Can I Use My Smartphone as a Remote Microphone

@boreham said:

ReSound Multimic

Boreham,
The ReSound Multimic appears to be an excellent device. I am currently using Kirkland Signature 9s (KS9s), which are somewhat dummed-down Phonak Marvels. Unfortunately they don’t work with the Roger pens, which appear to be somewhat similar to the Multimics. As a result, I’m looking for alternatives.

Keeping it simple, on an iPhone go to settings>Accessibility>Hearing Devices>MFI Hearing Devices (Connected)>Start Live Listen Now set bottom of the phone to point toward the speaker device and when it all syncs up, you have the sound in your ears.

Left it going once and after the call, I pick up on discussions the staff was having after me leaving. When I quoted a few comments that were made, people got real very quiet.

@6b7958d1addc9d4c3949 said:

on an iPhone go to settings>Accessibility>Hearing Devices>MFI Hearing Devices

I don’t believe Android has a similar feature, unfortunately.

When you use that feature, are there latency (sound delay) issues?

When I use this, No. There are no latency issues to speak of.
And on the iPhone a simple down swipe will bring most of the Settings string into a simple screen to control your Hearing Aid interface to your phone, including the Blue Tooth feed from your TV or other audio device you have properly attached to equipment.
Oticon OPN1 system with iPhone.

A year or two ago I fitted out the church hall with a sound system, and amongst ther inputs I included Bluetooth, to facilitate sound from a laptop being used for projection. As an experiment I downloaded an iOS bluetooth microphone app, thinking I could use it as a wireless mic. But the fraction of a second latency made it unusable because you heard your voice coming back at you delayed by just enough to make it totally offputting.

I too would very much like to find a much cheaper alternative to the Roger, for just very occasional use in challenging situations. It’s been in the back of my mind for some months but I haven’t come up with an obvious solution.

Perhaps a mic could be linked into one of those low power FM transmitters which were popular for linking a music device into a car radio before all car radios had Bluetooth. And you can get a single chip FM receivers (e.g. TDA7012) - maybe use one to feed a neck loop.

re: # 2.4G Wireless Microphone Lapel Style MIC Receiver Transmitter Voice Amplifier

As I noted back in late March, I ordered a wireless lapel mic, with the intention of using it with a TV Connector (Phonak/Kirkland) to serve as a ‘Roger-type’ device with my KS9s. The mic/receiver took a long time to get to me–it was ordered out of China through WISH, and with extended shipping delays due to the pandemic I didn’t get it until mid-April.

This is a picture of the contraption:

The black box under the TV Connector is a Li-Ion USB battery to power the TV Connector. The receiver from the lapel mic is plugged into the TV Connector. To the top-right of the TC Connector is the lapel mic.

It works, although not well. I didn’t realize it when I ordered it, but the lapel mic and receiver are single channel (not stereo). As a result, I only get sound in one ear. And the sound was a bit unsteady, although that might simply have been because the various connections weren’t as secure as they could have been.

This would have been a low-cost solution, if somewhat ungainly. I’m looking for a better mic/receiver combination–one that is self-powered, but two-channel and yet relatively inexpensive.

If anyone has a mic/receiver recommendation, I’m all ears (so to speak).

Thom

Very interesting concept.
Please keep us posted as your search continues. Best of luck!

True, Bluetooth has a lag and Roger doesn’t. But the lag only is an issue when you are using both the HA mics and the remote together. If you use the remote mic as a remote mike, and turn off the HA mics it is not an issue. Plus, some BT transmitters have a very low latency. I would try the mic you already have and connect it to a cheap, $15, TaoTronics or other transmitter dongle.

Phonak also has a non-roger bluetooth remote mic that would work but with a similar short lag. I have one and it works great.

Edit: ok I hadn’t read the whole thread. I just did and see what you want. Never mind.

Here’s something to add to your toolbox, I discovered it when I was looking for ways to stream a studio mic directly to my hearing aids.

https://www.ikmultimedia.com/products/irigprehd/60

I’m interested if it would improve the sound of your existing el-cheapo mic.

re: But the lag only is an issue when you are using both the HA mics and the remote together.

I have open domes, so the lag is inevitable. I agree that some Bluetooth devices have less lag; some devices might be less annoying. But there are non-lag mic/receivers available, so this solution should be workable.

Thanks for the updates.