Phonak Audéo Sphere

@PCamp said:

I was about to get the Audeo Lumity RIC 90 but held off after I heard on this forum something new was coming out. I probably wouldn’t go for the Sphere model but was curious about whether the new Audeo R Infinio 90 would be worthwhile over the Lumity since the technology is 2 years newer.

If you have older HA than Lumity, especially from before 2020 probably it’s worth to test Infinio without Sphere because of:

1. better processing power - more accurate sound reproduction, more power efficient
2. more reliable Bluetooth (Auracast-ready)
3. better protection from moisture (reportedly as in Audeo Lumity Life).
4. if you are with SSD (single sided deafness) - Infinio 90 without Sphere would give you maximum performance from CROS Infinio (Sphere doesn’t support it).

I’m very interested in sphere. The speech in loud noise type situations are the most frustrating to me and not taking advantage of it seems silly. If the size or cost is prohibitive, fair enough. But I’d say give it a try.

If the busy restaurant or cocktail party aren’t challenging, then good on you, but many of us aren’t blessed the same way.

WH

Using it in the automatic program will probably consume less energy. Users are typically less good about switching in and out of manual programs than the automatic program is at switching. And above posters are correct that it will flip in and out of the program, so the hours is actually a fair bit.

I’ve had users sit in the speech in loud noise all day and that sucks the battery twice as fast anyway. I think it’s reasonable for phonak to be transparent about effects of processing on battery life.

At this point, I can’t see a difference between the I90 and the I70 sphere programs.

This appears to be the only difference between the 70 and 90. Something called “Speech Enhancer” in AutoSense 6.0.

@Neville said:

I think it’s reasonable for phonak to be transparent about effects of processing on battery life.

That will be a first @Neville… A hearing aid manufacturer being transparent

@jim_lewis said:

Somebody fire up the Spheric Speech version of Target and let us know the score there in what control the fitter has over when and where Spheric Speech Clarity processing is deployable

Here is a screen shot. It appears that Target has some control over this

@MDB said:

The only difference between the 70 and 90 models seems to be the “Speech Enhancer” feature which I have no idea what it does.

@JordanK said:

This appears to be the only difference between the 70 and 90. Something called “Speech Enhancer” in AutoSense 6.0.

@lello58 said:

if cinema is considered a speech-in-noise situation?

Probably falls into several programs based on content. Music? Speech in noise? Probably not a lot of calm, but there are sometimes quiet periods in movies.

WH

Good point. All online examples I see are in traffic/engine noise. One would like to see what happens in busy restaurants or in background music.

@lello58 said:

This 3-hour limit seems very annoying to me.

Looks like the HCP can remove the 3 hour limit. See here. Understand implications for battery life.

WH

@JordanK said:

Bluetooth distance is 6 times the current one

What I’ve seen was 6 times more powerful signal strength, resulting in double the distance. That doesn’t seem quite right to me due to the inverse cube law. But what do I know? There may be other factors like antenna design or something.

Bottom line, I think Phonak said double distance.

WH

Honestly I would like it if they continued the more bright colors like they did with the lumity, but also just expanded the entire range to what is offered in the sky models. But I guess they are thinking of cost.

I think marketing claims are only peer reviewed in other marketing claims.

I’m usually the first kid on the block to get the latest and greatest but I’m definitely finding something about the Sphere off-putting. Time for a consultation with my wizard of an audi who hasn’t steered me wrong yet.