About three weeks ago I replaced my old hearing aids with the Kirkland BTE RCE (Behind the Ear/ Receiver in the ear) Signature ($1995/pair) at Costco. Very pleased with these hearing aids.
I also got the Rexton Mini Blu. ($400 more) This connects with my Android phone and streams through both hearing aids. I can also play music from BT sources. Sound and quality are quite good.
HOWEVER, the Rexton Mini Blu (worn as a pendant or clipped to my clothing) seems to have some serious design flaws,
-
Must be within 24" or so of the hearing aids to work. Not a huge problem, except
-
The microphones in the Mini Blu are located on the front and top of the Mini Blu. These microphones are where the sound is accessed when I am speaking on the phone. The MB hanging from a lanyard, easily turns around and then the front microphone rubs against my shirt and causes noises that I can’t hear, but the person I am talking to, can hear! I hear, “Sounds like you are in a windstorm.”
So in order to get around this, I have to hold the MB in my hand while on the phone. This IS a problem, and
- An even bigger problem is that the MB has three buttons on the front that are too easily pressed, like if I am carrying something. These buttons, when accidentally pressed, cause the bluetooth to quit working.
One button should be pressed to seek other BT sources. Pressing this seems to disconnect my phone BT.
Another button accesses different programs on my hearing aids. So I go from automatic phone, to the “Loud environment” – or the "multiple people speaking " – or whatever else is programmed in the aids.
Another button is the button I press to answer the phone, also to hang up. Too many times, I accidentally press this button in the middle of conversations, particularly since it is winter and I put on a heavy coat over the pendant/Mini Blu.
An additional quirk is that the Min Blu pendant has an always blinking green light when it is turned on. This seems to serve no other purpose than to let you know it is on and working. A large number of people are drawn to this blinking light and ask me what is this thing around your neck?
Others who may not ask spend a bit of time looking at my chest, trying to figure out what is causing the bright blinking green light. I have more sympathy, now, with women who have men talking to their chest! LOL
Wearing it clipped to my clothing only solves the problem of it turning around and getting wind noise rubbing against my shirt.
I like the Kirkland Signature Hearing aids, but the Mini Blu is causing me to think I need to research other blu tooth hearing aids.
Any suggestions???