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Music sounds distorted etc

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Edited

This evening I wanted to listen to some music to try out the Music App that I have on my phone. Activated the app, sorted out Spotify and chose the music I wanted to hear. It sounded just as bad, distorted and unrecognisable. Am I missing out something? I know that hearing aids are primarily designed for speech, but even so. I have Phonak Spheres and a Galaxy A14 phone.

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I have . Audiologist installed a music app on my phone but it wasn’t any better. Ideally I’d like to listen to music on my computer and not on the phone.

The way you describe your Phonak sound is just like my trial with Resound Vivia. I also trialed the Phonak Spheres 190, and had issues with bluetooth cutting off. I settled on Oticon Intent 1s, which my brain mostly liked. If I were you I would trial some other brands just to see if any of them work for you better. Then I might return the Phonaks to be replaced since they are under warrenty. Sometimes you just have to start over.

Edited

In reply to @CaptainTrips

Thanks Captain Trips, Phonak Spheres 190 are the aids I am currently using. I’ve also had some problems with bluetooth cutting off, which isn’t great when that happens during an online work meeting. I would like to trial some other brands, but when I have asked the audiologist if the Phonak Spheres 190 are the best for me, the answer is always yes. Can’t help wondering if they are covering their backs with this response and no mention of trialling others. Will raise it again at my next appointment (Thursday) but starting to think about a second opinion, but not where I currently am. I have a feeling as you say, about having to start over. I am losing trust in my current hearing place, and once trust has gone…

What phone? If it’s 3 years old, a new phone may stay connected much better, even though there’s plenty of life left in the phone, as a phone/camera/email/map device..

Also, garbage in, garbage out. How good is the Spotify feed?

I find I have to suspend disbelief to get anything out of streaming.

I got some AirPod PRo 2s. You can do a hearing test with them. It’s pretty accurate for my impaired ear. The music sounds great, customized for my . They even have a feature where when the music turns off, they work as hearing aids. They don’t sound as good as my real hearing aids for daily life, but for music streaming they sound amazing.

Of user-adjustable things: If streaming and primarily using Spotify, be aware that you can adjust e.q. (and base volume) within the Spotify app to alter the sound before it hits your hearing aid processing. Spotify>your profile>settings>playback>equalizer. I’ve found this to be a helpful strategy that provides much more control than the Phonak app itself. But within the Phonak app, adjusting the Ambient Balance slider towards Audio (rather than surroundings) is crucial for providing streaming clarity too.

Your Phonaks should sound great, maybe bass shy at worst.

Spotify doesn’t sound good, especially the free ad-supported tier. At least try a Tidal/Quobuz/AppleMusic trial, or a dlna stream of a lossless source, to see if it’s Spotify’s sound quality is what you’re hearing.

Make sure that frequency transposition (sound recover) is turned off in the Music program created by your Audiologist. Ask her to make some adjustments to your Sreaming program in Target. Without seeing your , it’s difficult to give an opinion but try these two things first. You will almost always have better streaming of music with a custom earmold. Look at your phone settings for media/streaming as well.

The Galaxy A14 may be the problem. can you use the A14 for all the phonak functions>\? I did not think it would with the Sphere

That’s interesting. I do use the A14 for all phonak functions - but it may be that I haven’t fully got to grips with this. Ideally I would just like to listen to music either from a radio or my computer with some degree of clarity. Not expecting perfection but just enoug to make out the music.

In reply to @Judi_L

Get your audio to do the following to your settings in the music program:

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