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DIY - How To Self Program Phonak HAs (for beginners)

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Welcome to the forum, great your giving a go, be sure to do some research and read the user guides before starting, you’ll need the Noahlink wireless programming device for any DIY projects.

My regular ’s are Phonak L90’s. I recently inherited a pair of L-70’s that I am trying to set up for back-up. The left aid is set up in format, sending all the sound pickup to the right aid. I have Target 11.0 running (thank you). Any hints on how to proceed would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Thanks. I was beginning to suspect that the could not be converted, but glad to learn it for sure. Thanks again.

I recently inherited a pair of Phonak Lumity L-50-R hearing aids. The left aid is . I now know that they can only be used by someone deaf in the left ear and has some hearing in the right ear. I would be pleased to donate these aids to anyone that can use them. They obviously would require reprogramming. I will put them in storage mode anticipating that they will be off the charger for some time. Thanks.

It’s been awhile since I wrote this - it’s now out of date on some details but essentially still what I would recommend beginners start with.

In the interim the world has changed. We now have our own personal multi billion dollar bots at our own personal disposal for free (for the moment).

I’ve been using CoPilot (from Microsoft) to work with me on programming Target and have found it helpful. Your mileage may vary. I’m aware that many people in the world don’t like the bots and want nothing to do with them. And they are probably going to destroy us all. In the meantime I find them helpful as long as you control them and push back on them often (they sometimes make mistakes).

Regarding Target my method is to offer it screenshots and ask it what it sees and what it recommends. Sometimes it comes up with interesting suggestions.

Here is a summary of what I’ve found interesting so far. (This is DEFINITELY NOT beginner stuff.)

I’m sharing them here so other fitters can benefit.

1. Run AudiogramDirect before the Feedback Test

This is the opposite of what many people (including me) have been doing for years.

Why this order matters

  • AudiogramDirect measures thresholds through the natural acoustic path.
  • If you run the Feedback Test first, Target may clamp down high‑frequency gain.
  • That artificially limits the receiver and corrupts the threshold measurement.
  • Running AudiogramDirect first gives Target the most accurate starting point.

Correct order

  1. Insert domes properly
  2. Run AudiogramDirect
  3. Then run the Feedback Test
  4. Recalculate targets
  5. Proceed with fine‑tuning

This alone made a noticeable improvement in clarity.

2. Manual Left/Right Loudness Balancing (Phonak’s hidden superpower)

Phonak does not have a “Loudness Balancing” tool like some other manufacturers.
But you can achieve the same effect manually — and it works incredibly well.

How to do it

  1. Go to Fitting → Fine Tuning → Gain &
  2. Unlink the ears (click the chain icon)
  3. Play speech or music
  4. Adjust G65 (medium input) in 1–2 steps
  5. Center the sound image until it feels perfectly balanced
  6. Re‑link the ears

Why this works

  • G65 is the “speech anchor”
  • Even a 1 dB mismatch can pull the image left or right
  • Balancing G65 stabilizes everything: speech, music, spatial cues

This is one of the most powerful fitting tricks I’ve ever used.

3. How to adjust Compression Ratio (CR) — even though Target won’t let you click it

CR is greyed out in Target, but you can change it indirectly.

To LOWER CR (improves consonant clarity)

  • Increase G80 by +1 dB
  • Optionally decrease G50 by –1 dB

This widens the dynamic range and reduces over‑compression.

Why this matters

Phonak often sets CR too high (1.8–2.0) in the 2–4 kHz band.
That flattens consonants and makes speech feel “tight” or “mushy.”

Lowering CR even slightly (to ~1.6–1.7) made speech noticeably clearer.

4. Speech‑in‑Noise optimization (the right way)

After recalibrating the foundation, I fine‑tuned Speech‑in‑Noise:

Recommended adjustments

  • Slight G65 boost in the 2–4 kHz region (right ear especially)
  • Slight G80 boost to reduce CR
  • Noise Reduction set to Strong (not UltraStrong)
  • Directionality set to Strong

This made speech “pop” out of noise more naturally.

5. Spheric Speech in Loud Noise (Infinio‑only program)

This program uses the neural processor in the Infinio platform.
It behaves differently from classic Speech‑in‑Noise.

What worked well

  • Same CR‑reduction technique as above
  • Mild G65 shaping in the 2–4 kHz band
  • Noise Reduction = Strong
  • Directionality = Adaptive with mild forward bias
  • Keep low‑frequency gain mostly untouched (AI uses it for spatial modeling)

This made Spheric feel more open and less “compressed” in chaotic environments.

6. Real‑world testing is essential

Spheric and Speech‑in‑Noise behave differently depending on:

  • Number of noise sources
  • Whether speech is on‑axis or off‑axis
  • Reverberation
  • Movement
  • Noise floor stability

The fine‑tuning above gave me a much more natural, stable, and effortless listening experience.

If any audiologists see this and want to comment (good or bad) I would welcome it and be grateful.

Edited

As an edit to my original post for this thread back in 2023 I want to emphasis strongly how important it is to conduct the AudiogramDirect BEFORE doing the Feedback & Real Ear test.

Phonak’s own documentation could make it clearer that AudiogramDirect should be run before the Feedback Test. But they do state in their documentation that AudiogramDirect “measures the hearing thresholds through the actual acoustic coupling of the hearing aid,” so it needs to be done first, while the receiver is behaving naturally. The Feedback Test then “measures the maximum stable gain based on the current acoustic conditions” and uses those results “to estimate venting and leakage characteristics.”

If you run the Feedback Test first, you risk altering the receiver behavior and limiting high‑frequency gain before the thresholds are measured — which can lead to muffled or muted programs. Running AudiogramDirect first ensures accurate thresholds, and running the Feedback Test second ensures stable gain based on those thresholds.

If you have done it first in the past, I recommend either redoing your programming (noting your specific preferences in Program Options, etc.) or setting yourself up as a “New Client” in a test sandbox.

  1. Input your audiology test results from your clinician,
  2. conduct AudiogramDirect to “fine tune” those results THEN
  3. conduct the Feedback& Real Ear measurement.
  4. If you ever redo AudiogramDirect in the future, the critical step is: Run a fresh Feedback Test immediately afterward AND uncheck “Use estimated venting/leakage from previous test.”

Lastly, as always, if you can afford it I would always recommend you find an excellent audiologist that you trust who can program your aids using best practices such as . Ideally one that will work with you as a DIYer to also enable you to “fine tune” your to your personal liking.

But I don’t understand why anyone could/would run a feedback test “before” the or doing In-situ audiometry? it’s always “after”

I’m sure it is obvious to all those who know. But if you’re new to programming your hearing aids Target places the “Feedback & real ear test” before the “AudiogramDirect” test. This alone might suggest it gets done first.

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