Are BTE better than CIC?

That’s a good question for some of the Audiologists that hang out here. I expect BTE’s have more versatility when it comes to noise reduction processing because of the greater distance available between microphones. On the other hand, signal processing keeps getting faster and faster so perhaps the space between mics can be smaller now.

Power is only a consideration for those who need it. If you only need 60 or 70db gain, getting a device capable of 110db is not necessary.

Directionality is certainly an advantage - it is always nice to know where the growling bear is in relation to you! Some features, like Phonak’s stereo zoom, are fantastic for allowing you to focus on whatever sound source is directly in front of you. In my experience, however, the more open your fit, the less advantage you typically get from stuff like stereo zoom.