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Phonak Sphere Infinio Bluetooth Connectivity Failures – Who Else Is Affected?

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Meeee!! I’ve tried them for 3 weeks (iPhone 14 plus) and if it doesn’t improve soon I’m returning them and trying a different Ai aid. They’ve beef excellent in nose however I need them to work reliably day to day. Sound quality isn’t yet so great either.

I have an iPhone SE from 2020. I have had my spheres since January ‘25 and just cannot seem to get clarity of sound. Also just randomly cuts out, changes programs or even turns off connection. Is a phone upgrade worth the cost? TIA

‘

Edited

do you have the new firmware 1.1.11.0? You can see it in the app under Devices→ My hearing aids.

With the previous firmware I had all problems you are describing. Sound clarity was only a problem for phone calls, streaming sounded fine but would have random dropouts. With the new it is solid with my iPhone 11. I do not expect an iPhone upgrade would do anything for your problems.

If you have clarity problems with streaming I think you should have your audiologist take a look at your settings for streaming mode, receiver or domes.

Thank you! I do have the new firmware and don’t have drop offs although I do not stream often - just phone calls. The drop offs seem to happen when I am just listening in general, not streaming. I have been noodling w this ‘muddiness’ for a year and I think my next step may be custom molds. Really appreciate your input.

In reply to @PeterOo

I have the Spheres without the latest updates and the Samsung S25FE android phone and I am not having any connectivity issues or clarity issues. I have to wait for my audiologist to get the latest firmware updates. And no I have no intention of doing te update myself as I don’t own a computer.

In reply to @JordanK

No you are not alone. The Bluetooth connectivity in this generation is, bizarrely, awful. There has been a modicum of improvement in the latest firmware (Oct 2025), but only small. From a connectivity perspective, my previous Paradise aids were significantly better. No solution offered.

I honestly don’t understand any of the complaints. I have ZERO issues with my Sphere’s and connectivity. As I have stated many times on this forum, the way to avoid all issues is to never have more than 2 bluetooth devices turned on at once. This means you have to turn the bluetooth connection off on your devices when you are not using them. Otherwise, one of these devices will grab one of the two bluetooth connections somewhere else in the house and you will think bluetooth is messed up when you try to connect to something. As long as you follow this routine, you will have zero issues.

I keep bluetooth active on my iPhone 16 Pro Max at all times. I then flip between my work laptop (Dell), Phonak TV Connector, MacBook Pro, Peloton+ exercise bike and my SteamDeck portable video game console. With all of these devices I go into the settings and turn bluetooth off when I am done using them.

Hope this helps. I know this sounds like work but once you get into the habit of turning stuff off, you will have zero issues.

Jordan

@user490 said:

What about single side dropouts of the secondary aid receiving from the primary Bluetooth one

This almost never happens. If this is an issue, you may have defective hearing aids and need to return them for service/replacement.
Jordan

In reply to @user490

Do you try to stream with your phone in your pants pockets? I have my aids paired to my Samsung S25FE phone, My Kindle Fire tablet and android tablet. I can walk around my home and into different rooms without issues. But yes I can get a drop out if I am walking the forest trails with my phone in my pants pocket. Bluetooth is line of sight, but the signal can stay good if there are walls or furniture to bounce off of.but our bodies block the signals. And it isn’t necessarily your aids fault that you loss the signal. Also classic Bluetooth works a little different to Bluetooth le audio. Actually Bluetooth classic requires a stronger signal than le audio. But the Spheres have the latest Bluetooth and at some point can be updated to le audio and . Don’t hold your breath this will only happen if auracast becomes widely available or is mandated.

It may be a line of sight issue between the aids when one is more obstructed by my hand or a garment. Perhaps Phonak prioritizes the connection or it is stronger in some situations than the connection between the aids. I could try switching the primary aid and see if it happens in the other direction.

You have to realize that Phonak has a master hearing aid when it comes to streaming. By default that master is the right hearing aid, I requested and have my left aid as master as I am lefthanded. What that means is that your phone/tablet/computer sends the signal to your master hearing aid and it sends the signal to the other aid. I have had a few times that my left aid is blocked from receiving the signal from one of my devices and lost the stream. It is just a fact of life that can happen.

In reply to @JordanK

@JordanK said:

honestly don’t understand any of the complaints

Same here. ONLY issue (and it does this reliably) is if I’m near the microwave while that is running. Good luck there. I don’t blame the aids at all.

WH

In reply to @user490

I used to have to put my phone in a breast pocket of a shirt or jacket to stream when outside with my P90s. Never worry at all with the infinios,

WH

Edited

In reply to @WhiteHat

@user490 said:

single side dropouts

@WhiteHat said:

Not sure it has ever happened to me.

WH

Same here. I has also Phonak Paradise 90-RT. My Sphere 90 has definitely better range and stability, although I don’t use streaming to much, because I do it mainly to my side due to rehabilitation.

If someone has a problemem with Bluetooth, he/she should try to complete reset, which means deinstallation of myPhonak, turning off Bluetooth, reset the hearing aid, turning off and rebooting the smartphone and then installing the myPhonak again and Bluetooth reconnection.

The range and stability are definitely poorer on the CI sound processor side, probably because it uses the Bluetooth protocol, which is somewhat a makeshift compared to Bluetooth Classic and Bluetooth or Mfi.

I am trialing a single (only have one aidable ear) Phonak Infinio Sphere Ultra, The only issue I am having is with hands free calling. Sometimes when I answer I can’t hear the caller (can only hear a whisper voice). I am currently using an iPhone SE 3rd Gen. I’m considering upgrading my iPhone or going to an Android phone ( I am experimenting with an Android Galaxy in the car only). My iPhone is also paired with my car.
Wondering if anyone else is having disconnects only with the hands free calling.

In reply to @cvkemp

With my Infinio Non-Sphere I90s, I get constant drops of the signal when I get up from my desk and go down the hall from my room into the kitchen (we’re talking less than 10 ft here). It happens about 3-4 times per day.

These drops happen when my right aid is on the side opposite my left as I am coming back to my room.

I also get random disconnect beeps when I go upstairs. But everything always comes back, but back in normal non-bluetooth mode.

Edited

Distance in an open space is difference than when there are walls or other objects blocking the signals, that includes your body. I will get disconnects down the hall from my living room to the bathroom at the end of the hall where a wall and my head block the signal to my master hearing aid. It does happen. It isn’t the hearing aids fault it is the natural of the Bluetooth.

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