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Recruiting 12 Android testers with Signia, Rexton, Audio Service, Vibe or Sony hearing aids

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Hello everyone,

I’m looking for 12 Android hearing-aid users to participate in a Google Play closed test of my independently developed app, Fast Hearing Control, for at least 14 consecutive days.

Important compatibility requirement

For this test, I can only accept users whose hearing aids are from one of the brands currently shown as supported in the app:

  • Signia
  • Rexton
  • Audio Service
  • Vibe
  • Sony

Please do not apply with hearing aids from other brands for this testing round. Compatibility can still vary by model, firmware and Android device, so I will ask each participant for the exact hearing-aid model.

Why I developed the app

I bought a pair of Rexton hearing aids and used the manufacturer’s official app to control them. On my own phone and hearing-aid setup, I often had to wait more than 20 seconds for the connection. I found that delay difficult to tolerate, so I began independently developing a faster and more direct remote-control app for my own use.

Fast Hearing Control is designed to provide quick access to hearing-aid controls with a straightforward interface. Depending on the compatible model, the test may cover Bluetooth connection, automatic left/right identification, volume adjustment, program changes, separate left/right control, reconnection and acoustic speaker-tone control.

This is an independent project and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Signia, Rexton, Audio Service, Vibe, Sony or their manufacturers.

What selected testers receive

All selected testers will have access to the complete app during the closed test, including membership-only features.

Participants who:

  1. successfully join the Google Play closed test;
  2. remain enrolled for at least 14 consecutive days; and
  3. submit the requested genuine testing feedback

will receive permanent Fast Hearing Control membership after the public version is released.

The reward is for completing the test—not for giving positive feedback. Connection failures, bugs and critical comments are welcome. No Google Play rating or review is required.

How to claim one of the 12 places

Please reply “Interested” below.

The first 12 eligible members who reply “Interested” will receive priority for the 12 testing places. I will contact them privately through the forum to confirm their hearing-aid brand and model and request the Google account email used on their Android device.

Please do not post your email address publicly.

After receiving my private message, participants must reply and complete the Google Play opt-in process within 48 hours. If someone does not respond or complete enrollment, the place may be offered to the next eligible member.

Testing requirements

  • Own and currently use a supported Signia, Rexton, Audio Service, Vibe or Sony hearing aid
  • Have an Android phone or tablet with Google Play
  • Install the closed-test version using the invited Google account
  • Remain enrolled for at least 14 consecutive days
  • Test the available remote-control functions with your own hearing aid
  • Provide honest results and genuine device information

Fast Hearing Control is experimental software. It is not a medical device, medical advice or a substitute for professional hearing-aid fitting. Please keep the manufacturer’s official app available and do not rely on experimental software for emergency or safety-related situations.

Thank you to anyone willing to help test real-world compatibility.

4 people in this conversation9 min readJump to latest

Thanks for asking! There is no region-specific preference or restriction from my side—testers from anywhere in the world are welcome. In fact, having participants from different countries and using different Android devices would make the compatibility testing more valuable.

The main requirements are:

  • An Android device with Google Play

  • A supported Signia, Rexton, Audio Service, Vibe or Sony hearing aid

  • The ability to join and remain in the closed test for at least 14 consecutive days

Participation is possible as long as Google Play makes the closed-test listing available in the tester’s country. If you are interested, please reply “Interested”, and I will contact you privately with the next steps. Thank you!

@Eric950125 said:

All selected testers will have access to the complete app during the closed test, including membership-only features.

This sounds dodgy, “membership only features” name them and explain why anyone won’t be getting these special “membership features” after public release? Oh and I don’t have any issue with slow 20sec delay, it’s actually quite responsive.

Thank you both for the fair questions. You are right that I should have explained the app and the meaning of “membership-only features” more clearly in the original post.

What Fast Hearing Control is

Fast Hearing Control is an independent Android remote-control app for compatible hearing aids from Signia, Rexton, Audio Service, Vibe and Sony.

Depending on the hearing-aid model and firmware, the app is intended to provide:

  • Discovery and connection to compatible hearing aids
  • Automatic left/right identification
  • Volume adjustment
  • Program changes
  • Synchronized or separate left/right control where supported
  • Connection and reconnection status
  • Acoustic speaker-tone control for certain compatible hearing aids
  • A simpler interface with quicker access to commonly used controls

It does not reprogram the professional fitting, prescription or amplification settings inside the hearing aid, and it is not intended to replace the manufacturer’s app or an audiologist.

How the acoustic mode works

Acoustic mode does not stream music or speech and does not require the phone to pair with the hearing aid over Bluetooth. The phone’s speaker plays short encoded control tones that certain compatible hearing aids can recognize through their microphones, in a similar way to an acoustic remote control.

These tones can request supported actions such as changing volume or program. They do not alter the audiologist’s fitting, prescription, gain curves or firmware. Some tones may be audible, and reliability can depend on the hearing-aid model, phone speaker, distance and surrounding noise.

For compatible older hearing aids without Bluetooth, the free acoustic broadcast mode sends the same supported command to both hearing aids. Where a supported Bluetooth model allows the app to identify the individual acoustic address of each aid, membership enables targeted left/right acoustic control rather than broadcasting every command to both sides.

Not every model from the listed brands supports acoustic commands, which is one reason I need real-device testing.

About my experience with the Rexton app

The connection delay of more than 20 seconds was my personal experience with my own Rexton hearing aids and Android setup. I understand that other users may have a much faster and more responsive experience, as you do. I did not mean to suggest that every Rexton user experiences the same delay.

That personal frustration was simply what motivated me to begin developing an alternative for my own use.

What the paid membership includes

After the public release, Fast Hearing Control will use a freemium model. The currently planned paid membership features are:

  • Individualized acoustic addressing/control for compatible Bluetooth hearing aids, including separate left/right targeting where supported
  • Removal of advertising
  • Continued access to the membership feature set as it is maintained

The older acoustic broadcast-control mode for compatible hearing aids without Bluetooth is planned to remain available without membership.

Paid access will be offered through Google Play as:

  • A monthly subscription
  • A three-month subscription
  • A permanent one-time purchase

Prices will be displayed by Google Play in the user’s local currency before any purchase. Membership is optional, and the purchase screen will explain what is included before payment.

Closed-test participants receive the complete feature set because I need them to test every available path, not only the free functions. After public release, ordinary users will need to purchase one of the plans to retain the paid features.

However, the 12 selected testers who complete the full 14-day test and provide genuine feedback will receive permanent membership at no charge as a thank-you for their work.

This reward is not conditional on positive comments, ratings or reviews.

Regarding regional availability

I can select the countries where the closed test is offered through Google Play Console, while Google Play enforces distribution based on the participant’s Play account country, device and eligibility.

I do not intend to impose a regional preference. My goal is to enable the closed test in all available countries so that users from different regions can participate. If Google Play prevents an invited tester from accessing the listing, I will check the country configuration and try to resolve it.

Thank you for asking these questions. They help me make the testing terms clearer and more transparent for everyone.

Update: closed testing has ended — Fast Hearing Control is now publicly available

Thank you to everyone who participated, offered feedback, or showed interest in the closed test. The testing phase is now complete, and Fast Hearing Control is officially available on Google Play:

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.xenxu.fasthearingcontrol3

Hearing aids tested

Operation has been confirmed with these real hearing aids during development and testing:

- Signia Pure Charge&Go IX

- Rexton Reach R-Li T

- Audio Service G8 R-Li T 8

The app is designed for compatible hearing aids from Signia, Rexton, Audio Service, Vibe, and Sony. Compatibility may still vary by model, firmware, Android device, and configuration, so these results should not be interpreted as a guarantee for every model from those brands.

Main features

- Fast Bluetooth discovery and connection

- Automatic left/right hearing-aid identification

- Program selection and custom program names

- Volume and tone-balance controls

- Synchronized or separate left/right controls where supported

- Optional acoustic speaker-tone control for compatible legacy hearing aids

- Automatic preparation and restoration of the phone’s audio state when using acoustic control

- Guided initial setup and a multilingual interface

- Optional paid membership for individualized acoustic controls and an ad-free experience

- Monthly, three-month, and permanent one-time purchase options through Google Play

Recruitment for this closed test is now closed. Selected testers who completed the requested testing period will be contacted privately regarding the promised permanent membership.

Fast Hearing Control is an independent utility and is not affiliated with or endorsed by any hearing-aid manufacturer. It is not a medical device and does not replace professional hearing-aid fitting, diagnosis, or medical advice.

Thank you again to everyone who helped bring the app to its public release. Feedback and real-world compatibility reports are still very welcome.

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