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Bose Hearphones

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Sometime back we had positive reports from Lisa about these when they had limited distribution. Now they are available online and in select stores. Anybody else tried them? Note: the name is specific. I’m not talking about generic Bose headphones.

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I have a set of Bose Quietcontrol 30, and the only reason I haven’t dropped the hammer on a set of Hearphones is they aren’t compatible with my two year old Android phone. With the QC 30, you can control the environment and audio manually, but I think with the Hearphones, you HAVE to have the phone app to dial in and tune the voice control. I’m not quite ready to ditch my beloved Android MAXX, but my wife and I travel as often as we can and do so in a pickup truck. Conversation inside the noisy truck is very difficult for me. I absolutely love the noise cancelling QC30, and use them a lot around the house and at work. Looking forward to reading some experiences with the Hearphones!

I’m definitely not trying to sell Bose Hearphones, but I do think they’re compatible with your phone. They require Android 4.4 or better and it looks like your phone is upgradable to Android 5.0. I know they have some manual controls but unclear what they cover.

Should be a operation, or if your phone is set to autoupdate, it may already be on a more recent OS. I’d first go to: About your Phone to determine your current OS. If it’s not current, then run an update. If all of this Greek, try Googling. If that doesn’t help, get back to me and I should be able to take you through it step by step.

My MAXX is currently version 4.4.4, and manual upgrade shows no new versions for it, but interestingly, the “Bose Connect App” for my QC30 headset claims the phone is incompatible with the app, so it refuses to download. Trying to download the BoseHear app now just to see if it will load.

Edited

Let me know how it goes. From what I read, 4.4 should be good for the Hearphones App. The Bose Connect App requires 5.0 so it makes sense that it’s not compatible. Seems odd that your phone won’t update to 5.0 as I have a similar vintage phone and it upgraded to 5.2. Probably related to fact that Android is not standardized. Aah. More research. An update to 5.0 was initially promised for the MAXX, but never happened. But, it seems 4.4 should work for the Hearphones App

Well, the BoseHear app downloaded just fine. Still can’t get the Bose Connect app to download. Will have to look further into the upgrade issue to see if I can get that one to load as well. At least now I have no excuse for not ordering the HearPhones!! Thanks a bunch!! :slight_smile:

Thanks. As much as I love my Android (have always used Androids), and all the accessories I already have for it, next time around, I’m making the jump to iPhone. Just tired of the games they play with us consumers and every time I go looking for something, it’s now obsolete, and everything I have for my current phone wont fit the new ones, etc. From what I gather, the iPhones constantly come out with more bells and whistles, but the basic system is always the same. Next time around for hearing aids, I’ll likely follow the trend for iPhone connectivity.

Apple is certainly a more controlled universe, but I’m pretty sure stuff still goes obsolete. Although top of the line Android phones are comparably priced to top of the line iPhones, you can find much better values if step down a bit. I paid less than $100 for a Samsung with Android 5.2 which handles all apps currently coming out. When it goes obsolete, I can spend another $100 to $200. Same thing with laptops. $200 for a Chromebook or $1000 for a MacBook. Apples are definitely a great design and product–not sure there worth the price considering what’s available.

If anyone has tried the HearPhones, I’d like to read what they have to say. I hadn’t heard of them until this thread started, but plan a trip down to the Bose Outlet Store in Castle Rock when they open today at 11:00. I don’t like the physical design with that thing around the neck, but see a definite use for something like this in front of the TV or trying to talk with someone in ONE direction while surrounded by other noise. I currently have Starkey Halo’s, which are GREAT as hearing aids, but the streaming is just awful.

Edited

In reply to @MDB

Actually the new iOS is not compatible with 32 bit apps so I’m not upgrading til my favorite apps upgrade to 64 bit. Every major upgrade there are still some apps left behind and some app makers who never bother to update their apps. That said I would not go android and definitely want my next aids to be made for iPhone.
Hearphones are really not meant for those of us who need to hear. They appear to be made for people with normal or near normal hearing who want to hear more easily in noisy places. Will still be interesting to read how a hearing impaired person finds their performance compared to noise reduction in HAs.

I suspect how helpful they might be would depend greatly on one’s hearing loss. Why I’m thinking about them is that I hear pretty well in quiet, but hearing in noise is a real struggle. I’ve never had it measured, but I suspect I need a much better than many. I know I could improve the effectiveness of my hearing aids in noise with more of a closed fit, but it would helpful only in a very small percentage of my hearing time. Hearphones might be a workable, moderately cost solution for me. Um Bongo and I once kidded on the square about the potential usefulness of domes with dynamic venting!

Okay, I went to the Bose Outlet Store in Castle Rock, Colorado at 11, when they opened. The staff was very helpful, and I was taken to a room where I was able to try the Hearphones with different kinds of background noise. I tried the directionality settings, and the employee went over the app with me. I was SO impressed, that I bought them on the spot. On the way home (an hour’s drive) I tried tailoring the audio in my VERY noisy truck. I was easily able to get rid of MOST of the “truck rumble” noise, and hear the truck radio (set to a TALK radio station) very clearly. I’m not able to do that with my Starkey Halo ’s. Right now I’m watching the news, streamed from my iPad. Very good!

It was easy to pair both my iPhone and iPad and to switch the Hearphones between them. As a test, while watching LIVE TV on the IPAD, I brought up the Hearphone APP on the IPHONE and play with the controls. SUCCESS! I could LISTEN on one device and CONTROL from the other.

So I’ve only had the Hearphones for a few hours, but I’m a happy camper. Very happy.

Jim Flannery, Littleton, Co.

Fantastic! I may have to try them. I don’t have a store that carries them nearby. Do you see any downside by doing mailorder, other than personal attention?

I just bought a pair on Saturday and in the limited time I’ve used them they’ve been great. I will post an update when I’ve tested them out further. I bought from a Bose store after I tested the directionality settings out in the mall that the store was located in.

In reply to @MDB

I ordered my HearPhones Friday. Should be here by Tuesday. A buddy found out that I had a set of QC30s and started asking questions. By the end of the conversation he had bought them from me, so now I have no excuse to upgrade to the HearPhones! :slight_smile:

I do hope they will perform as well as the QC30 in pure background elimination, because that was the sole reason for buying the QC30 and they are awesome! Not having a store nearby that I could try a set, I’m a bit concerned that the HearPhones may not have the level of noise cancellation that the QC30 has, simply because they are designed to allow voice to come through. I work several hours a day under a very high powered and LOUD exhaust fan and the QC30 can give me “bedtime” quietness. If the HearPhones come anywhere close to that, then they will solve my issues of the need for voice communication at the same time. Anxious to report back!

Got mine today. App pairs easily. Getting earbuds to fit properly takes some playing. Have I got it right that the only “voice” volume control is on the device itself? I’m only seeing World Volume on the APP (as well as treble) Thanks. How are others doing with theirs?

Yes, you can adjust bass/treble and world volume. There is also an adjustment to make streaming volume louder. For me they work really well in stores dealing with clerks and restaurants. I also have found the Bluetooth connection to be rock solid and more stabile than my Oticon Opn (no clicking or bouncing from ear to ear).

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