Phonak Audeo Sphere
Local review, West Yorkshire (Jan 2025) Existing client, previously wearing our Phonak Audeo V50-10, decides to buy AUDEO INFINIO SPHERE 90R
“The Phonak aids have been so transformative for me in such a short time that I would encourage anyone who finds themselves occasionally in challenging situations as I do, to give them a try.”
“The initial immediate experience of the Phonak Audeo Sphere hearing aids was very positive. Not only did my own voice sound very natural but that of the person speaking to me was also. Immediately on leaving the Hearing Care Centre I found that the street noise was subdued and very tolerable which meant that I could hear the voices around me very clearly.
I went into a pub and found that the background clatter was almost eliminated. I could hear the person behind the bar clearly and was able to order without having to strain to hear the replies or having to ask the barman to repeat himself because of background noise. In fact we had a pleasant conversation.
The journey home in the car was also very pleasant – no excessive motor, traffic, wind or tyre noise. I had not realised how much the excess noise had added to the stress of driving, particularly over long distances. It is also safer because it is easier to give my full attention to my driving.
Back home I could speak to my wife in a normal voice. She too. I now know how much she had had to raise her voice when talking to me. Things have become more relaxing for her also. The aids are excellent in small room situations. I hear everyone sitting around the family table without straining and without the need for excessive, very tiring concentration. This is also true for noisy restaurants where I no longer need to ask people to repeat themselves, sometimes more than once. I am able to “read” the nuances of what people are saying and join in more naturally. Also, I no longer break into people’s conversations, not because I am rude but because I don’t realise that people have not stopped talking. I paired my aids with my iPad and the biggest revelation to me was music. I have always loved listening to music and had realised that the sound had become “thin” but I had not realised by how much. I was now hearing sounds as I had not heard them for years. In one piece of music in particular I had thought that the contribution of one musician was poor. I now realise, with the full range of sound available that his playing is magnificent. I no longer need the captions for television. If the sound is loud enough for my wife but not for me, I can up the sounds on my aids. I do not need to do this very often.
The first time I used my aids as part of a group exercising in a large room there was an improvement but not much. I put the aids onto “restaurant”, upped the volume slightly and there was a big improvement. Previously I had had to watch others to know what to do but now I could hear the instructor clearly.
On my first trial of the aids there was a negative. In some very quiet situations, for example when I was working on something with no distractions there was an unpleasant metallic buzz to many sounds. The aids were picking up the very quietest sounds and adding this buzz to them. I tried several things myself: checking that the domes were seated properly, checking that it was not feedback by moving my head away from the chair backs. The buzzing was distracting to the point of really annoying. When I mentioned this to the audiologist, they were able to readjust the aids to completely eliminate the problem. At the same time, it eliminated a slight metallic edge to people’s voices making them sound even more natural. I don’t know if my ears are becoming used to the hearing aids or whether they are “learning” from the situations that I find myself in, but the performance has improved in certain situations. When returning to the Sports Club I no longer had to increase the volume and was hearing everyone very comfortably.
I was also able to again test the aids in a restaurant situation and the conversations were clear to the front and sides. I was also able to hear people attracting my attention from behind without them needing to touch my shoulder. It really was comfortable all-round hearing. I no longer have to watch people’s lips to support and help me work out what they are saying.
Further, at a committee meeting in a large room with a pronounced echo where, in the past, I had been reduced to hearing no-one clearly and unable really to contribute, this time, I could hear everyone and was able to fully participate.
I regularly phone my daughter who lives in France. Normally this involves concentrating and listening carefully and still often miss hearing. With these aids it was as clear as if she was in the room. The phone call was natural and relaxed. In the past I used to ask people to text me rather than call because I frequently missed calls and even when I did pick up there were problems with me miss hearing important information. Now the calls go straight to the aids and callers are very clear. I have regained my confidence when using the phone. I am also getting used to not raising my voice (I wasn’t even really aware that I did this) as I can hear it easily, the voice now coming direct to the earpiece and much clearer.
Altogether the Phonak Audeo Sphere hearing aids makes it feel much more what I remember “normal” hearing being. The quality of the voices of others is clearer, richer and better modulated. The suppression of unwanted noises makes listening a pleasurable experience once more. They no longer “drown out” the conversations that I wish to hear. I have now used them in a wide variety of what would have been challenging situations with very positive results. There is no doubt that the aids have improved my quality of life, making me much more confident and relaxed in situations that previously would be challenging.”
