Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio

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Audéo Sphere Infinio 90
Audéo Sphere Infinio 70
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Over 13,000 satisfied customers

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Sand Beige (28.5% popularity)
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How to buy Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio locally and save

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Click here to check your location, or simply call us at 877-813-4401.
We’ll answer your questions and let you know your local ZipHearing providers are.

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At your convenience, call your local ZipHearing provider and schedule your hearing aid consultation. You'll discuss hearing aid options, and if you want, place an order.

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Just days after your consultation, pick up your custom-ordered hearing aids and get them programmed to your unique hearing profile. If you don't love them, return them for a 100% refund.

Included with your purchase

Local Care Included

Don’t settle for less- or “remote support.” To get the best performance out of your hearing aids you need local care. It’s why Phonak recommends it, right on their website. Your purchase includes 1 year of unlimited appointments with your local ZipHearing provider. After your first year of ownership, additional appointments with your local ZipHearing provider are (at the most) $65 each.

45 Day Risk-Free Trial

Wear your hearing aids for 45 days. If they don’t change your life, simply bring them back to your local ZipHearing provider and we’ll issue a 100% refund. No restocking fees. No fine print.

3 Year Warranty

Your purchase includes a manufacturer’s 3 year warranty covering repairs, and loss and damage. If a hearing aid is lost or damaged beyond repair during the warranty period, your ZipHearing provider can file what is called a “Loss and Damage Claim” for you, and a new device will be issued, subject to a deductible payable to your hearing provider of $350/aid.

Supplies

Cleaning and maintenance supplies like domes and wax filters are included with your order, and your hearing provider will show you how to use them. If your hearing aids take disposable batteries, we’ll include a year's supply. If your hearing aids are rechargeable, we’ll include a charger.

Financing Available

We offer 12 month interest-free financing through CareCredit. We also offer payment plans of up to 60 months, though interest does apply. Setting up your financing takes just minutes, and a ZipHearing team member will help you through the process.

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45 Day Risk-Free Trial

Shield icon - 45 Day Risk-Free Trial

45 Day Risk-Free Trial

Wear your hearing aids for 45 days. If they don’t change your life, simply bring them back to your local ZipHearing provider and we’ll issue a 100% refund. No restocking fees. No fine print.

Financing icon - Financing Available

Financing Available

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Financing Available

We offer 12 month interest-free financing through CareCredit. We also offer payment plans of up to 60 months, though interest does apply. Setting up your financing takes just minutes, and a ZipHearing team member will help you through the process.

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Local Care Included

Heart icon - local care

Local Care Included

Don’t settle for less- or “remote support.” To get the best performance out of your hearing aids you need local care. It’s why Phonak recommends it, right on their website. Your purchase includes 1 year of unlimited appointments with your local ZipHearing provider. After your first year of ownership, additional appointments with your local ZipHearing provider are (at the most) $65 each.

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3 Year Warranty

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3 Year Warranty

Your purchase includes a manufacturer’s 3 year warranty covering repairs, and loss and damage. If a hearing aid is lost or damaged beyond repair during the warranty period, your ZipHearing provider can file what is called a “Loss and Damage Claim” for you, and a new device will be issued, subject to a deductible payable to your hearing provider of $350/aid.

Supplies icon - provide supplies for the hearing aids

Supplies

Supplies icon - provide supplies for the hearing aids

Supplies

Cleaning and maintenance supplies like domes and wax filters are included with your order, and your hearing provider will show you how to use them. If your hearing aids take disposable batteries, we’ll include a year's supply. If your hearing aids are rechargeable, we’ll include a charger.

Written by: Jeff Hall, Hearing Aid Specialist
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Jeff Hall

President at ZipHearing

Jeff is a California licensed hearing aid dispenser and the President of ZipHearing one of the largest hearing aid suppliers in the country. More about Jeff Hall
Medically reviewed by: Brad Ingrao, Doctor of Audiology
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Brad Ingrao

Editor & Doctor of Audiology

Brad Ingrao, Au.D. has been in clinical practice since 1992 in a variety of settings including academia, private practice, educational audiology, the VA, and the hearing aid industry. More about Brad Ingrao
Updated: Oct 29, 2024
Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio

Beyond the Hype: An Honest Look at Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio

On August 6, 2024, Phonak released the Audéo Sphere Infinio, to perhaps the greatest fanfare of any hearing aid release…ever. Nearly 1,000 hearing care providers from across the US attended the 3-day launch event held in Las Vegas, at none other than the immersive video and audio auditorium—Sphere. 

The Las Vegas Sphere venue lit up in Phonak green displays
August 6th-8th, 2024: Phonak lights up Las Vegas’s sweltering night sky with 580,000 sq ft of “Phonak Green” LED displays.

As someone fortunate to have a front-row seat in the hearing aid world, I had the chance to attend the event and sneak a peek at what Phonak had been quietly cooking up for the last five years.

I arrived skeptical. Having been in the industry the better part of two decades, I’ve seen my share of, shall we say, frothy claims from hearing aid manufacturers. Anyone remember that fuel cell technology-powered hearing aid that was announced a few years back, and then just…vaporized? 

And look, I left Vegas skeptical as well. I wasn’t going to ‘drink the Kool Aid’ Phonak was serving up—no matter how tasty it looked—until the data was in: customer reviews, and laboratory tests. Well, the data is in. And, I’ve now been using the Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 model for a week. I’m not skeptical anymore. 

Headlines From This Release

Before I give you my hot takes on these hearing aids, let’s review the most buzz-worthy headlines. 

Real-Time AI Sound Processing With a Dedicated Deep Neural Network—DEEPSONIC—Chip

This is complicated stuff, but I’ll keep it as simple as possible. 

How Traditional Hearing Aids Work

Traditional hearing aids enhance speech recognition using algorithms written by humans. These algorithms, in coordination with directional microphones—which Phonak has also been a leader in— give hearing aids a sort of “tunnel vision,” helping the wearer focus in on and hear the speech they want. This combination has been the gold standard in separating speech from background noise for the last 20 years. 

How Hearing Aids With Deep Neural Networks Work

A hearing aid that uses a deep neural network—like the Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio— still relies on traditional algorithms and directional microphones, but it also benefits from the advanced capabilities of deep neural networks (DNNs).

A DNN in a hearing aid can be thought of as almost like its own entity—like a technological ‘brain’—that has learned, with guidance from engineers— how to identify patterns in sounds on its own. 

To train or "teach" the DNN, Phonak researchers collected diverse sound samples from various environments and labeled them to indicate whether they contain speech. This data is then fed/uploaded to the DNN where it begins an iterative process of learning to recognize patterns in speech versus background noise. 

What's remarkable about deep neural networks is that, as they process more data, they can identify patterns that engineers might not have even anticipated. This ability allows the DNN to become highly effective at distinguishing important sounds, such as speech, from noise in ways traditional algorithms cannot.

Once trained, the DNN is integrated into the hearing aid—on the DEEPSONIC AI chip—enabling real-time adjustments to the settings based on the surrounding sounds. 

When you read Phonak’s press releases or various articles online about this technology, you'll notice a feature called "Spheric Speech Clarity." This term is a more consumer-friendly and marketable way of describing the deep neural network (DNN) and real-time artificial intelligence (AI) processing. 

But How Does This All Actually Help You?

It all comes down to what’s called signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). For hearing aid manufacturers, improving the SNR is the name of the game. The goal is for hearing aids to boost the signal (which is what you want to hear), and reduce the noise (all the background racket). As the SNR improves, so does speech understanding.

Phonak has released a study (image below) proving that Phonak Sphere hearing aids using a DNN can provide up to a 100% better SNR ratio as compared to ‘key competitor devices.’

Even Phonak’s I90 R (non-Sphere/non-DNN model) does an excellent job of improving SNR using Phonak’s StereoZoom 2.0 feature. The Sphere model also utilizes StereoZoom, but gets an added boost from the DNN, resulting in a 100% signal to noise ratio improvement as compared to ‘key competitor’ devices.

But how do you know all this tech actually makes the Sphere hearing aid objectively better than alternatives? 

HearAdvisor Ranks Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio #1 in Noise

Historically, there has been no way for consumers to know—at scale— if one hearing aid was objectively better than another in a particular category. That changed when in Spring 2023, an enterprising trio composed of two Doctors of Audiology and one Doctor of Hearing Science launched HearAdvisor.comAmerica's Leading Independent Hearing Aid Evaluation Laboratory

Their mission statement is “to provide consumers with the objective data they need to make more informed hearing aid purchasing decisions.” HearAdvisor has just concluded testing the Sphere, and here’s how it stacks up to competitor devices in noisy environments:

Chart from HearAdvisor.com showing Phonak Sphere wins in the speech in noise category
Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio, has achieved the #1 spot among prescription hearing aids—by a wide margin— in the all-important ‘Speech in Noise’ category.

When you read user reviews on this page and around the web, that #1 spot feels justified. 

Here’s a couple excerpts from reviews we’ve received on this page—

Stephen says: 

“The Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinity provides the best experience in noisy conditions. Recently, at a gathering before a concert, I was able to use the app to dial in enough gain to hear all the people at the table.”

Larry says: 

“I can say without a doubt these hearing aids are the best I have ever worn. Where they really shine is hearing situations that have loud background noise… I was blown away at how well they performed, technology is wonderful.”

The DEEPSONIC chip with real-time AI sound processing is the most important headline from this release, and the headlines that follow—while still important— are a bit anticlimactic. 

Let’s lighten the mood with a topic a bit more accessible and fun: Bluetooth. 

These Hearing Aids Are Auracast™ Ready

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio hearing aids are equipped with Bluetooth 5.3 and are Auracast™-ready. Auracast is a new Bluetooth feature that enables audio streaming to multiple devices simultaneously.

Here’s a real world example of how I intend to use Auracast: 

Whenever my wife and I are flying, we like to watch a movie on a tablet. The problem is, we have to share a set of AirPods—we each get one: right or left. Now let’s get back to that Auracast feature—’enables audio streaming to multiple devices simultaneously.’

That means in the coming years— AirPods and iPads do not support Auracast at the moment—we’ll each be able to use our own set of AirPods, while streaming from the same iPad. 

What Auracast Means For Hearing Aid Wearers

There are quite a few applications. Any venue you can think of that broadcasts audio—churches, theaters, airports—will all be able to broadcast that audio directly into Auracast-enabled hearing aids. 

In the coming years you’ll be able to Bluetooth-pair your phone to an Auracast transmitter at one of these venues, and—if you want—the audio from the venue’s sound system will stream directly into your hearing aids, bypassing the microphones on your hearing aids. 

Phonak isn’t ready to enable the Auracast functionality in these hearing aids just yet—but that doesn’t matter, because Auracast transmitters are not installed in venues yet anyways. We’re still a few years out from this being mainstream tech. 

At an undisclosed future date, Phonak is going to release a firmware update to enable Auracast. Getting this firmware update will require a brief visit to your hearing provider’s office where they will download the update onto your hearing aids. 

Some of you may be scratching your head at this point.

A moment ago I wrote that these hearing aids have Bluetooth 5.3, but I also said they’re Auracast-ready, and Auracast requires Bluetooth LE Audio (which is different from Bluetooth 5.3)… so what gives? 

My assumption is that Sphere hearing aids were designed with the necessary hardware capabilities to support Bluetooth LE Audio, and then when the Auracast firmware update happens, the Bluetooth LE Audio will be activated. 

I am pretty sure the above is true—since the hearing aids are advertised as Auracast-ready— and there are well-informed hearing providers online saying the aids have Bluetooth LE Audio, but I wanted to actually find a source from Phonak.

I did attempt to chase down an answer on this as we’d already been asked by a commenter on our Sphere YouTube video, and by some customers. 

I called and spoke to a few different audiologists at Phonak who didn’t know the answer, and when I reached out to corporate via another channel, here’s the response I got:

“At this time we are focusing on Auracast as a future firmware update for the ERA chip, and maintaining the Bluetooth 5.3 communication protocols (A2DP for stereo streaming and Hands Free Profile for connecting with phones and computers for two-way communication) as it currently allows for the greatest number of connections to devices on the market…. Currently there is no official comment on larger LE Audio capabilities.“

To be clear, I don’t think this is an issue at all—I just wanted to address it because we'd been asked about it. I think the lack of communication on Bluetooth LE Audio is probably due to it just not being important for the time being. Phonak’s statement above is correct— currently the Bluetooth 5.3 protocol does provide the widest connectivity to devices. For example, even my relatively new and high end iPhone 13 Pro Max doesn't even have Bluetooth LE Audio yet.

Other Headlines from the Release

Phonak’s press release does have a few other headlines, and they’re impressive, but I’m not sure they deserve much coverage here. 

  • 45% reduction in listening effort
  • 21% less fatigue
  • 93% user preference from the first fit compared to leading competitor

It's worth noting that the first two claims come from a June 2024 study on the previous generation Phonak Audéo Lumity, not specifically this new model. You will absolutely get those two benefits with the new Phonak model, as the feature which yielded those positive results (Speech Enhancer) is also in the Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio…it’s just not a new feature or statistic.

Additionally, the 93% user preference statistic was derived from a test against only one competitor's product, which is unnamed. I’m not sure how significant or applicable that 93% statistic is for potential users.

Okay—let’s get to the fun stuff!

Unboxing The Audéo Sphere Hearing Aids

contents of what came with my phonak sphere order
My order of Phonak Audéo Infinio 90 hearing aids in Sand Beige. This is everything that came in the box from Phonak, less two tootsie rolls, thanks Phonak!

A pair of Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 hearing aids

Phonak is currently making this hearing aid in only 2 technology levels— 70 and 90. If you have no idea what a technology level is, you’ll be happy to know that yours truly is also a YouTuber-extraordinaire, and I’ve made a video on this very topic. I ordered a pair of the 90s (the best ones), in the Sand Beige color, because as of October 2024, that is the most popular tech level and color our customers are ordering. 

Charger

Technically, it’s called the ChargerGO RIC Sphere I (that’s an ‘i’, for Infinio). It fully charges the hearing aids in 3 hours, providing up to 24 hours of use. With a built-in lithium-ion battery, the charger offers up to 3 full charges on the go, making it ideal for travel. It includes a USB-C cable and wall plug for flexible charging. While technically sufficient, the design feels like an afterthought—a soft-close lid would have added a more premium touch.

Medium,vented domes

These are silicon tips that go over the end of your receivers (speakers). I chose vented domes, because—while not appropriate for all hearing losses—this type of dome is more closed off (despite the name), and that helps the hearing aids do a better job of separating speech from noise, which is Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio’s main thing. Phonak’s fitting software has a new feature that helps determine the best domes for you —AI Dome Proposer— so your provider doesn’t have to guess which domes are the most appropriate.

CeruStop wax filters (the little black sticks shown above)

When it comes to the part of your hearing aid delivery appointment that your hearing provider teaches you how to use these— pay attention. These filters prevent wax from getting inside the receiver (speaker), which is the most common reason hearing aids quit working. If you use these correctly and routinely you will save yourself a lot of back-and-forth to your hearing provider’s office.

Brush & cleaning cloth

The cleaning cloth can be used to wipe down the body of the hearing aid—but really any cloth will do. The brush is helpful for getting wax off the dome, and there’s a little U-shaped wire on one end that helps you fish wax out of the dome before it goes into the wax filter.

User guide

A user guide was not included. If you want a paper user guide, you can request one from your hearing provider. To save paper, consider downloading the digital version instead. You can even upload it to an AI-powered tool like ChatPDF to help you quickly navigate and find the information you need. Look at you! Researching your next AI-powered hearing aids and using an AI chatbot to help you use them. I’m gonna be out of a job pretty soon here, aren’t I?

Carry case

I was a bit surprised that there was no kind of storage case included. If you want one, have your hearing provider order you one when you place your order— it’s called a Hardcase.

Prefer a video? Here’s my YouTube review after the launch event, but prior to wearing these—
In this video, I dive into what I learned at Phonak's launch event and share how these cutting-edge hearing aids can revolutionize your experience in noisy environments. Stick around until the end for an exclusive promo!

How They Look And Feel

Dimensions (L x W x D): 32.2 mm x 9.3 mm x 13.9 mm

Weight: 3.40 grams

For some perspective, I compared the size of this hearing aid with the industry’s smallest comparable hearing aid that also uses DNN tech (Starkey Edge AI), and the Sphere model was 40% heavier, and 130% larger by volume.  

Having said that, reports of the “massive” size of these hearing aids have been greatly exaggerated. Are they bigger than every competitor’s hearing aids? Yes. But considering the processing power of these hearing aids—*53x more powerful than current industry standards— the bigger size is a tradeoff I think many will be happy to make.

*According to Phonak. I couldn’t find a source for this.

A right audeo sphere on my right ear in the sand beige color
The Phonak Audéo Infinio 90 hearing aid in Sand Beige on my right ear. Phonak’s two chip architecture makes it bigger than competitor devices—by a wide margin.

If I’m being honest, the size might scare away a first-time wearer who is concerned about cosmetics. I think even Phonak would admit this, which is likely why they also make this model without the DNN tech (which makes it much smaller)—though 95% of our customers prefer the larger Sphere model as shown above.

I go back and forth between thinking they’re too big, and not caring. The first day of wearing them I thought “I know they are there, and I don’t know that I’m ever not going to know they are there.” But then a few hours would pass, and I’d hear an audible notification through my hearing aids, like when I got a text on my phone, and I’d be surprised by it, because I had evidently forgotten I was wearing the hearing aids.

If I had to summarize how I feel about the size, it’s this: If I was a first-time wearer, and I wasn’t “in the weeds” on this stuff like I am—and didn’t know that Sphere was the best in noise—then the size could very well be a dealbreaker for me. If I was an experienced wearer and I’d gotten over the sort of inclination that many people have to keep these hidden—and I just wanted the best hearing possible—the size would not bother me at all. 

I guess my best advice on this would be—if you’re concerned about the size, have your hearing provider give you a demo of the Sphere, and then another (smaller set), so you can see what is really the most important to you.

Programming The Hearing Aids

I wirelessly programmed these hearing aids using Phonak’s latest fitting software, Target 10.0, which was released at the same time this new hearing aid was. The operating system—AutoSense OS 6.0—also got a nice update. The operating system is the brain of the hearing aid and is responsible for (among other things), controlling which program the hearing aid switches into in a given environment. Each program—and hearing aids have many, this hearing aid has 11— is like a specific mode for a specific acoustic environment. 

Screenshot from Phonak’s fitting software: AutoSense OS can automatically switch the hearing aids into one of these programs depending on your environment.

These hearing aids—and all hearing aids—can be put in ‘automatic’, or ‘manual’ mode, or some combination of both. Manual mode means you’re switching into different programs whenever you please, using the onboard buttons on the hearing aid, or via the myPhonak app. Automatic mode means you’re keeping the hearing aids in the AutoSense OS program, and letting the hearing aids figure out when to change programs (automatically). 

Automatic mode is definitely my preference. I figure—you’re shelling out all this cash for high end hearing aids, why not let them do what you’re paying them to do? In reality, Automatic mode doesn’t always get it right. So many people—myself included—end up using a combination of both automatic and manual mode. That means I prefer to let the hearing aids self-direct as much as possible, but I want the flexibility to override their settings when I think they get it wrong.

So while I wore them, I kept them in automatic mode—AutoSense OS—and created one additional manual program, Spheric Speech in Loud Noise, just so I could test that program and all the parameters as I pleased and quickly switch in and out of the program to test the difference it made. 

The MyPhonak app: The list of available programs you can manually switch into will be along the top. The highlighted green button indicates I’ve put the hearing aids in the ‘Spheric Speech in Loud Noise’ program, which is Phonak’s best program for hearing clearly in noise.
The MyPhonak app: The list of available programs you can manually switch into will be along the top. The highlighted green button indicates I’ve put the hearing aids in the ‘Spheric Speech in Loud Noise’ program, which is Phonak’s best program for hearing clearly in noise.

I set up the rocker switch buttons on the hearing aid to control the volume of the devices, and I used the myPhonak app to change the programs—but there’s a lot of flexibility in how you set this up. I mostly liked the app, and I write about that a bit further down this page.

Sidebar—it’d been a while since I’d programmed a set of hearing aids, and I was blown away by all the settings and customizations available, and how important it is during setup to make sure they’re physically fitting just perfectly in the ear. It’s wild to me that there are companies out there that are selling these online, remotely programming them, and not providing in-person service. Folks—follow Phonak’s recommendation and make sure you have local care included when you buy these. 

My Experience Using The Audéo Sphere Hearing Aids

I’ve just finished wearing these from sunrise to sunset, for 7 days. Most of the environments I wore them in were pretty calm, as you’ll see from my wear diary below. 

image from phonak target software showing the programs the aids switched into
All hearing aids have the ability to capture and store information such as your daily wear time and programs activated. Phonak does allow you to opt-out of this if you’re not comfortable, but I’d recommend keeping it on for the first few weeks as it’ll help your hearing care provider make adjustments and recommendations.

As shown above, I don’t spend much time in noisy environments, maybe a dinner or drink out once a week. I have a pretty calm lifestyle, and spend the majority of my time in my home office. 

I did “mix it up” a bit more socially over the last week—for science— so I could comment on what is undoubtedly the most important thing…

Hearing in Noise

I have minimal high-frequency hearing loss, but it doesn’t impact my day-to-day life. However, like many people—even those with perfect hearing—I struggle in noisy environments, such as restaurants. Throw in some background noise and a waiter with anything less than crystal clear enunciation and I feel like I’m listening to a different language entirely. 

This hearing aid definitely does improve speech clarity in noisy places. Honestly I wouldn’t say speech clarity was quite as drastically improved as shown in this demo video from Phonak. But, I believe that demo was made with a totally occluded fitting, as in, the wearer was using custom ear molds, which I wasn't. 

The program that kicks on when you’re in a restaurant or noisy place is Spheric Speech in Loud Noise, and that activates the DNN to separate speech from background noise. If you just let AutoSense OS switch you into that program and leave the program at the default settings, it works. But if you use the MyPhonak app and adjust some of the parameters for that program (shown below), it really works. 

Screenshot of MyPhonak app showing how to adjust spheric speech in loud noise program
If you’re in noise and want to see just how clear speech can be, play around with the settings inside the Spheric Speech in Loud Noise program. I found that setting the Noise Reduction setting to ‘High’, and the Speech Focus setting to ‘Narrow’ gave me the best results, though it did impact the sound quality, making voices sound less rich.

You can tinker around with the settings inside the MyPhonak app, but I found that a setting that might be ideal for one conversation, might not be ideal for another, so instead of fiddling with my phone the whole time—I just preferred to leave the default settings on and live with whatever the hearing aid decided to do, knowing that it was still better than my normal hearing anyway.

Be careful about your battery life while in the Spheric Speech in Loud Noise program

This program triples the battery drain of the hearing aid. For that reason, when you’re in the program, in the top corner of the screen, Phonak shows you a figure, like ‘~6 hrs’, that tells you how much longer your battery will last if you stay in this program. 

If you’re using AutoSense OS, when you leave that noisy setting, the hearing aids will automatically switch out of the Spheric Speech in Loud Noise program, preserving your battery life. But if you manually activated Spheric Speech in Loud Noise yourself, like through the MyPhonak app or by using the push button on your hearing aid, the hearing aids will not leave that program automatically when you leave that noisy setting—you’ll have to remember to switch back to AutoSense. If you don’t, your battery is going to die much sooner than you would’ve expected.

In the future it might be helpful if the developers at Phonak give users a warning via the app, or an audible indicator through the hearing aid, to the effect of— “Hey, it looks like you’re no longer in a noisy environment, we recommend switching out of the Spheric Speech in Loud Noise program to preserve battery life.”

The bottom line is this—

Spheric Speech in Loud Noise works well, and the hype is real. 

If it worked well for me, with only a very mild high frequency hearing loss, I bet it works very well for you. I feel like I’m about 15 years away from not going to restaurants without hearing aids, and I feel pretty confident in making the prediction that—when the time comes that I really need help in these environments—hearing aid manufacturers are going to have this problem completely sorted out, in smaller-than-ever hearing aids. 

General Observations On Sound Quality

By the end of my first day wearing these, I made this comment to my wife—

“In my twenties, when I was new to the hearing aid world, I wore hearing aids very frequently—any time a new one came out. They always sounded tinny and sharp to me, and like they were amplifying everything. For the first time, the only thing I’m noticing is that I'm hearing better—better than I should be.” 

We had a good laugh at that. I’m not sure if that was my perception because I’m now closer to 40 than I am 19, or because the technology has just gotten that much better. It’s probably a combination of both. 

They do a really good job prioritizing speech

…sometimes too good. 

October is baseball month in my house, and that means a lot of TV. One annoying thing I found is when I’d be watching the game and there were people talking in the kitchen, about 10 feet from the TV, the hearing aids would always prioritize their speech over the TV. 

Using the MyPhonak app to switch into the “TV” program seemed to help a bit, but that’s not a good long term solution. I could’ve also used Phonak’s TV streamer accessory, though I don’t think that’s a good solution in my case—I want less gadgets. 

I did a lot of testing here, turning the aids on and off while watching TV, to make sure I wasn’t losing my mind and that indeed the conversations in the kitchen were being amplified more than the TV. 

Anytime I’d turn the aids off and focus on the TV, it was amazing to me how well my brain could drown out what I didn’t want to hear and focus on the TV, but as soon as the aids went back on, I could no longer focus on the TV. 

And I think that’s what’s so special about all this DNN tech in hearing aids—it’s all designed to mimic the way the brain processes sound, because there’s just nothing better at that than the brain. Sure, the DNN wasn’t able to capture my intent in this case—to hear the TV—but we’re in the very early days of this stuff. 

I felt like a spy

One night I was reading a book in our master bedroom, a good 50 feet from the kitchen, and could hear enough of the words to somewhat follow along in the conversation going on in the kitchen. Muting the hearing aids, I had no chance of deciphering any of the words. I’d often find myself hearing sounds that felt like they were right in my hearing aids, and they were pretty far away. I’m honestly not sure if that’s just the hearing aids “being extra,” or if I truly wasn’t hearing those sounds beforehand, and should’ve been.

Some things don’t sound natural

Speech always sounds very good. Crisp, clear, sharp. I do notice a bit of an echo (though less than competitor products), but that’s because my hearing is still very good—many users wouldn't notice this, or would quickly get used to it. If you think about the general noises you hear around the house- floor boards creaking, appliances dinging, doors closing—it all just sounded a bit off. Chime sounds from cars and devices would have sort of a warble/fluttering effect. Not a big complaint, just an observation.

Battery Life 

I wore the hearing aids everyday from about 7am to 8pm. I probably did about 1.5 hours of Bluetooth streaming a day (Pandora mostly). I also manually switched the hearing aids into the Spheric Speech in Loud Noise program once a day for about an hour. 

I used them—intentionally so—a bit “harder” than I think most users will. I don’t think many people will stream as much as I did, and I don’t think many people will have them in Spheric Speech in Loud Noise for an hour daily. 

At the end of each day I checked my battery life in the myPhonak app, and it never dipped below 50%. Lithium-ion batteries do degrade over time though, so maybe by year 3 or 4 that number will be decreased, but even still, there’s enough “headroom” that I don’t think battery life would ever be a concern for me. 

Bluetooth Features & Functionality

In every way possible, the Bluetooth on these hearing aids is better than the previous generation Audéo Lumity model and everything else on the market. The Spheres use Bluetooth 5.3, making them more energy efficient, with less latency, and a longer range. For context, I use an iPhone 13 Pro Max running iOS 17.6.1. Most phones are compatible with these hearing aids, but you can view Phonak’s compatibility list to be sure.

Bluetooth Pairing

Pairing was pretty easy, though it’s not as straightforward as pairing other Bluetooth devices. What’s unusual, is you have to actually do (2) different pairings to get these fully hooked up to your phone. Once you install the MyPhonak app, the app will guide you on how to pair the hearing aids to the app, and you can then use the app to control the hearing aids. 

But if you want to stream from the hearing aids, you’ll have to do another pairing. On the iPhone, you do this by going into Settings -> Accessibility -> Touch -> Call Audio Routing -> put a checkmark next to ‘Bluetooth headset’.

Then go back to Bluetooth, and you’ll see a single new device listed that you can connect to, it’ll say something like “Left Phonak Hearing Aid”, or “LE Phonak hearing aid”. Pair to that. You’ll only actually pair to one of the hearing aids and that hearing aid will then share the audio stream with the other aid. Consequently, whichever aid you are paired to in your phone will drain the battery a bit faster than the other, so when you see uneven battery life between the right and left hearing aids, don’t be worried. 

Bluetooth Range

Not an issue, and it was a big issue in the past, and still is with many other hearing aids. As long as you keep your phone within 50’ of you when you’re streaming from it, you’re going to have a solid connection. 

Switching Between Devices

Switching the stream back and forth from my iPad and iPhone was quick and simple. I’d simply press ‘play’ on whichever device I wanted to stream from, and the hearing aids would transfer over to that device immediately. That simple switching process sounds like a basic feat for any modern hearing aid—and it should be— but so far Phonak is the only brand that has figured it out. 

Streaming Sound Quality

The sound quality—like all Bluetooth hearing aids—is nothing to write home about. You’re not going to get a richness and balance of sound that you’ll get from headphones like AirPods or Galaxy Buds. Not even close. So for music, they’re not ideal. But for more informational type content where I don’t really care about sound quality—like podcasts or YouTube videos—I had no qualms using them on my nightly walk. 

Hands-Free Calling

It works, but again, nothing to write home about. When your phone rings you’ll hear it in both ears, and depending on how you’ve set up the hearing aids, you can then do a double tap over your ear to accept the call, and a double tap again to end the call. 

Sound quality is fine, but it’s not great for the other person. Whoever you’re talking to may comment that it sounds like you have them on speakerphone, because you basically do. Your voice is being picked up and sent to them via the microphones on your hearing aid, which are behind your ear, and not as close to your mouth as your phone's microphone would be. 

But it’s fine, it works, I just probably wouldn’t use this feature if I was outside, or in a noisy place, it’s just not going to work well for the other person.

The MyPhonak App

I went into this with low expectations, because hearing aid apps are usually pretty underwhelming. The majority of hearing aid apps have between 2-3 stars in the App and Play store. This app has 4.4 stars, and I feel that’s justified. 

The UX is slick. I’m a fan of the attention to detail that just makes using the app feel like an elegant experience. There’s a ton of customization that you can do within the app, frankly it was overwhelming to me and I didn’t want to mess with most of it, but I can definitely think of a handful of people in my life who would love that. 

I do have a few issues with the app. First, I felt like 5% of the time I opened it up, there was some kind of notification saying that I’d lost connection to my hearing aids, when I hadn’t, and everything was still working fine. 

Second, the times when that notification was correct and the aids had lost connection to the app, it was impossible to get that connection back. I'd shut down the aids, turn off the Bluetooth on my phone, and the aids still wouldn't connect to the app. This wasn't a big deal for me, but if I had been in a noisy place for hours with the hearing aids in the Spheric Speech in Loud Noise program (which drains the battery quickly), that would've made me nervous, as I wouldn't have been able to check the battery life on the hearing aids.

Tap Control

Works 100% of the time, 50% of the time. 

It works similar to how the double-tap feature does on AirPods. You just double tap around the hearing aid to do things like answer phone calls, or start/stop bluetooth streaming—depending on how your hearing provider has set this feature up. 

It can certainly be oversensitive—I triggered it one time just putting on a shirt, and another time, a hat. And then at times it can be under sensitive. 

I found the best way to get it to work reliably was to make an airtight cup with my hand, as if I was going to hold some water or something in my hand—and then firmly double tap over my entire ear and hearing aid. This gesture invoked a chuckle from my wife every, single, time. 

I think if I were to use these long term, I'd probably just set up the buttons on the hearing aid to do that instead.

I found the push button to be easy to use, and predictable. For long term use I'd probably disable the tap control feature and stick with the push button.

Would I actually use Bluetooth streaming features or the MyPhonak app?

No, I don’t think so. I think I’d put the hearing aids on in the morning, take them off at night, and that would be all the interaction with them I would want. I’d just want better hearing. I don’t know about you, but I don’t want any more apps, and I don’t want any new electronic devices that I have to try and decipher where they fit into my life’s electronic ecosystem. 

I recently purchased a new mattress and there were alot of mattresses to choose from that had tech in them. No thanks. I feel the same way about hearing aids as I do mattresses—there’s just some parts of my life that I want unscathed by tech that I have to engage with in any way. 

To be fair, there were some things I liked about the Bluetooth streaming and the app

I liked scrolling social media at night and having the audio directly in my hearing aids. 

I liked—at any time—being able to turn on Pandora or Youtube and stream some content. I would do this often when doing things like cooking and household chores. At the same time, it’s then annoying if someone wants to talk to you and you have to first tell them you’re streaming music, pause the music, and then ask them to repeat themselves—only for them to say “nevermind, not important.” If you have hearing loss, I’m guessing you’ve had enough of that. 

But there were more things that I didn’t like

I didn’t like that if I was falling asleep on the couch, I could be woken up by any notification on my phone (because it dings through the hearing aids). Sure, I could’ve put those notifications on silent on my phone, but that’s just one more thing I have to remember to do. 

I didn’t like that I felt like I was always “tied” to my phone. When I leave my phone in another room, I’ve made the conscious decision that I don’t want to be bothered by it. If my hearing aids are paired up to it, that’s not possible. It’s the same reason I won’t buy an Apple Watch—I just don’t want to be that locked in to my tech. 

A happy middle ground

If I were to use these long term, I’d probably keep the MyPhonak app on my phone, but wouldn’t actually pair the phone for Bluetooth streaming.That way I could use features like the “Find my hearing aid” feature if I lost the hearing aids, or use the app to check my battery life. 

Having said that, I can think of a ton of our customers who absolutely love playing with their new hearing aids and figuring out the ins and outs of the app. I also know that for a ton of people with more hearing loss than I have, streaming phone calls is their preferred way to have a phone call—as nothing matches the clarity of hearing the caller through both hearing aids. 

The good news is, the hearing aids can be set up by your hearing provider so you can have whatever level of engagement you want with the devices.

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio Pros and Cons

Pros

Clear speech in noise: The hype is real. Wearing these feels a bit like having a 360-degree noise cancellation bubble around your head. If you’re someone that has to strategically position yourself to hear someone in noise—I’m not going to lie—you should still probably do that, but you’ll be doing it less.

They’re totally customizable: Between the flexibility and customization of the programming software and the app, I felt like many of my complaints could be resolved through tweaking various settings. 

They’re just really, really cool: You have a deep neural network working on your ears. We are living in the future. And there’s just something cool about wearing what is objectively—according to HearAdvisor—the best at hearing in noise. Are they perfect? No. But it should give you peace of mind that no matter what complaints you have with them, you are wearing state-of-the-art tech. 

Cons

They’re big: They’re bigger than all competitor devices, but at the same time Phonak says that’s what makes them more powerful than competitor devices. If you’re very concerned about cosmetics this may be a dealbreaker for you. If you’ve worn hearing aids before and you just want the best hearing possible, I don’t think you’ll care.

Poor battery life in noisy environments: When you’re in a real noisy environment and the Spheric Speech in Loud Noise program kicks on, battery drain effectively triples. That means if you’re headed to a noisy environment, you need to be aware of your battery life before you enter the environment to be sure the hearing aids won’t quit on you. 

No disposable battery version: I know, the whole industry is moving away from disposable batteries in favor of rechargeable. But for me, disposable batteries are just easier. I’d much prefer to remember to put a battery in once a week, as opposed to always trying to remember to charge my hearing aids or thinking about what my battery life is if I’m entering a noisy environment. It’s just one more thing to have to remember. 

They’re expensive:  All the best hearing aids are. I do expect this technology to “trickle down” to more affordable price points in the coming years. The Tesla Roadster had to come before the Model 3. And that mattress I bought? Quality of life improved 100% and I haven’t missed the money since. These hearing aids will do the same thing. 

I’ll Let Myself Have The Last Word

Phonak isn’t the first manufacturer to use deep neural networks in their hearing aids. Starkey was the first in 2020, followed by Oticon in 2021. But it doesn’t matter who’s first. 

In 2014, Phonak competitor ReSound launched the world’s first Made for iPhone Bluetooth hearing aid. Within 2 years, every major manufacturer had introduced their own Made for iPhone hearing aid—except for Phonak. 

It wasn’t until late 2017 that Phonak finally introduced their own Bluetooth-compatible hearing aid. So what took them so long? Phonak made a strategic decision to use the Bluetooth Classic protocol in their hearing aids, as opposed to the easier-to-implement Made for iPhone (MFi) protocol that other manufacturers used. 

This decision meant that when Phonak did release their Bluetooth-compatible hearing aids, they were compatible with all phones—not just iPhones. As a result, Phonak is still widely considered—7 years later— to be the industry leader in Bluetooth hearing aids.

Phonak has been aware of the potential of DNNs for years but waited until they were confident that hardware—specifically the DEEPSONIC chip—could handle the computational demand necessary for their deep neural network to truly shine.

This thoughtful approach mirrors their earlier decision to prioritize universal Bluetooth compatibility over speed to market with iPhone-exclusive solutions.

At the Google I/O developer conference in May 2018, Google CEO Sundar Pichai made a prescient remark— 

“AI is one of the most important things humanity is working on. It is more profound than electricity or fire. We are going to have to figure out how to have AI be a part of every product in every industry.”

The hearing aid industry is now living this reality. 

Phonak has figured out how to meaningfully integrate AI into their products—now let’s see if once again their strategic patience proves to be the winning approach.

The image of Jeff Hall author

Jeff Hall

Hearing Aid Specialist

Jeff is a California licensed hearing aid dispenser and the President of ZipHearing- one of the largest discount hearing aid suppliers in the United States. Jeff lives in San Diego, CA with his wife and 2 young daughters. You can learn more about hearing aids and watch Jeff on ZipHearing's Youtube channel.

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio at a glance

Sales popularity of Audéo Sphere Infinio vs.

over the last 60 days

Relative sales popularity of Phonak models over time, based on our internal sales data. Updated weekly. Click on a model name to remove/bring back it from the chart comparsion

Sales stats for Audéo Sphere Infinio

Based on our internal sales data. Updated daily.

BOUGHT BY 83.7% of our customers who've bought Phonak in the last 90 days
RETURNED BY 8.7% of customers during their 45 day trial period for a 100% refund
This hearing aid's return rate is 41% better than our average return rate of 15%
ZipHearing Return Policy We think you'll love your new hearing aids. But if you don't, return them for a 100% refund within 45 days. No restocking fees, no fine print.

Your savings through ZipHearing

Based on retail pricing figures from HearingTracker.com.

Average retail
OUR PRICE FOR
PHONAK AUDÉO SPHERE INFINIO IS
34% less
than the national average price
ZipHearing Price

Phonak's product naming convention

Phonak
Brand
Audéo
Style
Sphere
AI technology
Infinio
Generation
90
Tech level

Audéo Sphere Infinio tech levels our customers buy

Based on internal sales data. Updated daily.

Hearing Aids prices range 92.2%
Hearing Aids prices range 92.2%
Tech level % of sales
Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 92.2%
Audéo Sphere Infinio 70 7.8%

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio models

Sorted by popularity. Based on our internal sales data. Updated daily.

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio comes in 1 different models, shown below. When purchasing through ZipHearing, the model you select doesn't affect the final price you pay — the technology level does; such as the Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 or 70. The majority of ZipHearing customers buy the Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio RIC model (shown in position 1 below), with the 90 technology level.

RATING 1
The image of Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio RIC hearing aids Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio RIC
Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio RIC

Receiver-in-canal style with a lithium-ion rechargeable battery

100%
of our customers choose this model
8.7%
of our customers returned this model for a full refund

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 vs 70 & more

This is a heavily abbreviated chart designed to focus only on the key differences between models. Features that exist across all technology are not listed below unless they`re necessary to provide context for other features listed. Swipe right to see more features, tap on a feature to read its description.

Model 70 90
Sales popularity 7.8% 92.2%
Return rate 11.1% 8.5%
Tech level Advanced Premium
Spheric Speech Clarity Medium strength Full strength
Speech Enhancer

*some features may not apply to all models on this page

For a more detailed comparison, see Phonak`s feature matrix

Helpful resources from Phonak

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio reviews

Customers say

Users of the Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio hearing aids generally report excellent sound quality, noting significant improvements in understanding speech in noisy environments. The automatic adjustment feature enhances usability, but some users express frustration with the automatic program selection not always responding appropriately. A few users have noted the size is larger than their previous hearing aids, but it hasn’t been a major concern. Additionally, the charger design has been described as not as easy to use as the chargers from previous Phonak models.
AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Video Reviews

Preview for the "The Phonak Sphere is the new champion" video
28:07

The Phonak Sphere is the new champion

Review by: Nick from NJ
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Bought: Nov 2022

What is up folks? Nick here at ZipHearing back with another hearing aid review. For a bit of backstory, if you're not familiar with me or the channel I currently wear Phonak Lumity 90 hearing aids. That's the generation that came just before these new Sphere hearing aids. And today I wanted to do a review on this and let you know how I feel about them, how they compare to the Phonaks I currently have now, and everything else that I've tried. Let's get some stuff out of the way. If you want to know more about my story and my journey with hearing aids, go ahead click there. If you want to know more about ZipHearing and want to go check out some hearing aids or even what's the deal with these new spheres, go ahead, click that. Also, let's address the elephant in the room. If you have watched these videos before, things are going to look different, which is also a contributing factor for why there may have been a little bit of a gap between the last video and this one I have moved house. The office is different. I'm still working on stuff. I got some lighting. I got the blue light. This seems kind of empty. There might be a new light going in there, so just bear with me as I work on the lighting, the audio. Hopefully, I can get this all sort of figured out. So what are we talking about today? We are talking about the new Phonak sphere infinio. I was fortunate enough to get my hands and ears on these about a month ago, so I have definitely put them through their paces. So let's start with the outside stuff. Like what do you what do you get? What do you what are you getting with this new device. So yeah, you're getting a bag and inside the bag there's a couple of things. So let's start checking them out. You get a plug, this goes into your wall, USB cable goes into it. This is how you charge your devices. You also get the wire that comes with the whole thing to plug in into each end of the system. You have a more traditional standard sized USB on one end that goes into your brick, and then you have a wonderful USB C that goes into the charging case. Speaking of charging cases, you get a charging case. However, this is not your standard charging case. This is actually one with a built in battery, so you can charge these on the go. So this would technically be considered a premium feature for any other hearing aid and these come standard with the sphere, inside the case you are going to get your hearing aids. These hearing aids are the sphere. I got them in gunmetal gray, why? Because I love gunmetal gray. However, they do come in a variety of colors to match certain things. Maybe you want them to match your hair. Maybe you want them to match your skin tone. You can do all of that by picking one of the colors that are available. You are also going to get wax guards. You're going to get domes if you use them, that's also going to be in your little package. Two more things. You're going to get the literature. You're going to get the manual, all stuff that you can kind of peruse through on your own time. And finally, you are going to get a little travel pouch. Why? I feel like this could have been better. It's just some cloth with a little bit of padding. Maybe there could have been a hard case or something. I mean, that's just me. So let's talk about the physical appearance of these hearing aids. They do not look very different from the old Phonak Lumity 90s. They have a rocker switch on the back to help you select presets and adjust volume, and some other settings that can be programmed by your hearing specialist. The one thing you're going to notice, probably right off the bat, is they are a little bit larger than your old hearing aids. I'm going to put up a little picture somewhere, kind of showing you the difference in another model that we talked about before, the oticon intent. They were also a little larger, but they were more thick. So it was the thickness of the hearing aid that was increased to accommodate some AI functionality. And that was a little bit off putting at first with glasses wearers and kind of the feel behind the ear and but we got used to it. Phonak did not go wider. Instead they went longer. So in fact these hearing aids are a touch longer than older models, which I think was the right choice immediately when putting them on the ears. I did not notice an increase in size. They felt just like my Phonak lumidty's. To be honest, I did not even recognize or feel that they were longer. Phonak, good choice. Good decision to go longer rather than wider. Well done, well done. I am going to go ahead and put these in my ear now and boom they're in. They're on. They're working. Here we go. As you can see they are pretty low profile, much like the Lumitys, the lumity L's, the what any older model these are that Rico or receiver in canal style hearing aid which we are all very familiar with. So there's going to be no surprises that these are extremely well hidden. I'm going to go ahead and turn around and hopefully you can see that you cannot see them. So if someone is really, really looking to see if you have hearing aids, which I don't know why they would be, they may notice them. Your average person may just think they're the back of your glasses, or if you have longer hair, they're going to get covered up and no one's going to notice. Realistically, this is kind of the worst case scenario for hiding your hearing aids. I'm wearing a hat which pulls my hair back and exposes the back of my ear. This is the worst it's going to get. Which in reality is not that big of a deal, right. So I wouldn't worry about these being not low key enough and let's get something out of the way. In terms of pricing, hearing aids are not cheap. In addition to that, the best hearing aids are certainly not going to be cheap for these sphere 90s that I am wearing. Brace yourself. You should expect to pay over $6,000 for the pair at most hearing centers. I get my hearing aids through zip hearing where they are a bit less. So you might want to consider that if you're looking to save some money on these and you still get local care. Let's talk about some tech specs from Phonak before we jump into my personal experience with these hearing aids. These hearing aids are Oracast ready, which is something you're going to be hearing more of in the next few years. Oracast is a new Bluetooth feature that will allow multiple users to stream audio from the same source. For example, a church or a theater could set up this oracast system in the future, and their audio signal is beamed straight into your hearing aids using the oracast system. It's very similar to the idea of Telecoil, if you have used that before, except now it will be bigger and better. While we are on the topic of Bluetooth, these hearing aids use classic Bluetooth, which means it is not an MFI or made for iPhone standard. The upside to this is that you can have these hearing aids connected to two devices at the same time. So for those of you that are connecting it to your phone and maybe an iPad and you want to switch between them seamless, or maybe you don't have an iPad and maybe you have a laptop. Same thing, same idea. Two devices you just switch. Done. Easy. That is something that I was never able to experience on an MFI device, and is actually one of the main reasons I went with my lumity's in the first place. So to see that come back in these spheres is chefs kiss, I love it. However, that is not the big selling point for these hearing aids. The most profound feature on these hearing aids is actually the AI chip built into each device. That's right, I said AI chip, not AI software alone, meaning that Phonak is saying these are the world's first hearing aid with a dedicated AI chip. They are calling it the deep Sonic chip, which stands for Deep Sound Optimized Neural Integrated Chip. They say it's an absolute game changer. And you know what it is? They are using this chip and they are using its functionality to increase the Snr or signal to noise ratio. What does that mean? Put simply, it is going to do a better job of separating unwanted noise from desired signal. So for those of you that have the same problem that I do where you can't hear the person in front of you in a noisy environment, guess what? Spoiler alert for something coming later in the video. Those days are gone 53 times more processing power, 22 million sound samples used in training the AI. Over 7700 million operations per second. That is a lot of numbers. That is a lot of words. But at the end of the day, it's just all impressive. And finally, one of the last features that is kind of a big deal here is the waterproofing. In the previous model, the Lumity right there was the standard Lumity. And then there was the Audeo life or Lumity life. And that was supposed to be a more life proof model preventing your devices from things like water damage and damage caused from dust or debris. Those days of having the two separate models are gone. Phonak has decided to make the sphere models match the standards of the waterproof Audeo life, which simply means these are beyond Ip68 rated. So let's talk about the Bluetooth, Bluetooth and hearing aids always have a big discussion about them, because no one seems to really thoroughly enjoy the process of connecting your hearing aids to your phone or maintaining the connection to your phone. But what I'm going to tell you is that these Phonak spheres were certainly a different experience than any other that I've had. I've used many companies hearing aids. Some have a much better Bluetooth procedure than others, and I will say that traditionally Phonaks, Bluetooth experience is not necessarily the best when it comes to establishing a connection or maintaining a connection. Personally, I have never had that issue. My Phonak Lumity's are always connected to my phone. I've really never had them drop off by accident, right? I have forced them to do so, but never by accident. However, I do hear from viewers and customers that sometimes there are issues with their Phonaks. So when I got these spheres, I had a certain expectation and that expectation was certainly surpassed. Setting these up to my phone took almost no time, took one attempt and worked perfectly. Furthermore, they have stayed and remained connected to my phone without issue. So I can safely say that the Bluetooth connection process for these spheres is both easy and awesome. And what do I do with this Bluetooth connection? So the big one is going to be the app, which we'll talk about in a minute. We connect these devices using the app through to our phone. We also control the settings and programs with the app. But the app is not the only thing I use the Bluetooth for. I use the Bluetooth to stream audio from my phone to my hearing aids. And while we're on the subject, I will say these are probably one of the best, if not the best sounding quality that I have had from a hearing aid. And I am referring to both phone call quality, audio quality, music quality, or just all of it. I am thoroughly and seriously impressed by how these things sound. As always, these are not designed to be headphones, so your music listening experience is not going to be superb. But if you can kind of manage your expectations and realize that the drivers or the speakers in these devices are extremely small, so you're not going to get a lot of bass response, you're not going to get an overwhelming sound if you can kind of tame your expectations. These things do sound great, but if you are looking for a music listening session, right, maybe you want to chill out and read a book and listen to some music, go for headphones. These are great if you are walking somewhere or you're riding the bus, or you're on the train, or you're hanging out in between classes, or you have some downtime at your job and you just want to listen to maybe an audiobook or some music, or you want to watch a video. These are fantastic for that. How about this app? Anything, anything new with this app? It's still the same phone app companion app. You're going to be able to select your volume, your programs, your settings. You're going to be able to adjust certain parameters within those premade programs. You're going to be able to set up the tap control features. You can set up some reminders about cleaning. I think the most important new feature is actually going to be this find my hearing aids feature. Some of you may be familiar with certain other companies. Find my features. This one from Phonak is going to be very similar, and will sort of ping your hearing aids and allow you to find them if you lost them. I also want to address something that I've been hearing in the comments, and I've been listening to you guys sort of complain about, and that's the apps. Some people feel like they're too confusing. Some people feel like they have too many options. Some people feel like there's not enough options. Apps are hard to make, not necessarily in the technical aspect, but in the user aspect. How are they going to cater to the potentially hundreds of thousands, if not millions of people that are going to be using this app and have all different levels of tech savviness? They need to find a common ground. So that is going to be somewhere between zero functionality and all the functionality. So there may be things you want to have control over that. You cannot because that may just be too much, or there may be something that you don't want to have control over, but you do. An app just cannot be perfect for every single person. So we just really need to try our best to kind of find a place where we're comfortable living in with the app and its functionality. There are also the touch sensitive, tap sensitive capabilities that continue from the Lumity line. These sort of tap controls can be programmed with your hearing specialist, so if you want to use one hearing aid to double tap and answer or end phone calls, you can do that if you want to use the other one to activate your digital assistant, maybe with an A or with an S, or with a hey G that can also be managed. Furthermore, I will say that the responsiveness is much, much better on the sphere when it comes to the tap control. I looked like an idiot when I was trying to use my tap control with my lumity's. I'd stand there and I'd tap and nothing would happen. I'd tap and nothing would happen. And then I would bang with my whole hand and I'd be the idiot banging his head in public. And it looked weird. But the tap control would work. With these, the responsiveness is much greater. So I am very subtly double tapping my ear and making things happen, which is greatly appreciated because now I'm not that weirdo who's slamming their head in public. Thanks Phonak. Let's talk about battery life. Battery life, phonak is saying anywhere from 16 to 24 hours. I personally am getting much closer to that 24 hour range rather than the 16. I have zero complaints about the battery life. I kind of feel like we're at a point now where most Ric style hearing aids are in that 16 to 24 hour range, so no complaints. Good job. Let's talk about functionality. This is the bread and butter of the video. If you watch anything, watch this. This is where everything comes together. Your standard process when you get hearing aids is you get the hearing aid. You go to your hearing specialist. They fit them physically to your ear, and then they take your audiogram and they program your hearing aids for your prescription. Most of the time, in my experience, we kind of get about 90% of the way there. Maybe there are a few tweaks that need to be done regarding sound quality. Usually I have to have them adjust the plosive sounds or the sibilant sounds. So the plosives are your p, p, p, and your sibilance is your sss, simply because the plosives can get too overwhelming for the hearing aids and cause distortion. And the sibilance can sound like someone is stabbing you in the ear with an ice pick. I did not have that experience with the sphere. In fact, I did not need to change anything with the Phonak sphere. These hearing aids were about 99.5% perfect upon the first programming. The other 0.5% is something I will talk about in a minute. One additional thing I always do when I'm trying out hearing aids is I have my hearing specialist or the audiologist program some different settings. I usually go for a restaurant mode, a music mode, a TV mode, and then maybe a different one if I'm feeling some sort of special. But those are the big ones. Restaurant, music, TV. Why do I need a restaurant mode? Because my biggest challenge is hearing things that I want to hear in loud environments. And traditionally, restaurant mode was the only way I could get the hearing aids to engage the feature that I needed, which is that signal to noise ratio. So imagine my surprise when I went into a restaurant for the first time with these sphere hearing aids, sat down, went to go turn on my restaurant mode and didn't need it. That's right, these hearing aids with the AI deep sonic chip out of the box. No special program did the thing I needed them to do. Traditionally, open domes on my Lumity's were not capable of kind of reducing that signal to noise, to a point where I could hear the person I was trying to speak to. So I had to go for a custom mold option. And I actually preferred my active vent, which is compatible with these spheres. So, you know, I'm super excited about that. Anyway, I had to use the act event to kind of reduce the amount of noise physically coming into my ears by having the mold and then allowing the hearing aid to do its job of processing that signal to noise. I am using open domes on these hearing aids, so I was fully expecting that I would need to walk into the restaurant and switch to the restaurant mode to have it kind of do its thing. Oh my God, I was wrong. These hearing aids handled everything without having to switch programs. They knew what was going on and they knew what they needed to do to fix the problem. When I did end up switching into restaurant mode just to try it out. Yes, it was definitely better. But let's say you forgot to go put it into restaurant mode. Not a big deal. These hearing aids are going to kind of just do that for you. And if you're still struggling a little bit in that environment, yes, by all means, go into your app, click restaurant mode and solve everything. The music mode. Let's talk about the music mode. Most hearing aids are not very good at dealing with live music or live sound, because either they're trying to squash the signal coming in, or they're trying to compress it into something that's more pleasant, or there's some sort of noise gate functionality that's trying to cut it off. It usually just doesn't sound fantastic and it doesn't sound natural. The Phonak spheres are the most natural sounding hearing aid I have ever used when it comes to live, sound and live music in order to achieve this heightened level of musical quality. Yes, you do have to turn on music mode. In the standard program, there is a little bit of a gate, a noise gate that happens. There is a little bit of squashing that happens. So it's not the perfect situation if you're listening to music. But once you go in and you turn on music mode, game over, everybody else, you lose. Phonak wins. Same thing can be said for TV mode. Tv mode is really good because it actually uses the directionality of the microphones very similar to restaurant mode. So it really focuses on the signal coming in front of you rather than allowing signals from behind or the side to kind of overwhelm your TV volume. So I mentioned this a little bit ago, but that 0.5% that was just missing that I would really like to potentially have programmed out, came about in the regular standard program, and it was this like noise gate sort of issue. And what I mean by noise gate is when a sound hits a certain noise level, the hearing aids will kind of and you'll hear a little bit of like a sucking. It almost sounds like some like someone sucking through a straw or even the sound I just made with my mouth. So yeah, it was at the end of the world. Absolutely not. No no no no no, not even a big deal. But if something is going to be perfect, it needs to be perfect. So instead, these Phonaks get the 99.5% of perfection, which is still better than any other hearing aid I have ever tried. Phonak is saying that their customers, 93% of them, have a perfect fitting on the first shot, and I think that's why. Because they do, and no one's lying. In fact, I'm actually questioning the remaining 7?cause that seems like a lot. Let's talk about tech levels. Most hearing aids come with four tech levels in some sort of nomenclature that is unique to the company. Phonak uses 90. 70. 50. 30. Other companies use. One. Two. Three. Four. These spheres only come in two levels a 90 and a 70. If you are looking for the 50 or 30 tech levels, then you would want to look into the traditional infinio, not the sphere infinio. The reason I believe that they do not have a 50 or a 30 is because these spheres are their flagship hearing aid. These are not just a version 0.5 of the Lumity. These are not the Lumity and a halves. These are not the Lumity two. The Sphere Infinio is a completely unique hearing aid that is designed to provide the best hearing experience without fail. So in order to get that, yes, you are going to have to get a heightened tech level. Yes, you are going to have to pay more. But let's be real here, and I'm going to kind of chime in, in my own personal way, do I think these hearing aids are worth it? That is a very, very profound question. And everyone's answer is going to be different. I'm going to give you a caveat here. If money is not an issue and you can swing the six plus thousand dollars for the Infinio sphere 90s. You should, and you will not regret it if you need to save a little bit of money. I have not tried the 70s, but if they are even anywhere remotely close to the capability of the 90s, then yes, go with the 70s. But I think Phonak is partially justified in providing these hearing aids at a more expensive cost, because they are worth it. The technology inside of them is outstanding, and these are really just simply a plug and play hearing aid. You do not have to go putz around with settings and multiple meetings with your hearing specialist and a lot of fine tuning. As we said earlier, 93% of customers. The first fitting is perfection. I am one of those 93%. I do not have the need to go back to the audiologist and fine tune anything but the biggest thing here is that these Phonak spheres addressed my biggest hearing issue out of the box. I didn't have to switch modes. I didn't have to switch settings. I didn't have to program them specifically for my situation. It was just click, click, click, click click. You're good. And yes, I would happily pay this amount of money for these hearing aids. The problem is going to be zip hearing. It's going to be very hard for me to send these hearing aids back to you. I've gotten used to them. They've lived in my ears for a month. I love them. It's going to be real tough. It's going to be like trying to give you, like, my dog. Like, I really don't want to do it. I don't, but I'm gonna have to. And I will do it begrudgingly. You're still not getting my dog, though. He's staying the hearing aids they'll go back. So I hinted in my best of 2024 video that there may be a new competitor on the block, a new challenger per se. The Phonak sphere is the new challenger, and the Phonak sphere is the new champion. They are more comfortable than the Oticon intent. They are more capable than any other hearing aid I've ever used, including the Lumitys that I own. And if someone were to purchase these hearing aids, it would be a sound investment. Because you are backed up by Phonak, there's a warranty. The user experience is fantastic. Customer service through zip hearing. Customer service through Phonak is wonderful. You really cannot go wrong if you can afford these hearing aids. And with that being said, thank you so much for watching this video. I am done gushing about these hearing aids on camera. I will continue to gush about these hearing aids in real life and I will hound Phonak and zip hearing to try and get my hands on them because I need them in my life, I need them. Thank you. Thank you for watching this video. Thank you for hanging out with me. Thank you for listening to me ramble on and on and on. I greatly appreciate it. If you have any questions, or if you have a comment, or if you have a suggestion about a video topic that you would like for me to discuss, please put it in the comments below. If you like this video and you want to see more, please give us a thumbs up. And furthermore, if you could please click the subscribe button, that would be fantastic. It allows us to make more videos like this for you guys, and it allows me to refine my ability to ramble about hearing aids. So again, one last time, thank you very much and I will see you in the next video.

Preview for the "Adjusts automatically depending on the situation" video
04:17

Adjusts automatically depending on the situation

Review by: Paul from FL
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Bought: Aug 2024

Hi, I'm Paul, I'm providing a review for ZipHearing and the Phonak Audeo Sphere hearing aid. I had a high tone hearing loss that required hearing aids, after researching online I found that ZipHearing had the most comprehensive information about hearing loss and had a wide variety of vendor choices to make for a hearing aid. I chose the Phonak Audeo Sphere because it was using artificial intelligence to adjust to different locations and hearing situations automatically without having to go to my iPhone and make all the changes that were necessary depending on whether I was in a restaurant, listening to television, or in a loud place that I needed to adjust the volume. So after much research I chose ZipHearing, they recommended Johnson Hearing in Daytona as the audiologist, based on that recommendation I chose the Phonak, had them delivered to the audiologist, they were able to make some adjustments and after a few weeks working with them I was able to get a satisfactory controls to hear in the situations I was concerned with. This was my first hearing aid and I was concerned about not only the cost but the ability to continue to have an item inside my ear, I experienced what I would call an itchy ear which Johnson Audiologists were able to adjust the hearing aids to fit the size of my ear canals to lessen that issue. I would highly recommend ZipHearing as they will provide on their Youtubes a comprehensive area to research with your hearing, they also provided very good customer service and also provided a financial situation that allowed me to purchase this item.

Preview for the "Probably the best ones on the market" video
02:06

Probably the best ones on the market

Review by: Jeff from AZ
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Bought: Aug 2024

Hello, hey my name is Jeff. I've got mild to moderate hearing loss, for about 5 years. This is my third set of hearing aids. I chose Sphere Infinio 90s and part of it's just the hype behind them and how they work in a noisy environment, is why I chose them. It's a little larger hearing aid than some of the others because it's got 2 chips in it, and I'm using ActiveVents as well to try to minimize sound in a loud environment. It does come with a portable charger that works for about 3 days if you're traveling. I found this on the ZipHearing website, and they seemed to have the best price on them and they put me with a practitioner to fit them, so it's gone well, pretty well so far. I wouldn't say that they're amazing but I'm not sure any hearing aids amazing at this point. There's environments where they work great and environments where you know you struggle to hear a little bit, you hear too much maybe with these you're hearing people in the background talking and then the active vent closes and it blocks some of that out, but it's still a work in progress to try to make these really really work, I'm kind of a fussy guy about hearing aid, I'm a real estate agent and have to be able to hear people so. Overall I think they work pretty good, no more negatives I don't think, but the size doesn't bother me, the overall fit of them is good, I would probably use these again I think they're probably the best ones on the market at this point. Not cheap, but ZipHearing had the best price, so, hopefully this is helpful to somebody but, good luck with your hearing. Thanks, bye

Preview for the "It filters out the background noise" video
02:51

It filters out the background noise

Review by: Douglas from CO
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Bought: Sep 2024

Hello, this is Doug and Zip Hearing asked me to do a video on my experience of buying from Zip Hearing and purchasing the Phonak Audeo Sphere Infinio hearing aids about three months ago, and I've got to say, I'm very pleased with them. I've been wearing hearing aids for more than 20 years. I've always gone to a hearing aid specialist and spanning the range of 5 to $6000 for a good set of hearing aids, I like Phonak, I think they have the best quality. I read about the Infinio Sphere audios because they have two chip processors and supposed to be better for hearing in crowded places and I thought I'd give them a try and I went through Zip Hearing because I could save about almost $1,500 over what I was spending through my own hearing aid provider. A little nervous about it first, because I'd never worked with zip hearing, but they had some pretty good reviews and then getting on their website was real easy. And they let me pick a hearing aid provider in Denver, where I spend the summers, and a good hearing aid provider, and they were very willing to work with Zip Hearing. And it was very prompt, had the hearing aid tests and they thought I would do well with these, and they've turned out very, very good. Especially hearing in crowded venues. If I'm at a dinner at a noisy restaurant or talking to folks, I'm still working. So, I go to a lot of, you know, events, mixers and things like that where it's hard to hear many times, you know, and it's almost like having, the telephone to my ear from the people that are talking to me. It's hard to explain until you try them, but they really do work better than the other hearing aids I've had. It just filters out the background noise. When it's on that function, it does take more battery power when it has that particular function going, because it's a second chip that's dedicated to noisy hearing places. But if you just remember to turn that off so you don't run down your battery by leaving it on when you don't need it, it works out fine. So I'll just say I've been real pleased with Zip Hearing, the hearing aid provider build them directly. I didn't have to deal with anybody but Zip as far as payment and they came very promptly. My hearing aid provider provides a year's worth of warranty and follow ups through Zip Hearing, and, they like working with them as well. They get referral business, obviously, so it works out for them. So I've been very pleased. Doug here and I'll endorse him from the standpoint of my experience as an experienced hearing aid wearer, it has been excellent. Thanks.

Show -996 More

Written Reviews

Review by Eileen on Sep 08, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Birmingham, AL

Comfortable, natural sound, and good Bluetooth connectivity

Wearing these new Phonak Sphere Hearing Aids has been very comfortable and an easy adjustment for me. These are my first hearing aids and the sound with them on sounds very natural. I've been able to understand my friends in a crowded restaurant and have been able to turn off the closed captioning on my TV. The Bluetooth feature has worked well for both streaming music and phone calls. I haven't found any drawbacks yet!
Review by David on Sep 16, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Tucson, AZ

A good upgrade from ReSound to Phonak Sphere

I have been wearing hearing aids for 6 years. I started my journey with ReSound which lasted nearly 5 years. I then went to Costco and discovered Costco aids are fine for people with modest hearing loss, but I needed more. I then went with Phonak Sphere and have been very happy. I am active and discovered early on the aids I had purchased were being negatively impacted by sweat. Phonak replaced them with water resistant aids for a very small charge. I am very pleased with my new aids.
Review by Art on Sep 10, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Cincinnati, OH

Good experience with ZipHearing and easy upgrade process

After much research I decided to try Zip hearing and settled on a pair of Phonaks. After a fitting I was completely satisfied. Within 5 weeks of my purchase Phonak upgraded their line to Audeo Sphere Infinio 90 with much better updated features. I called ZipHearing and they immediately sent the new devices to my hearing provider for exchange with no problems. I found Derrick with Zip and the audiologists extremely easy to work with and knowledgeable.
Review by Harry on Oct 03, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC (Sand Beige)
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Birmingham, AL
Color: Sand Beige

My New Ears

All I have ever heard from friends and family about going through the "I'm Getting Hearing Aids" process was how difficult it was to Fit, adjust, noises and so on... Really made me keep putting off taking the "Big" step and go to an Audiologist and find out how deaf I am.. I had to do something COVID has expedited my hearing loss over the last three years so I started doing my research..Went to some box stores and had some conversations and finally went to my ENT and they came back with you can not hear anything.. On the most part TRUE.. Recommended a pair of hearing aids and said if you want to processed come back with the money.. Called ZipHearing and talked with my account manager.. very knowledgeable especially knowing where I am at my age, still active and the problem I am having is very age related.. He sent me to the largest Hearing Practice in my City. They were great.. no wait time, my Audiologist tested again and started then this conversation, not so much about products but me my work, family, church and other working environments. Then we talked about the options and what I can expect from the different products.. I choose the best that was offered and in a little more than a week I had my New Ears.... I cried, no really.. I have missed so much, from wife, Grand kids, Children and co workers... These Hearing Aids are the best.. easy to fit, iPhone ready adjust with one click.. quality.. My TV went for Volume of a 20 to an 8. Quality, I have drop the CC on most shows.. From Charging to the way they look (you really do not see them from the from and side and if you wear glasses you do not notice them from the back.. I am so thankful that found a group that could walk me through a difficult process for me and find me the best product a more that half the price with all the same support and in addition provided the replacement insurance where the other provider it was not included.. Call these folks and start hearing again.. My Life has gotten sooooo much better and I Fight a lot less with my BOO... War Eagle..
Review by Brian on Sep 24, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Freeport, IL

Great hearing aids, but frustrated

I am currently wearing the Phonak Audio Sphere 90 hearing aids. Had them about two weeks now and the sound quality is very good. I am a bit frustrated with the Automatic program selection as it does not really seem to pick the correct program for the situation. I have not noted the sphere function working as of yet, even though I have been in a few very noisy situations. They are comfortable and only took a few days to adapt to the thicker design of the body. The battery life is exceptional. After wearing them for 15 to 16 hours they still have 45 percent batter life. The only other complaint is the charger case. It is not easy to get they in and almost kink the wires to the domes. I wish they were bigger like my previous Marvels.
Review by Larry on Sep 20, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC (Sandalwood)
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Columbus, GA
Color: Sandalwood

Best I have ever worn

I can say without a doubt these hearing aids are the best I have ever worn. Where they really shine is hearing situations that have loud background noise. Example: I went to a grandchild’s birthday celebration that was held in an arcade. Normally, I would struggle hearing in such a situation but found I had no problem at all. I was blown away at how well they performed, technology is wonderful. They are slightly larger than my previous ones but I have not had any problems, even wearing glasses. This my second time buying aids using Zip Hearing and like last time it has been great. Saving money is always a good thing!
Review by Ken on Sep 23, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Santa Fe, NM

So far, So good

Sound quality is excellent. Definitely an improvement over previous HA. Still trying it out in noisy environments but I definitely see an improvement when in noisy situations in understanding speech.
Review by Len on Oct 11, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | San Jose, CA

Exceeded expectations

The quality of the Sphere 90 devices is excellent. Clarity has improved dramatically. The only challenge is the enormous flexiibility . It will take some time to learn everything. But in the interim they are functioning fine.
Review by Mike on Sep 25, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Cumming, GA

I'm hearing more than I should

They hearing aids are as comfortable as hearing aids are ... no complaints, but who really wants to wear them unless they have to, right? As far as sound quality, this may be something to be worked out with my provider. I've tried the cheapy over the counter things - not impressed! These are a far cry better than that ... but they still have that artificial sound that I didn't like with the cheapies, only not as bad. I hear water running and it sounds metalic. I hear a piece of paper "rattle" and it sounds metalic. I even hear my bare feet hit the floor when I walk and it sounds metalic. I hear voices different, but I'm not sure if it is better. Not complaining ... just trying to adjust.
Review by Gary on Sep 16, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Mesa, AZ

Great environmental adjustment and water resistance

I'm replacing my 5 yr. old Phonaks with the new Phonak Audeo Sphere Aids..These new aids are wonderful!! The aids automatically adjust to the enviorment that you are in which for me, is so far working out well..I'm very active and wanted my the aids to be as water resistent as possible..So far they are passing with flying colors!!
Review by Kathy on Nov 14, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Waterford, WI

Awesome Technology

I am so happy with my over-the-ear Phonak Sphere Infinio hearing aids. I never knew of all the speech and sounds I had missed until the day I put them on. These aids are comfort - easy to forget one is wearing them, easy to put on/take off and the sound quality is excellent. I’m currently at 90% of my hearing adjustments - yet everything already is so clear. - Kathy, Waukesha WI
Review by Stephen on Sep 17, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC (Silver Grey)
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | New York, NY
Color: Silver Grey

The best I have ever had

The Phonak Audeo Sphere Infinity provides the best experience in noisy conditions. Recently, at a gathering before a concert, I was able to use the app to dial in enough gain to hear all the people at the table. This was not possible with my last two pairs of Oticon's. The Phonaks are not "made for iPhone" (MFI) but are considered universal Bluetooth. I was concerned this would be cumbersome and buggy. So far, this has made it far easier to connect to all the devices I use. It is an absolute game changer on Zoom or any virtual platform.
Review by Sterling on Sep 25, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC (Silver Grey)
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Overland Park, KS
Color: Silver Grey

Huge improvement in noise!

The Phonak Audeo Sphere 90 aids are a giant step forward in understanding speech in noisy situations. I now have 30 year old people with normal hearing asking me to repeat myself when I can understand them easily. They were complaining about the noisy fan... I didn't even realize it was making any noise anything other than a mild hum. You owe it to yourself to trial a pair of these aids!
Review by Paul on Oct 21, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Marina Del Rey, CA

Such an improvement!

My new Phonak Sphere hearing aids are such a big improvement over my old hearing aids that they replaced! The Spheres are noted for doing well in noisy environments and that’s where mine really shine—I could even hear my wife talking at a raucous sports bar during a Dodgers playoff game!
Review by Stephen on Nov 11, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC (Silver Grey)
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Albany, NY
Color: Silver Grey

I can hear again!

My Phonak Sphere 90 hearing aids are comfortable, easy to use and my hearing ability is vastly improved. My provider in Albany reviewed my audiogram and recommended the Phonak Sphere hearing aids, came to my home and set me up. I couldn’t be happier.
Review by Dani on Oct 19, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 70 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | San Diego, CA

Happy First Time User

I've had my new hearing aids for a week and already they are helping me so much. I didn't realize that my hearing was so bad, and my life would be so much better with my new Phonak Spheres. The quality is so good and they're so light, I don't even notice that they are there, so I have to remember not to fall sleep with them on. I tried another sample model for a couple weeks, and the quality of this model is much better for my uses. I also love that I can tap on one of them and hear and speak on my phone and other devices. Already they have improved the quality of my life, and I'm sure my neighbors are glad they don't have to hear my TV anymore. lol
Review by Marta on Nov 19, 2024
Model: Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 RIC
Rating:
VERIFIED BUYER | Albuquerque, NM

New hearing aids are great!

The sound quality is great, a huge improvement from my previous pair! No tinny sounds and my hearing has greatly improved. The aids themselves are very comfortable and easy to place in my ears.
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Common questions about Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio hearing aids

Bluetooth / Connectivity Rechargeability Controls/Apps Miscellaneous

Choose questions category:

Does this hearing aid allow for hands-free phone calls?

Yes, Phonak was the first brand to implement this technology in 2017. That makes Audéo Sphere their fifth generation hearing aid to have this feature, and it shows. Hands-free calling is simple to use, and it essentially turns the hearing aids into a wireless headset. When you have an incoming call, you will hear the phone ringing through the hearing aids. With the tap of a button on the hearing aid (or by accepting the call on the phone) you can then answer the call and just start talking—you will hear the caller through both hearing aids. You can keep your phone in your pocket, or even on the other side of the room, and your voice will be picked up by the microphones on the hearing aids so the caller can hear you. This feature works best in quiet environments. If you use hands-free calling when you're outdoors or in a noisy environment, the caller on the other end may say you sound like you're on speakerphone. If you’re ever struggling to hear the caller over background noise in your environment, Phonak has included a nice feature in the app called Environmental Balance. While on the call, you can open the app and use this feature to adjust streamed signal volume against the surrounding environment volume. The call can be ended either traditionally on the phone or with a long push on the push button.

Is this hearing aid Bluetooth compatible?

As of the August 2024 release, Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio uses Bluetooth 5.3 and is compatible with nearly all tablets and phones for the direct streaming of music, phone calls, and more. You can check your device compatibility with Sphere hearing aids here. Sphere hearing aids are also Auracast™-ready. Auracast is a new Bluetooth feature that will allow multiple devices—like hearing aids—to share an audio stream. In the coming years, as public venues like airports and theaters install Auracast transmitters, that means Sphere users will be able to stream that venue’s audio directly into their hearing aids. When Phonak is ready to enable the Auracast feature in these hearing aids, it will require a visit to your hearing care provider’s office for a firmware update. We believe—though we haven’t received a clear answer yet—that when this update happens, Sphere hearing aids will also be upgraded to use the Bluetooth LE Audio specification.

Can this hearing aid be paired directly to my Bluetooth TV?

If your TV supports Bluetooth audio output—and most TVs from the last 5 years do—you can pair your Sphere hearing aids to your TV. However, Phonak doesn’t recommend this, as users often experience excessive battery drain. For better sound quality, a more reliable connection, and reduced battery drain, Phonak suggests using their TV Connector accessory (shown below on this page). This small device plugs into your TV’s audio output, typically via the optical out port, and streams sound wirelessly to your hearing aids. A notable feature of the TV Connector is that you can control the volume in your hearing aids independently from the TV’s speakers. This allows you to adjust the volume to your preferred listening level without affecting the volume for others in the room.

Is this hearing aid Roger compatible?

Yes. All Audéo Sphere Infinio models can pair directly to Roger devices. In most cases we’d recommend the Roger On 3 device (read more on that below), as we’ve found it to be the most versatile Roger device that meets most of the needs and use cases of our customers.

How many hours a day do the batteries last?

We wish there were a clear answer, but battery life depends on several factors. It can be affected by how hard your hearing aids are working, which depends on your level of hearing loss and the acoustic environments you’re in. It can also be influenced by how much (if any) Bluetooth streaming you do (like from your phone or TV).

In general, based on reports from our customers, here’s what you can expect: assuming your hearing aids were fully charged the night before and that you don’t do any Bluetooth streaming, you can expect 20–24 hours of battery life. Phonak reports that with 3 hours of Bluetooth streaming a day, you’ll still get around 16 hours of power. We have heard from our customers that, in general, an hour of Bluetooth streaming reduces battery life by about 2.5 hours. So if you consider that the default battery life with no streaming is about 24 hours, 1 hour of streaming should leave you with 21.5 hours.

But wait—it gets trickier! The Audéo Sphere is the most power-hungry hearing aid Phonak has ever made, thanks to the computational power of the deep neural network (DNN). The battery will drain at a faster pace than normal when you’re in noisy environments. For this reason, we recommend keeping a close eye on your battery charge status (available inside the myPhonak app) before entering a noisy situation. If you’re going to be in a noisy environment for several hours, we suggest ensuring your hearing aids have at least a 40% charge before entering.

Does the charger include a dehumidifier?

Chargers for earlier Phonak models used to include space for a desiccant/dehumidifier puck. In recent years, including with the Audéo Sphere, Phonak chargers no longer offer this option. Phonak explains this is because the newer models are IP68-rated, meaning they can technically withstand complete submersion in water, so regular exposure to moisture, sweat, and humidity will not affect the hearing aids. If you are concerned about this, you could consider something like the PerfectDry Lux (download info here), a dehumidifier that, within 45 minutes, removes moisture and uses a UV-C lamp designed to sanitize the hearing aids with ultraviolet (UV) light. This accessory can be ordered through your Phonak provider.

Why does the app show the battery depleting faster on one aid?

This is totally normal for Phonak hearing aids and has been for several generations of products. One of your hearing aids actually establishes the initial Bluetooth connection with your phone/tablet/etc, and then relays the audio stream and other information to the other hearing aid. Whichever hearing aid makes that initial Bluetooth connection will drain slightly faster than the other aid.

What is the lifespan of the rechargeable batteries?

Phonak says they will last at least 5 years. Based on past reports from our customers who used previous generation Phonak models, we think that's a bit optimistic and would recommend counting on 3–4 years. The battery is built into the hearing aid, so when it needs to be replaced, your hearing care provider will ship the hearing aid to Phonak and Phonak will replace the battery. Most people have a 3-year warranty with their hearing aids, so by the time the battery needs to be replaced, that is unfortunately outside the warranty period. This means Phonak charges your hearing provider, and your provider passes that charge along to you. Expect that price to be somewhere in the range of $150–$300.

How will I know when my battery needs to be charged?

About an hour before your hearing aids power down due to a low battery, you’ll hear a few low-pitched descending tones alerting you to change the batteries. The way the tones sound will indicate that they’re signaling a low battery (and it's pretty obvious) but you can also ask your Phonak provider to demonstrate this sound with you in their office. 

How long does it take to get a full charge?

Your hearing aids will fully charge in about 3.5 hrs, giving you 24 hours of power. If you're in a pinch, every 15 minutes of charging will get you over 1.5 hours of battery life. 

What if I'm on-the-go and my battery dies?

This is unlikely to happen, as even with several hours of Bluetooth streaming your hearing aids should last 16 hours a day. Sphere hearing aids use a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery, so if your batteries do run out early, your only option is to charge them back up.

Charging is pretty quick—they take 3.5 hours for a full charge. But if you’re in a pinch, every 15 minutes of charging will get you over 1.5 hours of battery life. 

If you’re concerned about this happening, we would recommend buying a separate ChargerGO RIC Sphere I (you can see it on this page), that way you can keep a charger in your car/purse/etc for when this happens. The charger comes with a USB-C charging port as well as a wall plug for flexible charging. 

Since you get one charger included with your order, you can keep one of your chargers at home for more stationery use, to be charged nightly, and another that is your portable charger.

How can I control this hearing aid, and which settings can I control?

You can control the volume and program via the rocker switch button on the hearing, the RemoteControl accessory, or the myPhonak app. The myPhonak app will also allow you to adjust the bass, mid, and treble frequencies of the hearing aids. There is also a new slider control in the app that adjusts the strength of the DNN speech clarity and noise reduction. So, if you decide you need a little bit more help in this environment, you can bump up the strength of the DNN processing.

How do I turn this hearing aid on and off?
Press and hold the onboard rockerswitch's bottom button down for 3 seconds to turn it on or off. Or, simply place the hearing aid in the charger.
Does the app have a “Find My Hearing Aid” feature?

This feature was not available at the time the product was released in August 2024, but as of October 2024, this feature now exists in the myPhonak app. In order to use this feature, you have to activate it either when you initially setup the app and pair it to your phone, or at a later time. When wearing your hearing aids, if one falls out or is far away from the other device, you’ll get an audible alert through the hearing aids (your hearing provider can demonstrate this tone for you so you know what it sounds like). 

The myPhonak app will also show an alert in the app that an aid has become disconnected, and you’ll be able to pull up a map with the disconnected hearing aid on it showing the last known location of the aid—the last location at which the aid was paired to the phone. Once you are within 32 feet of the lost hearing aid, your phone will receive a signal from it, and you’ll see 5 bars displaying the current signal strength. Then, it’s essentially a game of hot and cold, where the closer you move to the hearing aid, the more bars you will see, indicating you’re getting closer to the hearing aid.

Note that in order for the app to receive the signal strength from the hearing aid, the hearing aid must still be “on”, so it’s important that if an aid is lost, you use the ‘Find my hearing aid’ feature as soon as possible. Once the battery runs out on the aid and it powers down, you’ll still see the aids last known position in the app, but you won’t get the signal strength bars to help you hone in on the exact location of the hearing aid.

Is this hearing aid CROS compatible?

It is not. However the standard Audéo Infio model (non-sphere) is CROS compatible, and Phonak is reporting that battery life is drastically improved on the CROS, as this was a complaint with their previous generation CROS transmitter. 

Does Audéo Sphere Infinio have a telecoil?

No. Sphere hearing aids are Auracast™-ready, and that technology is going to—for the most part—replace telecoils. We expect most manufacturers to phase out telecoils in the coming years as Auracast gains popularity, which is slowly happening.

When will Audéo Sphere Infinio be available in the 50 and 30 technology levels?

As of August 2024 Phonak does not have plans to release the Sphere model in these lower tech levels. You can however buy Phonak Audéo Infinio in the lower tech levels, but you won't get the benefits of the deep neural network technology. Update: Phonak told us in September 2024 that they were overwhelmed with demand for the new Sphere 90 and 70 models and had to shift production resources to those models, and as of now is not making those lower tech levels available, though we expect them to resume production in the coming months. 

Compatible apps & accessories

Apps (by popularity)

myPhonak app

Use this app to adjust settings like volume, programs, frequencies, and noise cancellation. Easily make changes to your hearing aid(s) to suit your personal preferences for various listening situations. You can easily adjust the volume and various hearing aid features (e.g., noise reduction and microphone directionality) or select pre-defined programs according to the different listening situation you are in. Additionally, you can make quick adjustments to the pitch of the sound in the equalizer by using the presets (default, comfort, clarity, softer, etc.) or more personalized adjustments using the sliders (bass, middle, treble). In some cases, you can even connect with your hearing provider for remote adjustments to your hearing aids. With select Phonak models, numerous functions are available within the Health section of the app, such as steps and wearing time, including optional goal setting, activity levels, heart rate tracking, distance walked and ran. As of October 2024, the app also has 'Find my Hearing Aids' feature that is compatible with Audéo Infinio & Audéo Sphere models.

*Double tap on the app to open it in the store

Accessories (by popularity)

RATING 1
Included with Audéo Sphere Infinio orders
The image of ChargerGo RIC Sphere I hearing aids
ChargerGo RIC Sphere I, $169

ChargerGo RIC Sphere I, $169

Included with Audéo Sphere Infinio orders

This is the standard charger which comes with all Audéo Sphere Infinio hearing aids. This charger has a built in battery which can provide up to 3 full charges to the hearing aids. Fully charges hearing aids in 3 hrs, providing 24 hours of power.
RATING 2
The image of TV Connector hearing aids
TV Connector, $279

TV Connector, $279

Plug it into the back of your TV or soundbar and the audio will be streamed directly to your hearing aids. Others can keep the TV at their preferred volume level, while you set your own volume via the app, on the hearing aids themselves, or via the + or - buttons on the TV connector.
RATING 3
The image of RemoteControl hearing aids
RemoteControl, $249

RemoteControl, $249

You probably don't need this. Most people use the app to control their hearing aids, and if not the app, then the push button on the hearing aid itself. But if neither of those suit you, this remote is a simple way to control the volume and program.
RATING 4
The image of PartnerMic hearing aids
PartnerMic, $449

PartnerMic, $449

If you have a hard time hearing in noise this accessory is a lifesaver. Attach this microphone to a companion's shirt and their voice will stream directly to your hearing aids. Their voice will come through much stronger than all the competing noise in the environment.
RATING 5
The image of Roger On 3 hearing aids
Roger On 3, $1549

Roger On 3, $1549

The Roger On 3 is a versatile microphone designed for improving conversations in noisy environments or when the speaker is at a distance. It uses advanced technologies like MultiBeam 2.0, Pointing mode 2.0, and stereo wide pointing mode to enhance speech clarity. The device offers three modes: Pointing mode for directional listening, Presenter mode for focusing on the wearer's voice, and Table Mic mode, which automatically adjusts its microphones to capture speech from any direction when placed on a table. It can also stream audio wirelessly from a TV, eliminating the need for a separate TV connector. Available in champagne and graphite gray, the Roger On 3 can be personalized and controlled via the myRogerMic app.
RATING 6
The image of Roger Select 3 hearing aids
Roger Select 3, $1549

Roger Select 3, $1549

The Roger Select 3 is a versatile microphone designed for stationary situations with background noise, such as at a restaurant table. It automatically selects the person speaking and seamlessly switches between talkers, streaming the sound directly to your hearing aids. Users can manually select who to listen to by changing the direction of the microphone, allowing for focused listening in smaller group settings. The device can also be worn on a person's chest in lapel mode, where it automatically orients itself to pick up the speaker's voice, making it ideal for presenters or in-car conversations. Additionally, the Roger Select 3 can wirelessly stream audio from a TV to your hearing aids, eliminating the need for a separate TV connector. It comes in champagne and graphite gray colors.
RATING 7
The image of Roger Table Mic 3 hearing aids
Roger Table Mic 3, $1649

Roger Table Mic 3, $1649

The Roger Table Mic 3 is a specialized microphone designed for working adults who participate in meetings, especially those with multiple (4+) participants. It automatically selects the person speaking and switches between speakers, streaming their voices directly to your hearing aids. Unlike other Roger accessories, it is tailored specifically for stationary use in meetings and does not allow manual override of its speaker selection. Multiple Table Mics can be connected to create a network, making it suitable for larger meeting setups, and it has a range of over 60 feet. Additionally, it can transmit sound from multimedia devices like computers, enhancing its functionality in professional settings.
RATING 8
The image of D-Dry+ hearing aids
D-Dry+, $179

D-Dry+, $179

If you live in a humid environment, sweat a lot, are prone to ear infections, or are getting custom in-the-ear hearing aids, you should get this. It plugs into a standard outlet and uses UV-C light to kill germs, and blows warm air to remove moisture.
Models
Step 1 for better hearing
Want a price quote for Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio? *we’ll send the latest prices via chat

KEY FEATURES

1. Dome

The image of Dome hearing aids feature

The dome slips over and encloses/protects the receiver/speaker. Domes are made with medical-grade silicone. They come in different shapes and sizes. Your hearing care professional will help you pick the right size and style. The hearing aid programming software can make size and style recommendations as well with the new AI Dome Proposer feature, which is trained by AI and real-world data from audiologists to recommend the optimal dome. Selecting the appropriate dome will change the sound performance of your hearing aids, so if you’re not achieving satisfying results with your hearing aids, your hearing provider will often consider trying a different dome style. In some cases, such as for wearers with severe or profound hearing loss, an earmold will be used instead of a dome.

2. Indicator light

The image of Indicator light hearing aids feature

The LED indicator light shows the charging state of the battery. 3 red blinks means the aids are 10% charged, 3 orange blinks 11-80%, 3 green blinks 81-99%, and a solid green light means the aids are fully charged.

3. Microphone

The image of Microphone hearing aids feature

The microphone picks up the sound from the environment and sends it into the hearing aid for processing. You’ll mostly want to leave the microphone alone, but periodically check it to ensure it’s not being plugged up by hair care products or oils.

4. Receiver

The image of Receiver hearing aids feature

The receiver AKA speaker delivers the sound into the ear. Phonak receivers are available in 3 different strengths, standard (S), moderate (M), power (P). Your ZipHearing provider will help you determine the appropriate gain (strength/power) receiver based on the results of your hearing test. Expect to have to replace your receivers every year or so, and this is something that usually takes just a few minutes with your local ZipHearing provider.

5. Receiver wire

The image of Receiver wire hearing aids feature

This thin, plastic-coated wire transmits power and signals to the receiver/speaker, which is worn inside the ear. Phonak receivers are available in 5 different lengths: 00,0,1,2, & 3. Your ZipHearing provider will help you determine the appropriate length of receiver wire, by measuring your ear. In cases when your ZipHearing provider is unsure of the exact receiver length that will work best for you, we’re happy to send out a few different receiver lengths for you to try.

6. Rechargeable battery

The image of Rechargeable battery hearing aids feature

Audéo Sphere Infinio is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, expected to last 16-24 hours/day. The battery takes about 3 hours to fully charge, and a 30 minute quick charge will get you about 6 hours of power. Simply put the aids in their charger at night and you will wake up with fully charged hearing aids that will last all day.

7. Rocker switch

The image of Rocker switch hearing aids feature

The rocker switch can be programmed by your hearing provider to have different functions, depending on your needs. Some of these functions include volume and program control, on/off functionality, flight mode, answering/ending phone calls, pausing/resuming streaming, and accessing virtual assistants like Siri. Some people use these buttons exclusively to control the hearing aids, and others use the app to control the hearing aids. Others (most people), use a combination of both the app and push button to make adjustments to their hearing aids. You likely won’t have to use these buttons often, but some people find them handy to make quick adjustments to their hearing aids when they change listening environments (ie, entering a noisy restaurant, or a quiet room). Your hearing provider will go over the options available and make sure your hearing aids are set up to your ideal preferences.

8. Wax filter

The image of Wax filter hearing aids feature

When it comes to maintaining your hearing aids, this is where you’ll spend most of your time. The wax filter (mostly) prevents wax and oils from getting into the receiver/speaker. Your hearing provider may supply you with Phonak Cerushield filters enabling you to periodically change these on your own. Some people never have to change these wax filters, others have to change them weekly. Your purchase includes 1 pack of wax filters, and you can purchase additional wax filters directly from your ZipHearing provider, or through a number of sites online such as Amazon.

9. Dome

The image of Dome hearing aids feature

The dome slips over and encloses/protects the receiver/speaker. Domes are made with medical-grade silicone. They come in different shapes and sizes. Your hearing care professional will help you pick the right size and style. The hearing aid programming software can make size and style recommendations as well with the new AI Dome Proposer feature, which is trained by AI and real-world data from audiologists to recommend the optimal dome. Selecting the appropriate dome will change the sound performance of your hearing aids, so if you’re not achieving satisfying results with your hearing aids, your hearing provider will often consider trying a different dome style. In some cases, such as for wearers with severe or profound hearing loss, an earmold will be used instead of a dome.

10. Indicator light

The image of Indicator light hearing aids feature

The LED indicator light shows the charging state of the battery. 3 red blinks means the aids are 10% charged, 3 orange blinks 11-80%, 3 green blinks 81-99%, and a solid green light means the aids are fully charged.

11. Microphone

The image of Microphone hearing aids feature

The microphone picks up the sound from the environment and sends it into the hearing aid for processing. You’ll mostly want to leave the microphone alone, but periodically check it to ensure it’s not being plugged up by hair care products or oils.

12. Receiver

The image of Receiver hearing aids feature

The receiver AKA speaker delivers the sound into the ear. Phonak receivers are available in 3 different strengths, standard (S), moderate (M), power (P). Your ZipHearing provider will help you determine the appropriate gain (strength/power) receiver based on the results of your hearing test. Expect to have to replace your receivers every year or so, and this is something that usually takes just a few minutes with your local ZipHearing provider.

13. Receiver wire

The image of Receiver wire hearing aids feature

This thin, plastic-coated wire transmits power and signals to the receiver/speaker, which is worn inside the ear. Phonak receivers are available in 5 different lengths: 00,0,1,2, & 3. Your ZipHearing provider will help you determine the appropriate length of receiver wire, by measuring your ear. In cases when your ZipHearing provider is unsure of the exact receiver length that will work best for you, we’re happy to send out a few different receiver lengths for you to try.

14. Rechargeable battery

The image of Rechargeable battery hearing aids feature

Audéo Sphere Infinio is powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, expected to last 16-24 hours/day. The battery takes about 3 hours to fully charge, and a 30 minute quick charge will get you about 6 hours of power. Simply put the aids in their charger at night and you will wake up with fully charged hearing aids that will last all day.

15. Rocker switch

The image of Rocker switch hearing aids feature

The rocker switch can be programmed by your hearing provider to have different functions, depending on your needs. Some of these functions include volume and program control, on/off functionality, flight mode, answering/ending phone calls, pausing/resuming streaming, and accessing virtual assistants like Siri. Some people use these buttons exclusively to control the hearing aids, and others use the app to control the hearing aids. Others (most people), use a combination of both the app and push button to make adjustments to their hearing aids. You likely won’t have to use these buttons often, but some people find them handy to make quick adjustments to their hearing aids when they change listening environments (ie, entering a noisy restaurant, or a quiet room). Your hearing provider will go over the options available and make sure your hearing aids are set up to your ideal preferences.

16. Wax filter

The image of Wax filter hearing aids feature

When it comes to maintaining your hearing aids, this is where you’ll spend most of your time. The wax filter (mostly) prevents wax and oils from getting into the receiver/speaker. Your hearing provider may supply you with Phonak Cerushield filters enabling you to periodically change these on your own. Some people never have to change these wax filters, others have to change them weekly. Your purchase includes 1 pack of wax filters, and you can purchase additional wax filters directly from your ZipHearing provider, or through a number of sites online such as Amazon.