Invisible Hearing Aids 2019

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Philips

Hearlink Invisible In Canal (IIC)

The smallest Philips HearLink instruments that fit deeply in the ear canal for maximum discreetness. This hearing aid style is for mild to moderately severe hearing losses. This device will not be a Made For iPhone device. The device will be available in five levels of technology.

Hearlink IIC Prices

We would expect the Philips Hearlink IIC range to be sold at prices from £700.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the level of technology. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €800.00 to €3000.00 depending on technology level in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1000.00 to $3200.00 depending on the level of technology in the USA.

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Oticon

Oticon Invisible Hearing Aids

Would you like a hearing device that no one else can see? Oticon has designed their IIC range to be unnoticeable to everyone else, and unnoticeable to you, too. Oticon has introduced a new IIC on the Opn platform. While the Opn platform is a direct connection Bluetooth platform, unfortunately, the new Opn IIC is too small for wireless transmission. The older ultra-compact IICs on the Inium platform have wireless technology which makes it possible to combine all the benefits of invisible hearing aids, outstanding listening performance with wireless access to communication and entertainment and the optional remote control. Let's talk about Oticon IICs.

Oticon Opn Invisible In Canal

Oticon believes that the new improved smaller Opn IIC will fit up to 80% of ears. This is Oticon’s most invisible hearing solution. It is shaped to fit so snugly deep inside your ear that no one will see it, or even realise you are wearing it. It means that you can keep your hearing loss a secret, and enjoy the many benefits of modern hearing care, without any noticeable change in your appearance.

They say " These ‘invisible’ hearing aids sit far enough in the ear canal that people won’t be able to see them. A thin plastic pin remains accessible, which you use to pull the hearing aids out again. Like all Oticon Opn hearing aids, the Invisible-In-the-Canal (IIC) style automatically adjusts to different sound environments – which means you don't have to touch them or change their settings during the day." The IIC will definitely not be Made For iPhone and in fact may not be wireless at all. Oticon has made some strides in the design of the device and they say it will be the smallest IIC ever. They reckon that it should physically fit 8 out of every 10 people. The devices appear to be powered with a size 10 battery.

Oticon IIC Prices

We would expect the Oticon IIC range to be sold at prices from £700.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the level of technology. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €800.00 to €3000.00 depending on technology level in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1000.00 to $3200.00 depending on the level of technology in the USA.

Oticon Inium Invisible Solutions

While the new Opn IIC is the smallest ever invisible hearing aid that they have ever made. There are still Inium invisible hearing aids available. That is the last platform which had the Nera, Ria and Intiga ranges. These IIC devices are designed to fit seamlessly into your lifestyle so that nothing gets in the way of your regular daily routines. The sound level adapts automatically as sounds and places change throughout the day, so you will always have the sound you need to participate on an equal footing with everyone else.

Oticon Inium IICs will also have minimum impact on the rest of your lifestyle – fitted inside your ear, it will not affect your use of headsets or telephones, nor how you wear your glasses, or even how you do your hair. As it is placed deep inside the ear, Oticon IIC captures sound in the same way that your ears were designed to do. Based on Oticon’s slightly older hearing aid technology, Inium Sense, and available at three technology levels to suit all budgets, it gently preserves and amplifies sounds so that what you hear is always clear – and you will be able to participate confidently in all situations.

First Ever Wireless Invisible Hearing Aid

Up until now, the ultra-compact IIC has come at the price of reduced features and limited use cases. Not anymore. Oticon's Inium IIC instruments with wireless technology make it possible to combine all the benefits of invisible hearing aids, outstanding listening performance, and wireless connectivity, what more could you want?

Bernafon

Bernafon Zerena Invisible Hearing Aids

Bernafon's new Zerena invisible hearing aids are truly the smallest hearing aids they have ever offered. Bernafon has designed new components that reduce the overall size of their IIC range to ensure that it fits more people than ever before. 

An Invisible Solution

This is Bernafon’s most invisible hearing solution, designed to fit deep inside your ear. No one will see it, or even realise you are wearing it, which means that you can keep your hearing loss a secret if you wish to. The IIC will also have minimum impact on the rest of your lifestyle – fitted inside your ear, it will not affect your use of headsets or telephones, nor how you wear your glasses, or even how you do your hair. 

Optimal Placement For Every Budget

Placing the hearing aid deep inside the ear canal means that it captures sound in the same way that your ears were designed to do. Based on Bernafon’s new Zerena hearing aid technology, the IIC is available in five technology levels to suit all budgets. 

Zerena IIC Prices

We would expect the Bernafon Zerena IIC range to be sold at prices from £700.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the level of technology. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €800.00 to €3000.00 depending on technology level in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1000.00 to $3200.00 depending on the level of technology in the USA.

Suitable For More Than Ever

Bernafon has run an early trial to get a clear idea of what effect the new smaller size would have on the suitability for fit. So they had some of their customers send them early orders so they could run them through. They were surprised to find out that they could fit all of them with the new IIC, they were really not expecting that. While they can't be sure from such a small test case, it does bode well for the suitability of the hearing aids for more people than ever. 

Who is The IIC Suitable For

First, let's talk about the technical suitability for hearing loss types. The new invisible hearing aids will fit hearing losses from mild all the way through to severe to profound.

Although, that does depend on the size of the speaker they can fit into the hearing aid. So technically, they can fit a whole lot of hearing losses. I spoke to Bernafon about more typical high-frequency hearing losses. Quite often when someone has a high-frequency hearing loss, they have good low-frequency hearing. With that type of hearing loss, we have to be careful about closing off the ear canal because people suffer from occlusion problems (the feeling of their ears being stuffed up). 

Bernafon says that there are two possible ways that the new invisible hearing devices can deal with this. Because of the smaller size of components, there is a good chance that the device can be inserted deep into the bony portion of the ear canal. This has been the traditional way to beat occlusion but it has been hard to actually deliver. The new sizing of the IIC should allow this to happen now for more people than ever. 

The second way to deal with occlusion is through venting of a hearing aid, in essence putting a hole through it, the larger the better. Again, the new size of the components ensures that there is more space to put a larger vent and they have a fascinating new vent system which again means that they should be suitable for this type of loss.  

Resound

Resound LiNX 3D LTIIC (Invisible In Canal Hearing Aid)

Linx 3D IIC Prices

We would expect the range depending on the technology level, to be sold at prices from £1200.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the Practice and location. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €1200.00 to €3000.00 in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1200.00 to $3200.00 in the USA.

Resound have just introduced a brand new platform called the LiNX 3D. It is an upgrade to their exceptionally popular LiNX 2 Made For iPhone hearing aids.

The platform is a full range of hearing aid styles with one being an invisible hearing aid. The LTIIC is the smallest of the LiNX 3D custom hearing aids. Because it is so small you will lose some of the benefits of the technology.

However, that is always the trade-off for discretion. The device is available with only one level of receiver power, the LP. It will only cover hearing losses to a max 70 dB in the low frequencies and 85 dB in the high frequencies.

Suitability

The suitability for this device is also based on the size of your ear canal. If your canal is too small, you won't be able to avail of it. If your hearing loss is close to 70 in the lows and 85 in the highs, you won't be able to avail of it.

It can not have a push button or volume control, but the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. But you lose out on the direct audio streaming, no ear to ear communication, and no wireless accessories. The battery size of this aid is size 10.

By choosing discretion you do lose out on a lot of features and benefit. Firstly, there is no telecoil, something that many like. You also miss out on the new Resound smart 3D app and the remote assistance. You lose all the directionality functions because you only have one mic, no Wind Guard and you lose all the wireless functions. That is a lot of benefits gone because you wanted it small, really think about this, because honestly, no one cares that you are wearing a hearing aid.

Feature Set

The feature set of the device is as follows.

• Up to 17 channels of compression depending on tech level
• Environmental Classifier
• Environmental Optimizer II
• Noise Tracker II
• Expansion
• Sound Shaper
• DFS Ultra III with Music Mode
• Auto DFS
• Acceptance Manager
• Tinnitus Sound Generator

Widex

The Widex IIC

The IIC is small enough to be placed very deep inside the ear canal, making it invisible. This combined with the famous fantastic sound quality of Widex makes this a superior option. It is based on the Widex Menu technology which is a slightly older technology, however, it still benefits from some outstanding Widex technology and sound. The Widex IIC is placed deep into the ear canal so no part of it can be seen.

A Truly Invisible Hearing Aid?

The IIC is designed to be placed very deep, beyond the second bend of the ear canal. So yes, it is truly an invisible hearing aid.  As I said, space in your ear canal to accommodate the IIC is important. Narrow canals or sharp bends in the ear canal can rule out the IIC model as suitable.

Who Is The Widex IIC Suitable For?

The IIC is not suitable for everyone for two reasons. The device will only fit certain dimensions of the ear canal, if your ear canal is too narrow or has too tight a bend it might not be suitable. Other contraindications are things such as excessive waxy ear canals or perforated eardrums. If you face these issues, the IIC or in fact any invisible hearing aid, may not be the product for you. In these cases, other types of discreet hearing aids may be more advisable to consider.

The Widex IIC is available in three of the Menu technology levels, IIC 10, IIC 5 and IIC 3+.

Outstanding features of the IIC include:

• Perfect fit: each IIC hearing aid is custom made to ensure a perfect fit
• Better localisation: tight fit means users can better determine where sounds are coming from
• All-purpose use: can be worn in all listening situations
• Durability: all components are contained in one unit making it extremely durable
• More comfort: no joined parts mean there are no hard edges

Phonak

Virto B Hearing Aids

Meet The New Phonak Virto B Range

Phonak have now introduced the full range of their new Virto B in the ear products. They say that they are custom-made to perfectly fit in your ear, Phonak Virto B is the world’s first hearing aids with Biometric Calibration, which take your individual ear anatomy and hearing needs into account. That's an interesting description.

They say that they will identify over 1600 biometric data points in and on your ear, and the unique calibration settings are calculated for each Virto B hearing aid. In this way, Virto B is able to more reliably sense where the sound is coming from, thereby giving you access to a better hearing performance.

What does that all mean? Well, we think that Phonak is the first ever hearing aid manufacturer to carefully map the outer ear to take advantage of its natural abilities. They say that the new process will deliver a 2dB signal to noise ratio improvement. Basically means it will make the signal (what you want to listen to) 2dB higher than the noise.

2dB doesn't sound like much but combined with all the other strategies that Phonak use it will be a marked improvement. Phonak Virto B is available in six models to match your hearing needs. It is also available in the usual four levels of technology, the 90, 70, 50 and 30. 

Virto Nano Prices

We would expect the Phonak Virto Nano range to be sold at prices from £700.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the level of technology. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €800.00 to €3000.00 depending on technology level in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1000.00 to $3200.00 depending on the level of technology in the USA.

Virto B-10 NW O

• Custom Product
• Mild to severe hearing loss
• Battery: 10 zinc air
• Truly invisible
• Non-Wireless
• Omni-Directional

Signia

Insio Nx IIC

Siemens introduced the Insio Nx IIC late in 2018 as the final part of the Nx introduction. While the Nx range are direct connection Bluetooth hearing aids (Made For iPhone), the Insio Nx IIC isn't. It is just too small a device. Having said that, the device is still an outstanding hearing aid built on the new Nx chip. It is available in three levels of technology the 7px, the 5px and the 3px. 

We have general details about Invisible Hearing Aids and other types of devices in our consumer hearing aid advice guide. It also details technology levels and features of hearing instruments in clear and easy to understand language. 

Insio Nx IIC Prices

We would expect the range depending on the technology level, to be sold at prices from £1200.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the Practice and location. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €1200.00 to €3000.00 in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1200.00 to $3200.00 in the USA.

Signia

Signia Insio Silk Nx

Signia have had instant fit custom hearing aids in the past, however, they say that Silk is the first completely-in-the-canal (CIC) hearing aid that’s both almost invisible and ready to wear. The device is a new offering on their latest Nx chipset and they say it is designed to fit up to 80% of all ear canals. While the device is labelled a CIC, for some lucky people it is actually an invisible hearing aid. That really depends on your ear canal size. 

The device is a modular type hearing aid that uses a flexible Click Sleeve to provide an immediate and comfortable fit. There are several sizes of click sleeves to fit as many ears as possible. The hearing aids are designed so that theoretically you could walk out, fitted with them, after your hearing test. 

Instant Fit Invisible Hearing Aid (almost)

The Click Sleeves are made of soft silicone and are available in six different types which allow the device to fit in the majority of ear canals and to fit the majority of hearing losses. With the right Click Sleeve in place, the hearing aid sits quite deep in the canal making the device either invisible or almost invisible.  

Insio Silk Nx Prices

We would expect the range depending on the technology level, to be sold at prices from £1200.00 to £2200.00 in the UK depending on the Practice and location. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from €1200.00 to €3000.00 in Ireland. We would expect the range to be sold at prices from $1200.00 to $3200.00 in the USA.