Widex COM-DEX

Hearing Aids
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#1

Just got the new COM-DEX device from Widex for my Unique Passion 440 RICs.

One word, “Wow!”. Two words, “freaking wow!”.

Listening to music from my iPhone 6 as I type this. Super impressed by the sound quality. Love how I can switch between listening to audio from my phone with surrounding sound, or with surrounding sound muted.

The small device (about the size of a USB stick) hangs around your neck and connects via Bluetooth to your phone. I tried wearing below my clothes and it works fine (so invisible). You can stream music to your hearing aids and take phone calls. For calls, you do need to talk into the microphone on the neck device though.

Connecting to an iPhone is easy (only tested iPhone 6) but I do suggest turning Bluetooth on the phone first, then connect the neck loop cord to start the device.

There is also an app to adjust the hearing aid (volume and program switching) as well as change the directionality (front, back, sides). The app seems a bit flakey though as I’ve found it sometimes doesn’t work after listening to music. The UI of the app is not that great either…so needs some work.

Will provide additional feedback after some more use, so far really impressed and exceeds my expectations (I’ve listened to “Made for iPhone” hearing aids and really did not like the sound quality or size of those devices. Yep, it would be nice to not need the neck loop…but it will still be a while before we can get there technically in the Passion form factor.

Thank you Widex! Please work on the app though :slight_smile:

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#2

How do you like the AIDS themselves? How does live or recorded music sound through them? How is speech—warm? A bit tinny?

#3

I will do a full review in a couple of weeks. Basically I am quite satisfied with how they sound with music (via Bluetooth) but more importantly, speech. I like the “Widex sound” (more natural) whereas other brands sound “tinny” to me.

As stated above, I am very impressed with the sound quality of recorded music (via a Bluetooth source relayed directly to the hearing aids). I haven’t tested live music enough “over the air” to give a considered opinion yet.

#5

Well, I have COM-Dex now too, someone can be interested about my findings:

  • music transmission is quite good as for hearing aids, but only in mono
  • you can switch off hearing aid microphone during sound transmission trought this device, but only during call or music play, not possible to do it when COM-Dex is connected only
  • neck cable looks quite good, it’s braided cable, not just rubby cable as for example UNI-Dex have
  • if you have RC-Dex, it’s not working during using sound transsion from COM-Dex, but it work if you have this device connected on neck and not using it

What I’m missing is option to change volume and switch programms on COM-Dex. So it will fully replace RC-Dex. You can do it only on phone in Widex app (android or ios) when COM-Dex is connected to it.

#6

Glad to hear all this because I just ordered my COM-Dex today.

#7

My hearing aid specialist lent me a Com-Dex to try for a few weeks with my demo Widex Unique 440s. I have since purchased the hearing aids but passed on the Com-Dex. My hope was that I could use the Com-Dex to deliver sound from my hi-def tv directly into the hearing aid. But the TV doesn’t have Bluetooth so that I purchased a small Bluetooth transmitter to connect to the TV with the hope that then the Com-Dex would be able to deliver the sound to my hearing aids. The Com-Dex would not connect/pair to the Bluetooth transmitter.

Other than using a room teleloop system (which I may end up trying) does anyone know how to deliver TV sound to the hearing aid using either a Com-Dex or some other resource. I could use the wired headset jack with extensions but hesitate to do that as someone entering the TV room could inadvertently cause the TV to crash to the floor. So a wireless system would be preferable.

#8

It should pair to a Bluetooth transmitter. I would try again but make sure everything else in range is turned off (cell phones, TV wifi, laptops or tablets with bluetooth).

Widex also has a TV transmitter which would probably give you better performance anyway.

Is it a pairing problem or a connect problem (they are different problems). Are you sure that TV sound is on for the port the transmitter is connected to?

http://www.widex.pro/en/products/accessories/dex-assistive-devices

#9

Got mine and it’s good but the COM-DEX app will not work on Android phones with operating systems higher than 5.0 and above. No fix yet in sight.

#10

The TX-DEX is wonderful. Unit that plugs into an outlet for power and also has an RCA cable that goes from the back of the DEX into the outlets on your TV. Another device goes around your neck and streams audio straight into your hearing aids. My wife loves it since she can control the volume of the TV without having it cranked to an obnoxious volume.

#11

Thought I would chime in on this - I have just picked up the COM-DEX along with my new Widex Unique 220s, with one of my goals being to get TV audio into the aids. Like others have reported, there doesn’t seem to be a solution for getting the audio via Bluetooth directly to the COM-DEX/aids. I have found what I think may end up being a suitable solution: the Blipcast. http://www.blipcast.co/ This device streams audio via wifi from your TV to your phone. This means a few things: You can listen with headphones if you want, (including any set of your choice, Bluetooth, wired, etc), or, via the COM-DEX direct to the aids. Another perk is that multiple users can connect to the same audio stream. It also significantly reduces the latency inherent in Bluetooth audio transmission. Now for the bad news: The product launched on Kickstarter in January and failed to raise the goal set. It is not currently available for purchase, though a few weeks ago they were reportedly still actively working towards production. I’ve reached out for more information, and hopefully there will be good news soon. You can sign up at the link above for updates about the product.

On a separate note, I have a question: When I enable the phone via COM-DEX, the audio is very clear, with no interfering noise. However, when I start playing music over the Bluetooth, a background ‘white noise’ appears underneath the music. Is this by design, and if so, can it be disabled? Would definitely be interested in other’s experience with this.

Thanks!

#12

Can you confirm that the COM-DEX really does provide only mono sound? If so, that is a really retrograde step compared with the TV-DEX which streams excellent stereo sound. I have two TV-DEX units, one for my living-room TV and one in my study connected to my PC for streaming stereo music and videos. But I currently use the M-DEX for connecting to my smartphone and I had thought that the COM-DEX would be a good replacement for that, with the ability to program it from an app on my phone. The big drawback of the M-DEX is that it only streams in mono and so any music or radio streamed from my smartphone is only in mono. It appears that the COM-DEX suffers from the same constraint and so gives no better sound functionality than the M-DEX. I certainly would not want to buy a unit that gives only mono sound so I guess I shall have to give the COM-DEX a miss unless anyone here can tell me otherwise.

#13

Like the M-DEX, COM-DEX is mono, but has a better sound. I had the M-DEX for 3 years for my Dream 440’s and Iphone 5S, but in the end I had take it in for rebooting every few weeks…finally it only worked on one channel - they wanted 300$ to fix it (it cost 300$).

The COM-DEX is a much better product - better sound, smaller/lighter, easier to use, cheaper, and rarely drops the signal. I have the IPHONE app but rarely use it.

I have not tried the TV-DEX.

#14

I have also been evaluating the Unique and Com-Dex. The sound quality for speech recognition and masking background noisnoise-cancelling, and streaming music is very good and a great improvement over my Dream 440 Fusion. The Com-Dex is good when it works and is a pain in the butt when you frequently have to restart your iPhone (I have a 6s Plus) Streaming music is pretty good. Because of the Com-Dex issues, My audiologist is returning the Unique HAs and ordering the just released Widex Beyond 440 Fusion2 which are their made for iPhone hearing aids and based on the Unique platform. I will be receiving them the first week in January

A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to attend a demonstration of the Bose Hearphones at their headquarters in Massachusetts. Hearphones are ear buds, with multi-directional microphones, that provide noise-cancelling and speech enhancement. They are controlled through Bluetooth and currently through iPhone 6 and later versions. After the demo I was so impressed that I purchased a pair. My hearing loss is moderate to severe. These Hearphones are amazing for conversations in noisy environments, phone streaming, and absolutely kick-ass for streaming music! They are also great for listening to movies and music in your livingroom with other people so that you can adjust the volume and tone for your needs. I paid $499 plus tax for them and Bose said they should be available to the general public later in January. Try searching them on Facebook. The comments are mostly from people with normal hearing, who also struggle hearing in noisy environments. In the Hearphones user manual, they state that the Hearphones are not hearing aids.

#15

Is she having any loss of sound when she moves her head while watching TV?
My TV-DEX experience was awful. The sound was fine but I basically could not move my head in any direction without losing sound.
I am curious to know if this is just my problem.

#16

Hi, Russ-Shettle. Where did you get that information? I have problem with Com-Dex working on a Samsung S6, it permanently restarts principal program. Works fine with other brands of cell phone, but Id like it to work with my phone…

#17

I have an Android S6 and use the COM-DEX. I have some issues with it but overall I’m pretty happy with it. I don’t feel like there is a lot of information on how it works. For instance, trying to get it to pause when I am streaming music or a podcast works intermittently. The sometimes the button on the COM-DEX pauses and sometimes it opens the app on my phone. It doesn’t work consistently and I can’t find much information on how it should work. Does anyone know a good source for this?

#18

I found this: A software update for those with mono still. Now it is aptX stereo. https://youtu.be/zk-XEWFOsZ0

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Anyone have the Widex COM-DEX firmware updater?
#19

Very interesting! But, as I know, aptX is a Sennheiser’s own codec? Sennheiser is a part of Oticon - but WHY Oticon Streamer Pro still mono? Frustrating.

#20

APT-X is from Qualcomm.

#21

Very true! They bought the protocol.