Kid wears bilateral Rondo 3; what's the best combo for classroom use?

[Jit]

Hi all,

I am the parent of an 11-year old child who has been using Opus 2 processors bilaterally. We've recently upgraded to Rondo 3 processors bilaterally and I would like to get a sense of what combination/equipment he should use in order for him to hear his teacher clearly in his classroom in school. What's the best solution that maximizes sound quality with ease of use?

Based on my research, I've come up with four options. Do let me know if I'm accurate in delineating these options and whether there's another option you might recommend.

1. Telecoil adapters + Artone 3 Max Bluetooth Neckloop + Artone Bluetooth Mic (for the teacher).

2. Audiolink + Third-party bluetooth mic (i.e. DO NOT USE Audiolink remote as the mic since the range/quality is quite low). Does this solution actually work? Any recommended Bluetooth Mics for this scenario?

3. Telecoil adapters + Roger Mylink Neckloop + Roger Touchscreen Mic (for the teacher). Am I right to assume the Roger Touchscreen Mic will connect with Roger MyLink neckloop at a decent range/quality?

4. External Battery packs+cables+Roger Receivers (plugged into the external battery pack)+ Roger Touchscreen Mic (for the teacher). This to me seems like an extremely cumbersome solution due to the number of attachments needed. What do you think?

Do let me know which option you would recommend and any experiences you've might have had.

thanks,

Jit

[Mary Beth]

@Jit

Two  quick questions first…..

1) when your child attaches the telecoil adapters to the bilateral Rondo 3, does your child hear a ticking sound?  Several Rondo 3 users are reporting a ticking sound when the telecoil adapters are plugged in.  This would be my first step because if there is a ticking sound the use of any telecoil option would not be recommended.

2)what type of assistive listening device was your child using in school with the OPUS 2?

[Jit]

1) Re: ticking sound, My child just went to bed and I can't test this out quite yet. What does the ticking sound mean? Is it a hardware failure?

2) Opus 2 processors were used with a Roger "boot"/receiver plugged into the bottom of each processor, and synched with a Roger touchscreen mic.

 

thanks!

Jit

[Mary Beth]

@Jit

It sounds like a ticking from a clock.  It seems to be interference the telecoil adapter is getting from the Rondo 3.  Med-El is aware of it but I have not read about a fix yet.  If you search here there are posts about it.

If the ticking sound occurs for your child, I would contact Med-El to see if there is a fix.  Until a fix is in place, my suggestion is to avoid all use of telecoil.

[Mary Beth]

@John Crozier

Diane , how are things going with John’s Rondo 3 telecoil ticking issue?  Will you describe your temporary fix to @Jit please?

[Mary Beth]

@Jit above you said “Audiolink + Third-party bluetooth mic (i.e. DO NOT USE Audiolink remote as the mic since the range/quality is quite low). Does this solution actually work? Any recommended Bluetooth Mics for this scenario?”

 

I do not understand this set up.  The AudioLink does not BT pair to every BT device.  It has quite limited BT pairing.  Even with the same phone it is only BT for phone calls and needs to use a converter app for all other audio from that same phone.

[Jit]

Ah, I see. I guess I was misled by the marketese in various Medel catalogues, e.g. "AudioLink is a UNIVERSAL connectivity device that can be used to stream sound to your RONDO 3, SONNET or SONNET 2 from your phone, tablet, TV, and OTHER MEDIA DEVICES." I didn't realize it was more limited than that.

I'm still trying to brainstorm for a solution; what do you think of this possible setup?

Audiolink--->audio cable plugged into headphone jack of----> third-party receiver that has a headphone jack---->some sort of wireless connection (Bluetooth or otherwise) to--> third-party remote mic

In other words, if Audiolink can be attached to any device that has a headphone jack, then my child could just carry the audiolink plugged via headphone jack into the receiver of a mic-receiver combo (maybe something like this: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B089SSQ2GR?tag=microphoneman-20&linkCode=ogi&th=1&psc=1 )

Let me know if this makes sense?

 

[Mary Beth]

@Jit

The benefit of your child being 11 is that maybe your child can test and comment on possible remote mic options.

The AudioLink requires a cable or dock for some of the streaming mentioned above.

Do you already have AudioLink?  If yes, has your child tested it out as a stand alone mic yet?

Do you know if there is a ticking issue with the Rondo 3 telecoil yet?  If there isn’t, this opens up more options.  And your child is already used to the Roger Touchscreen Mic and receiver.  Roger technology is hard to beat in a school setting.  

[Jit]

No I haven't had the chance to test for the ticking issue. Will be able to do it this afternoon.

We did test the audiolink as a stand-alone mic. We find interference and range to be somewhat problematic, which seems to jibe with other anecdotes I've heard about it. It seems that it works best when relatively close by to the processors, which sort of defeats the point.

The school audiologist, on consultation with a medel specialist, is leaning towards the Roger Neckloop (a newer version that replaces the Roger Mylink neckloop). Keeping my fingers crossed that there's no ticking/telecoil issue.....

[Mary Beth]

@Jit

That would be my recommendation too as long as there is no ticking issue.  But even a quiet constant ticking would drive me crazy so hopefully you can get a setting with absolutely no ticking.

[John Crozier]

11 hours ago, Mary Beth said:

@John Crozier

Diane , how are things going with John’s Rondo 3 telecoil ticking issue?  Will you describe your temporary fix to @Jit please?

Hi Mary Beth.  Hope you are doing well.

we still have the ticking issue.  We have turned the sensitivity to almost off which helps.  We only insert the adapter once it is about to be used otherwise the ticking is terrible.  Also we had the original setting where once the adapter is in place it is on 50/0 but we changed it to using the full telecoil only which now has the issue of not hearing around you.  John is avoiding the Artone which he really liked and using the AudioLink but we find the AudioLink has too short a range and keeps shutting off.    All in all the Rondo 3 has still been a good choice.  Would be nice to get things fixed.

[Mary Beth]

Thanks for the update Diane @John Crozier

I was hoping there was a fix.

[Jit]

Hi all,

Tested the Rondo 3 on child's right side and unfortunately the ticking sound is there. (He called it "drumming".)

The good news is that turning the Rondo 3 to flight mode seems to stop the ticking. The bad news is that it's a pain to have to do this... since Flight Mode turns off each time the Rondo 3 turns off, it means I need to turn on Flight Mode at least once a day, in the morning before my kid goes to school, for both Rondos. (The telecoil adapters will probably stay in all the time.... don't think I ever need to take them out of the Rondos.)

Hope Med-El finds a hardware/software fix for this ticking thing soon..... 😞

[Mary Beth]

I am glad flight mode helps you. @Jit

 

[Jit]

Thanks for your help Mary Beth and everyone else that has chimed in. I will continue to report on my child's connectivity so other parents can get a sense of what works and what doesn't. 🙂

[Mary Beth]

You are welcome @Jit  I look forward to your updates

[Mary Beth]

@Jit

Another thought in case it helps….

cars and buses tend to have electromagnetic interference (EMI) with active telecoils which sounds like buzzing- sometimes quiet buzzing and other times loud buzzing.  When the telecoil adapter is attached to the Rondo 3 in a program that automatically mixes MT at 50/50, that telecoil is active even when a neckloop is not being used.  Any EMI in the car or bus would sound like buzzing.  Maybe the telecoil adapters can be attached after arriving to school ?