Questions about T-coil functionality in Phonak Audéo Marvel M90-RT

Hearing Aids
#1

My previous set of hearing aids were Phonak Audeos but a different line that didn’t offer direct streaming. I just changed to the Marvels to get direct streaming and rechargeable.

Using the same phone I don’t have the same experience with the Tcoil. It doesn’t seem to be amplified as much, nor do the voices on the other end sound as clear. My old Phonaks were also set up so that if I held the receiver in the right spot the telecoil automatically kicked in. That doesn’t happen with the Marvels when I am in autosense. My audiologists doesn’t seem to be very proficient in setting up the phone programs with the Phonaks. So I am hoping someone may be able to answer my questions:

  1. Is there anyway to set it up so that the T coil automatically kicks in on a compatible phone when I hold the receiver in the right spot?

2 Is it Possible to use both Tcoil and acoustic phone at the same time, and is the programming any different than for accoustic phone without Tcoil?

3 Any ideas why Tcoil in Marvels Isn’t as helpful as the Tcoil in my older Phonaks when using the old phone - could it be because I have both Tcoil+ mic and accoustic programs?

#2
  1. Is there anyway to set it up so that the T coil automatically kicks in on a compatible phone when I hold the receiver in the right spot?

No. The Marvels don’t have any automatic telecoil activation. Having this feature requires an additional component to detect the magnetic signal which was available in older models but not the Marvel T models.

2 Is it Possible to use both Tcoil and acoustic phone at the same time, and is the programming any different than for accoustic phone without Tcoil?

No. Acoustic Phone uses a special feature to deliver the microphone signal from the phone ear to the opposite ear via 2.4 GHz. There is no way to have both telecoil and such a 2.4 GHz feature active simultaneously due to interference.

3 Any ideas why Tcoil in Marvels Isn’t as helpful as the Tcoil in my older Phonaks when using the old phone - could it be because I have both Tcoil+ mic and accoustic programs?

Unfortunately telecoil, Bluetooth/2.4GHz and rechargeable technologies don’t play well together. The telecoil on the Marvel devices is not geared for telephone use (and more for hearing loop telecoil use) probably due to the direct connectivity phone capabilities the hearing aids provide.

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#3

Thank you. So for a regular landline phone that isn’t a Bluetooth phone, am I better off using acccoustic phone vs Tcoil? Also do you know if all the Bluetooth compatible phones will require me to manually switch into accoustic or Tcoil mode?

#4

I have M90-13T aids and I haven’t used the T-coil function much. It does require the T-coil function be activated manually, or at least that is the way mine are set up. In fooling around with T-coil to see how it works, I did hear what ever it picked up in both ears. I don’t remember it working with a telephone though. It might, I just don’t remember it doing it. The older method of using the magnet to detect a phone receiver next to the ear has been discontinued, I think. I also have some B50 aids that have that feature, and it rarely did anything because most telephone, and I would say all cellphone receivers either don’t have magnets, or they are so small that they don’t trigger the Duophone feature. I think Phonak expects users of Marvels to stream from their cellphones and not even use landlines anymore. Best I remember, when you place the telephone next to your ear, with Marvels, you only hear it in that ear. I will have to try using T-coil on a phone call to see how that works. My problem with that is finding a telephone that creates enough of a magnetic field to hear it with the T-coil. What I have heard when trying to use T-coil with a cellphone is the electromagnetic trash the microprocessor in the phone generates. And that is pretty loud coming from my LG Stylo 3.

#5

Unfortunately, while the older models did have the duo t-phone feature just like the duo acoustic phone feature, the Marvels do not. I don’t know why.

But the telecoil should still work well assuming that you have the phone t-coil enabled rather than the public t-coil, and that you have a telecoil compatible phone.

#6

My audiologist enabled both the phone and public Tcoil options, as well as the accoustic phone option. The phone I tried the Tcoil phone program on was the same one I have occasionally used with my older Phonak hearing aids with Tcoil. But with the marvels I actually felt that it was easier to hear without the Tcoil, though I could hear some amplification, the sound wasn’t as clear, and I didn’t get any tones in my hearing aid when the Tcoil disconnected from moving the receiver. I was mostly using my home phone as a test for the Tcoil, since I knew it had worked with my older Tcoil.

#7

No, you wouldn’t. The auto phone feature is gone.

#8

I am experiencing the same issue too. I had the older Phonak model which I loved. I loved the DuoPhone system at work because I could actually hear the phone call I was making on a landline. I am struggling with the new Model and being able to hear on a landline phone. The environment I work in can get busy and lots of background noise. Anyone have any suggestions? Phonak hasn’t been the most helpful when I call them. the recently suggested a Acoustic Phone Program but I am not sure that would eliminate background noise.

#9

So far I am preferring the accoustic phone program to the Tcoil phone program. Though at least with my current settings it doesn’t block out background noise - not sure if there are ways the audiologist can adjust that.

#10

A question - how is the t-coil function in the hearing aid turned on or activated? Can’t find any mention of it in the Phonak manual.

#11

The T-coil can be manual or automatically started I the hearing aid software.

#12

When you say the software, you mean the app?

And how is it manually started?

#13

No, I mean in the hearing aid software.
To manually start it would be set up as a manual program.

#14

Thanks so much for your speedy reply. Sounds like next step is to get the audiologist to set it up.

#15

It can be activated/started by a magnet on your landline phone, some mobile phones can also, most manufacturers give a little magnet away that you can stick to your phone that will activate the t-coil in your hearing aid, but as @Raudrive says you may still need to have a program set up in the software.

#16

My only use of t-coils is when I am at church, or a movie, or the theater and want to hear better with the loop system that is available. I have never found t-coils on a phone really worth it.

#17

It’s always an eye opener when you get your head next to something that triggers the T-coil when not expecting it.
I have a LED flexible light I use to work on small things to see better. When I get one of my aids against this metal light it vibrates or buzzes the aid. Always gets a chuckle out of me.

#18

The only thing to point out, shawian, is that you have to have the right version of Marvel. Not all versions have the telecoil. Look for the M 90-T, M 50-T, or M 30-T versions.

Chris

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#19

Hi, My father who is an active 94 yr, needs to figure out how to get his Phonak Marvel M90 connect to a landline phone. I havecontac5ed Phonak and they really couldnt help. I wouldso grateful, if I could find a landline phone compatible with M90. I have purchased 6 phones saying that are compatible but none were!

#20

I bought a Gigaset SL78H which was on a list of compatible phones that someone obtained from Phonak. It was compatible in that I got it to connect by Bluetooth but it was impractical to use because it took several seconds for the Bluetooth to engage at the start of a phone call. I find it much easier to have “Acoustic Phone” as the first optional program. That way I pick up the phone as I click on the HA and get the callers voice in both ears. You just have to get used to placing the phone a little higher than normal so the mics can pick up the sound.