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When you stream music/phone calls, do most people turn off Mics to help with background noise?

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I’ve never been able to take phone calls or stream music very well unless I turn off my Mics as it makes it a lot clearer.

I’ve always wanted to be able to take a phone call etc without turning off my HA Mics but I thinking I’ll asking for the impossible.

How common is it, that people prefer turning off your HA Mics to help take phone calls or listen to music better?

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I used to. Newer aids seem to handle this better. When you use a music program you open the aids to a much wider range of sound then the aid normally uses because music covers a wider range. Unfortunately this also allows a wider range of background noise in which can be a distraction. My most difficult situation is trying to listen to music in the car. You can’t win

You should be able to have the Audi lower the input level of the microphones while on the phone so you experience a greater focus on the phone call without muting the ’s altogether. I used to do that (Phonak and Oticon) and still do for streaming TV…

In reply to @Luga

I know that the jabra/resound have this option as well. You can set the volume of the mic based on streaming or phone call. It’s a setting that the must change generally.

Edited

In my experience, the streaming volume and the microphone volumes are independent. While on a phone call, you can lower the microphone (ambient) volume without lowering the phone call (streaming) volume. The Audi should be able to help explain what your are capable of doing to help.

The Phonak Marvels, Paradise, Costco’s KS9 and KS10 aids can have the mics turned off in the Target software or if desired can be enabled in the Target software. When the mics are enabled the mics sound and streaming sound can be toggled one louder or softer than the other by adjusting the volume on the aid itself.

In reply to #8

Understood. I would guess its fairly common, especially if you take phone calls in loud places… it definitely happens to me. With the Oticon More’s for some reason, I’m not rushing to always lower the microphone volume unless i am in a loud place like a restaurant.

I leave the mics on for phone calls and most times for streaming in general. I find it disturbing when streaming calls to not have the mics on because it mutes my own voice.

That happens to me too! and I then lose track of how loud I’m speaking when my voice is muted… :slight_smile: I guess that may be why I don’t do it unless I find it necessary

New hearing have what is called a priority program which are different programs all built into one and can switch programs as needed. I find that they do a much better job of choosing which program you need to use while reducing interference from the background. Older aids would let you program a music program which you switched manually but it also allowed more background noise to enter. So there was a conflict. Same with the telephone program. I used to have to mute my left aid while holding the phone to my right ear. When you listen to music on your stereo through the speakers the speakers are sending the sound out through the entire sound range. If your aids aren’t turned to the music program the music will sound tiny because aids normally don’t zone in on very low and very high tones. Thus the music program. Also indoors with any luck there’s less background interference. Newer aids adjust the sound automatically making life a lot easier. I hope this explanation makes sense. And no I don’t know how the aids know what sounds to focus on. That’s a software thing. But as time goes on I find the need to switch programs manually becomes less and less. The aids do it automatically

@hass5744 said:

New hearing have what is called a priority program which are different programs all built into one and can switch programs as needed. I find that they do a much better job of choosing which program you need to use while reducing interference from the background.

Yes my Aids have that but again that doesn’t help when you stream phone calls or music.

In reply to @hass5744

@hass5744 said:

If your aids aren’t turned to the music program the music will sound tiny because aids normally don’t zone in on very low and very high tones. Thus the music program.

Again this isn’t for when you stream music or phone calls. This is when you listen to music out loud in your home and listen to it via the music program. Again my Aids have that!

Don’t think you’re fully understanding what I’m asking about?!

In reply to @cvkemp

@cvkemp said:

I find it disturbing when streaming calls to not have the mics on because it mutes my own voice.

Yes this is my issue as well which is why I’m trying (but not succeeding) to keep my Mics activated. :slight_smile:

When I’m streaming music or taking phone calls I don’t do anything to my aids. My phonak paradise aids seem to do a much better job of understanding what my priority listening program is and keeping background interference to a minimum. If I used a seperate program to listen to say music background would interfere. If I used on the phone I would turn off one aid to better gear. With the aids that stream a phone call I do nothing. The aids know the call is a priority and reduce background to a minimum so it doesn’t interfere

I had the Costco guy program my Resound Prezas to mute the mikes anytime I’m streaming audio or on the phone. I have been very pleased with that arrangement.

In reply to @Zebras

@Zebras said:

Again this isn’t for when you stream music or phone calls. This is when you listen to music out loud in your home and listen to it via the music program. Again my Aids have that!

Don’t think you’re fully understanding what I’m asking about?!

I’ve got to agree to disagree with your assessment.
@hass5744 is correct, the music program is utilized either through live music, recorded, music, and for streaming directly to your hearing aids.
Muting the mics is very helpful when in a noisy environment.

@Zebras, if you have a separate music program (not automatic) try switching from the general program to the music program, and you will hear the expanded frequency response, and less compression.

@flashb1024 said:

if you have a separate music program (not automatic) try switching from the general program to the music program, and you will hear the expanded frequency response, and less compression.

But when I stream I can’t use my manual music program. It uses separate program for Bluetooth.

@Zebras said:

But when I stream I can’t use my manual music program. It uses separate program for Bluetooth.

I’ve worn Phonak & Oticon, and they both allow program changes when streaming music & phone calls.
The only condition preventing program changes is when in the bluetooth microphone program, not streaming.
Which mfg. & model do you have?

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