Time To Read: 4 minutes
Did you know hearing aids can make your metal detecting hobby more convenient?
Metal detecting is an increasingly popular hobby, but frustrating for those who have hearing loss. If you can’t hear your metal detector clearly, you may miss out on nuggets (or other treasures) that are smaller in size or buried deeper in the ground.
To increase your prospects for success (yes, pun intended), hearing aids can improve your ability to hear your metal detector, but even this might prove difficult as this can get lost amongst the other sounds that hearing aids will also pick up such as wind noise.
The good news is, you can have the advantage over metal detectorists without hearing loss by directly connecting your hearing aids to your metal detector and essentially turn them into a pair of headphones. This will let you hear the signals clearly without the interference from other sounds in the environment.
There are two effective ways to strike it lucky.
Via Cable
The first option is to connect your hearing aids directly to the metal detector via cable.
What you’ll need:
- Hearing aids that are DAI (Direct Audio Input) compatible. If you’re unsure about this, ask your audiologist.
- DAI Adapters (‘shoes’) that connect to the bottom of your hearing aids
- Special audio cable
This option has no audio delay. However, since you are physically connected to the metal detector, you may find that the cable is more likely to snag and break while out prospecting.
Via Bluetooth
The second option is to connect the hearing aids to the metal detector via Bluetooth.
What you’ll need:
- Hearing aids that are wireless
- Bluetooth streamer for your hearing aids (or hearing aids with built-in Bluetooth)
- Metal detector that is Bluetooth capable (or a Bluetooth adapter that plugs in to your metal detector).
Once the devices are paired, your hearing aids will be able to pick up the signal from the metal detector, without the need to be physically connected. However, Bluetooth uses a lot of power which may limit the time you can spend prospecting. Also, some Bluetooth connections suffer from a delayed audio stream, making it harder to locate a target.
…A third option?
If your hearing aids are not DAI compatible, or you cannot get a Bluetooth adapter for your metal detector, then you have the option of combining the above two methods.
What you’ll need:
- Hearing aids that are wireless
- Bluetooth streamer for your hearing aids
- Standard audio cable.
The sound from the metal detector is sent to the streamer via the physical cable. And this sound is streamed wirelessly to the hearing aids.
While this set-up means you’re subject to the limitations of both methods, it does provide a way that most people can receive the benefit of connecting the two together.
To find out how you can improve your hearing, not only with the aim to strike gold, but also to re-engage in life – Visit ValueHearing.com.au
Further reading
When hearing aids are an integral part of your lifestyle, it helps you get the most out of life. We share some lifestyle articles here:
- The colour of noise
- The history of hearing aids
- Safe driving with hearing loss
- Food, Your Ears and Good Hearing
- Why TV Commercials Sound Louder Than The Programs
- Why It’s Important To Overcome Social Isolation After Hearing Loss
- How to talk to a loved one about hearing loss
- Earprints as Unique as fingerprints
- How to Successfully Travel with Hearing Aids
- Did I just hear that right? (Misheard song lyrics)
- Putting sound in movies
- Famous people who wear hearing aids
