Providing the best hearing aids and hearing care in Scotland
The Hearing Aid Centre Ltd
Audiology House, Oakwood Park, Livingston, UK, EH54 8AW
The Latest Invisible And Best Hidden Hearing Aids From The World's Leading Hearing Aid Brands At Affordable Prices In Scotland
The World's Smallest Hearing Aids
They are hugely popular with the buying public and every hearing aid brand has one to offer. They are known by as many different names as there are hearing aid companies, invisible in canal, invisible hearing aids, IIC, but most of the public just call them hidden hearing aids. I therefore decided that it was time I put together one single resource that talked about what is available and from who.
While IIC devices are recognised as one of the most discreet hearing aids, modern receiver in canal hearing aids are very discreet, as you can see from the picture of the lady looking in the mirror above. The very small device is barely visible at the back of her ear and the wire leading into her ear canal is for all intent, invisible. RIC (receiver in canal) devices generally are also loaded with more technology and features than the small custom devices. Of course, there are pros and cons to all devices.
What are invisible hearing aids
Invisible hearing aids are very deep fitting in the ear hearing devices, they are designed to fit deep within the ear canal. The hearing aid cannot be seen, hence the name invisible. Invisible hearing aids have been around for a long time, however, the first manufacturer to introduce modern invisible hearing aids was Starkey. With the introduction of their SoundLens being the impetus for other hearing aid manufacturers to introduce an invisible device. Each and every manufacturer has now introduced an invisible hearing aid option.
This type of device is not suitable for everyone, while the hearing loss needs to be suitable, the biggest factor is the size and shape of your ear canal. If your ear canal is too small, too narrow or too twisty!! You won't be suitable for these hearing aids. All of the following hearing aids are available in several levels of technology.
Oticon
Oticon Invisible Hearing Aids
Oticon is an outstanding manufacturer that I have had a lot of success with. They are rightly famous for their outstanding custom hearing aids. I have always been impressed with both their fit, and function. Their IIC is no different and they have designed them to be unnoticeable to everyone else. More than that, because of their excellent fit, they should be almost unnoticeable to you, too. Oticon's IIC instruments make it possible to combine all the benefits of discretion with their outstanding listening performance.
This is Oticon’s most invisible hearing solution. It is shaped to fit so snugly deep inside your ear that no one will see it, or even realise you are wearing it. The deep placement of the devices means that they take full benefit from the outer ear's inherent design and natural advantages, and the sound level adapts automatically to sounds and places as they change throughout your day, so you will always have the sound you need to participate.
The devices will have minimum impact on the rest of your lifestyle – fitted inside your ear, it will not affect your use of headsets or telephones, how you wear your glasses, or even how you do your hair. Based on Oticon’s premium hearing aid technology, ( Polaris chipset used in More ) and available at three technology levels to suit all budgets, it gently preserves and amplifies sounds so that what you hear is always clear – and you will be able to participate confidently in all situations.
I have had a great deal of success with Oticon hearing aids and their IIC is no different. Several of my customers are getting on extremely well with them and are happy with both the fit and function of the devices.
- Custom Product
- Mild to severe hearing loss
- Battery: 10 zinc-air
- Truly invisible
- Non-Wireless
- Omni-Directional
Looking to try Oticon Invisible hearing aids, call me on 01506 420519 to arrange an appointment
Bernafon
Bernafon Invisible Hearing Aids
Bernafon is a sister company to Oticon and they share the same hardware in their hearing aids. They also share an outstanding manufacturing ability when it comes to custom devices. However, Bernafon's features, technology and audio strategy are very different from Oticon. They use quite a unique amplification strategy that they believe delivers maximum benefit for their users across all of the situations they find themselves in.
Their custom in-the-ear devices always fit well and offer their unique sound quality, features and strategies. Their IIC devices are discreet and genuinely unnoticeable to everyone else. In my experience, the fit is excellent and once in your ear, you will soon forget you are wearing them. These devices combine all the benefits of discreet hearing aids with Bernafon's truly unique sound performance.
The devices are designed to constantly and automatically adapt to the changing sound environments you find yourself in as you move through your day. These devices capture sound in the same way that your ears were designed to do, giving you the optimum support to hear better in every situation. It means that no matter what sound situation you face, you will be able to engage with your companions. Like other IIC hearing aids, they will have the minimum impact on the rest of your lifestyle. Because they are fitted deep inside your ear, they won't affect your use of headsets or telephones, how you wear your glasses, or even how you do your hair.
Since I began using Bernafon devices I have found them to be excellent, the customers who use them have been exceptionally impressed with both the fit and the function of the devices.
- Custom Product
- Mild to severe hearing loss
- Battery: 10 zinc-air
- Truly invisible
- Non-Wireless
- Omni-Directional
Looking to try Bernafon Invisible hearing aids, call me on 01506 420519 to arrange an appointment
Phonak
Virto P Invisible Hearing Aids
Phonak offers two types of invisible hearing aids on their Virto in-the-ear products. They say that they are custom-made to perfectly fit in your ear. I have several customers who are having great success with the hearing aids. Since the Virto B range was introduced, ( replaced with Virto M and now Virto P ) Phonak in-the-ear devices are the world’s first hearing aids with Biometric Calibration, which takes your ear anatomy and hearing needs into account. That's an interesting description.
They say that they will identify over 1600 biometric data points in and on your ear, and the unique calibration settings are calculated for each Virto hearing aid. In this way, their Virto is able to more reliably sense where a sound is coming from, thereby giving you access to a better hearing performance.
Phonak is the first-ever hearing aid manufacturer to carefully map the outer ear to take advantage of its natural abilities. They say that the new process will deliver a 2dB signal-to-noise ratio improvement. It means it will make the signal 2dB higher than the noise. Giving you a better opportunity to hear what you want to hear.
2dB doesn't sound like much but combined with all the other strategies that Phonak use it will be a marked improvement. Phonak Virto P is available in six models which will include an invisible hearing aid option. It will be available in the usual four levels of technology, 90, 70, 50 and 30.
Virto 10 NW O
- Custom Product
- Mild to severe hearing loss
- Battery: 10 zinc-air
- Truly invisible
- Non-Wireless
- Omni-Directional
Phonak
Virto Titanium Invisible Hearing Aids
As part of a raft of introductions in 2017, Phonak announced that they were introducing a new Virto hearing aid type as part of their Virto Belong range. The Belong range was the first-ever range with a titanium shelled hearing aid. Belong was replaced by the Marvel and subsequently the current Paradise range however in order to provide a complete historical overview I have made references to Belong.
A Titanium Shell
They named the hearing aid as the Virto Titanium and said it will be the most discreet in-ear device they have ever made. Using titanium for the shell instead of the usual hard acrylic offered them many benefits including the fact that they are probably the toughest hearing aids ever made. This is the first time ever that titanium has been used in the manufacture of a custom hearing aid. The metal has real advantages over traditional materials.
Will Fit More People Than Ever
The material is exceptionally strong, which allows Phonak to make the shell much thinner than ever before with even more strength. This combined with new component design allows them to deliver an invisible hearing device that they say will fit 68% more ears.
The deep position in the ear canal of the device will allow the hearing aid to use the natural shape of the ear to funnel sound to the microphone. This strategy has always proved to deliver excellent directional hearing.
Levels of technology
The Virto Titanium is now available for the Paradise range at 90 and 70 level of technology.
Looking to try Phonak Invisible hearing aids, call me on 01506 420519 to arrange an appointment
Resound
Resound LTIIC (Invisible In Canal Hearing Aid)
Resound is another manufacturer who offers so-called hidden hearing aids. They call their version Invisible In Canal hearing aids. Because the device is so small you will lose some of the benefits of their technology.
However, that is always the trade-off for discretion. The device is available with only one level of receiver power, the LP. It will only cover hearing losses to a max 70 dB in the low frequencies and 85 dB in the high frequencies which is a severe hearing loss.
Suitability
The suitability for this device is also based on the size of your ear canal. If your canal is too small, you won't be able to avail of it. If your hearing loss is close to 70 in the lows and 85 in the highs, you won't be able to avail of it.
It can not have a push-button or volume control, but the devices all have smart start which gives you a couple of seconds to get it in your ear before it comes on. But you lose out on the direct audio streaming, no ear to ear communication, and no wireless accessories. The battery size on this aid is size 10.
Feature Set
The feature set of the device is as follows.
- Up to 17 channels of compression depending on tech level
- Environmental Classifier
- Environmental Optimizer II
- Noise Tracker II
- Expansion
- Sound Shaper
- DFS Ultra III with Music Mode
- Auto DFS
- Acceptance Manager
- Tinnitus Sound Generator
Looking to try Resound Invisible hearing aids, call me on 01506 420519 to arrange your appointment
Starkey
Starkey SoundLens Synergy Invisible Hearing Aid
Starkey introduced the SoundLens several years ago, in fact, I believe it was the first of the current crop of invisible hearing aids. They to have been updating the technology within their invisible hearing aid offering. Recently they made the device even smaller and they added a second wireless invisible hearing aid to the lineup. The wireless version of the SoundLens is no bigger than the older SoundLens type, so it will be a discreet deep-fitting hearing aid.
The SoundLens Synergy is available in three technology levels, the top of the range i2400, the mid-range i2000 and the entry-level i1600. SoundLens is Starkey's most-advanced invisible hearing aids on the market. Custom fit to your exact needs and unique ear canal shape, they rest comfortably deep in your ear, so only you know they’re there. SoundLens comes loaded with all of their leading technology. They were the first and most popular custom-fit Invisible-in-the-Canal (IIC) hearing aids ever made. At the heart of SoundLens is Starkey’s new Synergy platform with twin compressor technology and a high-definition operating system, Acuity OS.
Connect To Your World
The wireless connectivity gives you the ability to connect to all of the devices you use every day. Connect to your mobile phone or any of the Starkey Wireless Accessory products while wearing the most discreet hearing aids available.
Let's Talk Styles
The Starkey SoundLens Synergy comes in two styles
Starkey SoundLens Wireless
Wireless (invisible-in-canal), slightly larger than the non-wireless device but no bigger than the original SoundLens, which means it is a truly invisible hearing aid.
Starkey SoundLens Non-Wireless
non-wireless (invisible-in-canal), the smallest of the two devices
Looking to try Starkey Invisible hearing aids, call me on 01506 420519 to arrange your appointment
Widex
The Widex IIC
Widex also calls their devices IIC, their version is small enough to be placed deep inside the ear canal, making it invisible. However, you will lose some of the new technology Widex has to offer because of the size. The Widex IIC is placed deep into the ear canal so no part of it can be seen.
Features of the IIC include:
- Perfect fit: each IIC hearing aid is custom made to ensure a perfect fit
- Better localisation: tight fit means users can better determine where sounds are coming from
- All-purpose use: can be worn in all listening situations
- Durability: all components are contained in one unit making it extremely durable
- More comfort: no joined parts mean there are no hard edges
Looking to try Widex Invisible hearing aids, call me on 01506 420519 to arrange your appointment
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