Oticon More™ vs. the Phonak Audéo™ Paradise Hearing Device: Which is Better?
The Phonak Audéo™ Paradise and the Oticon More™ hearing aids are two of the most advanced hearing aid devices on the market for individuals who suffer from hearing loss. Here we compare the major features and benefits of each of these hearing aid models.
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The Phonak Audéo Paradise and Oticon More hearing devices are two of the most technologically advanced on the market.
But which is better? Here is a comparison of the Phonak Audéo Paradise and the Oticon More model in nine different categories so you can decide.
9 Comparison Categories for Oticon More vs. the Phonak Audéo Paradise
Available Form Factors
The Oticon More currently comes in a non-rechargeable and rechargeable receiver-in-canal (RIC) option, as well as a non-rechargeable and rechargeable mini behind-the-ear (BTE) option.
However, the Phonak Audéo Paradise comes in a wide variety of different forms, from the custom in-the-ear to an invisible-in-canal version. The model also comes in a rechargeable and non-rechargeable receiver-in-canal model and a non-rechargeable and rechargeable behind-the-ear model.
Wireless Connectivity
The Phonak Audéo Paradise model uses Bluetooth Classic whether you're using an Android device or an Apple device.
Meanwhile the Oticon More hearing aid range uses the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol for Apple devices and the ASHA (Audio Streaming for Hearing Aids) Bluetooth protocol for Android devices.
Bluetooth Classic is relatively universal, allowing the Phonak Audéo Paradise device to connect to virtually any type of Bluetooth device whether it's a smartphone, a phone with little or no computer technology, a tablet, a laptop, or a desktop computer. The model can then do audio streaming directly into both of your hearing aids.
The Phonak Audéo Paradise model also allows you to pair up to eight different Bluetooth devices at one time, as well as have two active connections at any given time. This means you don't have to constantly turn off your Bluetooth, then on again between your favorite devices.
When it comes to Oticon More, the Bluetooth Low Energy protocol allows the hearing aids to connect to an iPad or an iPhone, which enables more customization of what is specifically streamed directly into the hearing aid.
The models also have ASHA Bluetooth protocol which enables connection of an Oticon More hearing device to an Android device. However, this system is more limited than the connectivity enabled with Bluetooth Classic.
The key point to remember when making the decision to purchase an Oticon More hearing aid is the model works with much more flexibility if you use an Apple device. A recent iOS update from Apple now provides two-way audio with the Oticon More models, which has always been available as a function on a Phonak Audéo Paradise hearing device. When speaking on the phone, the microphone or the hearing aid picks up your voice and sends it to the person on the other end of the line. The process makes the need to talk directly into your phone redundant.
However, with the Oticon More range, you still must have your phone in your possession to answer or reject a call. With the Phonak Audéo Paradise line, you can answer and reject calls directly from your hearing aid without even having your phone on you.
Rechargeability
Rechargeability is a significant difference between these two devices. The Oticon More hearing device is rechargeable and exclusively uses inductive charging, which means you do not need battery contacts. The feature makes the model easy to place into the charger as well as remove when powered up if you have finger dexterity issues.
The Oticon More hearing aid also takes just three hours to charge up to a full day of battery power.
The Oticon More uses lithium batteries, which can be changed out by your hearing care professional. With this feature, if there's an issue with one of the lithium batteries, you don't have to send the entire hearing aid back to the manufacturer. Your hearing care professional can change the batteries right in the office.
The Phonak Audéo Paradise uses contact charging as well as inductive charging with lithium batteries depending on the model. However, when you place the device to charge inside of the charger case, the hearing aid needs to be locked into place with tiny latches onto metal contacts before charging can begin. The process makes it more difficult to remove your hearing device from the charger.
One advantage of the Phonak Audéo Paradise model is it has portable chargers or power pack options if you want to take your charger with you on the go.
However, one disadvantage of the charging case is that the placement well for the custom earmolds is not particularly large. The smaller size means it is more difficult to use custom earmolds with Phonak Audéo Paradise devices.
Digital Features
The Phonak Audéo Paradise model has more adjustment features to customize your hearing experience than the Oticon More hearing aid model including:
Microphone directionality
Speech enhancer
Relax impulse noise reduction
Noise block
Soft noise reduction
Wind block
Whistle block
Dynamic noise cancellation
Motion sensor hearing
Echo block to reduce the negative effects of an echo
The Phonak Audéo Paradise software also enables your hearing care professional to have the ability to adjust each one of the digital features independently for each one of the programs that are part of the Autosense OS 4.0 software. Each of the Autosense OS 4.0 programs can also be automatically switched to suit your specific acoustic environments.
Oticon More devices have simplified digital features to make the models less complex to use. The device also uses a deep neural network (DNN) as it processes sound.
DNN is a type of machine learning that mimics the way the brain learns. The Oticon More model utilizes 12 million complex real-life sound scenes which the DNN can analyze, organize, and balance. By processing this information, it can balance and prioritize the sounds that are important to you, making changes to the sound as well as altering the level of detail and the directionality.
However, it is necessary to manually go into each of the programs to make changes. There is no function to toggle automatically like the Phonak Audéo Paradise models.
Custom Earmolds
The Phonak Audéo Paradise model has custom seashell earmolds for the receiver-in-canal hearing aids in acrylic and titanium, which is unique to the brand.
Acoustically, the molds have optimized venting which is very important. The vents can assist with some reduction of amplified low frequency sound for the user or can allow low frequency sounds to leak out of the ear.
The earmolds also have a very consistent high-quality fit and one-of-a-kind activated receivers, allowing you to open or close the vent depending on the type of situation that you are in, or whether you are streaming.
The Oticon More has micro shell earmolds which can be made using a digital impression of your ear canal. The result is an exceptional fit that places them deep within the ear making the earmold almost invisible and extremely comfortable.
Both Phonak and Oticon custom earmolds improve the programmability of all their devices.
Programmability
The Oticon More hearing aid has 24 different adjustment bands for their frequency ranges.
The Phonak Audéo Paradise hearing aid has 20 different frequency bands.
The result is the Oticon More devices are slightly more customizable than the Phonak Audéo Paradise devices with regards to frequency.
However, from a compression standpoint the Phonak Audéo Paradise hearing aid is much more precise when making amplification changes for loud and soft level sounds.
App Controls
The myPhonak app gives you access to volume adjustments and the ability to switch into different custom programs. There is also the option to customize your own programs with a three-band equalizer, noise reduction, speech, focus, and compression settings. The ‘Save Them For Later’ option enables access to remote care for live remote sessions with your hearing care professional even if you're not in their office.
The Oticon ON app gives you less ability to customize programs inside of your Oticon More hearing aid, but it does enable the ability to change between different programs.
For example, you can activate the Oticon More cell booster, change volume levels, activate live listen mode, and adjust your audio streaming settings.
Oticon More also has ‘Find My Hearing Aid’ feature that you do not get with Phonak hearing aids as well as the ability to use the app on your Apple Watch so you can adjust through your phone.
However, you also need to use a different app called the Oticon Remote Care app to allow for remote adjustments.
Accessories
Both the Phonak Audéo Paradise and Oticon More hearing devices have access to a TV streamer which allows the streaming of audio from your TV directly into both of your hearing aids without affecting the volume of the TV for anyone else in the same room. The models also have their own companion microphone.
The Phonak Audéo Paradise line has a partner microphone and the Oticon More has a connect clip. Both microphones can be clipped onto the collar of the person that you want to hear.
The advantage of using these devices is if you are in a noisy environment, the person’s voice goes directly into the microphone and streams wirelessly directly into your ears, overcoming the background noise.
Phonak Audéo Paradise models also have embedded Roger Pen receivers inside of the hearing aid, providing direct connectivity to Roger Pen microphones. Roger Pen microphones are an award-winning brand and give a superiority of sound that arguably sets Phonak Audéo Paradise models over and above most other hearing devices on the market.
Unique Differentiators
The Oticon More hearing device is one of the most unique models created as it utilizes DNN.
The result is that the Oticon More hearing aid processes sound and background noise in a superior fashion to the Phonak Audéo Paradise model.
The Oticon More can also utilize directionality in an environment with background noise. Typically, hearing aids focus the microphone forward in a noisy situation, blocking off all access to sounds around you.
The Oticon More hearing aid leaves the listening landscape open and shifts the microphone around depending on how important the information is around you.
This way you can focus on speech coming from different directions instead of having to make sure that you are facing the person you want to hear in a noisy situation.
Other differentiators include the Phonak Audéo Paradise phone app, myPhonak, which enables the devices to be the most universally connected hearing aids. They also have the best access to wireless accessories, like Roger Pen microphones which use a dedicated app – the myRogerMic app to make access easy.
The Phonak Audéo Paradise model can also be configured to provide a superior level of hearing even in the case of severe hearing loss.
There is also a one tap feature which allows you to answer phone calls by double tapping your ear or ending phone calls by double tapping again.
The devices also enable you to pause, start streaming, and activate your voice assistant all with a simple double tap.
Conclusion
Both the Oticon More and Phonak Audéo Paradise hearing devices are fantastic in completely different ways. However, it is important to remember you must have a hearing care professional who follows best practices when you are selecting, fitting and programming these devices. You can trust the hearing care professionals at American Hearing and Balance to provide all of these services and more.
Whether you choose the Phonak Audéo Paradise or the Oticon More hearing aid, depends on what your specific wants and needs are. At American Hearing and Balance, we take into consideration your age, lifestyle and hearing needs, and help you choose the best option for your unique situation.
