In this blog, we’ll be reviewing the Oticon Own line of hearing aids, with consideration to factors such as their fit, functionality, and sound quality. This will hopefully provide you with some initial information on the new products to help you decide if it’s right for you to purchase Oticon hearing aids. Let’s dive into it.
Custom Product Line
Hearing aid styles range from custom, in-ear devices to behind-the-ear (BTE) or receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) devices. The Oticon Own is a new in-the-ear style of hearing aid that is designed for individuals with mild to severe hearing loss. Your hearing care provider will take a custom impression of your ear that will be used to build the hearing aids. The Oticon Own line is unique because it is the world’s first hearing aid technology with an onboard Deep Neural Network (DNN) available in in-the-ear technology that is programmed to work more like our brain. The Oticon Own hearing aid models can mimic the way our brain processes sound because it learns through experience.
Oticon Own is trained with 12 million real-life sounds and scenes to provide the best hearing tool for its users. The proprietary DNN technology recognizes a wealth of sounds, their details, and how they are heard naturally. The Oticon Own focuses on presenting sound into your ears in a way that makes it easy for the brain to interpret it. Though the Oticon Own is a new device for hearing, it is only for individuals who want in-the-ear devices. Many hearing aid users wear behind-the-ear style devices; therefore, the Oticon Own won’t replace today’s most popular behind-the-ear (BTE) or receiver-in-the-ear (RITE) hearing aids, like the Phonak Lumity, but will simply create more hearing aid solutions for users with mild to severe hearing loss.
The Oticon Own hearing aids are designed for individuals with various degrees of hearing loss ranging from mild hearing loss to severe hearing loss. Individuals with severe to profound hearing loss are likely to require a larger, more powerful hearing aid (such as a behind the ear [BTE] hearing aid). Individuals who are profoundly hearing impaired may also consider a cochlear implant, which can be used WITH a hearing aid on the opposite ear and those with single sided hearing loss may have specific listening needs. Please remember to consult your hearing care professionals to discuss appropriate options based on the results of your hearing test.
New Features
As mentioned above, the Oticon Own hearing aid models provide users in-the-ear hearing aids with a Deep Neural Network. The general idea of Deep Neural Network is that it is a type of artificial intelligence that mimics how the brain learns from repeated exposure to an acoustic environment. This feature strengthens the hearing aids decision-making based on previously encountered situations. Oticon claims that this new hearing device uses Deep Neural Network technology to balance and prioritize the sounds that are important to you while also helping to support your brain.
Some hearing aids are big, clunky, and just not aesthetically pleasing. Oticon offers hearing aids such as the Own, which are miniaturized hearing technology, which make a more discreet in-the-ear hearing aid for its users, joining other hearing aids like the Eargo and the Starkey Picasso IIC hearing aid models. The new hearing aid is custom-made to fit your ear shape. It gives its users five different colors for maximum discretion, comfort, and style.
The Oticon Own hearing aid also prioritized connectivity, as they can seamlessly connect to your favorite devices. Direct streaming (e.g., streamable, hands free phone calls) is now possible with the Oticon Own for both Apple and Android products and even certain televisions. In addition, because of the Bluetooth capability of the Oticon Own, you can have effective, discreet control over the hearing aid right from your fingertips, thanks to the Oticon ON app.
Previous Features
The Oticon Own line has many similar features to that of previous Oticon hearing aid models such as the Oticon More hearing aids. Both hearing aids have similar features. The main difference is the style between the devices. Because the Oticon Own is a new release, it has an improved music program, and improvements to the DNN to help reduce listening effort and improve speech understanding.
Oticon Own Review
The Oticon Own takes a significant stride in discreet hearing aid technology for users with mild to severe hearing loss without sacrificing any essential functions of the hearing aids that came before it. It offers its users hearing solutions that are reliable and comfortable. This is a line of custom-made hearing aids that give users more freedom to enjoy the lifestyle they want, making it one of the best hearing aids on the market with an in-the-ear style.
In terms of tinnitus sound therapy features, the Own has basic customization through the software, as well as app adjustments, unlike more advanced features in other hearing aids we’ve reviewed for tinnitus. Wearing hearing aids is a great strategy for providing tinnitus relief and the Oticon Own is no exception. Work with your hearing care professional to find the strategies that provide the highest level of tinnitus relief for you.
The Oticon Own is available in five different styles and colors, each having price points specific to the user. The DNN feature is only available on the Oticon Own 1, 2, or 3. The hands-free communication is available with iPhone 11 or later running iOS 15.2 or later and iPad running iPadOS® 15.2 or later. Finally, 2.4 GHz Bluetooth Low Energy Technology is introduced from the Oticon Own ITC style upwards (i.e., larger), making the Oticon Own ITC “the smallest, fully featured ITE hearing aid in the Oticon portfolio.” Hearing aids that are connected to the Oticon ON app have many features, including the capability to find hearing aids using GPS technology and customizable control of the hearing aid programming.
If the Oticon Own doesn’t sound right for you. Check out our previous blog review on five different types of Bluetooth hearing aids! Don’t forget to consult with your hearing care professional. You have many options in pursuing quality hearing outcomes, even when you have mild to severe hearing loss.
Curious how we compare? Read this review of Treble Health to see what others are saying.
