by Neil Bauman, Ph.D.
Williams Sound recently released their brand new bluetooth neckloop called the CM-BT Bluetooth Audio Amplifier. Since Williams Sound makes top quality equipment (they make the PockeTalker for example), I just had to check it out for myself to see if it really had the goods.
The result was, I was impressed!
The CM-BT is not only a quality device, but it has all the features you’ll need for cell phone use and for listening to music.
It includes the standard features of hands free operation, one button answer/hang up, rechargeable battery, etc., etc., but it also has some cool features that are not included in most bluetooth neckloops.
For example, you can unplug the neckloop from the unit. This means that if the neckloop wire should ever break, instead of throwing the whole unit away like you need to do with the other bluetooth neckloops out there, all you need to do is get the replacement neckloop part. That alone could save you a lot of bucks.
Another cool feature is you can use it with the neckloop, or you can use ear buds. In that case, you don’t even need to have hearing aids and t-coils to use it.
When using ear buds you can listen to music in true stereo. (Note: neckloops only let you hear mono sound.) I’ve even figured out a way you can listen to true stereo via your hearing aids and t-coils. All you need to do is plug a pair of Music Links into the earphone jack instead of ear buds. If you are interested, here’s a link to the music links.
If you want to listen to music via ear buds or Music Links, (and don’t want the bluetooth amplifier hanging around your neck), you can unplug the neckloop and clip the bluetooth amplifier to your belt or pocket via its built-in belt clip.
Depending on the kind of hearing loss you have, you can switch the incoming sound to have high-frequency emphasis or low-frequency emphasis. In practical terms, since most hard of hearing people have a high-frequency loss, speech will sound better in the “HI” position and music will sound better in the “LO” position.
Recharging this unit couldn’t be simpler—just drop it into the charger—no fiddling with batteries or plugging a charger cable in.
Those are just some of its cool features. There are lots of other features to the CM-BT.
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Note: Unfortunately, the CM-BT is no longer available. (It went the way of the Dodo bird.) A good replacement for the CM-BT neckloop is the ClearSounds Quattro360.
My work involves a lot of manual labor and heavy lifting. If I add a neck loop communications device it MUST be protected. Can the transmitter be encased in a protective shield. Can it be placed in a protective case. Can it be placed in a pocket within a case. Any other ideas. Can I return it if it does not work with my assigned work phone. Any Ideas?
Hi Mike:
Your questions are now moot because the devices mentioned are no longer manufactured. Such is the price we pay for the constant innovations in technology. Things that worked well in the past are no longer available so we have to learn to use the latest technology, even though these older technologies still work well.
But to answer you questions as general principles, when you are using RF devices, i.e. devices that use FM or Bluetooth technology, you can protect such devices in non-metallic cases such as tough plastic cases. These will not prevent radio waves or other electro-magnetic signals from passing though the case. Using metallic cases can block these signals so the devices won’t work.
Having said that, what are you trying to hear that hearing aids aren’t helping you hear well? I can probably suggest the latest technology that will help you hear in tough listening environments.
Cordially,
Neil