WARNING superseded product! Newer Phonak Models Available
Update: Visit our Phonak product list to view more models from this manufacturer.
The Naida Q70 was launched in 2013 and is the second (advanced) level of power hearing aids currently available from Phonak. They incorporate their new Quest (‘Q’) chip technology and offer a wide range of excellent features with faster sound processing, even better sound quality and that extra bit of power that you require. The Q70 has replaced the previous Naida S5.
These power hearing aids are available in 3 styles.
The Q-RIC is a Receiver In Canal option and has a sleek design with a selection of colours to choose from. It is compatible with Phonak’s wireless accessories and offers Telecoil and FM. This hearing aid is also water resistant.
The Q-SP is a BTE (Behind The Ear) model that also offers an aesthetic slim tube option. This hearing aid also comes with the same wide choice of traditional and vibrant colours and is water resistant. Like the other models in this range, it has Telecoil, FM and is fully wireless compatible.
The Q-UP is the larger of the 3 Naida Q hearing aids and offers the most power. It is still available with a choice of different colours, is water resistant and has a longer battery life. It also features the Telecoil and FM options and has wireless capability.
As well as providing you with extra power, the Naida Q70 is equipped with Phonak’s new ‘Q’ (Quest) sound processing technology. Binaural VoiceStream allows your hearing aids to communicate wirelessly with each other and share information to further improve your hearing. There are a number of new binaural features available that vary depending on the technology level you choose.
The Naida Q70 has 16 sound processing channels to help specifically program your hearing aid and also features NoiseBlock, WhistleBlock and Windblock which eliminate unwanted noises. This hearing aid also has a feature called SoundRecover, which helps you to hear the more difficult, higher frequency sounds.
The SoundRelax feature is designed to soften the impact of sudden or unexpected loud noises.
The Naida Q70 is compatible with Phonak’s range of wireless accessories. Simply place the Compilot accessory around your neck and using the TV Link, you can have the sound from your TV sent straight to your hearing aids. By attaching the Remote Mic accessory to another person’s clothes, you can enjoy a normal conversation even in a noisy environment as this device will send the sound straight to you.
The Verdict
The Naida Q70 is the second (advanced) level of technology in this new range of power hearing instruments from Phonak. They are suitable for anyone who requires a bit more power when it comes to their hearing needs. This hearing aid is available in a choice of 3 styles and has a wide range of both traditional and bold colours so you can truly personalise your hearing devices. The Naida Q70 has replaced the previous Naida S5. They also come with new binaural features and have Telecoil options. The Q70 is a fully wireless hearing aid and is designed to be water resistant. If you are interested in Phonak’s new Quest chip technology but feel you may not require the extra power model there is also a BTE (Behind The Ear) model known as Bolero Q70, an ITE (In The Ear) range known as Virto Q70 and an RIC (Receiver In Canal) range known as Audeo Q70. If you are on a budget the Phonak Naida Q30 and the Phonak Naida Q50 provide the perfect solution, whilst the Phonak Naida Q90 is top model in the Naida range.
To take a look at more products in the Phonak Naida Q Hearing Aids range and what is available view here.
Do not spend hundreds of pounds without getting a second opinion from us.
If you are looking at this page then it is likely that an audiologist has suggested that you purchase this particular hearing aid, so is this the best model for you?
In general, any audiologist will always be recommending to you the model that best suits your needs. Here is a useful check list to make sure that is the case.
If in doubt, feel free to give us a call. That's what we're here for.
If you have a significant hearing loss in both ears, you should be wearing two hearing aids. Here are the audiological reasons why:
Localisation. The brain decodes information from both ears and compares and contrasts them. By analysing the miniscule time delays as well as the difference in loudness of each sound reaching the ears, the person is able to accurately locate a sound source. Simply put, if you have better hearing on one side than the other, you can't accurately tell what direction sounds are coming from.
Less amplification required. A phenomena known as “binaural summation” means that the hearing aids can be set at a lower and more natural volume setting than than if you wore only one hearing aid.
Head shadow effect. High frequencies, the part of your hearing that gives clarity and meaning to speech sounds, cannot bend around your head. Only low frequencies can. Therefore if someone is talking on your unaided side you are likely to hear that they are speaking, but be unable to tell what they have said.
Noise reduction. The brain has it’s own built in noise reduction which is only really effective when it is receiving information from both ears. If only one ear is aided, even with the best hearing aid in the world, it will be difficult for you to hear in background noise as your brain is trying to retain all of the sounds (including background noise) rather than filtering it out.
Sound quality. We are designed to hear in stereo. Only hearing from one side sounds a lot less natural to us.
For most people, the main benefit of a rechargeable hearing aid is simple convenience. We are used to plugging in our phones and other devices overnight for them to charge up.
For anybody with poor dexterity or issues with their fingers, having a rechargeable aid makes a huge difference as normal hearing aid batteries are quite small and some people find them fiddly to change.
One downside is that if you forget to charge your hearing aid, then it is a problem that can't be instantly fixed. For most a 30 minute charge will get you at least two or three hours of hearing, but if you are the type of person who is likely to forget to plug them in regularly then you're probably better off with standard batteries.
Rechargeable aids are also a little bit bigger and are only available in behind the ear models.
Finally, just like with a mobile phone, the amount of charge you get on day one is not going to be the same as you get a few years down the line. Be sure to ask what the policy is with the manufacturer warranty when it comes to replacing the battery.
For most people, the answer is yes. But it's never that simple.
The majority of hearing problems affect the high frequencies a lot more than the low ones. Therefore open fitting hearing aids sound a lot more natural and ones that block your ears up can make your own voice sound like you are talking with your head in a bucket. Therefore in-ear aids tend to be less natural.
However the true answer is we can't tell until we have had a look in your ears to assess the size of your ear canal, and until we have tested your hearing to see which frequencies are being affected.
People with wider ear canals tend to have more flexibility, also there are open fitting modular CIC hearing aids now that do not block your ears.
There is also the age old rule to consider, that a hearing aid will not help you if it's sat in the drawer gathering dust. If the only hearing aid you would be happy wearing is one that people can't see, then that's what you should get.
Most people can adapt to any type of hearing aid, as long as they know what to expect. Have an honest conversation with your audiologist as to what your needs are.
Generally speaking, six or more. Unless it's none at all.
The number of channels a hearing aid has is often a simplistic way an audiologist will use to explain why one hearing aid is better than another, but channels are complex and it is really not that straightforward.
Hearing aids amplify sounds of different frequencies by different amounts. Most people have lost more high frequencies than low and therefore need more amplification in the high frequencies. The range of sounds you hear are split into frequency bands or channels and the hearing aids are set to provide the right amount of hearing at each frequency level.
Less than six channels and this cannot be done with much accuracy, so six is the magic number. However, a six channel aid is typically very basic with few other features and is suitable only for hearing a single speaker in a quiet room. The number of channels is not what you should be looking at, it's more the rest of the technology that comes with them.
As a final note, different manufacturers have different approaches. One method is not necessarily better than any other. For example some manufacturers have as many as 64 channels in their top aids. Most tend to have between 17 and 20. One manufacturer has no channels at all.
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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.