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Widex Hearing Aids in Dublin

A Proud Danish Hearing Aid Manufacturer

Widex, a Danish manufacturer, is a renowned manufacturer of hearing aids who were established in 1956. Since its inception, Widex has been committed to three core values that continue to inform its decisions and inspire their work, Originality, Perseverance and reliability. At Widex, they have combined years of understanding with a natural curiosity in finding solutions to individual hearing loss. Their uncompromising approach to innovation has led to such advances as the world’s first fully digital in-the-ear hearing aid, as well as their own revolutionary wireless technology.

They believe hearing aids are more than the technology inside them. Not only should they help people hear better, they should be comfortable and easy to wear. They concentrate just as much on design of hearing aids as on technology to create a near-natural hearing experience. They are growing constantly as a force in the hearing aid industry. Let's take a look at what they have to offer.

Widex Moment Hearing Aids

Widex introduced the Moment platform worldwide in early 2020 but re-launched it later that year. The Moment is a real first, it is the first time that the signal processing on a hearing aid will have zero delays. It will provide the most natural sound experience ever for any hearing aid user. It should also make hearing aids easier to wear for both new and existing hearing aid users. The Moment platform will come in six hearing aid types across the usual four levels of technology from Widex, the premium 440, upper mid 330, lower mid 220 and the entry-level 110. Initially, there were no Behind The Ear (BTE) hearing aids available, however, that will change.

Widex Moment range

No Delay

As I said, the Moment is the first hearing aid that offers no delay in signal processing. That is a game-changer and without doubt, it is a paradigm shift in hearing aid sound. It means natural delivery of processed sound at the eardrum which should translate to an almost transparent sound experience. Widex say that the Moment is the most natural-sounding hearing aid ever produced, and technically it should be.

Every hearing aid suffers a delay in signal processing, in essence, it takes time to process sound and present it at the eardrum. While sound that enters the ear canal normally doesn't, leading to an out of sync signal. It is this artefact that makes hearing aids sound like hearing aids.

signal delay

The brain perceives the delay and the sound is perceived as abnormal. Over time, the brain normalises the sound to a large extent, but it is never what you would call natural. Below is a graph presented by Widex detailing sound delays, the sound delay of some competitors, their own Evoke range and the new Moment range.

Signal delay across hearing aids

The Hearing Aid Models

Initially, there will be six hearing aid models, three Receiver In Canal hearing aid models and three In The Ear hearing aid models. The Receiver In Canal models are the RIC-10, which is the updated replacement for the Passion. The RIC 312D replaces both the Fusion and the Fusion 2 and the new mRIC-R D which is a lithium-ion powered Mini Receiver In Canal hearing aid.

The RIC-10 (runs on a size 10 battery) is a very discreet device and the Passion it is based on was amazingly popular. The device is very small, so it doesn't have a telecoil onboard nor is it Bluetooth enabled. Although they are wireless and can access loop systems and streaming audio from other sources via a Dex.

The RIC-312D (runs on a size 312 battery) is the same size and shape as the Fusion and Fusion 2 which it replaces. It is a hugely versatile RIC that will cover hearing losses down to severe to profound. It has a telecoil onboard and the new upgraded Bluetooth radio that is Made For iPhone compatible and ready for Made For Android.

Widex Moment rechargeable hearing aids

The new mRIC R D is a very discreet lithium-ion powered rechargeable RIC. It is a very versatile RIC that will cover hearing losses down to severe to profound in nature. It offers a telecoil and the new Bluetooth radio which offers a direct connection to iPhones and other Apple products and ready for Made For Android. Widex say that it is the smallest rechargeable RIC available on the market. The device looks about the same length of the RIC 10 but wider at the bottom.

Widex Moment in Charger

The device offers twenty hours of use with one charge and sixteen hours of use with streaming. The three In The Ear hearing aids are the IM, the XP and the CIC. None of them has a telecoil, although they can access loop systems via a Dex. None of them is Bluetooth enabled although they are wireless and can connect to the Widex Dex accessories for streaming audio.

The IM is powered by a 312 battery and has a programme button as an option. It will cover moderate to severe hearing losses. The XP is powered by a 312 battery, it will not offer a programme button option and again it will cover moderate to severe hearing losses. The CIC is powered by a size 10 battery, it will not offer a programme button and again will cover pretty much the same hearing losses.

The absence of a programme button means that you will not be able to access any extra programmes unless you have a Remote Dex or use the Tonelink app on your smartphone.

The Apps

Widex have used the Evoke app as the foundation for their new Moment app. They have also updated the Touch app to work with the non-Bluetooth hearing aids on the Moment platform.

Widex apps

The app has been re-built to be even more intuitive and easy to use. They have tried to keep as much as possible on one screen so that you have a lot of power when you open it. The same can be said for the Tonelink app. The SoundSense Learn, which is the machine learning system has been continually updated in the background since the introduction of the Evoke hearing aids. Widex say "To date, SoundSense Learn has created almost one million personal sound solutions for users around the world – each one making our AI-engine more efficient than ever and leading to better fitting in the clinic."

Levels of technology

The Moment will be available in the usual four levels of technology, the 440 at the top and the 110 at the entry-level. Even the 110, is a splendid entry-level device that will produce pretty good results although it will not have access to the SoundSense machine learning feature.

$Widex Moment Tech \Levels$

Widex Evoke Hearing Aids

Evoke Hearing Aids

The Evoke is the newest top of the range hearing aids from Widex. The Evoke platform or E-Platform is the first ever range of hearing aids with machine learning capabilities. Although, the machine learning feature is only available on The Evoke Fusion 2that which is a direct connection or Made For iPhone hearing aid. In essence, it is one of the latest Bluetooth enabled hearing aids just like the Widex Beyond before it. Widex says that the Evoke begins the era of intelligent hearing, where the quality of your listening experience will evolve in real time and real life. With machine learning enabled, the Evoke range will continue to learn from you (and millions of others) as you use them so that you will hear sound perfectly.

The Evoke hearing aids evolve in real life to keep getting smarter.

Widex new SoundSense Technology means that every time you use EVOKE hearing aids, they evolve in their function. That's why they call them the world's first smart hearing aid. That’s because when you (and others across the world) personalise your listening experience, EVOKE learns from different situations and your inputs. Widex uses anonymous data from your changes to create a better listening experience for everyone. That means that the hearing aids you buy will be better tomorrow than they were today.

Widex Evoke Machine Learning

Machine Learning Hearing Aids

The Evoke range is the very first range of hearing aids to take advantage of machine learning. As more and more people use the system, powerful machine learning systems will crunch the data to understand what changes are best for differing sound situations. As the system works, the findings will be used for new settings on the Evoke range that are automatically pushed out as new firmware updates. In this way, your input with the Evoke app will mean that your hearing aids will perform better as time goes on.

Two New Sound Classes and Two New Programmes

Widex introduced sound classes with the Unique hearing aid platform, with the Evoke they have added new Social and Music sound classes in response to what they have learned about the changing needs of hearing aid users. The new Social sound class bridges the gap between their Party and Quiet classes. It is designed to give the best sound in smaller social gatherings.

They have been very clever with the new music sound class, it changes to accommodate different styles of music: Contemporary and Classical. The Evoke also includes two new programs, an Impact program for listening in challenging situations, and they have re-introduced their dedicated Comfort program which they removed on the Unique.

Widex Evoke Features

Wind Noise Attenuation: Only available on the 440 level
High-Frequency Boost: Only available on the 440 level
Wind noise control
Sound class technology: Up to 11 interear automatic situations
High Pitch Boost: A high-frequency boost for frequencies above 4000 Hz in the new hearing aids are designed to provide extra audibility while ensuring subjective comfort.
Sound Sense Machine Learning: This hearing aid employs machine learning to bring a higher degree of computer-aided intelligence to decision making.
SoundSense Adapt: Adaptive learning to gradually remember the wearers preferred settings across multiple parameters for each sound class environment, resulting in better sound.
Processing channels: 15 channels
Direct Stereo Audio Streaming: Direct audio streaming from an iPhone (Fusion 2 model only)
Listening programs: 5 programmes max

High Definition Locator (Automatic Adaptive Directionality): in 15 channels
Speech Enhancer: Real time interear
Digital Pinna: Available on 440 models
Phone+: Available on the 440
TruSound Softener: Available on 440
Preference Control: Available on all levels
Reverse focus program: Available on 440
FreeFocus (via COM-DEX app): Available on 440
Multi-directional Active Feedback Cancelling: Interear
Zen/Zen+: Available on 440
Variable Speed Compression: Available on 440
True-Input Technology: Available on all levels
Soft Level Noise Reduction: Available on all levels
Audibility Extender: Available on all levels
Hammer Detector: Available on all levels
SmartSpeak/SmartTone: Available on all levels

Evoke Hearing Aid Types & Sizes

Widex Evoke hearing aids There are several sizes of behind the ear model and three in the ear models available. The Passion is the slim, attractive behind the ear receiver-in-canal model and is suitable for most hearing losses. It has no manual controls so can only be adjusted by remote control or app.

The Fusion is the larger, more powerful behind the ear model which also features a push button for program changing. The Fusion 2 is the Made For iPhone hearing aid model which will give you access to the machine learning feature. The Fashion comes in three types, the Fashion mini which is a discrete mini-BTE, the Fashion, which covers hearing loss down to severe and the Fashion Power which covers hearing losses down to severe to profound.

Of the three in the ear models, one is the standard sized in-the-ear, one is the CIC or completely-in-the-canal. The smallest is the CIC-M which is Widex's equivalent of an IIC or invisible-in-the-canal. Being so small, some features had to be cut from this model, mainly anything requiring wireless communication which this aid cannot fit in.