I’ve had my Spheres for a little over a year and I’m very upset with not being able to understand spoken words. I have had at least 20 adjustments and 3 separate hearing tests and still have the same problem. I had worn a set of Resound quattro’s for 4 years and felt it was time for the newest technology. My hearing loss in not severe but getting close. The specialist keeps adjusting the settings but for some reason whether it’s too oud or too soft voices are distorted and seem to be over amplified. I try to explain it the the specialist and just get dazed looks. At times when someone is talking the voice is too loud and other times it’s too low. When 2 or more people talk at the same time it gets so loud I want to take the aids out. Also while sitting and watching TV I can’t really understand anything said and sometimes the volume get louder and sometimes it gets lower. Any one have any suggestions? I have 4 settings: Automatic, music, TV and restaurant. I’ve tried to adjust in all the different settings and still no clarity no matter how I set them.
Hi there, yeah it’s really frustrating I’m sure, in situations like this please consider projects, only you know how you like things to sound, hearing is very subjective and sometimes you just have to sort it yourself, it’s all easy enough to do, I’m sure after watching you Audiologist go through this up to 20 odd times you can see it’s not hard!
This all points to an inaccurate first fit. All adjustments after this are just making it worse. If loud and soft sounds are being over amplified then it has to be a combination of your pure tone audiometry being wrong and/or the prescribed gain being wrong because the manufacturers recommendation (which is an average) is not right for you.
Did you have real ear measurement? If not, you should ask for this. If your provider cannot do it, then consider another provider.
Thanks for the reply, I have not had real ear measurements, the specialist keeps putting me off saying I don’ t really need one. He seems more interested in getting the hearing aids up to 100% I am at 80% now and still think it may be a bit too loud at that. I’m going to give them a few more shots and then I suppose I’ll have to look elsewhere, I paid for 3 years of service and adjustments but at this point I only want them corrected so I can hear like I should.
I am not sure I want to go that far. I guess you first need the program and then the equipment to tune the hearing aids to the program. I paid for 3 years of service and adjustments but at this point I may try a different provider. Thanks.
I paid for 3 years of service and adjustments but at this point I may try a different provider. Thanks
Sure you can try another, but remember it’s not just the money, it’s the time as well, it’s obviously just the correct adjustments are needed, but certainly no guarantee you’ll “understand” any better even with , but it’s a bit slack that they haven’t even done REM with a lazy excuse with why, ask them why not with some detail, instead of fobbing you off.
I agree you we might be able to help better if we saw your . And if you are using domes or custom ear molds. I received my Spheres early December 2025. I came from Oticon INTENT1 to Phonak and I have never been happier. My Spheres aren’t updated to Ultras and I have custom ear molds. I have had one minor adjustment since I hot them. I needed to have the autosense program for the Spherical adjusted so my aids didn’t switch to Spherical so easily. I am someone that enjoys driving with the windows down and I want to hear the road and engine sounds.
I love the Spheres so much that I am streaming well over twice as much as I use to.
I am attaching my audiogram which is not the latest one but he said my hearing hasn’t changed noticeably since this one.
You should be using UP receivers with the c-shells. The receiver type should be on your order form. Your audi will know it, and so should you. It’s important information.
You’ll get plenty of advice on here. Mine is very simple and easy to do.
First, make a recording on your phone of a couple of instances when you’re having the volume problems. Play it back both over the phone speaker and streaming to see if you still have the issue in both modes. You’ll want to have the recordings with you for playback during fitting.
Just to rule out the vent, if your c-shells have a vent hole, cover the vent with tape and play the recording back. If you’re having the same problems with volume, then that rules out the vent.
Ask your audi to do a little experiment.
First, set your back to factory defaults. Turn off adapt. Turn off occlusion compensation.
Have the audi remove the Autosense program from your rotation.
Replace the Autosense with two custom programs: Calm Situation and Spheric Speech. This leaves you with only two listening choices Don’t make any changes to either program.
Play your recording over the speaker (don’t stream it.). Listen to it on each setting, Calm and Spheric Speech. If you can hear and understand speech better and you don’t have a volume problem, you’re done. Autosense is not going to work for you. You don’t need it.
If you can understand speech better but you’re still having volume issues, then your G50 volume is too high. The audi will know what that means. The audi needs to adjust your maximum power output and compression ratios to prevent peak volumes. Make only one change at a time and replay those recordings.
When all the adjustments are done, play the recordings one more time–over the speakers and streamed. If everything is pretty good, then you’re ready for .
Keep it simple. Simple always works best, Simple is usually everyone’s last choice. Move it to the front of the line. Also remember, when anyone tries to maximize or minimize anything, they usually break it. Your Sphere i90 fitting is broken.
If those adjustments fix the problem, don’t add any more custom programs. The only exception would be one for music, but that better be really important to you because introducing another variable could send things spiralling out of control again.
I had been experiencing the exact same issues. I still have the Phonak loaners while waiting for my Oticon Intents to arrive. Long story short, I was an Engineer in my past life so I have a great deal of background in root cause analysis. That being said, I sourced the issue with the Phonak Infinio Sphere 90’s to a software incompatibility issue with my iPhone 17. My Audiologist was not even aware of this issue until I informed her. If you have an iPhone temporarily turn it off to see if the sound fluctuations subside. Good Luck!!
Short answer, try closing all apps on your phone and see if sound stabilizes.
This might be too obvious and simple, but I’ve noticed volume changes while watching TV, then realize my phone had an advertisement video start playing in the background of the website still open. The sound wasn’t casting to my ’s, because the browser was just in the background, but the HA’s still recognize something playing on my phone.
I’ve tried closing every app and even turning the phone off. I don’t think it’s anything to do with the app. It’s either a hearing aid problem or a programming problem. My Resound aids were almost perfect after my 2nd visit m
I wish I could give you some advice, but I can’t. I do have some severe hearing loss. I have had the Phonak Audeo Infinio Spheres for around 19 months and I am soooo disappointed. Like you, I have had them reprogrammed many times. I bought these online for a decent price. I must say that the hearing aid company where I purchased them has been very accommodating, however, last week I sent them back for the 3rd time. Clarity is not good… restaurants not good… listening to TV not good, sometimes one on one is not good either. They also have been going on and off. I “think” they are just trying to fix the hearing aids instead of giving me brand new ones. Last week I sent them back again and I was told when they send them to Phonak they are telling them to replace with new ones instead of just trying to fix them. We’ll see.
Right now I am doing a trial period with Oticon Intent 1 miniRite. I really like that they are much smaller than the Phonak Infinio Spheres, but it is too soon to tell if I hear better with these. I wish you luck…
It is frustrating for sure. I have an appt tomorrow and going to tell them to send them to Phonak and let them decide if they are defective. I checked online and got a great price too and took the price to a local provider and they matched the price but I am not sure they have the knowledge on how to tune the new technology. I have had many hearing tests done and this place never does any word recognition testing, just the tones, If I don’t get any help tomorrow I’m going to go to a different company and see what they can do. Good luck with yours.
Inverness, Fl
Canada (Toronto) YYZ