Phonak Audéo Infinio Ultra vs. Signia Active Pro IX

Phonak’s Infinio Sphere delivers genuinely standout speech clarity in loud, noisy places thanks to its DEEPSONIC “Sphere mode,” but you’ll trade some discretion and may wrestle with fit or Bluetooth pairing to get that top-tier performance.

The Signia Active Pro IX offers the functionality of a high-performance hearing aid in a sleek, earbud-like design, making it ideal for those who value both modern aesthetics and advanced hearing enhancement. Lab tests showed strong performance in speech clarity and music streaming, though its instant-fit design has some limitations, such as reduced feedback handling and lack of custom-fit personalization.

Phonak Sphere Infinio Ultra achieved a SoundScore of 4.9/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #3 of 39 Prescription Hearing Aid devices tested. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 4.19/5.

Signia Active Pro IX achieved a SoundScore of 4.6/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #8 of 39 Prescription Hearing Aid devices tested. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 4.19/5.

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

Active Pro IX has an IP rating of 68, meaning it has excellent protection against dust and moisture. This is consistent with my hands-on testing which suggested it is built well and will hold-up to daily use.

Ultra is designed to deliver all-day use, with battery-life figures of up to 56 hours under ideal conditions (i.e., in quiet with no streaming) and about 10-11 hours when Sphere mode is continuously engaged. They take 3 to 4 hours to recharge, and a 30-minute quick charge can provide an additional 6 hours of use.

I love the all-day rechargeable battery life of Active Pro IX. Even with 5 hours of audio streaming, you can expect around 29 hours of user per charge.

Phonak Infinio Ultra are compatible with both iOS and Android, offering wireless audio streaming and hands-free calls. Pairing is now easier directly from your phone's Bluetooth menu.

Signia Active Pro hearing aids are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for audio streaming and hands-free calling. While streamed audio quality is not the best, I did not run into any issues while testing.

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

Signia's hearing aid app stands out with its user-friendly interface and modern, appealing design. It includes practical features like the ability to control the focus of your hearing aids and a mask mode to enhance speech clarity. Additionally, the app offers wellness features, utilizing hearing aid motion sensors for activity tracking.

Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio Ultra were extremely comfortable and lightweight in my ears. In general, hearing care providers can make numerous physical changes to prescription hearing aids to improve comfort.

I found the instant-fit comfort and retention of Active Pro good. Your hearing care provider can demo various ear tips to find the best fit for your ears and hearing needs.

Phonak's new Audéo Sphere Infinio Ultra model shares the same notably larger size as the original Phonak Infinio Sphere. This is needed for its increased AI processing. While the larger size may be more noticeable, Sphere Ultra remains comfortable, and your provider should have no trouble adjusting the fit to your preference.

Active Pro IX have a modern earbud-like look, which may be desirable depending on your preferences, and you can choose among 6 colors.

Phonak Sphere Infinio Ultra has a value score of 3.5/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Signia Active Pro IX has a value score of 3.7/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

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

I did not run into any issues while testing Active Pro IX. However, I do wish they offered ear-level controls such as buttons, or tap controls, as it would make the streaming features more user-friendly.

Prescription hearing aids like Infinio Sphere Ultra 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.

You should receive quality hearing care and support from your provider. The Signia App should enhance your experience with AI assistance and user-friendly virtual appointments, given your provider offers telehealth services.