Phonak Virto Paradise

In February 2022, Phonak, a worldwide leader in hearing aid manufacturing and retail sales, launched its Virto™ Paradise custom In-the-Ear (ITE) products. This product line has now been superseded with the August 2024 launch of the Virto Infinio custom product line. For more information about this product, please see our Phonak Virto Infinio webpage; for more about the older Virto Paradise, please read on.

Virto Paradise was an expansion of the highly successful Paradise family of hearing aids, which was initially launched in 2020 as the Audeo Receiver-In-Canal or “RIC” style hearing aid. The Paradise family now includes the Audeo RICs, the Naida power Behind-the-Ear (BTE) models, and the new custom Virto products.

Who is Phonak?

Phonak, a Swiss hearing aid brand founded in 1947, is part of the Sonova Group, one of the “Big 5” global hearing aid manufacturers. Phonak is Sonova’s premier brand, and the company also manufactures Unitron, Lyric, and Audicus hearing aids, Advanced Bionics cochlear implants, and more.  They also own retail outlets such as Connect Hearing and Hearing Planet.

So, with that introduction, let’s look more closely at Virto Paradise.

Virto Paradise Products

The Virto Paradise (or Virto P) custom hearing aids are available in 4 different product styles which vary by size and wireless capabilities. There are also 4 different technology levels, including P90, P70, P50, and P30 (highest to lowest level of technology) available in most of the Virto P products. However, the Virto P-Titanium is only available in the two highest technology tiers (P90 and P70).

Phonak also offers 4 power levels which can accommodate a wide range of hearing losses from mild to profound. Six different color options are available, depending on which Virto P product you choose. All of the Virto P products are powered by a standard hearing aid battery, as Phonak does not currently offer a rechargeable custom product.

Now, let’s take a look at the different model choices within the Virto Paradise line:

Virto P-312 ITE (Virto Paradise 312 battery)

This is the work-horse of the Virto Paradise line, as it provides the most functionality of all the Virto P products.  As you can see in the graphic from Phonak above, the Virto P-312 is the largest of the available custom ITE products which, of course, allows for more circuitry and features to be built into the hearing aid shell. This product is available as either a half-shell or full-shell custom product. A button for selecting the listening program is standard, and a volume control is optional.

The Virto P-312 is the only product within the line that offers Phonak’s universal connectivity which allows for wireless connectivity to both Android™ and Apple® phones, as well as other Bluetooth® devices. The larger size of the Virto P-312 will also accommodate a larger receiver (speaker) and, for Phonak, that means their UP or “ultra-power” receiver. As a result, the Virto P-312 can fit an extensive range of hearing losses from mild to profound.

The Virto P-312 is also the only product within the Virto custom family to offer directional microphones. Directional microphones are often standard on RIC and BTE type hearing aids, but are optional for those custom products where the physical size can accommodate the additional microphone. Keep in mind that directional microphones are one of the best ways to reduce noise and improve speech understanding in noisy listening environments. In addition, as the other products do not offer wireless capability, there is not the option of using remote microphones to improve listening in noisy environments without the use of a neck loop. Therefore, if you prefer the styling of custom instruments and one of your primary complaints is hearing conversation in noise, you may want to consider the Virto P-312.

Finally, although the product does offer wireless connectivity, it should be noted that a telecoil (T-coil) is not an option with this product.

Virto P- 312/10 NW O (Virto Paradise 312 or 10 battery, non-wireless, omni-directional microphone)

These versions of Virto P utilize a size 312 or 10 battery and are not available with wireless connectivity. They are available in the very small Completely-in-Canal (CIC) sizes up to a full-shell, and offer 3 different power levels accommodating mild to severe-to-profound hearing losses. Any level of technology can be chosen depending on your budget and listening needs. A telephone coil (t-coil), volume control, and push button (for program change) are optional for these products provided the size of the hearing aid will accommodate these features. However, again, directional microphones are not available.

Remember that the lack of wireless functionality means no direct connection to your phone or any other Bluetooth device. It also means you cannot take advantage of the myPhonak app or the TV connector and, if you are wearing two hearing aids, no communication between devices.  However, if a T-coil is ordered along with the Roger neck loop receiver, you can get remote microphone capability as well as a miniControl option. The miniControl can be programmed to act as either a volume or program control.

Roger that! “Roger” is the name Phonak gives to their remote microphones, of which there are multiple options depending on your needs.  Regardless of which Roger device you choose, the intent of these remote microphones is to make listening much easier in noisy situations or when you are at a distance from the speaker. Be aware that these additional options will cost you more.

The 312 batteries in these non-wireless products will give you approximately 115 hours of use, or around a week if you’re wearing the hearing aids 16 hours a day. The 10 batteries will provide approximately 80 hours of use or about 5 days.

If you are not concerned about having wireless capabilities and prefer a small, cosmetically appealing hearing aid, these may be a good choice for you.

Virto P-Titanium IIC

This Invisible-in-Canal (IIC) hearing aid—the smallest style of hearing aid—is Phonak’s third generation of their medical-grade titanium shell. Inside is the Paradise chip set and on the outside, a strong and very durable metal shell. Phonak claims it’s 15 times stronger than a typical acrylic hearing aid shell.  The Virto P-Titanium also the smallest custom product that Phonak produces, but it is only available in the top-two technology tiers (P90 and P70). Because titanium is strong, the shell wall can be manufactured very thin, allowing for a smaller product build.

However, not all ears can be fit with an IIC. If your ear canal anatomy won’t allow for the deep fitting hearing aid (think ear canal with a sharp turn or a very narrow canal) the Virto P-Titanium can also be built as a CIC style instrument. The CIC will be slightly larger and not fit quite as deeply in your ear canal making it somewhat more visible. Various color options are available including a black faceplate which helps hide the instrument within the shadows of your ear canal.

Again, 3 different power levels are available accommodating a wide range of hearing losses. The Virto P-Titanium also uses a 10-size battery limiting its battery life to approximately 5 days of all-day use.

If you like the idea of a very discreet hearing instrument and a durable hearing aid shell, then this may be a good option for you.  The titanium material may also be useful if you have experienced allergic reactions to acrylic shells in the past.

New Paradise Technology Features

The Paradise products running on the PRISM™ chipset were first launched by Phonak in 2020 and succeeded the very successful Marvel platform.  There are 3 main updates to Paradise over the previous generation Marvel products. These include one more additional active connection for Bluetooth connectivity, the new AutoSense OS™ 4.0, and a new proprietary fitting formula called ADP 2.0. Let’s take a closer look at each.

Wireless Connectivity Features for Virto P-312

As mentioned above, the Phonak Paradise products allow for universal connectivity; however, with the Virto custom products, wireless connectivity is only available in the larger Virto-P 312. Paradise has improved upon the previous Marvel generation by now offering up to 8 pairings and 2 active connections. Marvel could support pairing with up to 8 devices but could only be actively connected to one device. What this means in practical terms is that you can switch between 2 active devices without having to disconnect the Bluetooth. For example, let’s say you have a work phone and a personal phone, you can now easily use both phones without telling the Bluetooth to prioritize one. That is, you don’t have to disconnect the Bluetooth on one phone to use the other.

Phonak Binaural Voice Stream Technology™ is another feature available in the Virto P-312 product which means that when you are listening to a phone call via your hearing aids, you will hear the conversation in both ears and the hearing aids will act as wireless earbuds. That is, the microphones on the hearing aids will pick up your voice, allowing the caller to hear you without the need for you to speak into the phone. The hands-free calling technology also engages noise reduction algorithms such as wind noise reduction to improve overall sound quality with phone calls.

It should also be noted that the tap control feature available in other Phonak products is not available with Virto Paradise. That is, some of Phonak’s higher-end technology products, including other Paradise hearing aids (rechargeable RIC and BTE), allow for controlling Bluetooth features by a double tap of the ear. For example, you can accept/end calls from connected cell phones or pause/resume streaming from connected devices. You can even access voice assistant apps (e.g., Siri or Alexa) via the tap control.  This requires a motion sensor which is not built into the custom products.

Finally, keep in mind that the wireless connectivity also allows for connections to accessories such as a Roger remote microphone, TV connector, or the Phonak smartphone app (myPhonak).

New AutoSense OS 4.0

AutoSense OS 4.0 is Phonak’s newest version of their hearing aid scene classifier and feature controller.  Essentially, it’s like the operating software of the hearing aid—meaning it utilizes artificial intelligence to classify your listening environment and align multiple hearing aid features to, hopefully, provide you with the best possible listening experience.  The intent is to have a hearing aid that provides good sound quality without you having to constantly change the volume control or programs.  Most modern hearing aids do something similar with the very same intent.

The Paradise product has made some enhancements to AutoSense OS by improving upon their speech enhancement and dynamic noise reduction features, as well as their proprietary fitting formula.  Phonak’s Speech Enhancer is only available in the highest technology level (P90) and it works by adding volume to soft speech when you are in a quiet listening environment. While most modern hearing aids should automatically provide more gain for soft sounds, this uses the classification system to give an additional boost of up to 10 dB.  

The dynamic noise reduction feature is also only available in the highest level of technology and only in the Virto P 312 which has directionality and wireless features. The intent of this feature is to steer the noise reduction algorithms along with the directional microphones in both ears to provide the most comfortable and best listening experience in noisy environments.  

New APD 2.0

APD is Phonak’s proprietary fitting formula. In simple terms, there are two widely accepted and well-researched “prescription” fitting formulas for hearing aids: DSL 5.0 and NAL-NL2.  Hearing care providers (HCPs) have a choice of using one of these formulas or using a hearing aid manufacturer’s own fitting formula. The manufacturers usually have a slightly different fitting goal in that they will lean toward more initial fitting acceptance (i.e., comfort). That is, you will likely get less volume for certain sounds than you might with the NAL-NL2 or DSL 5.0 formulas. However, this also means you may get less audibility.

With the release of the Paradise products, Phonak has modified their proprietary fitting formula to alter the compression speeds with the intent of giving more range of amplification overall (dynamic range).  They have also changed the compression for loud sounds and changed the formula for mild to moderate hearing losses. Again, the overall intent is to improve listening comfort and initial acceptance with their own fitting formula.

Other Considerations:

Power Supply

Virto P-312, as the name suggests, is powered by a standard 312 size hearing aid battery which can provide up to 83 hours of use, without streaming.  However, if you are using the streaming capabilities, you will get significantly less battery life. This is not unique to Phonak and is inherent in all streaming technology.  If you stream approximately 8 hours a day with phone calls and/or with other devices like the TV connector, you should expect to get only 3-4 days of use on a single disposable battery.

Phonak, despite being a technology leader in the industry, does not currently offer a rechargeable custom ITE hearing aid option. However, they do offer rechargeability in several of their RIC and standard BTE products, including the Paradise platform. Other companies, such as Starkey and Signia, do offer rechargeable custom products with wireless connectivity; however, these hearing aids are usually required to be built as a larger ITE in full- or half-shell sizes.

Hearing aids incorporating rechargeable batteries have become incredibly popular in recent years mainly due to the simple convenience of the hearing aids. That is, there’s no longer a need to change your disposable battery after several days of use, and operating most chargers is simple and straightforward.  For people with dexterity and/or vision issues, changing a hearing aid battery can also be very frustrating.

Other products within the Virto P line will utilize either the same standard 312 battery or a 10-size battery. The battery life will vary depending on the product, the hearing aid’s programming, and your listening habits (the more work your hearing aid does, the shorter the battery life). It should be noted that a size 13 battery is not an option for Virto P products. Larger batteries generally provide longer battery life.

MyPhonak Smart Phone App

Phonak’s smartphone app, myPhonak, is available within the Virto product family, but only for the Virto P-312, as this is the only product with wireless capability.  The current version of the app released in February 2022 (4.0.6) fixed some bugs seen with the previous version. Mainly, after disconnecting from a Bluetooth connection (or getting an alert), the hearing aids will now return to the same custom program and not automatically revert to the automatic program.

The app allows for a generous amount of functionality including program and volume change, noise reduction control, directional microphone control, and for Paradise products, a speech enhancement slider. There is also the ability to communicate with your HCP via a remote programming session.  

The rating for the app is not overly positive, however, with the primary complaint being connection issues and the hearing aids returning to an automatic program. This last issue, however, was addressed in the latest update and the overall app rating may improve. 

Technology Levels

Like most hearing aid companies, Phonak offers their products in varying levels of technology. For example, the same CIC style hearing aid may have very different sound processing features depending on what level of technology you decide you need. For Paradise hearing aids, 4 different levels are available: P90, P70, P50, and P30.

As you might guess, the highest level of technology will provide you with the most features. For example, for the Virto P products, only the P90 level will give you the above-mentioned speech enhancement and dynamic noise reduction. The P90 will also give you more environmental classification scenarios with the addition of speech in loud noise, speech in a car, and comfort in the presence of an echo.

The lower tier products (P50 and P30) lose additional features such as wind noise reduction and impulse noise reduction (think slamming doors or clattering dishes). The absence of those features may reduce overall listening comfort. The P50 and P30 also will not classify music as a listening environment, which may diminish the sound quality of music.

Again, this is not unusual with hearing aid manufacturers and you should discuss with your hearing care provider about which level of technology best suits your listening needs and budget. HearingTracker likes to point out that the skill of the professional fitting the hearing aid—especially combined with his/her adherence to best practices—is often more important for basic hearing performance and satisfaction than the hearing aid technology level.

Benefits/Limitations of Custom Hearing Aids

The majority of U.S. hearing aid sales are currently RIC style products, representing approximately 80% of the market. The reasons for this are multi-fold, but include off-the-shelf programming and fitting, more physical space for advanced electronics and battery life, as well as good cosmetics. Custom ITE hearing aids—namely IIC, CIC, in-the-canal or ITC, and ITE styles— represent only 13% of the U.S. market according to 2021 data. Custom instruments require that an impression be made of your ear and ear canal, and then the device is built specifically for your ear(s).  This takes more time and a bit more effort—but can be worth it in some instances.

For example, placing a hearing aid behind the ear (BTE) and then the earmold and/or tip in the ear canal can be difficult for some people, especially if they have vision, dexterity, or other issues such as sensation/movement limitations or a hand tremor. Custom instruments, especially canal and half-shell products can be easier to insert/remove from the ear for some people while still offering the benefit of good cosmetics. There is also evidence that some custom-fit hearing aids (eg, ITC, CIC, and IIC styles) may benefit from a deeper placement in the ear canal and resulting acoustic advantages, including more natural resonance and reduced wind noise.

In this era a wearing face masks, customs also prove beneficial. Taking a face mask on/off can be problematic for some people wearing BTE instruments, as the hearing aid may get tangled with the mask. At best this causes frustration and, at worst, can mean a lost hearing aid. For those who wear eyeglasses, a similar issue can occur or some may simply not have enough room behind their ear for both a hearing aid and the arms of the eyeglasses.

However, there are also downsides including size limitations for circuitry and features—think wireless functionality, directional microphones, push buttons, and rechargeability as examples.  Acoustic feedback may also be a problem, depending on the gain (volume) required for your hearing loss and whether the custom instrument fits well and has proper venting.

Both RIC/BTE and custom instruments offer advantages, so be sure to talk to your hearing care provider to ensure you know your options and the best fit for you, your hearing loss and your lifestyle.