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Apple AirPods Pro 2 update (7A294) with hearing aids features - personal reviews please!

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In reply to @RobHooft

@RobHooft said:

Moreover, when used as regular music earbuds their maximum output volume is even lower than what is delivered by other models (like the punchy OnePlus Buds Pro 2), and you even don’t get an equalizer…

The Music app has an equalizer in its settings page (Settings → Apps → Music → EQ). I’m not sure how it interacts with the Hearing Accomodations or Hearing Aids stuff. It helps with my old over-the-ear headphones.

Edited

That is Apple’s music app. I don’t think its equalizer settings do anything for podcasts, other music apps, music coming from YouTube or any other audio sources on your device, and I don’t think its settings migrate to your Airpods either. All things that work great on OnePlus Buds Pro 2 and Android devices…

Still working for me. Remember your iPhone must be on iOS 18.1. It does not work on your Mac. The command is:

x-apple-health://HearingAppPlugin.healthplugin/HearingTest

In reply to @RobHooft

If you hadn’t updated to IOS 18.1 the Airpods may have worked for you. IOS 17.7.1 doesn’t have the latest geographical locks etc OR remove your choice to try them as hearing aids even if your hearing is worse than moderate.

There are a few people on the Facebook group with severe hearing loss who were using the Airpods as hearing aids as they worked really well for music and TV for them. 18.1 wont allow them to use the Airpods at all as hearing aids. Had I updated to 18.1, as I live in the UK, they would have stopped mine working completely as hearing aids.

I received and update and took the Apple Airpod 2 Pro hearing test today. It states I have no hearing loss in my left ear and mild hearing loss in my right ear. I’m diagnosed with moderate hearing loss in my left ear and severe to profound hearing loss in my right ear. I’m not sure the test is calibrated too well.

@DrJimmyJoeJimbob said:

It states I have no hearing loss in my left ear and mild hearing loss in my right ear.

Your shows most of your left ear in the normal range and your right ear is mild to moderate.

IMG_1343

You definitely don’t have a severe to profound loss.

Edited

Sorry that’s old. This year I had a sudden event and had to go through hyperbaric therapy etc and steroid injection in my ears. so it’s worse than before. (Every time I get covid my stupid immune system attacks my ears. They were completely normal before 2020!). I need to find my recent and update it.

That said, I thought your worst frequency indicates your hearing loss. So mine would be severe to profound in the high frequencies on the right and moderate on the left?

For those considering the firmware update for AirPods Pro 2, a word of caution: the amplification is noticeably reduced with iOS 18.1, likely due to a new cap. The previous custom transparency mode offered much better sound enhancement.

I have moderate loss at high frequencies, down to 60+ dBL at 4 kHz and higher. I have the Airpod 2 Pros, iOS 18.1. I am unable to get the Apple hearing test to work, had a visit to a “Genuis” bar where they tested the Airpods in their service area and said the Pods met specifications. So, I got a new (since 2000) audiology test and manually input it as scanning failed. For interest, I also ran the Mimi test, which pretty well matched the audiologist test results. I like the improved hearing with the Airpods but I have two complaints. First and foremost, they tend to loosen over a 15-min period and loose a bit of seal. I’ve tried the medium and large tips, large being best. Both read as ‘sealed’ at the start of the hearing test. The other problem is that when I press the Airpods back in, I get a lot of feedback, sounds like around 6-8 kHz, at the ~60% hearing aid amplification I need to get good results. I can only imagine how loud that really is since I can’t hear too well there. Anyway, my question is whether the reduced amplitude with iOS 18.1 with the function is also because of the feedback that occurs in some cases, like mine, even at less than 100% amplification? Do those here who have more severe losses and use Airpods also experience feedback like this? Bottom line – I’m seriously considering getting ‘real’ HAs for use most of the time, and using the Airpods for music and situations where I need the NR.

My problem with the Airpods are two-fold: First, my hearing is too bad for them to be useful as at all. Second, they fail even as regular earbuds, as their max volume is far too low for me. Moreover I have a problem (in general) with how earbuds fit, no matter what tips I choose. My HAs (Phonaks) have those in-the-ear receivers, provide a much better fit.

If I want music with basses that really shake my head I plug in OnePlus Buds Pro 2. Those are far louder than the Airpods (after they also take your hearing test and reconfigure), and half the price.

In reply to @DrJohn999

Found a solution to the feedback: keep the ear tips clean. After a day ot two they become waxy enough to slip out a little, opening enough space between them and the canal to allow feedback. Newbie mistake / learning!

Regarding , in Europe the law states that only a hearing aid doctor / specialist is allowed to program frequencies on a HA, that’s why OTC for now isn’t available. And if you have a HA that cannot tune frequencies, then you have a hearing amplfiier

@franciranx said:

Regarding OTC HA, in Europe the law states that only a hearing aid doctor / specialist is allowed to program frequencies on a HA

This is only for certain frequencies and for “medical devices” which models are not tho right?

Hello, no , there is a law called MDR (new law which overrides MDD) which is way more strict then MDD, and it classifies all devices which enter in contact with the human body, for example hearing aid are MD Class II.
hearing aid , being MD class II therefore hearing aid, are required to be tuned by a doctor. This applies only to frequencies although as volume can be adjusted by the final user (example of hearing amplifiers which adjust volume, but don’t let to adjust frequencies)

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