icom

cdmeggers

cdmeggers

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anyone here use the icom? Since I've got issues with TecEar's NoizFree music link already, I'm trying to find other solutions to listen to music on my ipod. I'm going to talk with my audie when I see her next Tuesday, but wanted to get some feedback on here in the meantime.
 
I just responded to your other post where you mentioned the problems and asked if you were going to get the iCom with the IXs.
I'm using the iCom and like it (realize that I'm not too "picky" on how my music sounds). I use it mainly to talk on my cell phone, but have used it to listen to a couple of Internet radio stations and with the FM receiver at church.
 
ooohhh duh of course that makes sense. I'll pester my audie on Tuesday :)
 
I have one. I like it, but it can be fickle at times. The Bluetooth doesn't work good for music, like if you're playing off your cell phone. There will be "skips" every ten seconds or so. Tried to call Phonak about this, and they said it was a problem with the technology and nothing they could do. Good grief, 600$ piece of equipment that can't even perform as well as a cheap consumer electronic gadget.

I think there are a few other threads here about the iCom, and I remember posting on one. Do a search for more info.
 
I'm not worried about using bluetooth since I don't even use it. I just want something that'll allow me to listen to music on my ipod.
 
cdmeggers said:
I'm not worried about using bluetooth since I don't even use it. I just want something that'll allow me to listen to music on my ipod.
Click to expand...

Should work good then, as long as the iPod is plugged straight into your iCom (I wonder if Phonak has to pay royalties to Apple for using the "i" before Com. hehe)

Now, keep this in mind: Even if there is no problem with skipping or anything, the iCom and your Naidas are only going to amplify the sounds from the music that are already in your regular amplification program. This isn't a problem if your loss is relatively horizontal across the audiogram, or if all the frequencies are boosted to the same level. But, if you have a loss with large discrepancies between frequencies, then it can really limit your enjoyment of the music.

Take me, for example; I have normal hearing up to 250hz and then my loss starts sloping very quickly to profound deafness at 1000hz and above. This means that when I listen to music using my iCom and HAs, the only sounds that are boosted are the midrange and high frequencies that the nerves still respond to with amplification. Depending on what type of music I listen to, the sound quality ranges from good to "unlistenable."

As far as I know, there's no way to create a separate amplification program for the iCom. Whenever it is on, it uses your default program. More shortsightedness on Phonak's part, IMO.
 
iCom and Target

TheWriteAlex said:
...are only going to amplify the sounds from the music that are already in your regular amplification program..
Click to expand...

Glad to find someone else struggling with this issue. But happy to report that Phonak's latest Target fitting software does have a separate profile for "iCom Bluetooth audio". You can see it on the screen photo I just published as part of a blog entry about my pair of Smarts IXs:

Panbo: The Marine Electronics Weblog: My Phonaks; not just aided, augmented!

However, my audiologist (who doesn't seem to know much about Target yet) can not get this profile to sound very good. I definitely need more bass, which is not amplified in my normal profile, but he can't seem to add it. He says it may be a limitation of the open ear pieces. There's also a crackliness to the music he can't seem to eliminate.

Anyone had better luck with issues like these, using Target fitting software?
 
TheWriteAlex said:
I have one. I like it, but it can be fickle at times. The Bluetooth doesn't work good for music, like if you're playing off your cell phone. There will be "skips" every ten seconds or so.
Click to expand...

I've had the same issues since I got my iCom 2 years ago. I'm hoping that a firmware update on the iCom module might be able to fix that issue.

I will say that it works great with cell phone calls. I still find it annoying that it's an obtrusive device that can't have an external microphone on one's collar, while the rest of the device is hidden under a shirt. It'd be awesome if there was an additional microphone jack in the device for this purpose.

I'm picking up my new Phonaks tomorrow, along with the TVlink, so I'll post about that if anyone is interested.

-Kevin
 
So is iCom just a Bluetooth/telecoil converter or does it use some proprietary Phonak technology?

I see other BT/telecoil units out there for a lot less $, like this one, wondering if it will work as well...
 
I use the Nokia LPS5 bluetooth neckloop with my mobile phone:

Nokia LPS5 Bluetooth mobile phone inductive neck loop - connevans.co.uk

It connects with your t-coils and works well with the phone and can also apparently work with a bluetooth ipod, but not in stereo. I'd love to try a Siemens Tek to see if that's better, but haven't yet had the opportunity as my current HAs don't have bluetooth.

I listen to my ipod using either direct audio input or with my Phonak Smartlink.
 
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