Experience Oticon Zeal

You are outside of the range of the Zeal receiver power.

You’re outside of the range of all small, invisible options honestly. What have you been using so far?

Hi Neville sorry wasn’t sure if that reply was to me or not - if it was I’ve always had in canal hearing aids the Virto Infinio are definitely not invisible in the canal -,anything but and they supposedly had all the bells and whistles apart from the Sphere program that the R90 Infinio Spheres have which I did purchase but just couldn’t adjust to. They are very fat and tbh I didn’t feel they sat well behind my ears between glasses and my hair it was a losing battle probably not helped by fact I’ve never worn BTEcauds of any description. I received full refund from my Hearing Clinic. Found them too fiddly to use.

I am actually back using my 8 year old Phonak V70 which have buttons that allow me to adjust volume unlike the titanium that requires using a magnet to adjust.

My interest in the Oticon Zeal is that I’ve never had Oticon and having watched a review was quite impressed. Hence asking if anyone had any experience if it. Like others I do think a whole lot of success depends on patience and skill of your audiologist.

Hi it was the Virto R Infinio I trialed I think? didn’t find them comfortable in my ears and found I still missed what I miss and even the family said - why spend all that money and your still not hearing what you don’t hear! and it’s not that I hear everything with my V70’s its probably just a bit reassuring that I can adjust volume on them as I really don’’t have a tolerance for loud sound levels that I probably need especially in right ear.

TBH I think I have reached that point where being retired it doesn’t impact me the same if I miss things and can do much more with the £’s any new aids that won’t give me substantially better outcomes might cost in fact with my level of hearing loss, I cope fine in one to one conversations and I am now accepting my limitations in noisy settings and large group situations and subtitles are wonderful inventions. I think sometimes I suffered from thinking others without hearing loss hear everything and that new technology would be a big improvement

Thought should maybe add that I’ve had my M90 Titanium for around 41/2 years now and have been advised they are at the limit of what can be done for me - didn’t help that lab lost them in mid 2023 when they were returned for adjustment to incorporate the settings that were best for me to avoid me using the wand - I don’t think the replacements have ever been as good. I do realise my hearing has changed with loss of high frequencies along side the cookie bite stuff as I’ve got older, but I’ve never been given a copy of my audiogram before the one that I posted but I’m talking when given replacements within a month of them losing them. I’m not sure there is anything left in the V70’s either but as I said in previous post being able to adjust volume gives me a sense of control. I think when I wear M90’s I’m in a ‘comfortable’ environment in my ears if that makes sense. You can probably tell I’m not that au fait with all the idiosyncrasies of what individual aids offer I had before V70’s always gone for the 90 ‘top of range as I thought but am learning - just because a review or PR release says all it can do, doesn’t mean it will solve all my problems.

If I can clarify all my Phonak’s previous to Titanium were from one private clinic. Different clinic supplied Titanium and the latest trial for the R Virto Infinio.

@Bella said:

didn’t find them comfortable in my ears and found I still missed what I miss and even the family said - why spend all that money and your still not hearing what you don’t hear!

Try RIC form factor such as Phonak Audeo Infinio Sphere 90. But keep in mind that probably there will be new generation of Phonak RICs in Aug 2026.

You can test it with power domes with P receiver. Place it deep in your ear canal to minimise occlusion effect - perhaps smaller sizes of power domes will be needed.

Sorry if I’m confusing things as I said I am not su fait with technicalities and perhaps have been guilty of just buying what my audio supplied not realising all the options or questioning what I was getting?

Thank you for taking time to reply. I think I am actually going to go down NHS route to satisfy myself whether it is best to purchase privately or not and if it is explore the markets more as recently have been quite surprised at different pricing for what appears on face value to be the same product.

Hi it wasn’t in my canal they were uncomfortable but the part where the mics and rechargeable contacts were and think that’s that is standard size?

I’m just going to lick my battle wounds and wait see how things go with NHS.

If it was PHSYICALLY uncomfortable, they should be able to adjust unless your ear is just too small. If you were emotionally uncomfortable with how much further they sat out compared to your CICs, then. . . it is what it is.

@Bella said:

Sorry if I’m confusing things as I said I am not su fait with technicalities

I don’t think I am confused. It’s all OK

Think it’s good Neville can advise before making expensive mistakes. Hope you find something that suits and benefits you.

I’ve been using them for about 3 weeks now. They are very comfortable, and amplify sounds as expected from a premium priced device.

My main complaint is the Bluetooth connectivity. It is very spotty, cuts in and out when streaming sounds (I suffer from tinnitus and rely heavily on sounds and music to sooth and mask) sometimes one side cuts off completely. Also when taking calls the other person is not hearing me clearly. I’m using a fairly current android phone, pixel 8. You’re supposed to be able to tap in the general area of the devices to raise or lower the volume, or answer a call, but that function rarely works.

Considering the cost of these I thought everything would work flawlessly

My audiologist said to try switching phones which I’ll try. If no improvement I’ll be returning them as I’m on a 3 month trial.

You switching to iPhone?

I found the zeal worked well with my old Samsung g20, but I didn’t try it for that long.