My wife has found AirPods very useful, but not ideal, as hearing aids. She uses them with her iPhone SE in conjunction with a signal-processing app: 'BioAid' (obtainable from AppleStore). BioAid allows for amplification of specific frequency ranges and there is a slide control that cuts out, more or less, external noise.
This set-up gives a much better quality sound than her $6000 hearing aids!! However, a few aspects of the AirPods could be improved:
Her voice tends to be over amplified and there is a slight echo of other people's voices.
The over-amplification if the user’s voice is much reduced by rotating the AirPods by 180 degrees. This also has the merit that the otherwise prominent 'stem' (the thinner part of each AirPod) is hidden in her hair, i.e. fits the cosmetic bill. Unfortunately, that configuration means that the comfortable fit in the 'normal' position is negated and the AirPods tend to fall out!!
Could Apple envisage a modification by in a rotatable joint between the 'ear-piece and the microphone 'stem'?
We understand that AirPods have noise cancelling incorporated. Is it possible to switch this off so one can investigate its impact on the sound quality, for example on the slightly irritating echo?
Finally, we appreciate that AirPods, while great for playback, are not designed to be hearing aids. However, the positive result obtained by us makes us suggest that it would be worthwhile for Apple to consider another version of AirPods exactly for that purpose!
Duncan France
This set-up gives a much better quality sound than her $6000 hearing aids!! However, a few aspects of the AirPods could be improved:
Her voice tends to be over amplified and there is a slight echo of other people's voices.
The over-amplification if the user’s voice is much reduced by rotating the AirPods by 180 degrees. This also has the merit that the otherwise prominent 'stem' (the thinner part of each AirPod) is hidden in her hair, i.e. fits the cosmetic bill. Unfortunately, that configuration means that the comfortable fit in the 'normal' position is negated and the AirPods tend to fall out!!
Could Apple envisage a modification by in a rotatable joint between the 'ear-piece and the microphone 'stem'?
We understand that AirPods have noise cancelling incorporated. Is it possible to switch this off so one can investigate its impact on the sound quality, for example on the slightly irritating echo?
Finally, we appreciate that AirPods, while great for playback, are not designed to be hearing aids. However, the positive result obtained by us makes us suggest that it would be worthwhile for Apple to consider another version of AirPods exactly for that purpose!
Duncan France
