Worldwide hearing-aid market leader Phonak is rolling out its new Ambra and Audeo S families of hearing aids based on its “Spice Generation” sound processing and fitting platform. At the heart of the new platform is the new Spice digital signal processing (DSP) chipset, which has twice the processing power, is twice as fast and has three times the memory than the company’s previous DSP platform. The Spice Generation platform also enables smaller form factors, which the company calls “CountourDesign,” and it comes with a new “Target” software system to make it easier for audiologists to program the new hearing aids to more exactly meet their patients’ needs.
The company calls its new Phonak Ambra hearing aid family “the premium flagship of the Phonak Spice Generation.” It features true binaural communication between both hearing aids in a set, enabling users to more easily locate sound and hear better in challenging listening environments, “adaptive intelligence” which personalizes the hearing instrument by enabling it to adapt to the users’ environment, and a smaller, more elegant design. Among other things, binaural communication enables a “DuoPhone” feature which allows the user to have phone conversations streamed to both ears simultaneously for better telephone comprehension. Binaural communications also enables “StereoZoom,” which creates a bi-directional network of four telephones from two hearing instruments to locate sound and focus on a single speaker while suppressing other sounds, and “auto ZoomControl” which automatically determines where the dominant voice is in the room and focuses on it.
In addition to superior next-generation performance, the Ambra hearing aids are 20 to 30 percent smaller than Phonak’s earlier Exelia models. They are available in all form factors, including both behind-the-ear (BTE) and custom in-the-ear formats.
The Audeo S hearing aids, also based on the Spice Generation platform, are the next generation of Phonak’s popular Audeo tiny open-fit, behind-the-ear products with speaker-in-the-ear — or as the company puts it, “canal-receiver technology” (CRT). The Audeo S aids come in three Model versions at three performance and price levels. Audeo S MINI is the standard performance level, Audeo S SMART offer power performance, and Audeo S YES offers super-power performance. Because of improved feedback canceling and noise suppression, the super-power model widens the fitting range of the open-fit products to extend into severe-hearing-loss territory. According to a presentation at the EUHA (International Union of Hearing Aid Acousticians) conference last October by Valentin Chapero, CEO of Phonak’s corporate parent Sonova Group, the market for CRT’s is growing faster than any other kind of hearing aid.
Peter says
Hi,
I am currently trying before buy the Phonak Audeo S Smart IX and it has been a disaster.
I live in France and am not sure whether I have the CORE or the SPICE chipset. I get absolutely NO improvement in using the phone. I can hear the phone just as well without my hearing aids! The last adjustment that my auid did was to put a program on the button – the only program – that simply raised significantly the sensitivity on both aids to an almost painful level. This was supposed to help the aid ‘hear’ the phone. In practice it just raises the noise level to a point that completely drowns out the phone. I have tried lifting the phone slightly but I get nothing from the aid.
I also note that they are fine with a single source sound – TV or face to face speech BUT, if another sounds starts say behind me, The front source is diminished. I can hear more behind me that in front! This also gives me a ‘spaced out’ feeling and eventually a headache similar to the sence of listening to 2 hi fi speakers when one has had its connection reversed. Switching an aid off and then on again correct the problem until the next second source noise.
I am getting the feeling that my audi does not really understand this particular model.
David Hodes says
I took delivery of my ite Phonak Ambra ite aids 1 1/2 weeks ago. I also have a remote control unit. I have worn hearing aids for the past 25 years. These are unbelievable. Without hearing aids I feel as though I am in a bubble. I believe that these hearing aids have taken me back to the level of hearing that I had 10-15 years ago. I have used a dual headset for telephone use for many years. The Ambra enables me to use the telephone without the headset and fully comprehend the conversation and amazingly hear the conversation through both ears. My telecoil settiong is automatic. When I put the phone to me ear it changes setting and reverts back when I remove the headset Tonight we had dinner in a very noisy restaurant. I used the manual zoom and fully understood the conversation at the table. . I switched back a few times to the regular setting and could not comprehend the conversation reminding me of my PAST difficulties. I had planned on a behind the ear unit because I knew that I needed enough room for the electronics in order to hear. I am very active and perspire easily and I was worried about moisture. I was assured that the ITE Ambra would be powerful enough to handle my problem and it is. The price is steep but it is more than worth what I paid. Thank you Phonak from both me and my wife. You have given us our life back!
Virginia Willits says
Web reviews of the Exelia claim it is excellent for music. Does the new Ambra(suggested by my audiologist) have the same music fideltiy?
Robert says
Look at the Ceramic shell version of Smart S. This is my favourite hearing aid ever.
Paul says
This Ambra and Audeo s products were launched towards the end of last year in the UK. We have had an amazing amount of interest in these products. The Ambra is the most requested high end instrument and the Audeo S is probably the most popular RIC within independent dispensers in the UK.