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Phonak L90 RL and Bluetooth -- various troubling issues

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Hi all,

I just started trialing Phonak L90 RLs and am trying to get a handle on how bluetooth works with these aids. A few issues:

a) and microphone balancing:

I don’t much like the way the L90s use “ambient control” to mix external microphone volume and BT streaming volume (on phone calls, device streaming and the Roger On). On my current Enzo Resounds I can control the external microphones separately from phone and device streaming which allows me to find the sweet spot where I have the right amount of microphone volume to go along with BT streaming / phone call volume. Is there any way I can replace the “mixer” approach with independent control of the external mics?

b) Auto bluetooth:

When I walk into the room where the Roger on is charging (while plugged into the TV), I am auto-switched into Roger On mode. Even if I’m in “calm” program, I hear a beep as the program tries to switch to Roger On mode before switching back to calm program. Can my Audi shut off this auto bluetooth selectively (ie. just for the Roger On) or is there another workaround so I’m not ping ponging back and forth into Roger On mode.

c) Phone calls:

Unlike with Roger On or regular BT streaming, the MyPhonak program can’t connect to my devices while I’m on a phone call. I have no idea why this would be the case but I can never connect while on a call. That means I have no access to any volume slider in the program or the “ambient control” slider and, worst of all, can’t mute my external microphones since I can’t get to the mute button. All I have to manipulate the mix of microphones and call volume is the rocker button on the L90s themselves which appears to turn into ambient controls – + gives you more phone volume and lower microphone, - does the reverse. Is this just how it’s supposed to work? Any workaround?

d) Phone call part 2: There are times in noisy places I’d rather the phone call use the iphone microphone than the L90s microphone so I can speak directly into it. But I don’t want to give up call streaming to the L90s? Is there any way to do this? Since my MyPhonak app can’t connect to the L90s when I’m on a call, I also have – as outlined above – no access to the mute button I normally see when streaming from devices or the Roger On which affects my ability to hear. Given the above, how would one, say, make a call from a very busy public place or on the street since one can’t mute external voices (except by trying to manipulate the rocker panel “mix,” and people on the other side of the call will pick up all the public place noise through my L90 mics? Any workaround for both these problems or am I missing something (wouldn’t be the first time)?

All responses very much appreciated.

Regards, Drew

2 people in this conversation6 min readJump to latest
Edited
@mdboy said:

Is there any way I can replace the “mixer” approach with independent control of the external mics?

Max the Mics can be reduced to is -10 .

@mdboy said:

Is there any way I can replace the “mixer” approach with independent control of the external mics?

Take it out of the docking station that is connected to TV?

Charge it via cable instead?

(Quoted wrong part. Meant to quote about the Roger On.)

@mdboy said:

Is this just how it’s supposed to work? Any workaround?

No, no one can.

Thanks very much, Zebras.

Is a possible strategy to have the audi turn down the default volume a bit and then use the “ambient control” to increase BT volume while decreasing external mics? I realize this will force me to fiddle with either the rocker button or MyPhonak ambient control slider everytime BT streams or I’m on a call.

Is it normal I have no access to MyPhonak app when I’m on a call? As stated above, not having access is a major bummer since I can’t get to the mute button or ambient control slider while on the call. I realize I still have ambient control through the rocker button.

On the Roger On device, yes, I can pull the Roger On out of its dock, turn it off, and charge via cable.
I just was hoping to be able to charge while watching TV. Phonak makes a big deal out of being able to do so, but clearly one can only do that if the dock TV is out of bluetooth range.

Thanks!

@mdboy said:

to increase BT volume while decreasing external mics?

This would also mean increasing the overall volume on the Phone Call Program, May have an issue with background noise. No other way to just increase streaming. Means the -10 attenuation won’t be much use.

@mdboy said:

Is it normal I have no access to MyPhonak app when I’m on a call?

Yes no one can and never have. It’s normal.

@mdboy said:

I just was hoping to be able to charge while watching TV.

If you’re watching TV don’t you need to hear with the Roger?

Edited
@Zebras said:

This would also mean increasing the overall volume on the Phone Call Program, May have an issue with background noise. No other way to just increase BT streaming. Means the -10 dB attenuation won’t be much use.

My thought is that the rocker button functions like “ambient control” when on a phone call. So, if my starting, default bluetooth streaming is a low volume, turning up the rocker button (+) should increase call volume while reducing external microphone sound. Am I getting that wrong?

@Zebras said:

If you’re watching TV don’t you need to hear with the Roger?

I’ll turn the Roger On off and charge it off my laptop with a cable as you suggested. When I want to watch TV I’ll pop the Roger On in the dock which is connected to the TV. It’s not as convenient as just leaving the Roger On in the dock, but it looks like that’s the only way to keep Auto program from switching me back and forth between Auto and Roger Pen modes.

Also, do you know the range of decibel gain an Audi can assign to a program. That is, can an Audi assign, say, a range of 80 decibels spread over a certain number of “clicks.” Or is there a limit to how much gain can be assigned to a program. The more gain that can be assigned, the more flexibility I think I’ll have in fine-tuning the hearing programs to specifications.

My apologies for having such a desire to customize. I’ve worn for close to sixty years and can function at a high level despite a profound loss (e.g. multiple foreign languages) if I have strong control over the HAs.

@mdboy said:

Am I getting that wrong?

I thought you were talking about the Target Software. There is no way. I have my Phone Call set up as -6 .

I’ve just realised I said it wrong. Music and You Tube can be set as -10 dB but Phone Call only -6 dB.

@mdboy said:

That is, can an Audi assign, say, a range of 80 decibels spread over a certain number of “clicks.”

80 dB would be extremely painful adding it on top.

I guess the Roger program can be raised as much as it can be in terms of how much room you have left in the Roger program.
Can’t be raised anymore if you don’t have any room in the hearing aids.
Maximum the attention on the Roger program IS -10 dB or Mics completely off. I got that one right.

A 80 dB loss doesn’t get 80 dB worth of gain. It doesn’t work like that. You only get a 1/3 of the amount of gain needed.

Carry on asking questions. We will offer our support.

Thanks very much.

So, it seems there isn’t much flexibility to control the external microphone volume / streaming (phone call, Roger, or device) volume mixture. And there’s no ability to mute external microphones during a phone call.

How do people with Phonak P90s deal with:

a) Making phone calls in noisy environments where you want a little external mic to hear your own voice but otherwise just want phone streaming? And where there’s no option to use the iPhone microphone instead of the P90 microphone (this being more a problem for the other speaker on the call)?

b) Similarly, exercising where you want a little bit of external microphone so you can respond to people but mainly streaming volume for music, podcasts, etc.

Do most people find “ambient control” sufficient for their needs and I just need to adapt?

Maybe the above are all edge cases, but after so many years being able to control the external mics with my Resounds I’m struggling a bit.

I have my Phone Call Program set at -6 and the Audio / Music program set at -10 dB permanently.

I don’t have an issue with background noise when next to a busy road with lorries. Haven’t had an issue where I can’t hear someone.

I don’t stream a huge amount due to my poor hearing.

I also don’t want to mess around with an App all the time.

I also have Oticon Xceed 1 UP which are and can handle external mics and use the iPhone Mic when talking. MFi HAs do have some features that are good in my opinion that Phonak are missing.

Resound will also be MFi.

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