Williams Sound - Pocketalker Ultra - Black

Better than a hearing aid for some people. My clients enjoy the sound quality and the ability to adjust the settings to fit their hearing needs.

Williams Sound - Pocketalker Ultra PKT D1 Personal Amplifier: After using the Pocketalker Ultra for a few days I had to wonder if we sometimes over-think solutions to our everyday problems. This small, unassuming, pillbox sized amplifier with built-in microphone can solve troubling hearing problems. The Pocketalker takes a straightforward approach to augmenting failing hearing. It captures room sounds (TV sound, conversations), amplifies them using a rugged plastic box that has an amplifier inside. This gray device fits in my hand (2.25”x3.4”), and delivers the amplified sound to my ears through the provided lightweight headphones or the even lighter earbuds. Couldn’t be simpler. Couldn’t be more reliable. And it is effective. SETUP: Load the 2 AAA batteries (provided), plug in either the folding headphones or earbud, and use the Volume dial to turn on the hand-held amplifier. The on-off switch is also the volume control. The other dial is a tone control, allowing the user emphasize or reduce treble sounds. It’s subtle but I could hear added detail as I spun the tone dial. There is an included lengthy (12ft) cord that allows a user to place the amplifier closer to the TV. PERFORMANCE and SUMMARY: I was just listening to a great streaming mystery which had forced me to use captioning in order to understand the fast, often-times mumbled dialog. Simply turning on this Pocketalker, placing it on the table next to me and setting the headphones on my ears improved my viewing experience. I had my own personal volume control which made the programming seem like it was filling my room even though the actual TV volume was quite low. Williams Sound’s Pockettalker takes the most direct line to solving a situational hearing deficiency. Want to attend a meeting or Bingo night and hear the conversation and call-outs? Clip the Pocketalker to your shirt or set it on the table, and place the earbuds or headphones on your head. Plug the earbuds/headphones into the device. Play with the volume until you’re no longer straining to hear the sound. Problem solved. You’re part of the party. And I’m happy for a solution that doesn’t break the bank.

Pocketalker is ideal for anyone who has trouble hearing conversations or listening to television and needs the voice amplified to pickup the sound. This personal amplifier is good and provides up to 50dB amplification and features an omnidirectional electret microphone that captures crisp sound with minimum background noise. We got this device for my aging father-in-law who had trouble hearing and always keeps the volume of television at higher level which was little annoying and frustration to my kids. This device has really helped him to hear well during watching movies, televisions, conversing with family members and friends. This device resembles the Walkman device and is portable to easily carry or travel in pockets. It does come with 2 AAA batteries, 12-foot microphone extension cord, lanyard, mini earbud, folding headphone. Battery seems to be good and is advertised for 200 hours of operation. It does have external rotary tone and volume controls for easy and simple adjustments. Pros: Simple setup process, easy travel, portable, longer battery life, good amplification, easy to use, adjustable volume and tone control knobs, 5-year manufacturer warranty, very ideal for television listening or conversing in car or outdoor. Cons: Old design, basic headphones, no USB charging or rechargeable option Overall, this device has made watching TV a breeze and seamless and helps to hear what you want to hear.

First impressions and use - When I received this product my first impression was what I could only describe as a resounding "Meh" noting the picture on the box and flat silver appearance. The various pics, nor the box gave any real impression of SIZE - which is really important - It's SMALL ! The marketing for this product is missing out on demonstrating how small it actually is - please see real world use photos. I was able to use this with the included headphones, a set of regular wired headphones and a set of bluetooth in ear headphones with small bluetooth sender. The only prerequisite is that the mic be at least partially exposed - I.e. does not work well stuffed completely in a jeans pocket. I used this at work in a large conference hall, in a cubicle area, while walking around etc... It works extremely well on either loud or close sound sources in the normal range of speech. The tone and boost volume is adjustable which helps boost clarity in my case. Car use - It does a reasonably good job of boosting conversation without overboosting the background noise. Physical Operation - Could not be simpler - turn on, adjust two dials. That's all there is. Battery performance - The pocketalker ultra included a set of batteries, I'll be honest here - I put those in the battery recycling bin and installed name brand alkalines. After a few days of testing in various situations I left the unit turned on - for four days - ( It's still on as I write this review ) at something approaching 150 hours of use. It's still going ! A little about my own hearing loss - I am writing this review as I have severe hearing damage in one ear due to repeatly rupturing an eardrum. My own hearing loss makes it difficult to discern speech on that side. It also interferes with hearing speech, television, movies etc....."Correctly". Since I can still hear reasonably well in the second ear ( Nobody's perfect, right? ) it allows for a good comparison for various hearing products. Notably I wear a single customized hearing aid for daily use which I removed when trying this product in various situations. What I love: Small Size and Easy to use. EPIC battery life ! Room for improvement: For future versions, please include an extra wind screen or two ! Colors other than flat silver would be nice.

I have problems hearing while doing various activities. I really like the Pockettalker Ultra PKT D1. It is very light to carry and and offers me amazing control of sound by adjusting the volume and/or tone control. It is so easy to adjust with the knobs on each side. It offers amplified sound with settings that goes from a 1 low to 10 really amplified. For me 4-5 worked best with no buzzing. Sound is clear. I found it to be very helpful while watching TV alone or with my husband. I will not be using it when we have company because the cable requires hookup on TV and headphones. It would create a fall hazard for the grandkids. It is too noticeable to wear out at restaurants even with just one earbud unless I have too. It’s just not the look I want in crowded public settings. The headphones fold in so it is easier to pack. I do wish it had come with a hard case to keep it safe when not in use. This personal amplifier is just that - an amplifier. It does fulfill a need for me and it makes watching TV much more enjoyable because the TV does not need to be so loud for everyone else. I also use it when walking with my dog. It helps me to be more aware of my surroundings so I feel safer. It comes with 2 AAA batteries and there is a red light on top of the pockettalker that blinks when batteries are low. It comes with lanyard so you can wear it around your neck freeing up your hands. It comes with the cord to hook up on TV. I really do like it for home use, walking the dog and grocery shopping. I do recommend it for these activities.