Increase Bluetooth volume (iPhone 5s, iOS8)

Question

Level 1

96 points

Increase Bluetooth volume (iPhone 5s, iOS8)

(Note: this was originally posted in the "iPhone > Using iPhone" forum yesterday but that forum seems to be swamped with posts about general problems with iOS8. Therefore I'm cross-posting this here as it may be a more suitable place. Apologies if this is not appropriate.)

I require hearing aids and the current unit I have has a Bluetooth capability (Phonak Compilot) which lets me pair my iPhone (and other devices) so I can listen to them through the hearing aid units in my ears. (Because of the 'in ear' units I can't use ear-buds and even padded headphones press against the electronic part that is behind my ear so it hurts after a short while.)

When streaming audio from a number of devices (e.g. my iMac and some other Bluetooth audio sources I have) there is no problem with the volume of the sound I hear and typically the volume control on the source device is set to about half way or lower.

However, with the iPhone (5s, iOS8.0) I have trouble hearing the music and podcasts with the volume slider set to maximum. In the 'Settings > Music' I have turned off the 'Sound Check' option, 'EQ' and 'Volume Limit' are both off.

Also, when I turn off the Bluetooth connection, I can hear the music/podcast better from the iPhone speaker - but this is not an option in the office, in the train etc. (and even at times when I'm at home).

I have had the Audiologist adjust the setting for the Bluetooth reception by the hearing aids to be as high as it will go on the basis that it is easier for me to turn down the device volumes when necessary.

Is there some other setting that could be limiting the volume when using Bluetooth on the iPhone?

Susan

Posted on Oct 1, 2014 4:13 PM

Reply

Answer 1

OldGnome

Level 3

813 points

Oct 4, 2014 9:05 AM in response to Aussie Susan

I wear Starkey Halos and I will not use them for audio streaming, except for phone calls. If I am listening to music, I am using either external speakers or ear buds. I realize that neither may be an option for you.

My TruLink softwar (Starkey's hearing aid control app) allows me to boost or drop volume and has a rudimentary EQ that allows me to boost bass while dropping treble or just the opposite. If you are already at the limits of your hearing aids, there is really nothing more that can be done to boost the sound via Bluetooth. Hearing aids can only boost sound so much. The phone can only turn the sound up so high.

Reply

Answer 2

Aussie Susan Author

Level 1

96 points

Oct 5, 2014 7:12 PM in response to OldGnome

Thanks OldGnome, but perhaps I have not been clear enough in my question.

My problem is with the iPhone in that other Bluetooth streaming sources are loud enough in the Hearing Aids even when they are on a low volume setting.

I can turn the Hearing Aid volume up but that also turns up the background sound - everything is louder but I really need just the Bluetooth streamed sound turned up relative to the background and, as I've said, the Audiologist has done this to the limit of the HA. Therefore the alternative comes back to making the Bluetooth streaming source louder.

I know that the iPhone has volume limitations built in to it so that people cannot have the volume up so loud that it damages their hearing.

As I've said, I've turned off the Sound Check option, and both the 'EQ' and the Volume Limit" are off.

My question was really: is there a setting that I've missed that will let the iPhone stream louder over Bluetooth so that I can manage the volume with the iPhone volume control?

Susan

Reply

Answer 3

Aussie Susan Author

Level 1

96 points

Oct 16, 2014 8:12 PM in response to Aussie Susan

In case anyone else finds this thread - the initial setting of the Bluetooth input to the ComPilot had many of the frequencies set to "attenuate", especially the lower frequencies. This mean that the sound that was getting through was 'tinny' and the spoken word was almost unintelligible unless I was in a quiet room.

My audiologist adjusted the Bluetooth settings and also increased the overall level of the Bluetooth audio and it is not usable - even with the iPhone volume at about the 2/3 level.

I will still have it raised a bit more so I can hear speech better, but that is for the future.

The bottom line: the problem lay with the relative settings of the Bluetooth streaming within the hearing aids and I no longer need to find a way to boost the iPhone volume.
Susan

Reply