Widex Hearing Aids Edinburgh, Auchterarder
& Gullane

Widex Moment Hearing Aids

Widex introduced the Moment platform worldwide in 2020 and it was the first time that the signal processing on a hearing aid would have zero delays. It should translate to the most natural sound experience ever for any hearing aid user. It also makes hearing aids easier to wear for both new and existing hearing aid users. The Moment platform comes in nine 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. 

No Delay

The Moment is the first hearing aid that offers no delay in signal processing. Something quite astonishing, to be honest. That is a game-changer and without a doubt, it is a paradigm shift in hearing aid sound. The Moment offers zero delays, which means a natural delivery of processed sound at the eardrum. That should translate to a very natural 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. If the signal delay is 11 milliseconds or over, it produces an intolerable echo. Under 11 milliseconds the echo is still there but is tolerable and eventually, the brain will blend it out.

That signal delay ensures that hearing aids sound like hearing aids. 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.

The Hearing Aid Models

As I said, nine hearing aid models, three Receiver In Canal hearing aid models, three In The Ear hearing aid models and three Behind 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 stream 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.

The new mRIC R D is a very discreet lithium-ion powered rechargeable RIC. It is a very versatile RIC which 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.

The device offers twenty hours of use with one charge and sixteen hours of use with streaming. I like the rechargeable devices, but I think I will reserve judgement on the charger. I can't say for sure, but it looks more like a desk-type charger like the system Oticon uses rather than a multi-functional on-the-go charger like the one ReSound uses for the Quattro. That is a pity, to be honest with you, apart from Signia with the charger for the Styletto Connect, no one else is innovating on the charger unit for their rechargeable devices.

Charge N Clean

Widex introduced a new charger they have called the Charge N Clean. The device is an excellent idea, it allows you to charge your aids, dry them out with some heat and kill of any viruses with UV-C. The Chrage N Clean comes in two models, one for the rechargeable RIC and one for the rechargeable BTE. They say; Take better care of your Widex rechargeable hearing aids with Widex Charge n Clean.

The 3-in-1 charger offers:

1. 4-hour charge for full day use – 30-min charge for 4-hour hearing aid use
2. UV-C LED treatment eliminates up to 99.99% of bacteria, yeast and viruses
3. Temperature stabilization throughout the charging process to ensure optimal battery performance (as recommended by battery manufacturers).

 

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 loss. 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 BTEs are the BTE 312, powered with a 312 traditional battery, which is wireless, but not Bluetooth, the BTE 13D, powered by a size 13 traditional battery, which is Bluetooth enabled, and finally the BTE R-D which is both rechargeable and Bluetooth enabled. The introduction of the BTE devices offers more options for people and Widex BTEs are renowned for longevity and reliability. In fairness, Widex aids in general are renowned for reliability and longevity.

The Apps

Widex have used the Evoke app and its machine learning function as the foundation for their new Moment app. They have also updated the Tonelink app to work with the non-Bluetooth hearing aids on the Moment platform.

The app has been rebuilt 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.

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 2 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. 

 

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

 

Evoke Hearing Aid Types & Sizes

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.