Avantree Auracast / LE Audio Transmitter User Reports – Jabra, GN, ReSound, Oticon, Starkey, Philips, Beltone, Cochlear, Costco KS10/KS11

Hi @TAS , Thanks for posting your feedback. I tried to reproduce the situation you described but so far I have not been able to reproduce the case where the C82 Aura needs to be unplugged and re-inserted.

Here are the tests I ran:

1. I plugged the C82 Aura into a Pixel phone (USB) and started playing music.

2. Using the ReSound Smart 3D app, I connected the ReSound hearing aids to the C82 Aura Auracast broadcast — audio played normally.

3. At the same time, I also used another Auracast receiver as a monitor to verify the broadcast stream.

4. I then stopped the music on the phone for different periods of time (10 minutes, 20 minutes, and about 1 hour).

When I started playback again:

• The second Auracast receiver resumed audio immediately.

• On the ReSound Smart 3D app, tapping C82 Aura allowed the hearing aids to resume playback.

However, I did notice a couple of other behaviors:

• Occasionally only one hearing aid resumes audio.
In this case, I needed to place the hearing aids back into the charging case and reconnect them to the phone to restore audio to both sides.

• In another scenario, I kept the C82 Aura broadcasting continuously, but stopped the hearing aids from receiving. After waiting for a while and trying to reconnect (which seems closer to your use case), sometimes the first attempt to reconnect did not resume audio.
However, if I searched again and tapped C82 Aura a second time, the connection was restored.

From what I can see on the second Auracast receiver, the C82 Aura itself appears to continue broadcasting normally during these situations.

One thing you might also try: after disconnecting from the broadcast, instead of tapping the existing C82 Aura entry already shown in the app, try pressing Search/Scan again first, and then selecting C82 Aura from the refreshed list. This may force the hearing aids to start a new connection process, which might help determine whether the issue is related to how the previous session is resumed.

I will continue testing more corner cases to see if I can reproduce the exact behavior you described and try to identify what might be happening.

Thanks again for your detailed report.

Danny

How about an AM/FM portable radio, like your SP850, with built in auracast for hearing aids? Of course, I could always use my Voyager HA dongle, but built in would be cool

Good idea We will consider that. If you see Avantree has that, pls contact us for a free unit as you suggested this

Hi all — trying to understand where things are heading with Auracast usability.

Today it seems most hearing aid apps still rely on manual stream selection.
Features like QR code scan or NFC tap to join don’t appear widely available yet.

Has anyone heard from their manufacturer about:

• QR code support?

• NFC tap to join?

• Any expected timeline?

Would be great to know if this is coming soon or still further out.

Hi @TAS I just got a latest reply from ReSound. They said that with the latest app version, you no longer need to re-enter the password every time to listen to Auracast. Also, the Jabra Enhance 20 can now receive a firmware upgrade at Costco that adds support for Auracast Assistant.

I found my first public venue with Auracast earlier this week. It was at a church here in Toronto that I visit a couple of times a year. Normally I can’t clearly hear what is being said through their sound system. And that is how I started off my visit. On a whim, I did a search for available Auracast broadcasts and one popped up with the Churches name on it.

Selecting the broadcast, I could hear what was being said in the microphone to the room but there was a really heavy buzzing sound. Much like the 60 Hz buzz from fluorescent lights or “ground loop” . I was able to tweak the “Sound Enhancer” in the Jabra Enhance Pro app, to lower the buzz & increase the audio. For the first time ever, I could hear the people using the microphone but I couldn’t get rid of the buzz completely.

At the end of the event, I was introduced to the Churches custodian who showed me their sound system. There was a stack of Shure SLX4 wireless receivers, a Soundcraft MPM 20/2 mixing console and an Avantree Audikast 4 HA unit with solid blue lights showing for Audio Signal and below the “Ear Icon”. I mentioned the buzz to the custodian and said that I would reach out to some people that might have some suggestions through this forum . I did find this trouble shooting guide from Sennheiser1 that I will give them.

I was hoping that @PhoebeY, @DannyLee or @PhilCreighton might have some additional suggestions, trouble shooting steps or point me to some possible solutions. FWIW I have used the Homespot BA210 v2 and Floogoo FMA120 at home with my Pixel 8 Pro and Jabra EP30s without the buzzing issue.

An Auracast should be clear.

So I am guessing - the cable could be loose, or dodgy. Or the sound you are hearing means the AV desk is not set up correctly.

Did the AV team test the Auracast with their own headphones?

I think we can eliminate your hearing aids as you know the Auracast works fine at home.

@DannyLee thank you for the quick response.

I am not a member of the churches congregation, though I am in the process of connecting with the party that might be responsible for the sound system. As such there may be some delays in getting responses from my end. I’ll keep you posted.

Once I connect with the right party, I’ll provide them with a link to the relative posts in this thread, along with a description of who is who so they will understand where the information is coming from.

For what it’s worth, I experienced difficulties (Jabra EP 30) with the C82 Aura and my HP Windows 11 desktop. The C82 worked fine on my laptop in both the USB C port and the USB A port with the adapter Avantree sent me (free). After some time, support from Janey at Avantree got everything working perfectly. So, if setup is an issue, reach out to Avantree Customer Service. It’s top notch.

@DannyLee said:

Let me know what you find.

I received an email this evening from someone at the church on behalf of the AV team. This is what they said:

Thanks for your feedback about the Auracast setup. We had actually just connected it when you emailed us… we hadn’t tested it or even checked it was working at that point. I guess you were an inadvertent early adopter!

Regarding the buzz you reported- we have an older sound board and I suppose we had the transmitter on a noisy output line. We recently moved it to a better line and that rectified the buzzing sound. All should be good in the Auracast transmission now.

Hopefully this info can help someone troubleshooting in the future.

I use the Avantree C82 on a Macbook Air with my Amps and it works great as well. I should add that they work great with a HomeSpot BA210.

I have the Soundgear AMP BTE RIC 312 with Custom Ear molds from Costco. The firmware was updated to the latest version, which includes the new Auracast capability.

The Avantree Audikast 4 (non HA model) is working fine with a 3-year old LG television.

It took a lot of fiddling to get the TV settings just right for audio.

The Audikast device is powered by a USB port on the TV. Which means the device is only powered when the TV is on.

The only niggle about Auracast is everything must be done via the iPhone app for Starkey / Soundgear.:

• Connection to Audikast device

• Volume control of the Auracast stream

.

I also have the C82 Aura USB-C dongle for my iPhone 15. I use it to listen to Podcasts while twice a day.

When enough body mass gets between the C82 Aura and the Hearing Aids, then the Auracast Stream is disconnected. Then the Apple MFi technology automatically takes over and continues the Podcast streaming to the Hearing Aids.

The Auracast stream gets disconnected when picking up the dog’s waste product or when adjusting his collar, or when abruptly swiveling my head / body. It’s a PITA, and tolerable.

I just ordered the PhonaK EON hearing aids and my audi ordered a Phonak TV transmitter also. I have been reading that with Auracast I only need an Avantee Audikast transmitter. Those of you using the Audikast on your TV do you find the sound better than it was using the former Hearing aid transmitters?

I don't use a TV transmitter since there isn't any need if you have an Auracast transmitter and hearing aids that can use it.

However, I was surprised with how much more I hear with my Auracast transmitter. It's sometimes a bit annoying when I hear foot steps, crinkling paper and things being place on shelves and so on. If I were to just listen through my TV speaker, I wouldn't hear any of this.

Just may sure that any Auracast transmitter you use has the latest firmware.