Kanso 2 Time!!!!

[thorendor]

Hello World. Daniel Borg reporting, version 6.0.

At long last my insurance‘s mandatory 5 year period between processor upgrades was up. My new Kanso 2 devices were activated, and oh joy, I’m loving the new features including Bluetooth connectivity, the ability to fine tune my listening experience thanks to the  Nucleus Smart iOS app, along with the new Forward Focus capability.

Over the last year with my Kansos (first generation), the Scan program had stopped working. I was only using the Home program. So with my audiologist we set up the  programs for the new devices as follows:

1. Scan
2. Home -omnidirectional microphone 
3. Group - adaptive directional microphone; puts the null point where the loudest noise is coming from behind me (from 90 to 270 degrees)
4. Music

Cochlear and Apple have worked out an amazing user experience for the Kanso 2 with my iOS devices -  iPhone and iPad . I can stream music while walking, send a podcast directly to my ears while driving, and I can use the Nucleus app to balance the volumes of the stream vs. background noises via microphone so I’m not cut off from what’s happening around me unless I choose to. Snoring husband sounds - diminished!

I love the ease of setting sensitivity specific to audio source, eg

• music set to 0 sensitivity when connected to iPad on a plane, so bye bye jet engine noise, and with a flick of the switch, hello, I can chat with the flight attendant

• increase the microphone when the TV streamer is connected so I can join in the commentary happening on the room about the show we are watching.

The Bluetooth connection happens much faster compared to the external Phone Clip. The chirp when a Bluetooth connection starts is annoying though. Unfortunately there is no way to set to a different sound.

The battery is now rechargeable and built in. I was concerned whether I would be able to get through a full day without having to use the portable charger. The initial estimates for run time on a single charge was 14 and 16 hours for the right and left ears respectively. The processors fell off too easily, so we upped the magnet a notch. A benefit with the tighter fit is a longer battery life: now 16 and 17 hours estimated.

Switching between iPad and iPhone for control gets tricky. I’ve had to play around with turning off Bluetooth on a device before connecting the Kanso 2s to the new device, and sometimes that didn’t work. I’m still figuring out that pattern.

Overall I’m really, really pleased. Good job Cochlear.