Oticon is a giant in the hearing health space with more than 3,000 employees and a widely recognized track record of innovation. Their 2022 flagship product, Oticon Real is nothing short of impressive.
But did you know that the brand was originally inspired by the coronation of the queen of England?
We'll cover the brand’s storied history, the latest Oticon hearing aids, styles, tech and more. Click on the section you want to read (on your left) or just start scrolling.
About Oticon
Oticon is one of the largest—and most esteemed—hearing aid manufacturers on the market worldwide. While they may be a giant now, the brand has humble and profound roots.
Let’s go back to 1903, when Hans Demant noticed that Crown Princess Alexandra wore an early hearing aid during her coronation. This revelation was nothing short of attention grabbing—and inspiring!—because Demant’s wife Camilla had hearing loss since childhood. (This even compelled Demant to travel to England and purchase the same exact product for his wife in Denmark.)
This simple act of buying a hearing aid ended up launching something entirely new for Hans. Soon, he began importing hearing devices for more and more folks in Denmark, and this was just the beginning of a vital and enduring healthcare legacy (which still stands today).
Fast forward to 2023: The company Demant is still a leading manufacturer of hearing health aids, and in fact it’s the second-largest producer in the world.
Oticon is still headquartered in Denmark, where the brand designs its latest hearing technology. The company now has a genuinely global impact with service in more than 100 countries.
Oticon has the world's largest psychoacoustic research facility (pictured below), where scientists and doctors research everything from how the shape of the ear changes when you yawn to how background noise affects our hearing.
Oticon's Flagship Hearing Aids In 2023
Every few years, Oticon releases a new product and each line builds in more features plus supportive—and intelligent—tech additions. Oticon currently offers two flagship products.
- Oticon Real: Oticon's most popular behind-the-ear style hearing aid (announced in February 2023).
- Oticon Own: Oticon's most popular in-the-ear style hearing aid (announced in August 2022)
Let's take a closer look at both styles. If you are looking for pediatric or high-powered devices keep scrolling.
First up, Oticon Real.
In February 2023, Oticon Real launched and it’s quickly gaining traction as one of the most-respected hearing aids around the globe. Why is it so popular? Well, to begin this device is rechargeable and offers hands-free calling on iPhones and audio streaming on Android devices (Android users need to keep their phone close by to pick up their voice).
These features are important for everyday living, but what makes the Oticon Real stand out is how the device holds and processes sound. Typically, most hearing aids quell background noises and prioritize speech, but Oticon Real enriches the brain with a robust sound landscape. In fact, the brand says that a user can hear 30% more sound with the Oticon Real devices.
Okay so—that sounds impressive. How exactly does Oticon achieve better clarity AND more soound? The brand used a 360 spherical microphone to capture sounds from 12 million life situations—yep, that number is correct—and then utilizes that sound to train the computer within the hearing aids.
Which means, hearing aid wearers experience a more natural sound environment that lets in the sounds and noise of daily living instead of shutting them out.
A Closer Look At Oticon Real Technology
- Oticon Real hearing aids are Bluetooth enabled and connect to Apple devices and most Android devices.
- Oticon Real hearing aids now offer fully hands-free calling on iPhone. Use an Android phone? You can still listen to a call through your device, but will need to hold the smartphone to capture your own voice.
- Oticon incorporates leading artificial intelligence features to analyze settings and match it to one of 12 million soundscapes.
- Oticon’s new Sudden Sound Stabilizer reduces loud noises like buzzers, dogs barking, or loud bangs (think, dishes clanging). The brand states that this element reduces listening effort by 22% in particularly noisy situations.
- Speaking of noise, the Oticon app has volume and setting controls that enables remote audiology visits after your initial fitting. FYI: You can also use the Oticon app to turn your phone into a remote microphone.
- Oticon Real hearing aids come in rechargeable and non-rechargeable models. The rechargeable model has 16-22 hours of power with three hours of charge, and a 30-minute quick charge can provide an additional six hours of power.
- Travel-friendly Oticon Real hearing aids come with a recharging case that also carries an additional cordless charge.
See a full breakdown of Oticon Real here
Next up, Oticon Own.
The biggest difference between Oticon Own and Oticon Real is the form factor.
Oticon Own packs underlying technology from Oticon's previous generation (Oticon More) into tiny, custom molded in-the-ear devices. Oticon Own uses much of the same AI-powered sound processing as Oticon Real with a slightly older chip and algorithm.
You'll still get the same strong background noise reduction and open sound quality with these devices.
Oticon Own custom hearing aids come in 5 sizes, from invisible to full-shell. The overall sound processing is mostly the same throughout the line, but some technology like Bluetooth and app controls are only available in larger sizes.
See a full breakdown of Oticon Own here
Each Oticon Hearing Aid Comes With Multiple Tech Levels
Here's a look at how Oticon's technology levels impact functionality and price.
Other Oticon Hearing Aids
Most users in 2023 will opt for Oticon Real or Oticon Own but the brand offers several specialty products including high-powered hearing aid for profound loss, a CROS hearing aid for single-sided hearing loss and an impressive pediatrics line.
How to Get Oticon Hearing Aids
If you’ve gotten this far in the guide you might be wondering how you can get your hands on a pair of Oticon devices.
The short answer: You’ll need to find a local clinic to test your hearing aid and program your new Oticon devices.
The longer answer: You can find a local audiologist on Yelp or via our database. You’ll want to confirm that your local clinic carries Oticon and that the Audiologist is familiar with the brand. You can also get a lower price for Oticon hearing aids through a discount provider like ZipHearing or Yes Hearing.
The national average price for Oticon Real 1 hearing aids is around $8,000 per pair.
Our research indicates that the best pricing and care packages are currently available through ZipHearing. ZipHearing offers a pair of Oticon Real 1 hearing aids with one year of unlimited care for $4,798 per pair.
Process
ZipHearing will match you with a local clinic near your zip code and pre-negotiate a lower price (typically 25% less than the national average).
Fill out the form on this page to get matched with a local clinic.
Our readers are consistently happy with ZipHearing's offering and give the company 97% 5-star ratings on Trustpilot.
Oticon App and Accessories
Oticon's devices come with a suite of smartphone apps and accessories.
Oticon App
Oticon has two apps: Oticon ON and Oticon Companion. Why two apps? Both apps work to control the volume and adjust other settings in the hearing aids. But, there are slight differences. Previously, Oticon ON did not incorporate Remote Care within the app and required an additional, separate app. The Oticon Companion app merges both into one app now. Most people will use the new Oticon Companion app.
Oticon's app offers:
- Volume adjustments
- Program changes
- Battery information
- Streaming equalizer
- Sound Booster
- Find My Hearing Aid
- Remote care and adjustments
Read more about Oticon apps here.
Oticon Accessories
Oticon offers a suite of hearing aid accessories to assist with specific or challenging listening situations. In most cases you'll need to purchase accessories through your hearing care professional.
- Charger - Most hearing aids come with a modern recharging case.
- Remote control - Discreet remote control for on-the-go adjustments.
- TV Adapter - Streams TV sound directly into your hearing aids.
- Connect Clip - Makes phone and laptop streaming more convienient (now less important for iPhone users).
- EduMic - Clips onto a teacher's shirt and streams audio directly into a student's hearing aids.
- Amigo FM - Classroom microphone system for children wearing Oticon hearing aids without built-in 2.4 GHz Bluetooth® low energy receivers.
Learn more about Oticon accessories here.
Oticon vs. Phonak, ReSound, Starkey Widex and Signia
Oticon is one of six major brands leading the charge in the hearing health world. Like all five brands, their product lines and tech features seem all alike.
But, what makes Oticon different? Oticon’s unique philosophy on sound. The product consistently delivers more sounds from everyday life like birds, soft winds, and water instead of shutting down everything with the exception of voices.
This makes Oticon one of these most respected brands in the entire globe. And millions of customers prove that sentiment directly. In closing, if you can swing the price and desire to hear more life sounds around you (as opposed to focusing on voices), Oticon is a splendid choice.