[rarewolf]

Sennheiser has just introduced a new consumer-targeted hearing aid, the Conversation Clear Plus. I couldn’t find any specifics here, or anywhere, so I thought it would be as good a time as any to share what we know…

My ears are 73yo, and I’m certainly interested how good their sound quality is, and if the set may be employing the same driver that we’re already familiar with.

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/newsroom/effortlessly-clear-conversation-with-modern-style-nwnwfr

 

[ericpalonen]

Sennheiser has just introduced a new consumer-targeted hearing aid, the Conversation Clear Plus. I couldn’t find any specifics here, or anywhere, so I thought it would be as good a time as any to share what we know…

My ears are 73yo, and I’m certainly interested how good their sound quality is, and if the set may be employing the same driver that we’re already familiar with.

https://en-us.sennheiser.com/newsroom/effortlessly-clear-conversation-with-modern-style-nwnwfr

Thanks for the post! I can certainly help here. Conversation Clear Plus is a conversation focused wearable for enhancing speech in noise environments. Yes it is a true wireless format and yes they offer versatile connectivity to all of your Bluetooth devices but we should not think of them in the same category as a hi-fi product... The driver and chipsets inside are all bespoke to work in conjunction with the built-in beamforming microphones, and the tuning is voiced to help those who have difficulty in social settings where vocal communication is essential. The driver is a 12mm and the DSP inside offers adaptive scene detection (like moving from a restaurant to a bar, and then adapting to suppress the increase in noise) to work in close conjunction with the directionality of the beam forming mic.

I've listened to them quite a bit for streaming music to get a feel for how they work outside of the conversation application, as I frequent this corner of the web a bit. They sound respectable but we're not intended for being a go-to music device sick as Momentum True Wireless 3.

A good analogy is reading glasses. When you need them, you take them out of your pocket and put them on. These operate similarly but for speech.

This is a fairly new category but an emerging one. We want to be there for consumers on every step of the hearing journey and every application. Stay tuned for some other announcements from us that are more hi-fi related, otherwise you are welcome to ask any questions you may have about CC+ here as well

 

[jwdean26]

I just started wearing hearing aids this year and they work well except for noisy environments. Because my hearing issues are in the high frequency area, I use open domes to allow the lower frequencies to come into my ears naturally. That means noisy environments still pose problems when wearing my hearing aids. These seem to be a possible solution for when I'm in a really noisy environment. I noticed when looking at the specs that the version of Bluetooth used is 4.2. Can someone explain why the new Conversation Clear Plus went with Bluetooth 4.2 rather than the most up-to-date version of Bluetooth?

 

[ericpalonen]

I noticed when looking at the specs that the version of Bluetooth used is 4.2. Can someone explain why the new Conversation Clear Plus went with Bluetooth 4.2 rather than the most up-to-date version of Bluetooth?

For this application we use custom chipsets that manage proprietary DSP functions while offering decent battery life. When weighing the benefits of going to 5.x, there was no game changing feature of the latest spec that would make a meaningful difference for the conversation-focused product.

 

[rarewolf]

For this application we use custom chipsets that manage proprietary DSP functions while offering decent battery life. When weighing the benefits of going to 5.x, there was no game changing feature of the latest spec that would make a meaningful difference for the conversation-focused product.

If you are going to put the Sennheiser name on it, then by reputation consumers are expecting you to provide accuracy to music’s sound quality, as well as for conversation. We’ll be looking forward to your next CC+…

… OMG… CC++!

… #jussayin

 

[jwdean26]

https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/01/bluetooth-versions/

I am not an audiophile, but if I was releasing a new product with Bluetooth capabilities in 2023, I would make sure it had version 5.x.

 

[ericpalonen]

https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/01/bluetooth-versions/

I am not an audiophile, but if I was releasing a new product with Bluetooth capabilities in 2023, I would make sure it had version 5.x.

It's not an audiophile product.

 

[samz2]

https://www.headphonesty.com/2021/01/bluetooth-versions/

I am not an audiophile, but if I was releasing a new product with Bluetooth capabilities in 2023, I would make sure it had version 5.x.

For what it’s worth, codecs are really the only issue here when it comes to audio quality — newer Bluetooth versions since 4.2 have thus far added nothing in terms of audio performance.

Common misconception spread by articles like those and YouTubers (not to mention complicit manufacturers in order to push upgrade cycles) has been that 5.0 and later have greater bandwidth and range. However, these improvements were solely for Bluetooth Low Energy mode — but there is no audio transmission in LE (until LE Audio / LC3 actually launches; despite the years of hype we currently have a grand total of zero functioning devices on the market) — only in Bluetooth Classic, so it doesn’t actually make a difference.

https://habr.com/en/post/456182/ (whole thing is very interesting, but the section titled "Bluetooth 5, Classic and Low Energy" explains this)

Bluetooth version alone isn’t the key in any way as there are many great 4.2 products out there that support better codecs. BT version has just been a convenient (but mostly meaningless) spec sheet buzzword in the wireless headphone world.

Anyway, with this product, Sennheiser has made it clear that enhanced hearing is its primary focus, with music listening very far down on the list as a convenience feature. Its target audience is those with hearing loss who want to hear real-world speech better, not people on Head-Fi looking for true wireless earbuds for high-fidelity music listening.

 

[ericpalonen]

For what it’s worth, codecs are really the only issue here when it comes to audio quality — newer Bluetooth versions since 4.2 have thus far added nothing in terms of audio performance.

Common misconception spread by articles like those and YouTubers (not to mention complicit manufacturers in order to push upgrade cycles) has been that 5.0 and later have greater bandwidth and range. However, these improvements were solely for Bluetooth Low Energy mode — but there is no audio transmission in LE (until LE Audio / LC3 actually launches; despite the years of hype we currently have a grand total of zero functioning devices on the market) — only in Bluetooth Classic, so it doesn’t actually make a difference.

https://habr.com/en/post/456182/ (whole thing is very interesting, but the section titled "Bluetooth 5, Classic and Low Energy" explains this)

Bluetooth version alone isn’t the key in any way as there are many great 4.2 products out there that support better codecs. BT version has just been a convenient (but mostly meaningless) spec sheet buzzword in the wireless headphone world.

Anyway, with this product, Sennheiser has made it clear that enhanced hearing is its primary focus, with music listening very far down on the list as a convenience feature. Its target audience is those with hearing loss who want to hear real-world speech better, not people on Head-Fi looking for true wireless earbuds for high-fidelity music listening.

 

[rarewolf]

[…], with this product, Sennheiser has made it clear that enhanced hearing is its primary focus, with music listening very far down on the list as a convenience feature. Its target audience is those with hearing loss who want to hear real-world speech better, not people on Head-Fi looking for true wireless earbuds for high-fidelity music listening.

You have to wonder then, why they didn’t put Sonova’s name on them, which is the hearing-aid company that bought Sennheiser, … than putting Sennheiser’s name on them, which has always been an audiophile company.

 

[ericpalonen]

You have to wonder then, why they didn’t put Sonova’s name on them, which is the hearing-aid company that bought Sennheiser, … than putting Sennheiser’s name on them, which has always been an audiophile company.

Our goal is to offer solutions for every step of the hearing journey. As a brand that specialized in listening (through microphones or headphones... It's all transducer technology) I actually wonder why Sennheiser didn't develop this first

 

[rarewolf]

Our goal is to offer solutions for every step of the hearing journey. As a brand that specialized in listening (through microphones or headphones... It's all transducer technology) I actually wonder why Sennheiser didn't develop this first

I’ll admit I have no knowledge of that the sound quality from the CC+ is not audio quality—we’re still waiting for the reviews. All I’m saying is that the company with the “Sennheiser” name on it usually markets it products for the audiophile…

 

[ericpalonen]

I’ll admit I have no knowledge of that the sound quality from the CC+ is not audio quality—we’re still waiting for the reviews. All I’m saying is that the company with the “Sennheiser” name on it usually markets it products for the audiophile…

Sennheiser has been making mics and headphone (transducers) for over 75 years. Assistive & enhanced hearing devices have been made and sold by the brand for well over 40 years, but of course, discovery and acknowledgement of those devices depends on the circles in which they are mentioned.

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make the sweet mics my band uses" - musician

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make the TV listening headphones my wife and I use" - elderly couple

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make those yellow hi-fi headphones...I still use them to this day" - OG audiophile

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make headphones and headsets that my esports team uses" - gamer

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make some noise cancelling headphones" - Business traveler

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make those sport headphones I use at the gym" - athlete

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make great audiophile headphones" - Head-Fi member

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make the ceiling beam forming mic for our conference room audio system" - Hybrid corporate A/V-IT guy

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make all of the broadcast headsets we use for on-air programming" - ESPN sound tech

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes...." ok you get the point...we're known for various things in various circles. The circle you and I are in right now is indeed audiophile focused. We're glad Conversation Clear Plus is getting some awareness here, but recognize it's not what this circle will choose first for their application. The company with the Sennheiser name on it is everywhere you find audio.

Some of these non-audiophile businesses total in the hundreds of millions of euros/dollars annually.

We simply hope that those that love the brand for whatever the original reason, will still reach for the brand when a need for better situational sound arises. Thx for chiming in about CC+!

 

[rarewolf]

Sennheiser has been making mics and headphone (transducers) for over 75 years. Assistive & enhanced hearing devices have been made and sold by the brand for well over 40 years, but of course, discovery and acknowledgement of those devices depends on the circles in which they are mentioned.

"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make the sweet mics my band uses" - musician
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make the TV listening headphones my wife and I use" - elderly couple
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make those yellow hi-fi headphones...I still use them to this day" - OG audiophile
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make headphones and headsets that my esports team uses" - gamer
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make some noise cancelling headphones" - Business traveler
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make those sport headphones I use at the gym" - athlete
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make great audiophile headphones" - Head-Fi member
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make the ceiling beam forming mic for our conference room audio system" - Hybrid corporate A/V-IT guy
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes, they make all of the broadcast headsets we use for on-air programming" - ESPN sound tech
"Sennheiser? Ahh yes...." ok you get the point...we're known for various things in various circles. The circle you and I are in right now is indeed audiophile focused. We're glad Conversation Clear Plus is getting some awareness here, but recognize it's not what this circle will choose first for their application. The company with the Sennheiser name on it is everywhere you find audio.

Some of these non-audiophile businesses total in the hundreds of millions of euros/dollars annually.

We simply hope that those that love the brand for whatever the original reason, will still reach for the brand when a need for better situational sound arises. Thx for chiming in about CC+!

… and I’ll take responsibility (… blame? …) for starting this thread in an audiophile community forum…

 

[ericpalonen]

… and I’ll take responsibility (… blame? …) for starting this thread in an audiophile community forum…

Lol! I'm glad you chimed in. This is a great place to transfer knowledge. Reach out at anytime about anything