Starkey Hearing Technologies, Minneapolis, Minn, has released its most advanced wearable hearing solutions to date, “Made for Life,” which are powered by the company’s new Synergy platform and Acuity™ OS operating system. Starkey’s “Made for Life” launch includes the next generation of Made for iPhone hearing aids, Halo 2; a wireless Invisible-In-the-Canal hearing aid called SoundLens Synergy; and Muse, a new family of 900sync™ hearing aids.
“Starkey has long been a pioneer and an innovator in the hearing industry,” said Starkey Hearing Technologies Chief Technical Officer Tim Trine. “With this powerful new suite of hearable solutions, we’re continuing to redefine the way people hear, communicate, and connect. Synergy offers patients comprehensive listening enjoyment with high-definition audibility.”
Starkey’s Muse product line
According to the company, Halo 2, Muse and SoundLens Synergy have the company’s high-performance features, such as feedback cancellation, adaptive noise management and directionality, Surface™ Nanoshield moisture and wax repellent, and Starkey’s patent-pending Multiflex Tinnitus Technology, among others.
The company says the Synergy platform has quad core twin compressor technology and works with Acuity OS to binaurally process, classify and adapt multiple sounds simultaneously, so that speech can be more crisp, ambient sound more natural, and music richer and more immersive.
Synergy features five times the processing power of previous platforms, an expanded dynamic range, and channel processing with up to 24 channel adjustment.
Synergy is also said to have a unique music prescription developed with input from both professional musicians and current hearing aid wearers. Designed to accommodate music’s dynamic acoustics and spectral characteristics, these new features help ensure musical listening is clear, crisp, and enjoyable. A higher sampling rate also extends the hearing aid’s bandwidth up to 10kHz, enabling music to sound richer and fuller.
Muse is the company’s a new line of hearing aids that offers high-definition audio and SurfLink connectivity. Powered by Starkey’s 900sync wireless technology, Synergy platform, and Acuity OS, the Muse line also comes in custom and standard styles, including a slender micro receiver-in-the canal (RIC) 312 with a telecoil, and the small and slim mini behind-the-ear (BTE) 312.
Muse hearing aids also include Starkey’s new wireless CROS system. The CROS system is said to provide high-definition audio and ear-to-ear phone streaming with quality, clarity, and consistency of sound to patients with single-sided hearing loss. A BiCROS solution is also available and can benefit patients with little to no hearing in one of their ears and hearing loss in their better ear.
Also powered by the 900sync technology, the SoundLens Synergy Invisible-In-the-Canal (IIC) hearing aids reportedly provide patients with wireless connectivity through their phone or any other Bluetooth™ device.
Starkey’s Halo 2 group of products and accessories.
Powered by our TruLink™ 2.4 GHz wireless hearing technology, Halo 2 Made for iPhone hearing aids are designed to enable connectivity with iPhone, iPad®, iPod touch®, Apple Watch®, and select Android™ devices, providing high-definition audio and allowing patients to stay connected to the people and things they love most. Halo 2’s release is accompanied by the latest version of the TruLink Hearing Control app, TruLink 3.0. With TruLink and Halo hearing aids, patients can wirelessly stream* phone calls, music, and media, control hearing aid volume and memories, create personalized and geotagged hearing aid memories, adjust sound settings in any environment, and locate lost or misplaced Halo devices. Two additional features are new to TruLink Hearing Control 3.0: a new tinnitus treatment whereby integrated controls allow users to control the volume and modulation rate of the Multiflex Tinnitus Technology; and Real-Time Notifications that let users hear email, calendar, message, and social notifications directly through their Halo 2 hearing aids.* (*Only with Apple® devices.)
Surflink accessories are designed to provide patients with remote hearing aid control capabilities, enhanced listening in difficult environments, and wireless streaming without an intermediary or worn device. Starkey SurfLink accessories seamlessly connect with Muse and SoundLens Synergy hearing aids. The SurfLink Media 2 device enables patients to listen to any media device directly through their hearing aids, while the discreet, lightweight SurfLink Remote Microphone enhances one-on-one conversations.
Source: Starkey Hearing Technologies
Currently the halo2 I love it.
But Im on android when Im not working.
If I dont have a job where they hand out a apple phone… I cant use the features i really like.
Currently that would mean getting a apple phone…but despite being a developer and a stock holder of Apple.. I will never buy a iphone..
Is there any future possibility of having android use the halo2 in similar to the non-hearing features when using iphone on the halo 2.
I understand its mainly a blooth issue.. but can be emulated out.. Ive been able to myself make other products think my android is a iphone.. though not always successfull..
Just asking.. I bought halo2 because I assumed the future potential of the halo2 would include future expansion..
Halo2 is the best hearing aid.. but withot those extras I tend to take the aids out when I get home.
Dear Sir/Madam
My name is Demertzis Antonios and Iam rhe owner of an intubal pair of hearing aid , Starkey , which I bought from your supplying company here in Greece Kasapoglou Agisilaos , which is based in Herakleion Crete ( South Greece ).
The reason I’m writing is to express my strong dissatisfaction concerning the service I aquired from the representative company with whan you are promoting the hearing aid here in Greece.
I live in the relegion of Macedonia , in North Greece . Due to the geological distance from Crete , for the maintanance of my hearing aid , I was liaising with a representative of Kasapoglou Agisilaos Company ,responsible for the region of Macedonia. They assured me that they were going to send it to the USA’s laboratory in order to he fixed but that would take long.
As time went by I had no information conserning my hearing aid furthermore after incessant phone calls to which I was not responding , they replied by saying that the hearing aid got lost and that there was no reason to replace it as he concidered himself to be in no way responsible . I would also like to add that I have noone to help me repair it . All of this has the effect of not having a normal hearing since I can not use the hearing aids that were paid to the Starkey company.
finally I think you should be aware of this insident as I believe you are interested in how your products are being promoted by your representatives in other counties . In this particular case , the Greek company with its behaviour hurts the Starkey Company.
Your sincerely Antonios Demertzis.
Too bad they don’t work with Motorola phones. Apple’s Iphones are just lousy phones. Lots of bells and whistles I don’t need. My wife and both of my children have them so I am acquainted. They have really poor range, Much less than my Motorola G4 and poor sound quality incoming and outgoing which is very important to me due to my hearing problems.
Will the the Surflink 2 stream audio to Halo 2 hearing aids
Hi, Are SoundLens Synergy directly compatible with an iPhone without using the Surflink device?
Thanks
No, you must connect to your iPhone using the controller via Bluetooth.
Have had the Halo 2 for almost 2 months so far and I’m very unhappy. Out of the two months, they have been back to Starkey for over two weeks of that…To be fair, I do not know if the problems are with the aids or the hearing center not programing well. Either way, I think I am returning them.
Please provide comparison info between prior and new Halos (BTE) on battery life when streaming with BT.
Hi Pete,
Both the Halo and Halo 2 products use the same size 13 batteries. Streaming on either device will deplete battery life faster than when used without streaming. We’d be happy to answer any other questions you have if you could please call us at 952-941-6401 or visit http://www.starkey.com/contact-starkey-hearing.
Thank you!
In a trial, I found the prior Halo generation (BTE) to greatly degrade battery life when using Bluetooth. To what degree has this been improved in the new Halos? Please provide actual comparison technical data.
I am a CDL holder and must hace hands free blue tooth capability. I am considering Halo 2 since I have Unitron aide and BT works sporadically. I need BT dependability. I am on Droid Mini, so I would have to purchase new I phone or a system that the BT is consistent. Any suggestions?
Hi Brenda,
Our Halo 2 hearing aids work with various Apple and Android devices, and you can find out if your phone is compatible here: http://www.starkey.com/hearing-aids/technologies/halo-2-made-for-iphone-hearing-aids.
Please note though that Android technology does not currently allow for streaming, so if you are considering a new phone at this time, the iPhone device would allow you have streaming as well.
Thank you!
Hi there…. Do you know when the Muse units will have iPhone compatibility with app controls, music streaming, in-ear phone calls, etc.? Also, will a Muse device I’m considering purchasing now be able to upgrade or be compatible with the iPhone technology when/if it becomes available or would I need to purchase a new device altogether for it to sync with my iPhone?
Thanks!
Andrea
Hi Andrea,
These are all great questions, but we advise that you direct your questions about the Muse to a professional at Starkey who can give you the specifics. You can call Starkey in the U.S. at: (888) 961-4521. Alternately, you can find a professional in your area by following this link on the Starkey website: http://www.starkey.com/hearing-aids/technologies/muse-wireless-hearing-aids
Andrea,
Our Muse hearing aids are not currently compatible with iPhone as they are made with 900MHz wireless technology. They can however be remotely controlled and stream in-ear calls, music and more via our SurfLink devices. Here is more information on those: http://www.starkey.com/hearing-aids/surflink-wireless-accessories/surflink-mobile
Thank you!
I am confused by your answer to one of the above queries. I have been wearing Starkey in the ear hearing aids for 25+ years. My audiologist recently talked to me about Muse behind the ear, saying it has 24 channels and if you have an iPhone, you can program it in real time at various locations, and it will remember the program for future visits to that place via GPS on you iPhone. One of your responses says MUSE is not compatible with iPhone. Can you explain this discrepancy?
It’s great to see a powerful set of hearing aids being developed with certain lifestyles in mind. Taking serious input from musicians and pairing it with input from people who already wear hearing aids to make the perfect device for music listeners is a great way to provide value for a specific group of people, and I’m sure it’s appreciated. Thanks for sharing.
I am person with hearing loss, and I want to know more about MUSE hearing aids. I currently use Starkey made hearing aids.
Hi Anwar,
Follow this link from Starkey for more information about MUSE hearing aids, and to find a dispensing professional:
http://www.starkey.com/hearing-aids/technologies/muse-wireless-hearing-aids
Hi Anwar,
Here is some more information on our Muse hearing aids!
(1) http://www.starkey.com/blog/2016/03/Muse
(2) http://www.starkey.com/blog/2016/08/muse-hearing-aids-great-with-music
Also, feel free to reach out to us via http://www.starkey.com/contact-starkey-hearing if you’d like us to connect you with a hearing professional near you.
Thank you!
I am interested in your new “made for life” hearing aids. I have moderate to severe loss in both ears. Any new technology always gets my attention. Thank you for any information you can forward to me.
Hi Fred,
Thanks for your comment. For more information about the new “Made for Life” hearing aids from Starkey Hearing Technologies, we suggest that you contact the company directly. Here is their toll-free phone number, as well as a link to their “Find a Professional” page, where you can locate a hearing care provider in your area who dispenses Starkey hearing aids: (888) 979-1273
http://www.starkey.com/find-a-professional
Hi Fred,
We are so glad to hear you are excited about our new technology! The new “Made for Life” technology includes our new Made for iPhone hearing aid, Halo 2; a new wireless family of hearing aids called Muse; and our new invisible hearing aid, SoundLens Synergy.
Learn more about Halo 2 here:http://www.starkey.com/hearing-aids/technologies/halo-2-made-for-iphone-hearing-aids
Watch a Halo 2 testimonial here: https://www.facebook.com/starkeyhearing/videos/vl.845179322280191/10153951326133801/?type=1
Learn more about Muse here: http://www.starkey.com/blog/2016/03/Muse
Read Muse testimonials here: http://www.starkey.com/blog/2016/08/muse-hearing-aids-great-with-music
Learn more about SoundLens Synergy here: http://www.starkey.com/blog/2016/03/SoundLens-Synergy
We hope this helps, and feel free to contact us at http://www.starkey.com/contact-starkey-hearing for more information or to schedule an appointment!
Thank you!