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Anyone test if Spheres are actually waterproof?

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My understanding is that Phonak Spheres are supposed to be just as waterproof as the previous model’s “Life” version. I would like to be able to do water sports with them (no deep sea diving, but maybe kayaking). I remember @1Bluejay was disappointed when she tried to swim with a “Life” version of a previous Phonak model.

Has the waterproofing been improved since then? Has anyone gotten their Spheres wet? What happened? Thank you.

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Playing golf in the rain got me white noise in one aid. Probably moisture in the microphone. This was a trial pair that I took back the next day so not sure if the problem persisted.

Kayak away! They should be able to take an accidental dunk and if they don’t you are still under warranty. Perhaps consider some sort of retention clip if you are worried about them falling out and getting lost in the lake. If you’re ocean kayaking, watch out for whales–they’ll apparently chomp you and then spit you out just for jokes (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6NeXwRxPGsg&t=4s5).

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@ziploc said:

My understanding is that Phonak Spheres are supposed to be just as waterproof as the previous model’s “Life” version.

Like you, I was hoping that the older, Phonak Lumity Life aids would be as “waterproof” as their brochures and messaging indicated. I watched a Dr Cliff video where he supposedly submerged the aid for 100 hours? Yeah well … read on.

I actually showered with these aids on and was amazed they did alright. So. I jumped in the pool and in just a short swim, where my head was never even below their stated 18" depth for water-tite, the aids immediately started to “lose connection” with each other over and over and over throughout the entire swim. I got out, and one of the aids was fried GOOD. It just hummed and buzzed loudly. I put them in my ReDux dryer (commercial grade) to no avail at all.

That experiment could’ve been really expensive, but the aids were still in TRIAL. They were swapped for a new pair of the same Lumity Life rechargeables, and I’ve NEVER EVER put them in any kind of water again. I DO wear these older rechargeables at the gym cuz I do a slathering workout (and THAT exercise fried one of my newer 312-battery Lumity Life aids, cuz with that battery door, they are clearly NOT water-resistant at all).

There have been many daydreamers here over the years wishing for waterproof aids so we can swim, snorkel, take a shower, paddle-board, etc., But that day has definitely NOT arrived yet for ANY hearing aid. Not the Sphere, not the Lumity Life, and I’ve not read of any other brand out there that guarantees WATERPROOF.

The weakest link is the speaker/receiver. That goes in the ear with (in my case) a soft, double-dome silicone tip. NOT waterproof! I’m guessing that was the big point of entry for water in the pool - in my ear canal. I felt like a sucker and a DONKEY. I’d wanted to prove the Lumity Life aids “waterproof” and instead, found out they are merely water-resistant, and that’s as good as it gets. All these sensitive electronics have to be protected from moisture - whether it’s rain, a sweaty workout or whatever the source.

I’ve not even read that the Spheres claim to be “waterproof”, cuz again, it would be the speaker/receiver that would invalidate that claim.

In reply to @Baltazard

Yeah … waterproof NOT is the verdict as I posted here. Diving? I don’t think so. I couldn’t even swim in a pool with a snorkel mask, my head bobbing at the top of the water.

Even if the body of the aid (that goes behind the ear) is hermetically sealed, water will just get in through the speaker/receiver and that will FRY good and quick.

So much for marketing claims…

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