Highlights:
Slim RIC design is a game changer - most attractive hearing aid yet
Signia NX platform processor is first class in almost every environment you can throw at it
Small form factor recharge case - lithium Ion with 3 days further battery storage
Fantastic Warranty options
Unique colour sets
Up to 5 technology platforms -7,5 and 3 in ‘Connect/BT’ mode and 2,1 in non wireless.
Great app and accessories - Made for Iphone compatible direct
No on-board controls
Own Voice Processing is incredible for new users!
Lowlights
1 Receiver power - designed for mild to mod/severe
No Loop
Not Android directly connectable
No on-board controls will put some off.
Review
Since October the Styletto by Signia (Sivantos Group) and more recently Audio Service Stiline has transformed the lives of many of my clients for the better, the feedback I have received has been far beyond what I could have expected.
Comments such as:
‘My hearing in background noise has never been better’
‘The way they look has meant that I’m no longer bothered that people see them’
‘They are so comfortable and the sound quality is fantastic even with music’
‘The re-charger is awesome’
Sivantos seem to have really got an excellent range of hearing aids on their hands. The hearing aid has changed my perception of what a hearing aid is about and to many of my clients and here’s why:
When reading this review, I would like you to think in the shoes of a first time user, someone who has either taken years to come to terms with a loss or maybe someone who in the past would be considered too young to wear hearing aids, or maybe just through the stigma created by past occurrences, ‘big banana’ aids in hearing aid beige, whistling, batteries lasting days, can’t hear in background noise or groups, phone calls being useless etc etc.
The hearing world is a different time in 2019, worlds apart from the start of the millennium or even the advent of digital aids. Or so you would think so…?
Have hearing aids got more attractive…the answer for many audiologists would be absolutely!
Have hearing aids got more attractive…the answer for many clients would be…a little I guess!
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So why is it still a very difficult to sometimes persuade a client/patient to wear hearing aids?
The answers are above: The perception to the first time client not is almost still the same as 2005…
Whichever way you look at hearing aids, they are still hearing aids…invisible in the ear technology certainly helped things move along 5 years ago, thanks to the Phonak Titanium, Signia Silk, Starkey Soundlens, but realistically at a sacrifice of performance in many group or background noise situations, and certainly no wireless/bluetooth capabilities.
So what is different with the Styletto/Stiline?
RIC style hearing aids have been around for well over 10 years as Audiologists know…the bench mark for hearing aids across every manufacturer. The RIC (Receiver in Canal behind the ear product) is the first hearing aid that gets launched before all others when a new range comes out.
Why?…That would be because its generally smaller, is neat along the tragus and into the canal with a micro wire being barely visible but still a behind the ear aid…this has not changed in 10 years. Some are smaller, some have controls, some are rechargeable, some are blue-tooth/wireless, smart phone connectable etc…but are they attractive still to the first time user…well a bit better!
I fact I would say if you want a rechargeable hearing aid the size has gone up…Is this what a first time user, already nervous about stepping into hearing aid territory wants…NO it isn’t they want the invisible in the ear types that will likely be unsuitable for their hearing.
STEP FORWARD SIVANTOS - TAKE A BOW FOR BEING PREPARED TO TAKE A RISK!
YES…before I start it is still a behind the ear aid…but just look at it, it’s a risky proposition when looking at the design from a traditional hearing aid perspective.
What Sivantos has done with the Signia Styletto or the Audio Service Stiline is really delve deep into making a product work for that first time user, whether young at heart over 70’s or that young professional struggling with a hearing handicap in this modern 2019 society.
Firstly…The the product works so well with glasses…a tradition bug bear…It looks different; very un-hearing aid like.
Secondly…The charger is loosely (maybe not so loose) based on an apple earbud headphone charger so a TICK…young professional…and a TICK…older person not wanting to feel older.
Thirdly…The colours are NOT HEARING AID BEIGE…instead Silver and gloss black, Cosmic Blue and ROSE GOLD…Rose Gold and arctic white…brave choices again.
Fourthly…You can use them as headphones (Not unique but hey, they are close to looking like cool headphones)
So it just about the look them…
NO…Psychologically they make the first time user feel better about the aids…this is a big step to acceptance, a big step to improving their handicap earlier and more vitally the knock on deprivation effects of leaving a loss alone for a few more years.
Yes but are they any good from a sound perspective?
Absolutely…The Signia NX platform is excellent, utilising true binaural processing couple with a fantastic processor. I have blind tested many hearing aids but nothing in my opinion come close to an ‘all rounder’ as the Nx chip, the pure charge and go for example has been an excellent hearing aid long before. I also find that in a lot of cases where certain manufacturers lead into ‘the top of the range’. I am very comfortable demonstrating the 5 level product as it performs remarkably in comparison, for less money, also aiding the acceptance factor of cost.
The Binaural processing of the Nx chip is outstanding giving a true perception of the wearers environment and balancing the ability to hear within the noise of 99% of the situations that you would find yourself in. For me the ability to be able to empower the wearer with the correct level of expectancy via the data management of the hearing aid is also a very powerful tool.
I have a current Styletto user who has been blind from birth, he uses ‘Echo location’ as a guide to his surroundings. He is also an audiophile record listener and a DJ for internet radio. He was very skeptical about all of those things as you would expect. After 2 hours he just felt totally comfortable with the performance of the product. He felt natural, his echo location was correct and he was amazed at the quality of the sound coming from not just his high end hifi but his iphone through spotify…a true testament to the brilliant performance of this product. Oh and this was the 5 level not the 7!.
The ‘own voice processing’ which I was sceptical about initially really does make a difference in acceptance when adjusting a new user to hearing amplification. The system calculates the users voice in the mix after a little counting out loud. Reducing that occluded, echo feeling. At certain hearing conventions, I have heard sniggers from other manufacturers around this feature…maybe they should think about introducing something similar as in my opinion this is a really great acceptance feature that is missing from their products.
From an audiologist end user perspective, the 48 hour replacement under warranty is truly unique, as is the attention and levels of customer care by the Sivantos team. I never feel anything is too much trouble.
Made for Iphone or Android via the smart mic accessory, the aid can stream music, phone calls, spotify, whatever, into the hearing aids and the quality is fantastic.
In an attempt to reach out to new users Signia have taken some sacrifices…It only comes in a single receiver power designed for the lighter to moderate user, which for power users will come as a blow, and this means no loop or buttons on the aid. It is not the market that Signia is targeting with this product.
Did I mention the charger…yes I did, but it is so small and holds a 3 day extra charger!
Summary out of 5:
Sound *****
Performance in Difficult situations: *****
Range of Power: ***
Feedback Cancelling: *****
Range of Accessories: ****
Assessibility (Recharge): *****
Design and Colour Configurations: *****
Value: *****
OVERALL VERDICT: ***** out of 5*
This is a land mark product in hearing terms, an aid that makes that nervous first time user a giant step closer to wearing a hearing aid. Well done Sivantos, as GN Resound did with the contact air back in 2005, you have closed the gap on reducing stigma of hearing aids closer towards acceptance. The thing for you to do now is make your other products a variant of this…makes me think why couldn’t manufacturers be this brave earlier!
The Signia Styletto Series is now available from the value of the 1 range right through to the top of the range 7 model in the ‘non’ connect model, and 3,5 and 7 in the ‘connect model’.
They only come in ‘lithium ion rechargeable’ including the charger in the price and unfortunately for monaural users they only come as a pair in the styletto, however, the Stiline is now available monaurally.
This means starting at the great value of £1395 for the 1nx model with a 2 year warranty and service, the styletto would be the perfect hearing aids for 85% of losses and wearers.
The whole range is available at industry leading value at the earguru.co.uk. We always offer free advice and the ability to hear aids in practice. You will not be disappointed!
Call now 01405 473033 or go to www.earguru.co.uk and contact us from there:
