One of the most common questions I hear in clinic is: "Will these hearing aids actually help me hear better in noisy places?"
It's a fair question. For many people with hearing loss, understanding speech in busy environments — restaurants, family gatherings, social events — is the biggest challenge. While modern hearing aids have improved dramatically, background noise remains one of the most difficult listening situations.
Recently, I had the opportunity to see how the Phonak Audéo Sphere™ Infinio 90 performed for one of my patients in real-life situations.
From Audéo Infinio 90 to Sphere Infinio 90
The patient initially trialled the Phonak Audéo Infinio 90. Overall, he was pleased with the hearing aids but still found background noise challenging.
He wanted to know whether the Audéo Sphere Infinio 90, which is slightly larger due to its additional processing technology, would make a noticeable difference.
We arranged a two-week trial so he could test them where it matters most — in everyday life.
Real-Life Experience #1 — An Army Museum Talk
One of the most interesting experiences he shared took place during a talk at an army museum.
He was sitting with friends around a table listening to the speaker when several helicopters began taking off nearby. The noise was loud enough that some of his friends instinctively covered their ears because they struggled to hear the presentation.
What surprised him was that, after activating the Sphere's dedicated speech-in-noise programme, he was still able to follow the speaker remarkably well despite the helicopter noise in the background.
For him, this was a situation where he genuinely noticed the benefit of the technology.
Real-Life Experience #2 — A Family Dinner
Another challenge came during a family meal with around 20 people.
Anyone who wears hearing aids knows that large family gatherings can be one of the hardest environments for understanding conversation.
He switched to the Sphere's speech-in-noise setting and immediately noticed the background chatter became much less distracting. Instead of concentrating on every competing voice in the room, he found it much easier to focus on the people sitting nearby and take part in the conversation.
He described the listening experience as feeling far less exhausting than usual.
Does It Work for Everyone?
The honest answer is not necessarily.
This is the experience of one patient, although I have heard similar feedback from several others who have trialled the Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90.
Every hearing loss is different, and every person's listening environments are different. What makes a dramatic improvement for one person may provide a more modest benefit for someone else.
That's why I never recommend purchasing hearing aids based solely on reviews or marketing claims.
The Best Test Is Your Own Everyday Life
The only way to know whether the Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio 90 is right for you is to experience it yourself.
At Livingston Hearing and Vision Care & Premium Care Hearing, we offer hearing aid trials so you can wear them in the places that matter most to you — whether that's your favourite café, family gatherings, church, work meetings or social events.
If you find they genuinely improve your ability to hear conversations in background noise, then that's fantastic. If not, we'll help you explore other options that may be better suited to your hearing needs.
Our goal isn't simply to fit hearing aids — it's to help you hear with greater confidence in the situations that matter most.
If background noise is stopping you from enjoying conversations, we'd be delighted to help you discover whether the latest hearing technology could make a real difference.