I have made-for-iphone hearing aids, which are great for delivering good quality speech sound over bluetooth direct to my hearing aids. They are Starkey Kinnect, which connect easily to iOS devices but have no connectivity to a computer – they do not pair with the Bluetooth on the MacBook (2014 version). With the current need for Zoom, Google Meets etc connectivity, I am often in video meetings for which I need to use my MacBook for the size of screen. The sound is preferably directed through earphones, but they do not give clear speech for me without the hearing aids and are awkward and clumsy to use over the HAs.
Starkey TruLink has an option to use the iPhone as a microphone and send this across the room (say) to my HAs. I wonder whether the 3.5 mm headphone jack on the MacBook, set as output, can plug directly in to the Lightning port on the iPhone (via what adaptor?) to use the audio stream from the computer as an external microphone for the iPhone, which can then connect to the HAs? Are the voltages and impedances compatible?
Or does anyone know of a gadget that will do this mimicry of an external mike?
I am aware of the Airfoil utility that is claimed to do this, but not sure if the iPhone will recognise this as a "microphone", and also I have seen reviews that state that the latency is about 2s so it is unsuitable for real time use.
Thanks!
Keith
Best Answer
I have ReSound made-for-iPhone HAs. ReSound sell a device called a "multi mic" and also a "mini mic" which is a remote microphone which will transmit direct to the HAs. It also has a 3.5mm jack so can be plugged into a computer (or TV) and the computer sound is sent straight to my HAs. Speaker is cut off. I keep a dedicated multi mic permanently connected to my computer. To hear computer sound streamed to my HAs I just have to change to the correct streaming source on my phone. Works brilliantly and has had a lot of extra use with Zoom meetings. I would be amazed if Starkey don't make a similar device. I would add that the multi mic is extremely useful in many other situations.