FAQs

Use Cases

Personal sound amplifiers, also known as Personal Sound Amplification Products or PSAPs, are designed for people who occasionally find themselves in situations where the volume and clarity of the sounds around them are less than what they would prefer.

Hearing aids are designed to help compensate for specific types of hearing loss and are meant to be dispensed by qualified professionals and worn by the patient all of the time. PSAPs like the CS50+ are designed for occasional use for amplifying sounds that are inherently difficult to hear. PSAPs are not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any disease. If you believe you have hearing loss, we encourage you to seek help from a qualified professional.

Since our devices are so highly customizable we recommend that you spend more time with it than a typical demo. We expect that it will take you a while to find the best settings and become accustomed to our device. Therefore, we offer a no-risk 45-day money back guarantee. If you use the device for 45 days and don’t feel it’s providing a benefit, we’ll take it back, no questions asked.

The CS50+ and HD100 Sidekick/Companion are capable of streaming audio from music, movies and other media wirelessly via Bluetooth connection. Unfortunately, our current HD75 and older model CS10 do not have this capability.

Our devices are not tinnitus maskers. However, some people who suffer from tinnitus have been able to find comfort through amplification that our products provide.

Fit and Finish

Absolutely. Our products are user customizable with a number of adjustments you can make to get the perfect fit for your ear. First be sure the ear tip is the right size. Three different sized ear tips are provided with the smallest coming attached on the device. The perfect fit should be snug, but not tight. You don’t want the device to be loose or flopping around when you wear it. If none of the supplied ear tips are large enough, please contact us for a free extra-large ear tip. Next, you can adjust the length of the battery wire on the CS50+ and HD100 so the device lies more comfortably on your ear. Grasp the body of the earpiece in one hand and the battery wire in the other. Gently slide the wire until you reach a comfortable length for your ear. See our “Getting Started” video for a demonstration.

Absolutely. We have a number of beta testers, customers, and some members of the Sound World Solutions team wearing the device comfortably with their eyeglasses. The best option is to have the earpieces of your eyeglasses nearest to your head, then nestle the battery from the device between the earpiece of your glasses and your ear.

Our HD75 and HD100 Companion models are fully interchangeable between sides. However, our CS50+ is side-specific and cannot be switched between ears.

Batteries

It will take up to 2 ½ hours to fully charge a drained battery.

You can expect to get up to 15 hours of operation from a single battery using the CS50+ or HD100 Companion. Battery life will be somewhat reduced if using your device as a Bluetooth headset for phone calls frequently.

With regular use, the batteries can be expected to survive recharging for up to 2 years. When needed, replacement batteries can be purchased on our website.

Check that the charger kit is assembled and plugged into either an AC power source or a USB connector on a computer. If the charger points are getting power, the LED lights will glow blue. Once a battery is connected, the LED should turn either red (needs to charge) or green (fully charged). If the lights remain blue after the battery is attached, adjust the position of the battery so that the contacts seat properly to the charging station.

Yes, it is safe to leave them on the charger all the time. You will not damage the batteries or the charger. In fact, we do it here at Sound World Solutions so we’ll always have a fresh battery.

CONNECTIVITY AND CUSTOMIZATION

First, be certain Bluetooth is turned on in the mobile device you are trying to pair to. In most devices you can go into the “Settings” options to find the Bluetooth menu where you can turn Bluetooth on or off. Our hearing devices will only attempt to pair for the first three minutes after powering up. Once the mobile device is ready, reattach the battery to your hearing device and your mobile device should discover the hearing device. We have also created a video tutorial to help you pair our products to your phone.

The HD100 Companion has direct Bluetooth capability and therefore turns into a Bluetooth headset when receiving/making phone calls. First you will need to pair/connect the Companion to your smart phone. Once paired/connected here is what you can do:
  — Press & release middle button – Answers and ends phone calls on the Companion
  — Press & hold the top volume button – On most smart phones this activates the voice command
  — Volume buttons – During a phone call, you can increase or decrease volume using these buttons

With mobile communication devices you should be sure that you have good signal strength and reduce as much ambient noise as possible. You can optimize the performance of the Bluetooth link of the amplifier by being sure to use it within 10 feet of your mobile phone.

Ensure that your phone is on the same side of your body as your hearing device when in use (for example, if you are wearing the amplifier on your right ear, keep your phone on your right hand side, either in pockets or in the console of your car). You want to avoid making the Bluetooth signal go ‘through’ your body, which is a rather effective signal block.

You can download the free Android version of the app from the Google Play store and the iOS version of the app in Apple’s App Store. You can find a link to the app on the product pages or through our Mobile App page. Both Windows and Mac OS X desktop versions of the app can also be downloaded from that page of our website.

No. Our devices are ready to be used right out of the box. There are three preset amplification profiles to choose from in addition to a personal volume control. Our devices can also be used as a headset with any Bluetooth enabled phone. Our free mobile app for computers and smartphones allows you to tap into additional features and to further personalize your device, but it is not mandatory.

The CS50+ gives users access to these settings directly from the program button on the back edge of the device without the need of our Customizer app. If you are using an older model such as the CS10, you will need some version of our free Customizer app. Once you select any profile in the app (personal profile or preset profile), the back button on the CS10 changes function and will allow you to toggle between the environment modes. One beep is your baseline profile. Two beeps is “Restaurant Setting” with more directionality to help you hear more clearly in noisy locations. Three beeps is “Entertainment Setting” with a more balanced frequency response for musical or theatrical events.

When you push the program button on the back edge of the CS10, you will either hear a voice saying “Preset 1”, “Preset 2”, “Preset 3”, or you will hear a series of beeps. If you hear the beeps, your device is in Environment mode. One beep is your baseline profile. Two beeps is “Restaurant Setting”, and three beeps is “Entertainment Setting.” If you hear the voice, your device is in Program mode, where you can switch between the three preset amplification profiles.

TROUBLESHOOTING

Preset 1 and Preset 2 each have less low frequency emphasis than Preset 3. If none of those settings adequately reduce the bass response, you can use our free mobile app on your smartphone or desktop computer to create your own personal profile or make specific individual EQ adjustments.

This is likely due to the natural buildup of wax. We recommend that you clean the ear tip and nozzle of your device once per week. You may also need to clear any wax build up from your ears.

It is normal for your brain to take some time to get used to amplified sounds. However, if the high frequency response is distracting or annoying, you can turn down the volume or try a different factory preset with a more balanced frequency response (Preset 2 or Preset 3). Be sure you adjust the volume each time you select a different preset. You can also access an Equalizer screen through our free mobile app where you can set specific EQ settings and set your personal sound profile.

The squealing sound is caused by feedback, or sound from the speaker being picked up by the microphone and creating a loop. To eliminate this, there are a number of solutions that could work for you depending on your use needs.

  • Press and hold the button on the face of the unit to reduce the volume.
  • Increase the size of the ear tip you are using to prevent sound from escaping from your ear and being picked up by the microphone.
  • Avoid putting your hand or other objects near the device. Putting a firm surface next to the device will reflect sound back into the microphone creating a feedback loop (squealing).

First, be certain the battery is attached properly (CS models). It is also important to confirm that the battery is charged. Removing any wax that may be blocking the ear tip or nozzle may also help.

Check that the charger kit is assembled and plugged into either an AC power source or a USB connector on a computer. If the charger points are getting power, the LED lights will glow blue. Once a battery is connected, the LED should turn either red (needs to charge) or green (fully charged). If the lights remain blue after the battery is attached, adjust the position of the battery so that the contacts seat properly to the charging station.

  • Be certain Bluetooth is turned on in the phone
  • Pair the device within 3 minutes of powering up the device
  • Ensure that the device is selected as active device in the phone
  • Use the device within 10 feet of phone
  • Ensure that your phone is on the same side of your body as your device (for example, if you are wearing the amplifier on your right ear, keep your phone on your right hand side, either in pockets or in the console of your car). You want to avoid making the Bluetooth signal go “through” your body, which is a rather effective signal block.