Hearing Aid Brands
As of August 2026, Phonak runs two current platforms side by side, and which one is right for you is a real decision rather than a formality. EON is the new flagship, launched on August 24, 2026. It is smaller and lighter, Auracast works from day one, and for the first time the speech-in-noise neural network is available at three technology levels instead of two. Infinio is the platform it replaced, and it is the one with an independent laboratory score, a much wider choice of styles, and a falling price.
We fit and verify the full Phonak lineup across our San Mateo and San Carlos offices, and we are not paid more for recommending the newer one. Whether Phonak is the right brand at all depends on your hearing loss, your ears and where you actually struggle. We confirm that at a professional fitting with real-ear verification rather than assume it from a brochure.
At a glance
- Phonak runs two current platforms: EON, launched August 24, 2026, and Infinio, which it replaced but has not discontinued.
- EON is smaller and lighter, has Auracast working today, and puts the speech-in-noise neural network at three technology levels instead of two.
- Infinio has the independent HearAdvisor score, an A grade and 4.9 out of 5, plus custom, titanium and CROS styles EON does not offer, at a falling price.
- Roger remote microphones and Lyric extended-wear devices are Phonak strengths no other manufacturer matches, and both work alongside the current platforms.
- Neither platform performs on specification alone. Verified fitting and follow-up care decide how well any of it works for your hearing.
EON: the new platform, and what it changed
Phonak launched EON on August 24, 2026 around a new chip called HYPERSONIC, in three rechargeable receiver-in-canal models: the Audéo EON Sphere, the Audéo EON R and a CROS EON for single-sided hearing. Phonak's claims for it are about efficiency rather than raw capability: 25% smaller, 20% lighter and 37% less power than the previous generation. The consequence that matters most is that Spheric Speech Clarity, the neural network that separates speech from noise, now runs at the Standard 50 level as well as the two premium levels. EON also brings Auracast broadcast audio that works today rather than in a future firmware update. What Phonak is notably not claiming is that EON understands speech in noise better than the platform before it, and we think you should know that before anyone sells you an upgrade. Our EON page goes through the claims with their footnotes attached.
Infinio: measured, and still the wider range
Infinio has something EON will not have for months: independent measurement. HearAdvisor gave the Phonak Sphere Infinio Ultra an A grade with a SoundScore of 4.9 out of 5, and second place in its category. It also covers ground EON does not. The rechargeable custom Virto R Infinio, the titanium in-the-canal models and CROS Infinio are all still sold and serviced. For anyone who needs a custom device, or who is paying out of pocket and would rather have proven performance at a clearing price, Infinio is frequently the better recommendation. Our Infinio page sets out the case, and our EON versus Infinio comparison answers the upgrade question directly.
Roger, for the situations hearing aids cannot fix
Roger is Phonak's wireless remote-microphone system and it remains the strongest single argument for the brand. A clip-on, a table unit or a pen picks up a talker's voice at close range and sends it straight into your hearing aids. It works across a noisy restaurant, a large meeting room or a lecture hall, at distances and noise levels where no hearing aid alone can help. RogerDirect means no extra receiver is needed on the device. It works with both current platforms. It is a separate purchase, and we will tell you honestly whether your week actually contains the situations that justify it.
Lyric: invisible and worn around the clock
Lyric is the only hearing aid worn continuously, placed deep in the ear canal by a trained professional and left in place for months at a time, with no batteries to change and nothing to put in or take out. It is completely invisible, it works while you sleep and shower, and for people with tinnitus the round-the-clock sound can be a genuine relief rather than a feature on a list. Candidacy depends on your ear anatomy, your hearing loss and your lifestyle, which we assess in a consultation. Our Lyric page explains who it suits and who it does not.
The full range of styles
Between the current and recent platforms, Phonak spans receiver-in-canal, custom in-the-ear, titanium in-the-canal, powerful behind-the-ear and pediatric fittings, from mild through profound hearing loss, with rechargeable options across most of it. That breadth is the practical reason we fit so much Phonak: dexterity, ear anatomy, cosmetic preference and the degree of your loss all narrow the field before any feature comparison starts, and Phonak usually has something that fits the narrowed field.
Programmed and verified for your ears
Whichever Phonak suits you, the result depends on the fitting more than on the platform, and on Phonak's own hardware there is published proof of it. HearAdvisor measured the Sphere Infinio Ultra at 3.1 out of 5 for speech in noise using the manufacturer's initial-fit settings, and 5.0 out of 5 after the same device was properly tuned. The category average across all 36 devices tested is 1.96. We confirm every fitting with real-ear measurement, so the output actually matches your prescription across pitches, and then fine-tune over follow-up visits. It is the least glamorous part of the process and by some distance the most important.
Frequently asked questions
Your questions, answered
What is Phonak best known for?
Swiss engineering and connectivity, a range that runs from mild to profound hearing loss in almost every style, the Roger remote-microphone system for noisy and distant listening, and Lyric, the only hearing aid worn continuously, deep in the canal, for months at a time.
Should I buy Phonak EON or Phonak Infinio?
It depends on what you need. EON is newer, smaller, lighter and has Auracast working now, and it brings the speech-in-noise neural network down to a more affordable technology level. Infinio has an independent laboratory score EON does not, covers custom and titanium styles EON does not, and is getting cheaper. Our EON versus Infinio page works through it, and we will give you a straight answer in the appointment.
What is a Phonak Lyric and who is it for?
Lyric is the only 100% invisible hearing aid, placed deep in the ear canal by a professional and worn continuously for months at a time with no battery changes. It suits certain candidates depending on ear anatomy, hearing loss and lifestyle, which we evaluate during a consultation. For some people with tinnitus, the round-the-clock sound is the main benefit.
Can Phonak help me hear in noisy restaurants?
Phonak's automatic processing manages noise without you touching anything, and on EON that neural processing is now available at three technology levels rather than only the top two. Then there are the hardest situations. A loud restaurant, a large meeting, a lecture. In those a Roger microphone sends the talker's voice directly to your hearing aids, and that does something no hearing aid can do alone. We will help you work out whether you need one.
Does any Phonak hearing aid have a telecoil?
Not in the Audéo line, which covers both current platforms. Audéo has never had one. EON supports Auracast, the technology intended to replace hearing loops, and it works today. But most looped venues are still loops. If a specific theatre, hall or place of worship matters to you, tell us which one and we will find out what it broadcasts before recommending a brand.
