Phonak hearing aid models, prices, and reviews

The Inside Scoop on Phonak Hearing Aids: What You Need to Know

Phonak, established in 1947 in Switzerland, is renowned for its diverse and innovative hearing aids, its widespread Bluetooth compatibility, and extensive global service network.

Key Takeaways

• Phonak hearing aid prices range from $1,200-$7,000 for the pair, and the costs vary based on the model, style, technology level, service package included (if any), and retailer.
• There are several ways to buy Phonak hearing aids, but Phonak recommends purchasing from a retailer that providers in-person care, as it leads to higher user satisfaction and increased use.
• Phonak’s best hearing aid is the Phonak Audéo Lumity, and wearers praise its long battery life and bluetooth connectivity.

Revolutionizing hearing aid technology, Phonak Audéo Lumity offers superior Bluetooth connectivity, seamlessly linking with multiple Android and iOS devices.

Bluetooth Connectivity Sets Phonak Apart

One of the standout features of Phonak hearing aids is their Bluetooth connectivity. The company has been at the forefront of integrating Bluetooth technology into hearing aids, thereby revolutionizing the user experience.

Whether it's cell phones, tablets, or computers, Phonak devices offer unparalleled connectivity options. What's truly noteworthy is their ability to pair with multiple devices simultaneously, which is a feature not readily found in competitors' products. Furthermore, Phonak utilizes Bluetooth Classic technology, ensuring seamless compatibility with both Android and iOS devices.

Phonak Audéo Lumity Life: A waterproof, rechargeable hearing aid for active, tech-savvy lifestyles, merging durability with digital convenience.

The Adventurous Will Love the Waterproof Models

For those who lead an active lifestyle or perhaps have ears that are more prone to sweating, Phonak’s waterproof Audéo Lumity Life model offers a robust solution. The Phonak Audéo Life is the world's first waterproof and rechargeable hearing aid, designed to withstand submersion in various water types, including fresh, salt, and pool water, up to 50 cm or 1.64 feet.

This singular feature makes Phonak a go-to brand for those seeking extra durability in their hearing aids, setting it apart from its competitors. Furthermore, its advanced health data tracking capabilities and universal connectivity options provide an added layer of convenience and personalization, appealing to tech-savvy users looking for a modern hearing aid that can seamlessly integrate with their digital lifestyle.

Phonak combines style and functionality with its nearly invisible Virto Titanium and sleek Audéo Lumity Slim models, offering custom-fit comfort and unparalleled aesthetics.

Style Meets Functionality

Phonak understands that hearing aids can be as much about aesthetics as they are about function. Whether it’s the nearly invisible Phonak Virto Titanium or the ultra-sleek Phonak Audéo Lumity Slim models, Phonak offers an array of stylish designs that don’t sacrifice on performance. Notably, Phonak stands alone in producing the Virto Titanium hearing aids, the only ones in the world made of titanium. This innovation results in hearing aids that are not only smaller and more discreet compared to traditional acrylic models but also exceptionally durable.

Moreover, the Audéo Lumity Slim models feature a unique and proprietary curved design, offering unparalleled comfort. These models are meticulously designed for each ear, with distinct versions for the right and left ear, ensuring a tailored and snug fit that complements the natural contour of the ear.

Phonak's Roger technology: A range of wireless microphones like Roger On iN, enhancing audio in any setting and compatible with various hearing aid brands for an improved listening experience.

The Power of Roger™ Wireless Microphones

Beyond the core features, Phonak offers Roger technology, a series of wireless microphones designed to enhance the audio experience dramatically. Available in multiple variants like Roger On iN, Select iN, and Table Mic II iN, these accessories are fine-tuned for different environments.

From quiet, intimate settings to bustling professional atmospheres, Roger technology isolates and amplifies speech while minimizing background noise. Furthermore, these wireless microphones can transmit audio from your TV directly to your hearing aids, removing the need for additional connectors.

Phonak Sky Lumity: Award-winning pediatric hearing aid, offering customizable colors and a safe design, perfect for enhancing education and personalizing children's hearing experiences.

Family-Friendly Options

Phonak distinguishes itself in the hearing aid industry with its Sky hearing aids, specifically catering to the pediatric market. The Phonak Sky Lumity, recipient of the Hearing Technology Innovator 2023 award in the BTE category, is tailored for children, offering a variety of colors for personalization and a tamper-proof, parent-approved design.

This model enhances educational accessibility through its compatibility with Roger microphones, aiding speech access and language development in and out of the classroom. Additionally, it connects with the myPhonak Junior app, allowing children to personalize their hearing experience, making it an exemplary choice for pediatric hearing care.

Phonak's latest family of hearing aids, Lumity, lacks custom in-the-ear models.

But It's Not All Rosy

However, no brand is without its drawbacks. One noticeable limitation with the brand is the absence of custom, in-the-ear models in the newest family of hearing aids- Lumity. For users interested in this style of hearing aid, their only option is to consider another brand, or buy the older Phonak Virto Paradise.

Another area that may give pause is in an age where most electronic devices have some "find my device" feature, Phonak lags behind. The absence of a feature to locate lost hearing aids within the Phonak app is a noticeable oversight, especially considering the significant financial investment involved in purchasing these devices.

Phonak hearing aid models compared

Comparing this models:

Audéo Lumity Virto Paradise Add new model to compare Audéo Lumity Virto Paradise Naída Lumity

Phonak Audéo Lumity 4.5

Phonak Virto Paradise

Audéo Lumity Virto Paradise Naída Lumity

Reviews	93 reviews • 27 video reviews	0 reviews • 1 video reviews
Sales popularity	30.7%	2.7%
Return rate	12.9%	25.7%
Released date	Aug 23, 2022	Feb 22, 2022
Hearing loss	Mild-Severe	Mild-Severe
Styles	R, RT, RL Life, Slim, CROS, R Fit, 312	Titanium IIC, Titanium CIC, 10 NW, 312 NW, 312
Battery	Rechargeable or disposable	Disposable

Phonak hearing aid reviews

Expert reviews

Read what a few of our favorite ZipHearing providers have to say about Phonak

Aaron Whiteley, Doctor of Audiology

Updated Oct 24 2022

What I like

Phonak is consistently one of the faster innovators in the hearing aid world. They are among the first manufacturers to create a super-powered rechargeable hearing aid, which has been great for my patients. They offer some of the most comprehensive options for Bluetooth connectivity, and they provide creative solutions for hearing in background noise in the form of their Roger technology. The myPhonak app also allows users to have a good degree of control over their hearing aids and make small adjustments as needed. Phonak allows me to work with patients with a wide range of hearing difficulties -- from individuals who only struggle to hear in very noisy situations, all the way to people who have a hard time getting by even in one-on-one conversations. The current line of technology (Lumity), comes in four technology levels, which can be used effectively to meet different needs for each patient. Phonak’s new Lumity hearing aids feature an updated design of the hearing aid charger, making it much easier to insert and remove the hearing aids. Additionally, a portable version of the charger is available, allowing for on-the-go charging without an additional accessory. Additionally, Phonak has created a waterproof model of their hearing aids, which I find to be great for folks who engage in activities that produce a lot of perspiration. Phonak has recently updated their myPhonak app, and it still has all of the same great features that it had prior to the update. However, I have received feedback from numerous patients that the app now looks cluttered and feels a bit more cumbersome to navigate.

What needs improving

Some maintenance parts, such as domes and wax traps, have proven challenging for some patients to utilize and change on their own. If someone has concerns about their grip strength or manual dexterity, there are some manufacturers that provide more usable solutions. I would like to see Phonak adopt a more user-friendly set-up for these parts so that more patients could effectively utilize their hearing aids.

HELPFUL 19

Brad Ingrao, Doctor of Audiology

Updated May 27 2022

What I like

Phonak’s lineup covers all of my patients, including those with severe to profound hearing loss, which is a significant portion of our practice. For years, they’ve led the industry in directional microphone tech to improve speech understanding in noise and the current lineup continues in this tradition. For those who need a bit more help in this setting, their Roger microphone system is absolutely top notch.

What needs improving

Even though the Roger system lets people hear very well in noise, it’s somewhat cost prohibitive. If they could bring the price down a bit, they would really have a great solution for almost everybody.

HELPFUL 8

Greg Fitzgibbons, MA, Audiology

Updated May 27 2022

What I like

Phonak has been popular among our patients for several year now for having true Bluetooth connectivity that allows patients to be hands free when streaming phone calls with both Android and iPhones. It also allows them to connect to other Bluetooth enabled products such as laptop and desktop computers. They are now on the second generation of this feature with the Paradise line of behind the ear instruments, which comes with improved connectivity of multiple devices and an easier tap connection option on some models. Along with these cool Bluetooth features Phonak also does very well with sound quality and performance in difficult listening situations with the sophistication of their directional microphones and motion sensors.

What needs improving

Unfortunately, as happy as I am with Phonak’s hands free streaming capabilities, their app/connectivity has some problems that does not always make for a perfect streaming experience for our patients. Phonak is aware of these issues and hopefully we will see improvements in the app experience and updates to the hearing aid firmware that will eliminate these issues. I also eagerly wait for more style options in the Paradise product line since not every patient wants something behind their ear.

HELPFUL 6

Phonak hearing aid prices

The cost of Phonak hearing aids is going to vary depending on a number of factors. You can buy Phonak hearing aids online for as little as $600 each, or in-store at a local Phonak retailer’s office for as much as $4,000 each. If that seems like a wild spread in pricing, that’s because it is! There are a lot of reasons for why prices for Phonak vary so much, and for a primer on this, we’d recommend checking out this video. In short, the way you buy Phonak hearing aids is going to be the biggest determining factor in how much you pay, and here’s a quick breakdown of how to buy Phonak hearing aids:

Direct-to-consumer (mail order): If you have a copy of a recent hearing test, you can email your test results to a variety of direct-to-consumer online Phonak retailers, who’ll then program your hearing aids and mail them to you. Some of these retailers also provide remote programming services so you can get adjustments made to them in the future. Since there’s no local support when you buy Phonak online, this route ends up being the cheapest (at least in the nearterm). Phonak would probably prefer that people didn’t utilize the direct-to-consumer option, and they’ve put this notice on their website to that effect: “Purchasing hearing care products via the internet or other mail-order catalogs may result in your receiving substandard fitting or follow-up care. Please be wary of any website that offers you Phonak hearing aids without the involvement of a licensed professional. Purchasing Phonak hearing aids or accessories from any of these unauthorized online or mail-order retailers will void the warranty. “

Direct from a local Phonak provider: If you buy from a local Phonak distributor, prices can get out of control pretty quickly. For example, national hearing aid price tracking website HearingTracker.com reports that for Phonak’s latest model, Phonak Audeo Lumity 90, the national average price for a pair is $6750. However, there are certainly some benefits from buying directly from a local provider. Mainly, when you pay the high sticker price, you’re likely to get several years of followup service ‘bundled’ or included in the price of the hearing aids. That means whenever you need service in the future, there’s no additional charge. This can be very beneficial for folks who know (or suspect) that they’ll need a great deal of follow up service as the years go by. To buy Phonak hearing aids this way, we’d recommend using the tool on Phonak’s website to find Phonak providers near you, then contact them to set up a consultation.

Discount network: For savvy, and repeat hearing aid buyers, buying through discount networks is the ideal combination of discounted pricing and local care. It marries the best of the two options above. To purchase through a discount network, start by checking Phonak Audeo lumity prices, then ask to be referred to a local Phonak affiliate near you. The affiliate performs the hearing test, along with a suite of services at pre-negotiated discounted rates (some shown in the chart below). Buying through a discount network can get you up to 50% off retail prices.