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Phonak Virto M90-312 dropping Bluetooth connection

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As a longtime Phonak user, Bluetooth connection drops is worst I ever experienced with new Virto M90-312 (aka Virto Black), after getting them remade 3x by manufacturer for various issues, and talking to Phonak support, I’m sending them back for good. Other issues were static sounds like blown speaker, dropped connections with Phonak TV Connector at 14 feet, drop bluetooth connections from iPhone XS Max, you turn your head to left, connection drops to one , you turn head to right, connection drops in other hearing aid. These hearing aids are not ready for prime time yet as Bluetooth issues are persistent all over. Phonak should use better antennas and do more QC before launching them. Not sure how these hearing aids won CES 2020 Award? For them being premium, expensive, and marketed for what they supposed to do but don’t, I’m Walking away disappointed. Anyone has similar issues? Not sure what to trust next? Resound Quatro or new Widex Moment or ???

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Whatever you do pick an aid with a bigger/rechargeable batteries.

You might find you do better with the Quattro or the OPN S with their made for iPhone integration.

We’ve been fitting the Quattro R and the OPn S R since the lifting of lockdown. The accessories and App are slicker with the GNResound product and the battery charger is neat, but the Oticon shades it on the robustness and the Local removability of the battery.

We’ve not done the Widex, but people have been making good noises about how it performs with the machine learning algorith.

I have the OPNS1 R and I love them, I also have the OPN1 aids. I will lose connection to my Iphone with my ITE aids when my phone is in my jeans pocket. I haven’t had the issue so far with the OPNS1 aids. I believe it has to do with better antennas. And as for as the rechargeable aids. I wear my aids on average of 15 hrs a day with about 3.5 hours of streaming calls, and the TV and I have on average of 45% of my battery life left at the end of my day.

Hi @rafals14,

I must agree with you, I have the Marvel 90s and the Bluetooth is flakey at best. Although my connection to my Note8 has been solid, maintaining a connection to anything else non-Phonak is hit and miss. Luckily, I have not experienced the same problems with the TV Connector as you have as it is my go to device for connecting to everything except my cell phone.

I think the accolades for the Marvel devices are well deserved. My M90’s sound fantastic and perform well in noise. I’ll forgive the half-baked Bluetooth for now but I do understand how frustrating Phonak’s Bluetooth connectivity issues can be.

Good luck with whatever you land on!

Another person I know also has Bluetooth issues and is not happy with them, M90’s do sound good when they work. I also love that you can do calls hands-free, but Phonak tech Support tells me I should not have the iPhone in the pocket, well it defeats the purpose of being hands free as they advertise. Also they say iPhone should not lay flat, it should be upright for better signal. So it’s obvious they knew there were antenna issues. Are other brand hearing aids better in this case?

In reply to @Alvin

Alvin, do you have the M90s. I’m thinking of going with RIC M90s but Bluetooth connection (iPhone user) is a big requirement fir me, as I cannot hear on the phone and Streaming music as well as TV is a big deal too Are you an iPhone user? TiA

In reply to @rafals14

That’s interesting about the pocket thing, @rafals14. Now thinking about it, my phone is rarely in my pocket - it is usually on my desk or in my briefcase.

I’ve used Oticon and Siemens before, but neither worked as well for me as Phonak when it came to helping me hear. The last time I wore Oticon, which was 10+ years ago, their connectivity was top notch. I know that @cvkemp is very pleased with his Oticons.

In reply to @Sequoia_Woman

@Sequoia_woman, I have the Marvel 90T with cShells and Power receivers. I use a Samsung Android phone and the connection between the Marvels and the phone is solid and reliable. Every other Bluetooth connection is super-flakey. Unlike @rafals14’s experience though, all of my Phonak and Roger accessories have good range and the connection is robust.

Annecdotaly, the audiology clinic I frequent suggested that iOS updates had been problematic in the past for Marvels, and appeared relieved that I was an Android user!

It’s interesting how our ears acclimate to one device over another. I agree, my preference for Phonak has likely been learned.

I have Phonak’s lst generation that came out a year before the popular Marvel line. (Forget bane of model.) The BT works well. Problem is that 20 minutes of talk time kills the battery. I expected some problems w. lst generation major change. Before these HA, wore an over the ear BT small headset for years. Decided not to go back to that. For a long conversation - switch phone to speaker mode.

I too, tried the Virto Blacks, since I was tired of the hearing aids getting caught in my mask. My main issues were occlusion effect and frequent bluetooth dropping. I reluctantly had to send them back. I’m waiting for my Resound Quattros to arrive. My audiologist seems quite taken with them.

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