I currently have a chance to obtain a new pair of covered 100% by my insurance company because my policy allows 1 pair per year, and I’ve met my max out of pocket this year, so I don’t have to pay any out of pocket money for it. Anyway, I get to choose between the Oticon Intent 1, the Phonak I90 Sphere, or the Starkey Omega 24.
I’m currently wearing the Oticon Real 1 (and Oticon OPN 1 before that). So I’m inclined to try another brand this time because I figure the Real is already close enough to the Intent anyway. The Starkey Omega AI 24 is intriguing because it’s just been very recently released, so it’s the latest tech for Starkey still hot out of the oven. They claim a 360 chip for AI on directionality now, which is intriguing but not clear how effective it is. Afterall, Oticon has come out with the open sound paradigm years ago already since the OPN, and they’re doing it quite effectively IMHO.
Phonak is dropping a major firmware update just today or yesterday that will update the Sphere from AutoSense 6.0 to 7.0, beside a 30% improvement in battery life. They call it the Ultra or something. So while it’s not a brand new hardware update like the Starkey Omega AI, it’s still a major software update that would refresh the Phonak Sphere.
I’m inclined at this point to go for the Phonak I90 Sphere, presuming that it’ll come with the new firmware (or can easily be updated to it before I take posession). It doesn’t have like Oticon and Starkey, but my understand is that it’s firmware upgradeable to get this feature in the future. The BT legacy all-around compatibility is still a nice-to-have for me.
Anyway, which one would you choose if you were in my shoes?
For the reason you mentioned, Phonak is pretty much all about sphere mode, which you can’t be in all the time anyway, you could be the first real world review on the Omega.
So I’m inclined to try another brand this time because I figure the Real is already close enough to the Intent anyway.
Oticon Intent is reportedly quite big leap forward compared to Reals. Even Dr Cliffs said that despite he previously stated that usually there are rather minor differences between neighbouring generations.
Today? will be probably new generation announcement by Oticon.
Yes, I must buy this year 2025. From what I can tell, the Intent has the 2.0 and the 4D sensor as the primary new features. I think the 4D sensor is gimmicky. How much better is the DNN 2.0 is compared to the DNN 1.0 is the question. My understanding is that it has 3 more in , which is OK, but not leaps and bounds more.
I think the Starkey Omega, like the Edge, requires that you must manually activate the Edge + mode to get the optimum effect from the . I think the Phonak Sphere’s AutoSense 6 (and soon 7) should activate the Sphere mode for you automatically. But with the Intent, you just put the aids on and don’t have to do anything yourself. So it seems the most easy to just “wear and go”.
Phonak Sphere’s AutoSense 6 (and soon 7) should activate the Sphere mode for you automatically.
I was thinking the Starkey DDN would work in the Auto as well, I’ll need to do some more research by the looks of things, but yeah I wouldn’t bother with intent as you know those sats are only something that you read about, in the real world experience it’s never “leaps and bounds ahead” or even a “wow” factor, although some Phonakians report ”wow” in sphere mode, I disliked Autosence, it just got it wrong so often, I could hear the changes and depending on the environment at the time would “shift” back and forth- really annoying, sphere “eats” the battery in no time, better to have it set to manual as you only need it for very noisy environments anyway, but guess that’s up to the individual, well no doubt you get a trial so you could possibly try them both in a shoot out.
I would go with the Sphere, for flawless Bluetooth connectivity and great battery life. But I am totally biased, already wearing Audéos and unfamiliar with the latest Oticon and Starkys…
I tried both the Intent and Sphere models a few months prior. Ultimately, I opted for the Intent 1.
Truthfully, both products have their respective strengths and weaknesses. I believe sharing my personal impressions after testing them is more useful than simply recommending one over the other:
Appearance: The Sphere is noticeably larger, though not to an unacceptable degree. This isn’t merely an aesthetic issue; it also impacts comfort. Bear in mind, much like spectacles, you may wear them for up to 12 hours daily. It often takes a period of wear to determine if they suit you. Just as with glasses, everyone’s facial structure and preferences differ. Personally, I use lighter lenses and frames.
Bluetooth connectivity: As a Pixel phone user, Sphere’s Bluetooth connection has improved significantly over earlier generations. Stability, response speed, and range have all seen noticeable improvements.
Ultimately, I opted for Bluetooth : it represents a generational leap beyond Classic Bluetooth, not merely a version number upgrade.
Bluetooth Classic consumes approximately 66-100mW of power in average for earbuds or similar type, and higher energy usage during continuous audio streaming—particularly at high data rates.
Bluetooth LE Audio power consumption: For earbuds LE Audio power usage ranges from approximately 5mW to 50mW (include decoding overhead and Isochronous channel).
On the other hand, constrained by the limitations of the Bluetooth Classic audio profile, Phonak must utilise the hearing aid’s microphone for telephone calls. Although Sphere has significantly improved call background noise, it still cannot compare to the direct use of the telephone microphone via the Bluetooth LE Audio hearing aid profile. Should you frequently require quiet telephone conversations, this point warrants consideration.
Additionally, Bluetooth Classic audio operates via a master/slave connection for 2 or up speakers. If the connection between the phone and the host hearing aid is lost, the entire Bluetooth call disconnects. Bluetooth LE audio, however, only affects one side, allowing the call to continue.
Sound:
Sphere’s noise reduction is noticeably superior to Intent’s.
My only dissatisfaction with Sphere’s noise reduction is that I can’t seem to prevent it occasionally switching focus to another sound during conversations. Because its noise reduction is quite strong, I sometimes miss what the original speaker is saying. This might be related to Sphere’s spherical sound field analysis. Although there’s a slide button in sphere mode to narrow the sound field, the actual effect doesn’t seem to make much difference.
Intent’s or noise reduction relies more on directionality. While less effective than Sphere, I know the intended conversation will be clearest facing front, with weaker performance on the sides. Realistically, in noisy environments, my personal experience is that speakers often distribute in a “semi-spherical” pattern. Sphere may actually perform better in practice. This requires personal trade-offs.
Regarding sound quality, I find them comparable: outcomes depend more on individual hearing loss, fitting formula, and audiologist calibration. However, when either Intent or Sphere’s DNN function activates, one can perceive a noticeable sonic impact. Hence, both devices offer 5-6 levels of DNN intensity adjustment.
Finally, it’s essential to try the devices in person. The current integration of DNN in hearing aids means most people—including audiologists—can only rely on optimal data published by manufacturers (assuming they are honest), obtained under controlled conditions. Even if the data is entirely accurate, we must understand that in real-world application, numbers are often logarithmic, and not necessary linear.
Also forget about those 10billion sample market hype. For DNN, 1000 good sample, proper tag and classification is much better than 10,000 sample with improper tag and classification. It is just a waste of CPU power and memory. Common rule is sample quality over quantity.
I queried ChatGPT regarding my own hearing loss, asking how much percentage of my hearing could be restored based on the specifications and performance published by the best products currently on the market, combined with a hearing specialist’s 100% fine-tuning to match my hearing loss. ChatGPT’s answer was direct: it’s difficult to assess precisely, but it wouldn’t exceed 60%.
IIRC, the Intent receivers can provide better amplification in higher frequencies (like over 5 ? It can be checked in Intent frequency response and comparing it with Phonak’s ones).
I’ll be following your journey @Volusiano, wishing you the best hearing! The Oticon news today was definitely a disappointment…
Moving from the More to the Intent myself, I’d say it was a solid step forward. I’ve been getting the best results in decades with the Intents and am happy with them - though I’ve also switched from VAC+ to v5 pediatric, and finally landed on a very, very good P1.
However, I’m actually getting better results in noise with my Intent’s either disabled or set to its minimum capacity, so I think I’ve been overshooting with my hearing aid choices… though I do hope they keep improving the resolution, detail, and separation of the soundscape.
Thank you all for your valuable feedbacks so far. Please keep them coming! I thought I was leaning toward the Sphere, but now the Intent is back into contention.
Sombody rightfully said that the only way to know for sure what you like best is to try it out. Unfortunately, the way my insurance arrangement works with Hearing Care Solutions, and the time frame of very near toward the end of the year now, requires that I pick my choice without having enough time to try them out. I basically have to pay HCS for the , then try to get reimbursed by my insurance company, all before the end of the year. So there’s really no time for much testing.
I know that the Starkey Omega is brand spacking new and nobody probably has had a chance to try it out yet. But I’d also welcome opinions of Starkey Edge AI users as well, since it’s a close cousin of the Omega AI anyway.
I’ve seen many of your past comments—you seem to understand the world of hearing aids well, so I’ll focus on the current landscape rather than the features.
1.- The Intent is approaching its two-year anniversary, and if the release pattern holds, the next platform could be expected around February 26.
2.- I haven’t come across any reviews or real-world evaluations of the Omega . All the information seems to come from Starkey’s marketing materials. In my opinion, the new features feel more incremental than groundbreaking.
3.- It’s impressive that Phonak released this firmware update with new features. I haven’t seen any other manufacturer make such a significant update after a product’s release.
Many exciting unknowns are on the horizon. Let us know which one you choose and why. As a respected participant, your feedback is valuable.
1.- The Intent is approaching its two-year anniversary, and if the release pattern holds, the next platform could be expected around February 26.
Thanks for your opinion. The Intent is indeed rather fairly “mature” already. I just saw this new video from Dr Cliff today about the upcoming Oticon Zeal that’s going to be in the form factor. I guess that’s the direction Oticon is heading next in terms of a new release. It seems to continue to leverage the 2.0 and not go beyond the existing electronic technology. The real push is going to be going to this new CIC form factor and still be able to cram everything inside of it, and that’s going to be the next “revolution” for Oticon.
Too bad it won’t be available until next year so it won’t be accessible to me. But at least electronic technology wise, it should be about the same as the Intent technology.
Getting others opinions is a good idea. But you’re perception while using the hearing aids. Is what really matters. Trial as many as possible. Congratulations on the insurance paying for everything. That’s extremely lucky.
@Volusiano Welcome back, friend! I’m sorry you’ve been away so long, but the fact you’ve used up your out of pocket leads me to believe you’ve undergone some major medical issues.
Glad you have an opportunity to get updated from the Reals. You’ve been a devoted Oticonian since I’ve been a member of this forum, and it’s interesting that you and @cvkemp Chuck are considering the deep dark world of the Phonakians… OY VEY!!
My main question for you would be, how do you feel about adapting to a completely different paradigm after all the iterations of Oticon’s soundscape.I know I’m going back a few years, but when I tried the Phonak Marvels, it was glaring. I worked with my audi for 3 months, and finally got the OPN S followed by the More.
I’ve been wearing the Intent 1 for over a year, and like @e1405 gotten away from VAC+ & embraced DSLv5, but unlike him, I’m using adult (cause I’m over 80).
I don’t foresee any need to go with another brand at this point as my brain is trained to accept the Oticon soundscape with no digital processing. Forget MSI. Just give me minimally processed sound. I could never adjust to Spheric mode, and never ever liked the idea of Autosense.
I don’t know if I can make the switch either. I have an appointment November 3rd and I will be hopefully get some great advice from my audiologist. We have been swapping emails the last few months. My audiologist has hinted at different hearing aid brands for my last few appointments. I am interested in possibly going back to aids, and the Phonak Virto R Infinio is the only set that even look to be a possibility.
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