Phonak Audéo Infinio Ultra vs. Sony CRE-C20

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 Sony CRE-C20 is a discreet, over-the-counter hearing aid designed for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, featuring a compact size and rechargeable battery for up to 28 hours of use. While it offers a user-friendly setup and an Auto Sound Analyzer for enhanced speech clarity, it lacks Bluetooth streaming capabilities, which may be a consideration for users seeking more advanced connectivity options.

Phonak Sphere Infinio Ultra achieved a SoundScore of 4.58/5 in HearAdvisor lab testing. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.91/5.

The Sony CRE-C20 achieved a SoundGrade of B and ranked #21 out of 56 devices in the OTC Hearing Aid category, placing it in the top 36% of OTC devices tested by HearAdvisor. This positions it as an above-average performer within a competitive category.

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

Sony CRE-C20 has an excellent IP rating of 68, which aligns with our hands-on experience as we observed an improved build quality compared to CRE-C10.

Audéo Infinio Ultra offer around 17 hours of use per charge under normal use and streaming conditions. When using the new Sphere mode, battery life is around 10 hours which is an improvement over the original Sphere Infinio model. They take 3 to 4 hours to recharge, and a 30-minute quick charge can provide an additional 6 hours of use.

CRE-C20 offer an impressive battery life of up to 28 hours. I also liked the portable charging case which offers you Qi wireless charging.

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.

Not yet rated by our experts

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

Sony's Hearing Control app includes good features and allows your to further personalize CRE-C20 with their on-ear hearing assessment. One downside though is that the hearing aids and app communicate with sound cues from your phone. I find this method of wireless communication less reliable that Bluetooth, and it overall makes the pairing process more complicated.

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.

CRE-C20 are good comfortable once you find the best tip for your ears. They are not overly plugging though it can take some time to get used to having a hearing aid so deep in your ear canal.

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.

CRE-C20 are surprisingly small and sit mostly invisible in your ears. The style works well and was originally designed as an "instant-fit" prescription hearing aid from Signia.

Phonak Sphere Infinio Ultra has a value score of 3.4/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

The Sony CRE-C20 offers moderate value relative to its $999 price point, with several higher-scoring alternatives available at similar or lower prices.

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.

CRE-C20's smaller size and method of wireless communication make it more difficult to manage than many other hearing aids. However, Sony has improved upon the design as CRE-C20 now uses internal rechargeable batteries, as opposed to disposable ones. It is a unique offering with many pros but be sure to consider this against your needs and abilities.

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.

Sony does not offer great support with their hearing aids. You are limited to phone and email based technical assistance which is a downside to many OTC products.