Oticon Intent: AI-Powered, Sensor-Enhanced Hearing Aids
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World’s first in-ear hearing aid with an on-board Deep Neural Network
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The Inside Scoop on Oticon Hearing Aids: What You Need to Know
Key Takeaways
- Oticon hearing aid prices range from $2,400-$8,000 for the pair, and the costs vary based on the model, style, technology level, service package included, and retailer.
- Oticon does not support direct-to-consumer online sellers—Oticon hearing aids must be purchased through an authorized Oticon retailer that includes face-to-face care.
- Oticon’s best hearing aid is the Oticon Intent which was released on February 22, 2024 and is Oticon's first hearing aid on their all new Sirius platform.
Pioneering DNN Technology
Traditionally, hearing aids follow a set of human-written rules (algorithms) when they process sound—and the majority of hearing aids on the market still do. Oticon thought there had to be a better way and in 2021 (years ahead of competitors) Oticon released their first hearing aid with an onboard Deep Neural Network.The DNN was trained on how to identify and process 12 million real-life sounds, in a way that'll be most beneficial for the wearer. This technology lets Oticon hearing aids have a brain of their own, replicating human brain processes, for the most intelligent listening experience.
A Variety of Choices
From discreet receiver-in-canal style hearing aids, to powerful behind-the-ear models, to nearly invisible in-ear models, Oticon has something for everyone. They offer varieties with rechargeable and disposable batteries, they include features like telecoils and CROS compatibility, ensuring that whatever your needs, they can check the boxes you need.No matter your hearing loss, lifestyle, cosmetic preferences, or budget, Oticon's complete range of products has something for everyone.
Children-Friendly Options
Only a handful of hearing aid manufacturers have a range of hearing aids designed specifically for children, and Oticon is arguably the leader in this category, with their Play hearing aids. It's for children, but make no mistake, this hearing aid is "all grown up" in terms of the cutting-edge technology it delivers. It offers than same Deep Neural Network technology as their Flagship Oticon Intent line, ensuring your child doesn't miss out on important sounds.Play comes in a variety of fun colors, it's tamper-resistant, and has an IP68 rating, meaning it can withstand the rigors of childhood and won't break down when exposed to water, dirt or dust.
Room for Improvement
In our opinion, Oticon's receiver-in-canal Intent model is the best, or second-best hearing aid on the market, in terms of overall popularity, user reviews, and return rates. However, we've been less thrilled by their newest in-ear model, Oticon Own, as in our experience it hasn't garnered raving fans like the Intent model has.There's also some room to improve on Bluetooth connectivity. If you're using an iPhone, connecting is pretty seamless thanks to Bluetooth Low Energy, so you can stream audio and make hands-free calls easily. But for Android users, things can get a little tricky. You may need to grab an extra accessory like the Oticon ConnectClip to enjoy features like hands-free calling. Plus (like most hearing aids), Oticon hearing aids can only pair with one device at a time, which can be frustrating if you’re switching between a phone, tablet, or computer regularly since you’ll need to unpair and reconnect each time.
Conclusion
Few would deny that Oticon is an absolute powerhouse in the hearing aid industry, setting the tone for innovation and high quality products. Like any brand, there's room for improvement, particularly with their in-ear models, and Bluetooth limitations. But for the majority of hearing aid wearers who prefer the receiver-in-canal style, and have simple (or no) Bluetooth streaming needs, we'd consider Oticon to be the best, or second-best choice on the market.
*Based on pricing data published by HearingTracker.com
2024: Intent
2023: Real
2022: Zircon
2021: More
2020: Ruby
2019: Opn S, Opn Play, Xceed
2018: Siya
Not sure which model you have? Check your user guide, or call the Oticon provider who sold the devices to you.
Pairing Instructions:
1. Make sure that your phone's Bluetooth is on. Go to Settings > Bluetooth, and make sure the toggle switch is set to On.
2. Open and close the battery doors on your hearing device. Or, if you use rechargeable Oticon hearing aids, switch the hearing aids off and on again, by pressing and holding the toggle down button for 3 seconds to turn them off, and repeating to turn them back on.
3. On your Apple device, go to Settings > Accessibility > Hearing, and select Hearing Devices.
4. Your Apple device will search for your hearing device.
5. Under MFi Hearing Devices, tap the name of your hearing device.
6. Tap Pair when you see the pairing request on the screen. If you have two hearing devices, you'll get two requests. Pairing could take up to a minute.
7. You can start using your hearing device when you see it under MFi Hearing Devices with a check mark.
2024: Intent
2023: Real
2022: Zircon
2021: More
Please note that not all Android devices can directly stream to Oticon hearing aids. Check compatibility
Pairing Instructions:
1. Go to the Android phone’s home screen and tap on the “Settings” icon.
2. In the settings menu, tap on the Bluetooth icon.
3. Tap on the slider button to turn Bluetooth on.
4. Open and close the hearing aid battery doors. Or, if you use rechargeable Oticon hearing aids, switch the hearing aids off by pressing and holding the push button for 3 seconds, then repeating to turn them back on again.
5. Open the “Settings” app on your phone
6. Tap “Connected devices”, and “Pair new device.”
7. If you have more than one hearing aid: Wait for the first hearing aid to connect, then tap the other hearing aid in the list of available devices.
8. Your Android phone is now connected to your Oticon hearing aids.
Oticon hearing aid models compared
As of September 2024, Oticon currently has five different models of hearing aids available (if we exclude the pediatric line). Those models address different types of hearing loss, with different feature sets, and at different price points. So how do you know which model to buy?
For starters, in almost all cases, and with the majority of hearing losses, you'll want to go with the newest from Oticon, released in February 2024, Oticon Intent.
Intent is Oticon's best-seller by a long shot and is their flagship hearing aid. But if you want an in-the-ear model, have a severe-to-profound hearing loss, don't want rechargeable batteries, or would like to keep your costs down and not by the newest Intent model, that's when the other models start to make more sense.
If you'd like an in-the-ear custom-molded model, check out Oticon Own. Oticon makes these in a range of sizes from completely invisible in canal options, to large full shell in-the-ear options that'll be much easier to handle and maintain on a day-to-day basis.
If you have a severe-to-profound hearing loss, take a look at Oticon Xceed. These are large and powerful behind-the-ear hearing aids that are used with custom ear molds. As of September 2024, they are the most powerful hearing aids on the market.
If you want a receiver-in-canal style like Intent, but don't want rechargeable batteries (Intent only comes rechargeable), then consider the Oticon Real. It's from February 2023, but it's the best hearing aid Oticon currently makes that is powered by disposable batteries.
Finally, if you don't want to shell out $3,000+ for state of the art hearing aids, and just want something reliable that will get the job done, consider Oticon Zircon. It's Oticon's "budget" line of hearing aids. They're not going to offer state-of-the-art background noise reduction, but they'll be an excellent help in many environments, helping you hear one-on-one conversations better.
Reviews | 56 reviews • 15 video reviews | 76 reviews • 22 video reviews |
Sales popularity | 95.7% | 4.3% |
Return rate | 12% | 14.9% |
Released date | Feb 22, 2024 | Feb 23, 2023 |
Hearing loss | Mild-Moderate | Mild-Severe |
Styles | miniRITE R, CROS PX miniRITE R, CROS minRITE T | miniRITE R, miniRITE T, miniBTE R, miniBTE T, CROS miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R |
Battery | Rechargeable | Rechargeable or disposable |
Oticon hearing aid reviews
As a nationwide, high volume retailer of hearing aids, we are privy to a lot of data about different hearing aid manufacturers. We work with thousands of customers a year, and hundreds of hearing providers nationwide. This gets us unique insight into how particular products perform, what customers say about them, and what the expert hearing care providers who work with these hearing aids each and every day say about them.
It's that breadth of knowledge that we get to pull from, that enables us to confidently say that Oticon is consistently regarded as either the best, or second-best brand of prescription hearing aids on the market. They seem to be in a perpetual contest with Phonak, racing to deliver the most innovative products to the market, and both brands consistently do.
Oticon's claim to fame as of the last few years is their introduction of Deep Neural Network technology to hearing aids, dating back to their 2021 release of Oticon More. This was a radical new way for hearing aids to process sound, and it's a trend that's catching on, with other major manufacturers recently following suit with their own products.
Below you'll see some expert reviews, from hearing care providers (audiologists and hearing aid dispensers), who work with these products everyday in clinic. If actual user reviews are more your speed, then navigate to the model pages on our site (or click the links below), to read and watch authentic user reviews from actual Oticon wearers.
Expert reviews
Read what a few of our favorite ZipHearing providers have to say about Oticon
What I like
My first choice of manufacturers to fit my patients with has been Oticon for the past several years now. While I work with all manufacturers, I’ve been pleased with Oticon because their approach to amplification is different compared to most manufacturers. Oticons ‘Brainhearing’ is essentially- ‘if it’s in the environment you need to hear it’. They use this philosophy for improving speech in noisy situations by enhancing the actual speech signal directly vs the traditional method of utilizing ONLY directional microphones and noise reduction. Time and again I’ve had my patients report back that they heard more but still felt the sound quality was pleasing, not too harsh or bothersome as with previous aids.
What needs improving
Oticons app for smartphones is lacking. Oticons approach to remote controls has always been: ‘its not needed’ because their hearing aid will do the work for the listener. Technically I would agree. Honestly, at a lot of yearly rechecks patients will tell me they are not using the remote control features. They report that the hearing aid setting we worked on does as good of a job, or better, then anything they try to adjust on their own in noisy environments. However, some patients WANT that flexibility. They want to make adjustments especially if they see their friends pulling out their phones and showing how they can make this change and that. For patients that want more control over their hearing aid features…. Oticon falls short compared to other manufacturers
What I like
Oticon has been one of my favorite brands for the past 15 years because of their fantastic sound quality for both music and speech in noise and quiet situations. Consistently patients report great success with their devices! I am also greatly confident in their reliability of devices and prompt customer service provided. Oticon’s newest model called the Real has changed so many lives with their deep neural network digital chip that provides hearing aid users with an ease of speech in more challenging situations. Their newest chip also allows for both comfort and audibility in most listening situations! Oticon’s diversity is shown in other products they have for individuals. The Oticon Zircon is helping many people who are in quieter and more controlled environments. The Oticon Xceed continues to deliver consistent quality of sound and ease of speech to those individuals with a more moderate to profound hearing loss.
What needs improving
While I am super happy as an Audiologist with Oticon, I would like to see rechargeable options for custom in the canal aids. Other than that, I only have happy patients coming in for follow-up because of their fantastic devices!
What I like
I've successfully dispensed Oticon hearing aids to my patients for over 15 years. The newest flagship hearing device called “REAL” offers two features that I really like for my patients. One is a feature called sudden sound stabilizer which reduces the impact of loud noises, and the other is a feature that combats wind and handling noise over the microphones. Overall, I feel that the Oticon REAL is an excellent all-around hearing aid for my patients. It offers more natural sound quality than its predecessors, as well as better comfort in background noise and outdoor settings. It also reduces the common complaint of a “rustling” sound when hands, hair, or glasses come in contact with the hearing aid microphones.
What needs improving
Although the Oticon REAL is a great all-around hearing device, there are a few areas that could be improved to provide a better patient experience: A more robust phone application that allows for users to better customize their sound preferences and settings, a more stable Bluetooth connection, and a longer battery life when it comes to rechargeable models. Adding additional form factors, such as in-the-ear models would be a valuable addition to the REAL product lineup.
User reviews
Watch and read what our hearing aid users have to say about Oticon.
Oticon hearing aid prices
It's no secret, the cost of prescription hearing aids, particularly brands as renowned as Oticon, is nothing to sneeze at. It's not unusual for folks to spend over $7,000 for a pair of high end Oticon hearing aids. On the other hand, you could likely find very good Oticon hearing aids for well under $3,000 for a pair through online-only dealers. Let's get into that price discrepancy, other factors that might determine your end price, and what you need to be aware of as you consider buying Oticon hearing aids.
The first thing to understand, is Oticon hearing aids are prescription hearing aids. This means they are hearing aids that can be personally and precisely customized by a hearing care provider, based on the results of your hearing test. And, Oticon recommends that you do buy hearing aids this way— through a licensed and trained hearing care provider, so that you get the most benefit out of your hearing aids. Oticon even mentions this on their website, saying "Oticon’s advanced technologies offer considerable benefit when selected and fit by trained and credentialed hearing care professionals providing high levels of expertise and service, including proper fitting through face-to-face consultations."
Of course, that local care comes at a price, as the hearing provider (Oticon retailer), will mark up the product to account for their time setting up and programming the devices, and providing ongoing care, and that's why prices for Oticon will often exceed $7,000 for a pair. There are certain retailers (like ZipHearing) who sell Oticon at discounted rates while still pairing you up with a local hearing care provider, getting you the best of both worlds.
If even a discount network like ZipHearing is too pricey, there are always of course more "rogue" sellers on the gray market, in this case, sellers through sites like Amazon and eBay, who can be found selling them for only a few thousand dollars for the pair. We would however, advise that you use extreme caution buying from these sources, as they are not authorized Oticon retailers, Oticon will not honor the warranty on the products, and you are unlikely to be able to find a local care provider who will service those hearing aids when you eventually need them.
In short, it pays to do your homework when buying Oticon (and any hearing aid), but make sure you're making your decision with the big picture in mind, and not just searching for the absolute lowest price possible, as that often comes at a price of its own.
If you'd like a price quote from us, just click any of the models below and visit the model page, where our chatbot will be happy to get you a quote and answer any questions.
Model | National Average Pair Price * | Our Discount | Available Styles | % of sales |
---|---|---|---|---|
Oticon Intent 1 | $7,596 | 35.5% | miniRITE R, CROS PX miniRITE R, CROS minRITE T | 78.1% |
Oticon Intent 2 | $6,212 | 37.3% | miniRITE R, CROS PX miniRITE R, CROS minRITE T | 15.5% |
Oticon Intent 3 | $5,456 | 39.6% | miniRITE R, CROS PX miniRITE R, CROS minRITE T | 4.9% |
Oticon Intent 4 | $3,600 | 19.5% | miniRITE R, CROS PX miniRITE R, CROS minRITE T | 1.4% |
Oticon Real 1 | $7,596 | 36.8% | miniRITE R, miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R, CROS miniRITE T, miniBTE R, miniBTE T | 78.8% |
Oticon Real 2 | $6,212 | 38.9% | miniRITE R, miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R, CROS miniRITE T, miniBTE R, miniBTE T | 15.6% |
Oticon Real 3 | $5,456 | 41.4% | miniRITE R, miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R, CROS miniRITE T, miniBTE R, miniBTE T | 5.6% |
Oticon Own 1 | $7,120 | 35.4% | ITC, IIC, CIC, ITE FS, ITE HS | 79.1% |
Oticon Own 2 | $5,784 | 34.3% | ITC, IIC, CIC, ITE FS, ITE HS | 13.4% |
Oticon Own 3 | $4,830 | 33.8% | ITC, IIC, CIC, ITE FS, ITE HS | 7.5% |
Oticon Own 4 | $4,130 | 32.3% | ITC, IIC, CIC, ITE FS, ITE HS | 0% |
Oticon Own 5 | $3,428 | 24.2% | ITC, IIC, CIC, ITE FS, ITE HS | 0% |
Oticon Zircon 1 | $4,130 | 32.3% | miniRITE R, miniRITE T, miniBTE R, miniBTE T, CROS miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R | 75% |
Oticon Zircon 2 | $3,428 | 24.2% | miniRITE R, miniRITE T, miniBTE R, miniBTE T, CROS miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R | 25% |
Oticon Xceed 1 | $7,058 | 34.9% | UP, SP, CROS miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R | 64% |
Oticon Xceed 2 | $5,826 | 34.8% | UP, SP, CROS miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R | 20% |
Oticon Xceed 3 | $5,094 | 37.2% | UP, SP, CROS miniRITE T, CROS PX miniRITE R | 14% |