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New Phonak Virto I90-R hearing aids

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Hello. I am new here though I’ve been reading the forum since January 2026.

I am not new to hearing aids. I have worn them for the better part of 40 years. While I had questionable hearing through K-12 school years it wasn’t until I started heavy construction that I found the need to wear hearing aids after a few years. All of my hearing aids have been covered by insurance (or at least the majority of the price) until the last pair and I bought fairly low-end hearing aids to get by. After a couple of years of saying ‘what’ all the time I took the plunge and bought higher end hearing aids.

How do users here like the Phonak Virto I90-R or their siblings? I’ve never had such a high-end set of hearing aids. Am I in for a shock like 10 plus years ago when I went from analog to digital?

I should get them in a week or so and I do have a 60 return policy.

Thanks for any info.

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In general, newer aids are better than older aids and higher level aids have more features than lower level aids. So, you should notice a significant difference. But, as always, it depends upon adjustment and fit. Virto really requires a precision fit. Any aid must be properly adjusted to your needs.

I have been wearing the Virto I-90’s since early December. They are a good hearing aid but make sure you turn off “Stay Connected” in the Phonak app. It doesn’t affect the Bluetooth settings but it keeps the ’s from constantly communicating with the app and killing the batteries in the aids. If you open the app it immediately connects to the HA’s, anyways.

I don’t keep my hearing aids connected presently with Stay Connected. I rarely use the blue tooth features with the Virto M30-312 I have now. Bluetooth is just not very functional with my lifestyle and these hearing aids. So I connect to the hearing aids as necessary.

This may change with Virto i-90 Rs

Also, when the audiologist tried to find the hearing aids by the name I gave them they could not find them. Phonak website calls them Virto R Infinio5 The audiologist found them as Virto I90-R. This doesn’t seem like good marketing.

The new Virto I90-R have arrived. Music is stunning! hahahaha… but

There is significant occlusion. This is a new audiologist (with for what it is worth) and in the first appointment I told him that over the years I had to have a larger than standard vent to reduce occlusion. The audiologist response was that Phonak calculates the size of the vent needed. So I left it up to Phonak.

With the occlusion present the audiologist said I should try them for a week and see if I get used to the new hearing aids. I asked if might determine the amount of occlusion. The audiologist said no. I didn’t wait a week, I just took them back in 3 days and asked for a larger vent. Again I brought up REM and I get the feeling audiologist does not care to use REM. Since I have 3 of my last pairs of hearing aids covering about 15 years I brought them and showed the audiologist those vent sizes.

Hopefully when they come back I can get out in the real world and see if the price point is worth it.

Funny that you mention that, as I had the same issues with those same aids. Also the Bluetooth ate up a lot of battery power and didn’t make it through the day. After a few other ones I landed on Starkey Omega (which actually stick out a little more than CICs - more like the Virtos),but I love them and the control I have with the app. They did sound a little occluded, but an equalizer adjustment in the app with a little more treble and viola (spelling) my voices s’s and t’s came back clearly. Phonaks did not work for me and I kept them for weeks trying to make them work, but couldn’t live with the occlusion. For me it wasn’t the venting, but possibly more the settings.

There are my very old Phonaks (Virto cic) for comparison. The phonak vents were super small, as you can see. I believe the Virto V90 vents were pretty big in mine. Hope this helps

I have had my Phonak Virto I90 hearing aid fitted twice now. I am still within the return period here in Canada.

But just skated to get some feedback as I have never worn hearing aids before. Im 47.

is there a “wear in” period as with new shoes? When I wear them in the morning they are fine. But by mid afternoon I just want to take them off because I can really feel them. There is discomfort.

Is this normal and does this go away or is this a fit issue?

This discomfort could be either one or both really. If you’ve taken 2 ear molds (I assume that is what you mean by ‘fitted twice’) then I’d guess it’s a break in period.

I would make an appointment in the late afternoon with the audiologist and wear your hearing aids all day prior to the appointment. Take them out when you are with the audiologist and ask him to look for signs of redness or other physical clues.

I’ve been wearing in the canal hearing aids for about 40 years and there was only one time that the hearing aid had to be returned with a new mold.

Having said that I know several people who have bought hearing aids and never wear them because they feel uncomfortable.

At the price point for Virto I90s, be sure you are happy before the return period expires.

Good points. It’s a good idea to wear them all day and then remove them while the audiologist is present.

yes I have had two putty molds done.

and

Both times the devices were made as per the molds. At this price point one doesn’t expect these errors.

Honestly even the way they are programmed irks me. At the audiologist office everything sounds great. As soon as I leave and I am in the real world issues start lol.

Programming in office sounds different then real world.

I just got unitron cics and by 5pm my ears have that plugged feeling where I don’t think vent is right but feels fine in the morning. I think it’s just a program thing also I’ve changed from widex to unitron. Which they sound different and apparently that’s just how it is. My new audiologist is very anti widex due to there move to a cloud based fitting system she says its bad and doesn’t work all the time to program. I’ve worn widex for 25 years more open programming feeling then my new unitron. I’m almost about try self programming these but can’t find cables that fit. Plus need the usb box too.

In reply to @Officelurker

@Officelurker said:

Honestly even the way they are programmed irks me. At the audiologist office everything sounds great. As soon as I leave and I am in the real world issues start lol.

This is why projects are so successful,as there’s no way your Audiologist could possibly know how you like to “hear” only you could know this, making adjustments on the fly in the environments gets you much better results.

perfection is hard to achieve but when you spring $6000 for hearing aids your expectations should be high.

First, there should be no discomfort . None, zero. Phonak now offers a digital scan for fitting because of the limits of the silicone impressions and the many returns. If your audiologist does not offer this, find another audiologist. You should have your Virtos remade until they fit well with no discomfort at all. As many times as necessary.

Second, adjustments to the settings. Keep visiting your audiologist until you are satisfied with the sound, again, as many times as necessary. It in fact may be a lot of visits. Agree with Tenkan that is eventually the way to go but for now get what you paid for.

I have Starkey Edge .

I can make custom programs to a degree with the app. If I save them they remain.

I put my aids in the charger at night.

When I take them out in the morning they will always start in the personal program.

I have to change to a saved program.

I would think the Phonak app can do that

The hearing aids came back after increasing the vent size. The vent size went from tiny to huge. The audiologist says Phonak calculates that, not him. Now they are borderline problems with feedback. If I cup my hand over the hearing aid I get a little feedback.

I have had them now for 4 days and I do notice some difference from my prior low end Phonaks, but I’m not sure yet that the improvement is worth the extra cost. I will try to expose myself to different environments to see how they do, take notes and then go back to the audiologist for adjustments.

I am starting to use bluetooth options for phone calls, connections to media on the phone and computer, and other things more now. This is new territory for me and so far these options are working OK.

I am considering a different audiologist as well, though I’m not sure how to go about returning these and starting new with a different provider under the Epic plan. Sadly, the audiologist I used for 15 years has passed away.

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