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When Will Auracast Actually Be Enabled for Phonak, Oticon, Signia, etc.? (From a Device Maker’s Perspective)

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Many thanks for your replies. Am I correct in thinking that I have two ways of connecting an stream to my in two ways?

  1. Use the BA in the HA app to connect the HAs directly to the stream.

  2. Use the phone as Auracast receiver (using phone’s BA) and then connect the audio out to my HAs using the usual LEA connection.

I guess the second way might introduce some lag, but it would enable the HAs to ‘connect to an HQ audio stream.

@chrisb said:

I guess the second way might introduce some lag, but it would enable the HAs to ‘connect to an HQ audio stream

Wouldn’t the stream be transcoded to a lower sampling rate when sent to your hearing aids anyway? I guess if the HQ stream is the only one going, but I think public venues are required to provide a standard quality broadcast.

In reply to @chrisb

@chrisb said:
  • Use the BA in the HA app to connect the HAs directly to the stream.

Correct.

@chrisb said:
  1. Use the phone as Auracast receiver (using phone’s BA) and then connect the audio out to my HAs using the usual LEA connection.

In this case, the phone is not an receiver and certainly not relaying any audio. However, the phone BA can scan the available broadcasts in the air, and then instructs the to join a broadcast (via the BASS profile).

In both cases, it is the HA to join the Auracast stream.

Just sharing a quick compatibility update for anyone using Widex Allure hearing aids and looking for a reliable transmitter.

One of our users confirmed that the Widex Allure (firmware 5.1.20) works successfully with the Avantree C82 Aura dongle.
After updating his Allure to the latest firmware, he was able to select the audio stream directly from his Pixel 8 Pro’s Bluetooth settings and listen through Auracast without issues.

His initial unit had a firmware-update fault, but we replaced it immediately, and everything is now working smoothly. He reported stable streaming and recommends the setup.

Posting this here in case it helps other Widex Allure users looking for Auracast options.

If anyone else is using Widex Allure with Auracast transmitters, feel free to share your experience!

Edited

Nice to see the Widex Allure aids has support as an option to be more future proof as I may be looking to try the new Widex Allure when it is available.where I am as Widex does not really have a UP option ever since they discontinued the Widex Menu in markets outside of India.

edit: I am curious if there is a difference with Audikast 4HA and Audikast 4 with hearing aids like the Widex Allure line?

Philips 9050 is now enabled. New version of aids is 1.3.0; new version of Hearlink 2 is 1.6.1. In the app click on Sound page; bottom right corner click on 3 dots. Bottom of page click on Auracast broadcast.

In reply to @HA007

Yes, the Audikast 4HA is specifically fine-tuned for hearing aid users. Unlike the Audikast 4, which is more general-purpose, the 4HA offers enhanced features for seamless integration with hearing aids. It comes with a default setting that requires no additional adjustments, ensuring ease of use without needing to tweak settings for optimal performance.

Phoebe, can you elaborate on those advanced features for hearing aid users that the Audikast 4HA has over the 4?

In reply to @PhoebeY

Hmm I see you posted the response from the Q&A part of the page for the Audikast 4HA.

Though this page does say the 4HA has encrypted audio support and custom broadcast name which the 4 does not support.

I guess a downside with a device like this is you need to use the related Widex app on a phone or tablet to pair the Allure with device vs just syncing with the Widex Tv Play 2 which is anywhere from $300 to $500 for a new one here.

That’s a fair concern — historically, most hearing aid users did need a brand-specific TV streamer like Widex TV Play.

Audikast 4HA is different in that it broadcasts audio using , which is a new Bluetooth standard supported directly by newer hearing aids. Because of that, it doesn’t rely on Widex’s proprietary pairing protocol or require a dedicated Widex TV streamer.

If your Widex Allure firmware has Auracast enabled, you can join the broadcast directly from the hearing aids (or via the app for selection), without purchasing an additional $300–$500 TV accessory.

I have new Resound Vivia ’s, but my current phone is an older Galaxy A13 which is not capable of streaming directly to them, so I am looking to upgrade to a more capable phone. The A13 does support the Resound App which allows me to control the HA’s as well as the TV streamer, but it cannot connect to my laptop or secondary TV.

So, while I shop for phones, I bought an Avantree Voyager HA. I have given it a quick trial and it looks like it will work out fairly well. I’ve tested it on my laptop, secondary tv, and even on my phone’s headphone jack and it streams audio via flawlessly from all three. It streams phone calls from the phone, but it looks like I have to be playing audio first. (I’ll have to play with that a bit).

Anyway, it looks like the Voyager is going to be a great interim solution. Thanks for the suggestion @flashb1024

The above was originally posted here in response to a suggestion by @flashb1024, but I thought it might be useful here as well.

The post is pretty much self explanatory except that I have learned that the phone does stream phone calls to the HA’s via Voyager auracast simply by selecting the Voyager stream in the Resound app when the Voyager is connected to the phone. Of course, the phone’s mic must still be used to talk.

Morning to all,

I am considering getting the phonak sphere’s, should the slow role out of stop me from getting these particular aids or will it eventually come? I am thinking of going with them and waiting for Auracast given Phonak’s other awesome features but would love other opinions on this.

Sorry I haven’t been following this closely. Am I correct that we’re basically in the same place with and as we were with direct to phone streaming several years back where all the major players (Demant, GN, Widex/Signia and Starkey) all offer it except Sonova on their most current hearing aids?

Secondly for those that have compared Auracast to a proprietary TV connector does the TV connector seem to hold any advantages?

IMHO, the temporary lack of shouldn’t be a deal-breaker regarding broad Bluetooth compatibility due to Bluetooth Classic in Phonak hearing aids.

However, that opinion doesn’t include the market pressure to finally release a firmware update that could activate it.

In reply to @Nikosman

That is a dilemma. I decided the general advantages of the Infinios outweighed waiting for them to release the firmware.

Having said that I sure wish they would get it released. I have an immediate use for it when it does which is to stream Auracast from my LG TV directly to the aids while other people in the room can listen to Atmos object-based sound from the sound system.

Also music streaming from things like Spotify should sound a lot better with LE audio (using the Codec) instead of classic Bluetooth (using the lossy SBC codec).

The latest statement from Phonak on when they will be releasing an firmware update…

image

I asked my instead and s/he said maybe mid 2026 but more likely in the fall. At least s/he had a guess.

@platypus said:

I asked my AI instead and s/he said maybe mid 2026 but more likely in the fall. At least s/he had a guess.

Based on the past, the Naida Infinio lineup will be released in the spring, and a new Audeo platform will be released in August. Maybe then they will introduce support.

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