Hearing Aid Technology
Infinio has been measured independently and EON has not. It comes in styles EON does not offer and will not for some time, including custom in-the-ear and titanium in-the-canal devices. And as dispensers clear stock, it gets cheaper. A well-measured hearing aid at a falling price is a serious recommendation rather than a consolation prize.
The flagship of the range is the Audéo Infinio Ultra Sphere, which uses a two-chip design: one processor for everyday hearing and a second, dedicated to real-time artificial intelligence, that separates speech from background noise before the rest of the processing sees it. Below it sit the Infinio Ultra R, the rechargeable custom Virto R Infinio, the titanium Virto models and a CROS Infinio for single-sided hearing.
We fit and verify the full Infinio range across our San Mateo and San Carlos offices. As with any hearing aid, the technology is only part of the story. In Infinio's case there is unusually good published evidence for exactly how much of the story it is.
At a glance
- Phonak Infinio has been independently measured. HearAdvisor gave the Sphere Infinio Ultra an A grade and a SoundScore of 4.9 out of 5. Phonak EON has not been measured by anyone.
- Infinio covers custom in-the-ear, titanium in-the-canal and CROS styles that EON does not offer. For patients who need those, it is the only Phonak that can do the job.
- Phonak has not discontinued Infinio. Infinio Ultra R, Infinio Ultra Sphere, Virto R Infinio and CROS Infinio are all still sold, serviced and supported.
- The same lab measured 3.1 out of 5 for speech in noise at Phonak's initial-fit settings and 5.0 after tuning, against a category average of 1.96. Verification matters more than the platform.
- As the outgoing flagship, Infinio gets cheaper, and randomised evidence found no significant outcome difference between $4,400 and $1,100 hearing aids fitted properly.
What independent testing found
Most hearing aid claims come from the company that makes them. Infinio is one of the few platforms with a substantial independent measurement behind it. HearAdvisor, whose standardised laboratory testing is the closest thing this industry has to a neutral referee, gave the Phonak Sphere Infinio Ultra an A grade with a SoundScore of 4.9 out of 5, placing it second in its category among the 36 prescription hearing aids the lab has tested. That is a genuinely strong result, and it is worth weighing against a newer platform that no laboratory has measured at all and will not have measured for months. The most interesting number in that report, though, is not the score. Measured at Phonak's own initial-fit settings, the device scored 3.1 out of 5 for speech in noise. Measured again after being properly tuned, it scored 5.0. The average across all 36 devices tested is 1.96. Same hearing aid, same bench, same day. The only variable was whether somebody had done the work of adjusting it. We come back to that below, because it is the single most useful thing we can tell you about buying any hearing aid.
Dual-chip processing in the Sphere model
At the heart of the Infinio Ultra Sphere is a two-chip design that separates the work. A dedicated processor handles real-time artificial intelligence, which frees the main chip to do everything else and gives the device the computational headroom to pull speech out of complex, shifting environments. That is where most people with hearing loss struggle most, and it is where the HearAdvisor speech-in-noise measurement above was taken. Around it, Phonak's Spheric Speech Clarity handles the neural separation and AutoSense OS recognises what kind of room you have walked into and blends the right features automatically, so you are not reaching for a button in the middle of a conversation.
The styles EON does not offer
This is the practical reason Infinio is still on the price list. Every Phonak EON is a receiver-in-canal device. Three models, all the same basic form. Infinio covers considerably more ground. The Virto R Infinio is a rechargeable custom in-the-ear hearing aid, made from a scan of your own ear, which for many people is easier to handle than a small receiver on a thin wire and sits better under glasses or a hearing protector. The titanium Virto models go deeper into the canal in a shell thin enough to be close to invisible. There is a CROS Infinio for single-sided hearing. And Phonak's powerful behind-the-ear and pediatric instruments sit on Infinio and the platforms alongside it. If any of those describes what you need, Infinio is not a compromise. It is the only Phonak that can do the job, and choosing it is a clinical decision rather than a budget one.
| Phonak Audéo Infinio Ultra Sphere | |
|---|---|
| Released | 22 October 2025 |
| Styles | RIC, rechargeable only |
| Independent measurement | Grade A, #2 of 36 (SoundScore 4.9/5) |
| Speech in noise, tunedA laboratory score at a tuned fitting, not a forecast of any particular restaurant. | 5.0 / 5 (3.1 at the manufacturer's initial fit) |
| Telecoil | None |
| AuracastHardware that supports Auracast and Auracast that works are not the same thing. | Not enabled |
| Tinnitus programme | Tinnitus Balance |
| Rechargeable / batteryQuoted hours are manufacturer maxima measured under different feature sets, so two headline numbers rarely compare directly. | Rechargeable, up to 56 h; roughly 10–11 h with the DNN running continuously |
| IP rating | IP68 |
Infinio is not discontinued
Being replaced at the top of a range gets heard as being about to disappear. That is not what has happened here. Phonak still catalogues Infinio Ultra R, Infinio Ultra Sphere, Virto R Infinio, the titanium Virto models and CROS Infinio on its own site alongside EON. Firmware updates, repairs, receivers, wax filters and accessories all continue, and Roger microphones work across both platforms, so nothing you buy now is stranded. If you are wearing Infinio today, the sensible plan is to look after it: annual checks, a re-verification if your hearing has shifted, and our in-house repair and service when something needs attention.
Connectivity, Roger and the telecoil question
Infinio offers universal Bluetooth connectivity for direct streaming and hands-free calls from both iOS and Android phones, with adjustments and programs through the myPhonak app. RogerDirect means a Roger clip-on, table microphone or pen sends a talker's voice straight into the hearing aids without an extra receiver. For anyone who still works, attends lectures, or eats out in genuinely loud rooms, that is often worth more than the difference between any two flagship platforms. What Infinio does not have is a telecoil, and neither does EON; Phonak's Audéo line has not offered one for years. Auracast, the technology intended to replace loop systems, is enabled on EON but not on Infinio. If hearing well in a specific looped venue is a priority, tell us which one and we will find out what it actually broadcasts before you choose a manufacturer. That may point you toward a Signia or Oticon device instead, and we fit those too.
Value, now that it is the outgoing platform
Outgoing flagships get discounted as stock clears, and that is straightforwardly good news for anyone paying out of pocket. What you are giving up is the newest chip, a slightly smaller shell, and Auracast. What you are keeping is an A-graded, independently measured device, a wider choice of styles, and a platform that thousands of clinicians have now fitted enough of to know exactly how it behaves. There is a randomised trial worth knowing about here: Wu and colleagues, in JAMA Otolaryngology in 2025, compared hearing aids costing roughly $4,400 with hearing aids costing roughly $1,100 across 245 adults and found no significant difference in outcomes. Spending less on the device and insisting on the fitting is a defensible strategy, and Infinio at a clearing price is one of the better ways to execute it.
Fitting and real-ear verification
Everything above is secondary to this. The HearAdvisor numbers make the case better than we can: 3.1 out of 5 at the manufacturer's initial fit, 5.0 once tuned, against a category average of 1.96. Real-ear measurement is how the second number is reached. A thin probe microphone sits in your ear canal, measuring what the hearing aid is actually delivering at your eardrum, compared against your prescription, adjusted until they match across pitches. Ear canals differ enormously in shape and volume, and manufacturer software cannot know yours. We verify every fitting this way and then fine-tune over follow-up visits as your brain adapts. Our fitting process page sets out what that involves. If you are wearing Infinio hearing aids that were never verified, please bring them in before you consider replacing them.
Come and hear them
We can demonstrate Infinio alongside EON in the same appointment, in a noisy environment rather than a quiet booth, and let you decide with your own ears rather than from a specification sheet. It takes about thirty minutes and costs nothing. Bring your most recent audiogram if you have one, or we will test first. Call 650-342-9449 or request an appointment at San Mateo or San Carlos. If you have been quoted for Infinio or EON elsewhere, our free second opinion on a hearing aid quote will tell you what you are actually being sold, with no obligation to buy from us.
Frequently asked questions
What patients often want to know
Is Phonak Infinio discontinued now that EON has launched?
No. Phonak still catalogues Infinio Ultra R, Infinio Ultra Sphere, Virto R Infinio, the titanium Virto models and CROS Infinio alongside EON. Firmware, repairs, receivers, accessories and Roger compatibility all continue. Nothing you buy now is stranded.
Is Infinio still worth buying instead of EON?
For a good number of people, yes. Infinio is the platform with an independent laboratory score, an A grade and 4.9 out of 5 from HearAdvisor, and it comes in custom, titanium and CROS styles EON does not offer. It is also getting cheaper. What you give up is Auracast and a slightly smaller shell. We will tell you honestly which side of that line you fall on.
What is the dual-chip design in Phonak Infinio?
The Infinio Ultra Sphere model uses two processors: one for general hearing and a second dedicated to real-time artificial intelligence. Splitting the work gives the device more capacity to separate speech from noise in demanding environments, which is where the strong independent speech-in-noise measurement came from.
Can I get Phonak Infinio as a custom in-the-ear hearing aid?
Yes. The Virto R Infinio is a rechargeable custom device built from a scan of your ear, and the titanium Virto models sit deeper in the canal in a shell thin enough to be close to invisible. Neither has an equivalent on the EON platform. For dexterity, for glasses or hearing protection, or simply for cosmetics, a custom device is often the better answer.
Will Infinio work with my phone and with Roger?
Yes to both. Infinio supports direct Bluetooth streaming and hands-free calls from iOS and Android, with adjustments through the myPhonak app, and RogerDirect lets a Roger microphone send a talker's voice straight into the hearing aids without an extra receiver. We set up pairing during your fitting so you leave comfortable using it.
Does Phonak Infinio have a telecoil?
No, and neither does EON. Phonak's Audéo line has never included one. If a hearing loop at a particular theatre, lecture hall or place of worship is important to you, tell us which venue and we will find out what it broadcasts. That may point toward a different manufacturer, and we fit those too.