Disappointing results
A really great idea, and I wish I could say something more positive about this. I tried using this with an iPad and Bose Bluetooth headphones with built in microphone(s). But, the app seemed only to see the microphone in the iPad itself and there seemed to be no way of changing that. Most apps (Skype, Zoom, FaceTime) usually see the Bose headphone’s microphones directly. Nonetheless, I thought is should still work reasonably well with the microphone in the iPad. The problem then is that the range of birdsong I hear in the headphones is reduced, and a poorer quality version if what I normally hear with just my poor hearing, be it relayed though the headphones in “alert” mode or no headphones at all.
If the developer would like to respond with a solution, I’d be pleased to revise this review.
If the developer would like to respond with a solution, I’d be pleased to revise this review.
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Promising, But Needs More Work
Intended as a replacement for a no longer made device called Songfinder, it does what it says it will do. That is, it can lower the pitch of bird songs and calls by an octave or more to help people like me with high frequency hearing loss hear birds again. It is designed for a wired headset with stereo microphones, but can work with an iPhone's built in microphone.
I was disappointed to find that it does not support MFi hearing devices. In fact, if you wear MFi hearing devices with audio routing of media to hearing devices set to Always, or Auto, the app does not work. It would be much more useful to me if it would work with MFi hearing devices. Supposedly, it works with wireless devices such as Airpods, but they are not recommended by the app maker.
Another slight disappoihtment was that if you use the Merlin app for bird sound identification, the Hear Birds Again app will shut off and and have to be restarted when you are done with Merlin.
I was disappointed to find that it does not support MFi hearing devices. In fact, if you wear MFi hearing devices with audio routing of media to hearing devices set to Always, or Auto, the app does not work. It would be much more useful to me if it would work with MFi hearing devices. Supposedly, it works with wireless devices such as Airpods, but they are not recommended by the app maker.
Another slight disappoihtment was that if you use the Merlin app for bird sound identification, the Hear Birds Again app will shut off and and have to be restarted when you are done with Merlin.
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Excellent
Downloaded the app having been aware of “SongFinder”. Used it with standard earphones and the iPhone microphones, great. Bought second hand Ambeo headset from the bay on the strength of the initial test and love the results. Will undoubtedly progress to bespoke kit shortly. Only issue is I get much less done in the garden now as I keep stopping to listen to the birds!
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It really works!
Just installed it on my iPhone 11. I didn’t even know what I was missing! Works with the phone microphone and AirPods .
