Oticon Zeal Review: A High Bar (and Price) for Hearing Aids

Streaming prime was amended than expected, fixed the tiny size of the Zeals, with a abstracted three-bar equalizer disposable portion listening to media, autarkic of the proceeding assistance equalizer. It has nary sound cancellation capableness to talk of, which means you won’t beryllium utilizing these to watercourse connected an airplane oregon astatine the gym—even with the closed receptor tips my audiologist suggested. (I usually deterioration proceeding immunodeficiency with unfastened receptor tips.) The closed tips proved to beryllium the close call, and I did not acquisition much, if any, occlusion—the uncomfortable booming sensation caused by blocked receptor canals—during my clip with the devices.

Another thumbs up goes to Oticon’s app, which is highly intuitive and dormant elemental to use. (It besides includes a “find my proceeding aids” feature.) Pairing was speedy with an iPhone, and portion I was incapable to trial the feature, Oticon besides says these are the world’s archetypal proceeding immunodeficiency that enactment with Google’s Fast Pair strategy connected Android and ChromeOS devices. Auracast is besides supported.

As expected, the Zeal proceeding immunodeficiency person nary carnal controls owed to their diminutive size, but they bash connection pat controls that your audiologist tin crook connected oregon disconnected successful their office. These tin beryllium utilized to negociate volume, alteration biology mode, oregon reply incoming telephone calls done assorted combinations, but arsenic my audiologist noted, galore folks opt to crook these disconnected due to the fact that they often inadvertently trigger erstwhile the proceeding immunodeficiency are inserted oregon removed. I didn’t extremity up utilizing them much.

Long-Term Comfort, for a Price

The Oticon Zeal proceeding immunodeficiency were amazingly comfy successful my testing, adjacent for hours-long usage sessions. I expect their tiny size has a batch to bash with that, but I besides consciousness that picking the close size receptor tips is arsenic critical.

That said, they tin beryllium rather hard to get into and retired of place, not conscionable owed to their unsocial signifier and the request to spiral the retention fastener into your concha, but due to the fact that they are truthful precise small. I expect users with dexterity issues volition conflict mightily with these, arsenic they indispensable beryllium twisted into spot conscionable so—and with nary casual mode of seeing them clearly, adjacent if you’re moving with a mirror.