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Hands-free calling on Costco hearing aids

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I can use the mics for calls with Jabra Enhanced Pro 10s (before the 20s came out). It’s just a setting in the Android app or on the iphone. I can’t tap to answer, but with an iphone I can tap to end a call.

There are 3 main players in hands-free calling: HAs, phone, and app. If any one of them is not set up correctly, hands-free will be limited. Setup can be pretty complex, but IMO that’s normal when new technologies roll out.

Edited

In reply to @StataHA

Costco Rexton BiCore hearing aids works for calling with Samsung Galaxy S23 FE phone updated to One UI 7 Android 15. Works with Answering and Receiving calls to both ears at once. The phone is now SUPPOSED to work with . So theoretically, one could receive an Auracast broadcast on the phone and hear it in the aids. I have not been able to get an Auracast broadcast from my Windows 11 laptop to connect to the phone so I cannot verify if this works.

If you have an S23 FE, the update is out there, at least on ATT in the USA. I called Rexton’s Consumer “help” line. Quote “We are watching to see if Auracast will take off. We don’t see a need at this time.”
Kings Point

@KingsPoint said:

BiCore

Based on a read of Rexton’s web site, Bicore doesn’t have LE audio or . Reach does. Bicore is analogous to Signia AX (No LE audio or auracast) vs Reach, which is analogous to Signia IX (both LE audio and auracast.). Sorry.

WH

I, too, upgraded from KS10s to Philips 9050s in October’24. I, too, enjoyed issue-free hands-free calling on my previous 2 Samsung phones and on my Windows computer.

At the time i upgraded, I had a Samsung S23+ with Android 14, and i knew from my initial testing of the 9050s that i could not do hands-free calling and that i would not be able to connect to my Windows laptop. However, my research indicated that when Samsung pushed out Android 15/OneUI 7, the BTLE Audio implementation would support hands-free to the S23. My use of audio to my was limited and i was okay with letting go of that (i could always use my spare KS10s for Zoom if i really wanted to).

I took the plunge. What i found:

  • on my S23l+, after the last Android 14 upgrade in Nov’24, and carefully toggling on on the HA setting, i was able to do hands-free calling
  • BUT, the BT connection was unstable and would often disconnect in the middle of a call
  • I could not connect the 9050s to my 6yo Dell XPS 13 9380 Windows laptop even with all the latest BT Windows Drivers

Then in Feb’25 i learned that the S25 would be released with Andoid 15/OneUI 7, and that Samsung would “eventually” push that upgrade to older phones (no schedule given and i dont know if that has happened). The upgrade deal was so good ($600 trade-in on my S23+) that i went for the S25+.

What ive found with Androud 15:

  • Hands-free calling works great and the BTLE connection is stable!

  • the HAs now have enhanced management directly by A15 and there’s no need to toggle on the BTLE setting on the HA connection.

  • i still cannot connect to my Windows laptop (but i don’t need this anymore–i use a wireless speaker instead, which still allows me to move around as needed during a Zoom).

  • i suspect that when i upgrade my laptop next year, the newer BT chip and BTLE support may again enable HA connecivity should i need this in the future.

Thats my story ctromley…hope it helps!

In reply to @JG1

I have also used the BA210 to connect to my TV and my Mac laptop. Note that the USB connection on the TV is valuable as a power source for the BA210 even though it does not transmit audio.

Like you, I had ks10s and pixel phones, and loved the streaming quality and the telephone answering reliability.

Unfortunately the ks-10s drove me crazy with their terrible battery life. In 3 years I sent 10 aids back to the manufacturer for repair or replacement. I eventually realized that you could get the batteries to last through the day if you turned off the Bluetooth connection to the phone when you weren’t using the phone for streaming or phone calls. Not very convenient.

When Costco rexton reach AIDS got hands-free calling on Android in February 2024, I replaced the ks10s with the rexton reaches. They do hands-free calling with my pixel 7 phone quite reliably. But the streaming and phone sound quality is terrible until you get your audiologist to cut the treble way way down and boost the bass to max. I did those adjustments myself using Noah link and software kindly provided by a member of this forum. After making these tonal adjustments for phone calls and streaming, the sound quality is acceptable though not as great as the ks10s were.

As some of the other respondents mentioned I haven’t so far been able to stream from my PC to the rexton reaches.

The rexton reaches are better in a noisy crowd then my ks-10s were, but only if you manually adjust the microphones to point forward towards the person you’re talking to. Hope this helps.

Rob

My experience with the Rexton Reach is the same: The sound is absolutely terrible. I’ve spent a lot of time tuning the equalizer in the Connexx software and the sound now is barely acceptable but nowhere near the quality of the sound of my Phonak. I’m actually considering returning them to Costco. It is a shame because they are good .

Just goes to show how different we all are, the Signia (Rexton) are the best I’ve ever used, the EQ in Connexx is by far one the better, but I also use PowerAmp on my android, streaming is really good, maybe you could try installing and see if it makes a difference for you.

@OcramSagev said:

equalizer in the Connexx software and the sound now is barely acceptable but nowhere near the quality of the sound of my Phonak. I’m actually considering returning them to Costco. It is a shame because they are good HAs.

My other Phonak hearing aids have open domes, and they sound good, so the domes aren’t the problem.
After reading Tenkan’s response, I decided to test the with Android and the sound was better. After this, I decided then to reset my iPhone’s network/Bluetooth settings, and the sound improved.

I did some additional steps:
I set all 0 gains in the Connexx software to 1 (some of the gains were negative), copied the streaming curves from Phonak Target to Rexton Connexx, and increased the Connexx BT EQ’s last two columns to the max. My last step was to increase the last two columns in the Eq of the Connexx to the max.

The sound now is much better and very usable. I still have problems with low volume (phone calls), random disconnects of the left HA and people complaining that I sound garbled. The Rexton assist does not help.

For me, nothing beats the Phonak’s when it comes to BT streaming.

Philips 9050 HearLink - purchased Dec 2024
Samsung S16 5G Tracfone - purchased March 2025
One UI version 6.1
Android 14
Bluetooth 5.3, A2DP, LE - per internet printed specs

My experience has been fair with hands free calling. When ringing it takes a couple of seconds to actually hear the person on the other end. It seems that I have to use the phone’s microphone right now and volume is nothing to rave about.
Streaming audio is there but even less satisfying - not much bass and occasionally dropping out, sometimes as much as 10-15 seconds before returning to the program. Sound quality is probably affected by the double domes (Vented?) but they are comfortable. I recently had them add the HiFi Music program which is better to some extent when listening to the TV without the adapter (included with the purchase.)
I’m not too familiar with the newer technology with these but I wanted the latest available.
Following for information and advice . . .

Jabra Pro 30 - fitted 2 days ago
iPhone 11 Pro from 2020 (iOS up to date)

Hands free calling works great. Voice clarity excellent on both ends.

Streaming - no I won’t be doing that with the Jabras. If I want to stream I will use my Airpod Pro 2’s with hearing assitance set up. They sound great!. The Jabras not surprisingly have no bass (probably similar to most hearing aids) and lack the full music range you get with Airpod Pro 2’s

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