She said that she didn’t see any reason why the Marvel would need a specific dome, and that even if the Phonak domes didn’t work out they have a broad selection of other domes to try out. She said they would order the Marvel domes if need be, but she didn’t think it would be necessary.
So my question is, why did Phonak even come out with a new set of domes? Is there something special about these new Marvel domes?

They changed their receivers, so they had to change their domes to fit. Presumably they also felt the domes needed some improvements. The bubble style of the closed domes will probably reduce the chance of them flipping inside out when you remove them from the ear, which they used to do a fair bit. The power domes do seem softer and it was suggested to me that the new shape would be a better fit for wider variety of ears (possibly reduce the number of custom tips phonak has to make). I don’t know why they switched to this sort of wheel style for the open domes.

The old domes do fit on the new receivers–it’s a bit snug, but that’s better than being a bit loose.

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Now have the Marvel’s rechargeable for trail. Liking the autosense 3 and not needing to select different programs per environment’s ! Look like I’m the 2nd my AUD has setup with Marvels. So he did not have the new made for Marvels power domes and tails. Phonak is shipping the power (double) domes and tails for next weeks adjustment.
The Bluetooth paring and connection is different that MFI. AUD setup the right HA as the Bluetooth primary.
On Iphone XS you don’t setup under MFI, (forget old HA just in case) then just pair bluetooth for the right HA. Next setup the remote app it adds two more entries you end up with…

  • L Phonak hearing aid - Not Connected
  • R Phonak hearing aid - Connected
  • R Phonak hearing aid - Not Connected

on android Pixel 3 XL

  • R Phonak hearing aid - Connected

After paring had to powered off / on phone and HA’s then startup remote app to
find HA’s, no additional BT entries like apple…

TV streamer is good (better than Resound quantros TV streamer) very clear and you can adjust the mix of environment vs TV sound.

iPhone XS has issues with mic on phone calls, works on IPhone SE.

Android Pixel 3 XL mic works on phone calls, BUT Phonak remote app only connects to right HA about 30% of the time, so far to get working need to forget HA in remote app and rediscover. Take to much time!
GOOD: Phonak Marvels standalone are execelent.
BAD: Remote App and BT handshake need work/not reliable…

Have been wearing custom shell because past HA’s domes did not stay in place. So starting this trial with power domes with tails.

See that new custom shells will be available in February (sounds nice)

hoping for all of us that Phonak fixes issues !!!

My experience with the M90-R and iPhone X:

  1. Bluetooth connect from general settings: R Phonak hearing aid
  2. Phonak Remote App connect both R Phonak hearing aid and L Phonak hearing aid to get “Pair” dialog (yes/no).

End working result in bluetooth list is:

  • L Phonak hearing aid - Not Connected
  • R Phonak hearing aid - Connected
  • R Phonak hearing aid - Not Connected

iPhone X does not know it is a HA, more like a headset.

I haven’t seen any weirdness that I have not seen with other Bluetooth products with the iPhone X. Sometimes my watch doesn’t connect, so I turn off and on bluetooth = fixed. Same here with the M90’s, i think this is more an iPhone issue than the bluetooth devices.

That’s interesting because it’s 100% reliable with my Galaxy Note 5. I wonder if your audi would be willing to try a replacement aid?

Well that’s a bummer since I just bought my RICs! Now I’ll have to wait three years to get these.

Still no fix in sight from either Apple nor Phonak on the major bug in the iPhone XS/XS Max where the mics drop out approx 20 seconds into a phone call. Very frustrating as everything else works brilliantly!

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Good to hear :slight_smile: that your phone is working. I traded in my note for the Pixel 3 as Google and Resound were to provide streaming support. Resound told my AUD sometime this spring!

Pixel 3 XL = remote Phonak app connection for right HA just spinning wheel / not usable
Iphone XS = mic issues on phone call’s / not usable

now traded in Iphone SE for Iphone XR / WORKING !!!

still issues with changing to other devices like Ipad pro 11" (20-30min’s to switch or back)

Its like moving a apple watch 4 from one Iphone to another (forget then repair on new device)

They must only have one slot/register of the secure connection in the watch or Phonak Marvel or ???

Hopefully we won’t need to wait for the rogers firmware update this fall to get multi connections working.

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still issues with changing to other devices like Ipad pro 11" (20-30min’s to switch or back)

Yikes!!!

Let me ask again (sorry)… Has anyone here:

  1. Gotten an Apple Watch LTE to work “properly” with the Marvels for phone calls (i.e. call audio goes through HA’s and the HA mic is used)?

  2. Gotten any Mac or PC or TV to pair with the Marvels?

I’ve failed on all of these…