What Do Hearing Aid Names Really Mean?
The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Hearing Aid Names
Pictured: Unitron Moxi Now Pro hearing aids. The name tells you they're RICs, with premium level technology, a size 10A battery, and are the smallest Unitron RIC hearing aids available.
Understanding hearing aid names, model numbers, and styles can be downright confusing. However, the name can tell you nearly everything you need to know about that instrument your hearing healthcare professional recommends to you.
Unfortunately for the consumer, there is no industry standard for naming hearing aids. Each manufacturer uses its own naming convention for products, which sometimes makes comparisons among the different brands even more difficult. Our Advanced Hearing Aid Comparison Guide can make this process a little easier.
At HearingPlanet, we can help you decipher the meaning behind all those letters, numbers, and different names so that you can better understand the capabilities of your hearing solution.
We encourage you to come back to this section after you get a recommendation in order to better understand the which product to which you've been referred and why. The following lists are separated by brand as well as the individual elements that go into naming each of their hearing aid products.
The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Hearing Aid Names
Understanding hearing aid names, model numbers, and styles can be downright confusing. However, the name can tell you nearly everything you need to know about that instrument your hearing healthcare professional recommends to you.
Pictured: Unitron Moxi Now Pro hearing aids. The name tells you they're RICs, with premium level technology, a size 10A battery, and are the smallest Unitron RIC hearing aids available.
Unfortunately for the consumer, there is no industry standard for naming hearing aids. Each manufacturer uses its own naming convention for products, which sometimes makes comparisons among the different brands even more difficult. Our Advanced Hearing Aid Comparison Guide can make this process a little easier.
At HearingPlanet, we can help you decipher the meaning behind all those letters, numbers, and different names so that you can better understand the capabilities of your hearing solution.
We encourage you to come back to this section after you get a recommendation in order to better understand the which product to which you've been referred and why. The following lists are separated by brand as well as the individual elements that go into naming each of their hearing aid products.
Phonak uses the following hearing aid attributes to name is products.
Style
Each Phonak hearing aid style has its own name that is the core of the product name:
Audeo: Receiver in Canal (RIC)
Bolero: Behind the Ear (BTE)
Virto: In the Ear (ITE)
Naida: Power instrument
Technology level
Technology levels are assigned using a number scale. Higher numbers represent a higher level of technology:
90: premium level (most features)
70: advanced level
50: standard level
30: basic level (least features)
Processing chip
Phonak include a letter in each product name to represent the platform, based on the processing chip, that's built into the device:
B: Belong Platform (the newest platform available)
V: Venture Platform (generation prior to Belong)
Q: Quest Platform (generation prior to Venture)
Battery Size
Finally, each battery size is added to the end of a product name to designate what size battery the product uses (10, 13, 312, etc.) R differentiates rechargeable hearing aid options from Phonak.
Example Name
Using the information above, we know that the Phonak Audeo B90 R is a receiver in canal instrument, in the premium level, using the latest chip platform (Belong), with a rechargeable battery.
Unitron uses a slightly different approach to name its hearing aids.
Style
Unitron gives each of its hearing aid styles a different name:
Moxi: Receiver in Canal (RIC)
Stride: Behind the Ear (BTE)
Stride Custom: In the Ear (ITE)
Max: Power instruments
Size (Second Name)
Known for packing big performance into small designs, Unitron further differentiates its products by giving a name to different sizes. Moxi products (RICs) include a second name to differentiate the battery size and, whether or not the model has a push button:
Moxi Dura: RIC with a size 13 battery and a push button
Moxi Now: Smallest RIC in the world with a size 10A battery
Moxi Kiss: RIC that is smaller, with no buttons and a 312 battery
Moxi Fit: RIC with a size 312 battery and push button
Moxi Fit R: RIC with a rechargeable battery and push button
Model
A second name is also added to differentiate the battery size and buttons on the Stride models.
Stride P: BTE with a size 13 battery, push button and toggle switch
Stide P Dura: BTE with a size 13 battery and a push button
Stride M: BTE with a size 312 battery
Technology level
The more advanced the technology the higher the number:
Pro: Premium (most features)
800: Advanced
700: Standard
600: Essential
500: Basic (least features)
Processing chip
Unitron also names each product platform based on which processing chip is being used:
Powered by Tempus: The newest platform available
Powered by North: Previous generation platform
Powered by Quantum: Previous generation platform to North
Example Name
For example, the latest Unitron Moxi Fit R Pro, Powered by Tempus is a top of the line RIC, with a rechargeable battery working on the Tempus Platform.
Signia's naming conventions use a core name to convey several attributes.
Style and battery size
Signia a combination of style and the product's battery size as the core of its RIC product names, and, the style for the rest of its instruments:
Pure: RIC with a 312 battery
Carat: RIC with a 13 battery
Ace: RIC with a size 10 battery
Cellion: RIC using lithium ion rechargeable battery
Motion: BTE line of hearing aids
Insio: Custom in the ear products
Silk: One size fits all instant fit device
Nitro: Power instrument family
Technology level
The higher the number, the more advanced features you'll find on the instrument:
7: Premium (most features)
5: Standard
3: Essential (least features)
Processing chip
Signia adds a processing chip attribute to help users differentiate the latest generation of product from the older products:
Px (Primax): this is the newest platform available
Bx (Binax): The previous platform to Primax
Example Name
A Signia Pure 7Px is an Advanced level RIC hearing aid with a 312 battery, working on the Primax platform. A Pure 7Bx would be the previous generation of the Pure 7Px.
ReSound has one of the more unique naming conventions in the industry.
All ReSound products are named based on the Platform or chip they have as well as the technology level.
Derived from the current platforms available, LiNX, ENZO and ENYA, are the core names of Resound products. LiNX 3D is their newest platform and includes the most features among their products, ENZO2 are power instruments, and ENYA models are entry level products:
Technology level
The technology levels are as follows, the higher the number the more advanced features are included:
9: Premium (most features)
7: Advanced
5: Standard
Style
The style is the final part of ReSound's product naming convention. ReSound hearing aids are coded by number:
61: RIC with a size 312 battery
62: RIC with a size 13 battery
77: BTE with a size 13 battery
88: BTE with a size 13 battery with a little more power
Example Name
ReSound's technology level reference number comes before the two digit style and battery size code in a product name. The LiNX3D 961 is a premium level RIC, using the latest platform, with a size 312 battery.
Widex hearing aids have a core named based on various information.
Style, battery, feature
Widex hearing aids are named based on different styles, battery sizes, and features. In other words, you have to know what the core name means to know what you're getting:
Beyond: RIC with 312 battery and direct to iPhone capabilities
Passion: RIC with a size 10 battery
Fusion: RIC with a size 312 battery
Fashion: BTE
Custom products: all custom, in the ear products
Technology level
Technology levels are differentiated by numbers, with higher numbers being the most advanced model:
440: Premium (most features)
330: Advanced
220: Standard
110: Essential (least features)
Processing chip
Widex uses the product platform and processing chip to help you differentiate between the latest generation and older products:
Beyond: The newest platform from Widex currently offered in a RIC only
Unique: the current platform from Widex for all other styles
Dream: the previous generation
Example Name
The Widex Passion Unique 440 is a premium level RIC with a 10 battery on the Unique platform. However, with the Beyond 440, you're getting a premium level RIC, with a size 312 battery, and direct to iPhone connectivity, on the latest platform from Widex.
Rexton hearing aids also have core names based on various information about their products.
Style and battery size
Rexton names their hearing instruments based maily on style however, on a few models, battery size is mixed into the name:
Stellar: RIC with a lithium ion rechargeable battery
Emerald: Receiver in Canal (RIC). This comes in various sizes:
XS: 10 battery
S: 312 Battery
M: 13 Battery
Mosaic: Behind the Ear (BTE)
Sterling: Custom in the ear products
Xino: instant fit, one size fits all in the ear device
Finesse and Accord HP: power instruments
Technology level
Technology levels within Rexton are as follows, the higher the number, the more advanced features you'll find:
80: Premium (most features)
60: Advanced
40: Standard (least features)
Processing chip
Rexton's product platform and processing chip are used to help you differentiate between the latest generation and older products:
TruCore: the newest platform
Quadcore: previous platform
Example Name
The Rexton Emerald S 80 with TrueCore technology is a premium level RIC, with a 312 battery, and runs on the TrueCore platform.