Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses vs. Phonak Audéo EON

Nuance Audio Glasses seamlessly combine prescription eyewear with discreet over-the-counter hearing enhancement, offering solid performance in speech clarity but with some limitations in battery life and audio streaming.

The EON Sphere is one of the strongest hearing aids I’ve seen for speech performance, with exceptional results in background noise and a much smaller, more comfortable design than its predecessor.

Nuance Audio Glasses achieved a SoundScore of 3.9/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #20 of 65 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.68/5.

Phonak Audéo EON Sphere achieved a SoundScore of 5.0/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #1 of 39 Prescription Hearing Aid devices tested. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 4.19/5.

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses have an IPX4 rating, which means they can withstand light splashes of water but may require extra care to ensure long-term reliability. Fortunately, their delicate components are less susceptible to moisture damage since they aren't positioned inside the ear like traditional hearing aids.

Phonak Audéo E90 Sphere have an excellent build quality with a robust, portable charging case and a high ingress rating of IP68.

Nuance Hearing Glasses use internal lithium-ion batteries that provide up to 8 hours of use. To extend battery life throughout the day, Nuance recommends using them situationally and turning them off when not needed. Recharging takes approximately 3 hours.

Audéo EON offer around 38 hours of use per change, which is a decrease compared to the previous firmware-upgraded Sphere Ultra. Regardless, the battery life should span your entire day and a full recharge takes 3 to 4 hours, or 30-minute quick charge can provide an additional 6 hours of use.

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Phonak are compatible with both iOS and Android, offering wireless audio streaming and hands-free calls. Pairing was easy and reliable in our testing, especially with Apple mobile devices.

The Nuance Audio mobile app is user-friendly and available for both iOS and Android devices. It includes useful features such as volume control, microphone directionality, and noise reduction. Nuance hearing glasses are preset-based and use 4 default programs for adjustment, but they are not customizable based on a hearing test.

I found the MyPhonak Hearing Aid app easy to use with many useful features, including health and fitness tracking.

Nuance Hearing Glasses are comfortable, lightweight, and fit similarly to other broad-rimmed eyeglasses. If you're accustomed to wearing both glasses and hearing aids, you may feel less encumbered since there's no need to fit both glasses and hearing aids on your ear.

EON are extremely comfortable with their smaller more compact redesign. Glasses wearers, and or those with smaller ears, should definitely notice fit improvements compared to previous Sphere models.

Nuance Audio currently offers two frame styles that may appeal to different aesthetic preferences. However, the frames are larger than traditional eyeglasses to accommodate the internal hearing components.

Audéo EON Sphere offer a significantly smaller size than the previous generation Sphere models. The size is now comparable to most other receiver-in-canal prescription hearing aids on the market.

Nuance Audio Glasses has a value score of 3.3/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Phonak Audéo EON Sphere has a value score of 3.6/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses are easy to use, especially if you're already accustomed to wearing glasses. However, care is required when placing them on the charger, as they must be in a specific orientation to magnetically lock and charge properly.

Audéo EON Sphere are easy to use and adjust using either the large multi-function button or MyPhonak app. I had no issues making adjustments with either.

Nuance Audio Hearing Glasses can be ordered and picked up in-store, where a vision professional will provide basic fitting guidance. Remote technical support is also available online and through the Nuance Audio mobile app. However, remote programming and support from a hearing specialist is not currently offered.

Prescription hearing aids like EON Sphere are fit by hearing care providers so you should receive quality care. The MyPhonak app also opens the possibility for remote programming and virtual follow-up appointments.