Phonak has introduced its new Audéo Eon family of hearing aids, including the latest generation of Audéo Sphere. The new technology is 25% smaller and 20% lighter than its predecessor, while introducing a more efficient AI processor, updated speech processing and improved performance in challenging listening environments.
A new Phonak Audéo family
Phonak Audéo Eon is part of a new family of Phonak hearing technology, rather than being a single new hearing aid model.
The new range includes the third generation of Audéo Sphere, Audéo EON R, Audéo CROS EON and two new charging options.
The focus of the new generation is on making Phonak’s advanced speech-in-noise technology smaller and more efficient, while also improving automatic adaptation, wind noise management and connectivity.
A smaller, lighter hearing aid
One of the most noticeable changes with Audéo Eon is its size.
When Phonak introduced the original Audéo Sphere, its dedicated AI processing required considerable power. This meant a larger battery was needed, contributing to a larger overall hearing aid.
Eon uses a new processor called Hypersonic, is more efficient than the previous generation. This improved efficiency has allowed Phonak to reduce the size of the battery and, consequently, the size of the hearing aid.
The result is a hearing aid that is 25% smaller and 20% lighter than its predecessor.
This could be particularly important if you like the idea of Phonak’s speech-in-noise technology but were previously put off by the size of the Sphere hearing aids. A smaller design may also be easier to wear alongside glasses, hats or helmets.
Phonak states that Eon provides up to 22 hours of battery life, including streaming and time spent in noisy environments. The full charging time has also been reduced to around 2.5 hours.
Improved speech understanding in background noise
For many people considering hearing aids, the ability to follow conversations in background noise is one of the most important factors.
Audéo Sphere introduced Phonak’s Spheric Speech Clarity, which uses dedicated AI processing to separate speech from surrounding noise. The aim is to make it easier to follow a conversation even when there are lots of other sounds competing for your attention.
Audéo Eon introduces the third generation of this technology: Spheric Speech Clarity 3.0.
In simple terms, the system identifies speech, processes it separately from background noise and then combines the signals again. The aim is to make speech easier to understand while still allowing you to remain aware of the sounds around you.
Phonak reports 50% better speech understanding, up to 37% less listening effort and twice the likelihood of understanding speech coming from different directions.
The 50% improvement is not a comparison with Audéo Sphere Ultra, nor is it a comparison with wearing no hearing aids. Instead, Phonak says the figure relates to standard directional microphone technology commonly used in hearing aids.
Based on the data currently available, it is not yet clear whether Eon offers a significant improvement in speech-in-noise performance compared with the Sphere Ultra. This is an important consideration for existing Sphere Ultra users when deciding whether to upgrade.
AutoSense OS AI 8.0
Audéo Eon also introduces an updated version of Phonak’s AutoSense OS, called AutoSense OS AI 8.0.
AutoSense is designed to recognise what is happening around you and automatically adjust your hearing aids to suit the situation.
For example, you might move from a quiet conversation at home to a busy restaurant and then outside into a noisy street. Rather than needing to manually change your hearing aid settings each time, Eon is designed to adapt automatically.
The system can recognise different listening environments, including speech in quiet, speech in noise, speech in loud noise, speech in a car, comfort in noise and music.
Your audiologist can also adjust these different listening situations individually, based on your lifestyle and preferences.
This could be particularly useful if your day involves lots of different listening environments and you want your hearing aids to do more of the work automatically.
Better performance in windy environments
Wind noise can be a surprisingly frustrating problem with hearing aids, particularly outdoors.
The microphones on receiver-in-canal hearing aids are exposed to the environment, meaning that strong wind can interfere with the sounds you actually want to hear.
Phonak’s WindBlock 2.0 is designed to reduce this disturbance while preserving speech and environmental sounds.
The hearing aids can detect the direction the wind is coming from and place greater emphasis on microphones that are less affected. This helps maintain a clearer speech signal without simply removing the natural sound of the wind around you.
This could be particularly useful if you regularly walk, run, cycle or spend time outdoors. It may also make everyday situations, such as having a conversation with the car window open, more comfortable.
Phonak reports that more than 90% of participants preferred WindBlock 2.0 for naturalness compared with its previous technology in the same situation.
Bluetooth and Auracast connectivity
Connectivity is another area where Phonak has expanded the capabilities of Audéo Eon.
The hearing aids can connect to a wide range of Bluetooth devices, including iPhones, Android phones, laptops, TVs, computers and other compatible devices.
Eon can be paired with up to eight Bluetooth devices, with two connected simultaneously.
It also has Auracast, a newer Bluetooth technology that could allow compatible hearing aids to connect directly to audio broadcasts in public spaces. In the future, this could be particularly useful in places such as theatres, museums, airports, train stations and other public venues.
There are still some details about Eon’s Auracast functionality that are to be confirmed, including exactly how users will connect to broadcasts and whether the feature will be available across all technology levels. The new Eon also does not include a telecoil.
Who is Phonak Audéo Eon best suited to?
Phonak Audéo Eon could be particularly worth considering if you:
- Want Phonak’s speech-in-noise technology but found the previous Sphere hearing aids too large
- Regularly move between different listening environments throughout the day
- Find conversations difficult in busy restaurants, groups or other noisy environments
- Spend a lot of time outdoors and find wind noise frustrating
- Want a smaller and lighter hearing aid that is easier to wear with glasses, hats or helmets
- Regularly switch between phones, computers and other Bluetooth devices
- Want to make use of Auracast as compatible public venues become more widespread
Should you upgrade from the Phonak Infinio Ultra Sphere?
Audéo Eon appears to build on the strengths of the Sphere Ultra rather than completely reinventing the technology. It is smaller, lighter, more efficient, more automatic, better equipped for windy environments and more connected.
However, the information currently available does not yet demonstrate that Eon provides a significant improvement in speech-in-noise performance compared with the Sphere Ultra.
For existing Sphere Ultra users who are happy with their hearing aids, there may therefore be no immediate reason to upgrade purely for better hearing performance.
For people who were interested in Sphere’s speech-in-noise technology but were put off by its size, however, Eon could be a much more attractive option.
As with any hearing aid, the right choice depends on your hearing loss, lifestyle, listening environments and individual preferences. At Harley Street Hearing, our independent clinical audiologists can help you compare the latest hearing aid technology and determine which solution is most appropriate for you. Call us now on 020 7486 1053 or contact us here.
Matthew Allsop is a Partner at Harley Street Hearing and one of the world’s leading independent hearing technology reviewers through Hearing Tracker. You can watch his full video on the new Phonak Audéo Eon here.
