At the Oticon Real hearing aid launch in early March, we were told that "the real world is open, not closed. Stay sharp in the real world". They were, of course, referring to how far they had come since the launch of Opn, back in 2016, which included 360-degree sound and the open sound Oticon customers have loved ever since.
If we look back, there have been a plethora of innovations from this brand. In 2019, OpenSound Navigator came and provided proactive feedback technology with OpnS. Then Deep Neural Network added a new dimension to the way sound is processed in Oticon's 2021 More hearing aid launch. Oticon Own launched in 2022, which offered custom In-Ear options for those who wanted More's technology.
Each range evolving and picking up where the last one left off. But, what about Oticon Real? How does this hearing aid range compare to its predecessor? The best place to start would be discovering what is better and what has improved since Oticon More below.
Other quick links to Oticon Real hearing aid information:
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►Click here to go to the compatibility, connectivity and accessories
Oticon Real hearing aids mirror the foundations set by Oticon More and built upon them. Such as Bluetooth connectivity, artificial intelligence, Deep Neural Network (DNN), BrainHearing technology and waterproof rating.
Along with developments in their general technology, we saw in More, like the MoreSound Amplifier and MoreSound Intelligence (all now 2.0) - everything is now powered by a new and powerful processing chip - the Polaris R.
But, the main improvement in Real is a greater focus on solving key pains for hearing aid users. Such as sudden, disruptive and uncomfortable sounds, which unsurprisingly 7/10 of hearing aid users are bothered by (study of 700 people). These are generally:
All these new features are a part of the new RealSound technology, but which technology tackles which common pain for hearing aid users? Let's find out...
Within this technology includes the Sudden Sound Stabiliser, which recognises 500,000 sudden sounds of everyday life. This technology reacts quickly by identifying and stabilising these sudden sounds. How does this help your hearing? It preserves speech understanding and audibility and gives you better access to speech with high precision.
There are also six personal preferences that can personalise how sensitive you are to these sounds. These range from OFF or low (60 dBSpl / 10 dB) to max (40 dBSpl / 30 dB). For example, if you were using Oticon's MyMusic you would turn this feature OFF, as all sounds are relevant in order for you to enjoy.
If you are an experienced user you might be set at medium and if you aren't perhaps your audiologist would start you at high. But, don't worry this will all be personalised to your hearing needs at your fitting.
When we compare Oticon Real hearing aids with More there is improved speech clarity and access in the presence of all sudden sounds. The advanced wind management system also gives you a reduction of 22% listening effort since More where Wind Noise is concerned. Solidifying that the new Wind Noise and Handling Stabiliser in Real is more effective than More's Wind Noise Management.
When taking wind noise into account, you will benefit from the Wind and Handling Stabiliser feature that tackles this quickly and in a much more robust way. This feature does this by switching off the microphone in the hearing aid that is picking up the most wind noise so that this is automatically reduced. Ultimately improving speech clarity in noise too.
They tested and measured this technology by using a Poul La Cour Tunnel with Oticon Real hearing aids and two other leading competitors. When compared to Real, one competitor device was 22% louder wind noise, whilst the other showed 17% less speech clarity in noise.
As mentioned earlier, handling noise might be hair being brushed or running your finger over the microphone. Using the Wind and Handling Stabiliser, means that when comparing Oticon Real hearing aids to other leading competitors, the competitors were between 14dB and 19dB louder.
What is good is that although the lower the performance level of this range means you'll get less noise reduction, you will get the same Wind and Noise Handling at all levels.
There's a new app called Companion which includes new features like Speech Booster, Troubleshooting and Remote Care (before, you had to download a separate app for this). As this app is compatible with all devices since Opn, we highly recommend that you make the switch to this new app, as the Oticon ONN app with no longer be available very soon.
They are slowly introducing Voice Notifications through this new app, which will start with low battery level and evolve from there as app updates. There is also a new colour - Olive Green - which is only exclusively available in the miniRITE R model. Finally there is no change in the accessory or charging system offerings.
NB: The Oticon Real hearing aid range is being launched without In-Ear products, therefore, if you are looking for this type of hearing aid you'll need to check out the custom Oticon Own hearing aids here. However, the Oticon Own hearing aids are not rechargeable and depending on which style you opt for some include Bluetooth connectivity and other are non-wireless.
The colours available in this hearing aid range are: Silver, Silver Grey, Steel Grey, Diamond Black, Chestnut Brown, Terracotta, Chroma Beige, Hear Pink and the new Olive Green (only available in the miniRITE R).
Oticon Real is being launched in three technology levels. These are:
NB: The disposable Oticon Real model batteries are realistically going to last slightly less than a week before you need to swap them for new ones.
What accessories are Oticon Real hearing aids compatible with?
Oticon Real hearing aids are a premium product from a top hearing aid manufacturer that includes innovative technology and features. The Oticon Real hearing aid is designed to provide natural sound quality and speech understanding in a variety of listening situations.
Whether you are looking for an upgrade or are new to wearing hearing aids, we can support you locally. Call us free on 0800 567 7621 for more information and to see whether these hearing aids are right for you and your hearing loss.
Even though this range isn't flashy in its world firsts - overall Oticon Real is a great hearing aid range offering advanced sound quality that continues to be a favourite for those who desire a natural open sound experience.
This is one of the reasons why Oticon will continue to be one of the most popular hearing aid manufacturers in the industry. We predict that loyal Oticon consumers will be impressed with the additional focus on tackling the annoyance of sudden, disruptive and uncomfortable sounds - which have, until now, been overlooked by other brands.
Paul Harrison is an audiology expert at Hearing Aid UK, with over 20 years of audiology experience and a member of the British Society of Hearing Aid Audiologists Council (BSHAA) between 2015 - 2020.
Do not spend hundreds of pounds without getting a second opinion from us.
Our Oticon Real hearing aids start from £1345 for one aid and from £2495 for a pair. You will have to pay an additional fee if you opt for the rechargeable models.
All Oticon hearing aids can last anywhere from three years to seven years. However, we do recommend considering upgrading around four years as technology advances all the time. This means you can access better sound and features.
Oticon Real hearing aids are compatible with both iPhone and Android. However, you can only access hands-free with iPhones.
When we refer to a product as 'Latest Launch', we mean it is the latest to be released on the market.
When we refer to a product as 'New', we mean that the product is the newest hearing aid model on the market.
When we refer to a product as 'Superseded', we mean that there is a newer range available which replaces and improves on this product.
When we refer to a product as an 'Older Model', we mean that it is has been superseded by at least two more recent hearing aid ranges.