Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids

Released in March 2020, MOMENT is the flagship hearing aid family of Widex, one of the world's top-6 global hearing aid brands, and is designed to deliver "the most pure, natural sound ever" by introducing ultrafast ZeroDelay™ and PureSound™ technologies.

Applicable for virtually all hearing losses, Widex MOMENT builds upon the machine-learning and AI technology initially introduced in its predecessor, Widex EVOKE, that was designed for enhanced sound personalization to accentuate wearers' lifestyles and wellbeing. Widex MOMENT hearing aids are particularly well-liked for their sound quality and music streaming, which helped it earn a place on the 2023 Expert Choice Award Winners list of the independent hearing lab HearAdvisor.

In September 2022, Widex expanded the line by launching MOMENT SHEER, a rechargeable hearing aid that introduced a new modern shell design and several other improvements. More recently, in February 2024, Widex introduced MOMENT SmartRIC, a hearing aid with functionalities similar to SHEER—AI-based sound personalization solutions and stress management and tinnitus relief—but also with a new L-shaped design for improved directional hearing in noise and a portable charging case.

Key features of Widex MOMENT

• Great sound quality and Widex hearing aids are highly rated for music listening
• One of the best AI and machine learning apps for a high degree of sound customization
• Long battery life of up to 29 hours in rechargeable models
• Small, durable, and comfortable
• New hearing aid shape with SmartRIC

Who is MOMENT for?

The MOMENT family of products is appropriate for a wide range of hearing needs, from mild to severe/profound losses. Because the product line encompasses both Behind-the-ear (BTE) and In-the-Ear (ITE) custom styles, it also provides consumers with a wide choice of looks and functionality. These hearing aids boast excellent sound quality with listening in noise benefits, are highly robust with a moisture/dust resistance rating of IP68, have rechargeable options with long usage times, and come with the Widex Zen/Relax programs, which can be particularly useful for people with tinnitus (ringing in the ears).

MOMENT hearing aids, along with all Widex products, are found almost exclusively in the practices of state-licensed audiologists and hearing aid specialists, including those in the HearUSA and HearCanada network which are owned by WSA.

Who is Widex?

Widex is one of the world’s most popular hearing aid brands. Widex was founded in Denmark more than 60 years ago by engineer Christian Tøpholm and business entrepreneur Eric Westermann both of whom had previously worked for William Demant, the founder of Oticon. The privately owned Danish company has a reputation for being an engineering maverick. Among the Widex's important innovations were the world's first digital ITE (Senso), the use of longer attack/release times in hearing aid processing, in-situ fittings (testing your hearing loss via the hearing aid itself), and the first implementation of fractal tones in hearing aids to help alleviate tinnitus (Widex Zen). Many of these innovations have since been employed by Widex's competitors.

In March 2019, Widex merged with Sivantos (formerly Siemens Hearing Instruments), one of the “Big Five” global hearing aid groups that also includes the Signia and Rexton brands. The new combined company, WS Audiology (WSA), is now the third-largest hearing aid company in the world but is still primarily controlled by the Westermann and Tøpholm families. There have been indications the ownership may take WSA public and seek an IPO soon.

MOMENT styles and options

Depending on your unique hearing loss, listening needs, and preferences, you may have a choice from a wide range of hearing aid styles, including:

Behind-ear style options

MOMENT featured four Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) models: the SHEER sRIC R D and SmartRIC, the RIC 312 D, and the smaller RIC 10 (with the numbers denoting the size of the disposable battery used in the devices).

Three Behind-the-Ear (BTE) models—the BTE R rechargeable, BTE 13 D, and BTE 312 D—are also available. The MOMENT BTE and RIC styles are offered in 13 different colors and skin tones.

What's the difference between a RIC and a BTE? Both have the processing unit located behind the ear. However, as its name implies, receiver-in-canal aids use a thin wire connected to a receiver (or speaker) and dome/eartip that generates the amplified sound inside your ear canal. With a BTE, in contrast, the receiver/speaker is an integral part of the processing unit (usually making it larger than a RIC), and a tube transmits the sound into an earmold or ear tip in your ear canal. For numerous reasons, RICs are by far the most popular style, but BTEs are very useful particularly for more severe hearing loss.

These aids operate with the MOMENT app and provide users with many of the most advanced features available in advanced hearing aid technology, including Bluetooth streaming for iPhone and Android, unique customization, hearing in noise, and tinnitus/relaxation sound options.

In-ear style hearing aids

For a more discreet hearing solution—albeit without some of the most advanced features of the RIC and BTE models—there are four in-ear styles: the Completely-in-Canal (CIC) Micro, In-the-Canal (ITC), and the IM ITE and XP ITE hearing aids. Unlike the RIC and BTEs, these devices use the Widex TONELINK app.

All MOMENT aids come in 4 different technology levels ranging from basic to advanced (110/220/330/440), with the higher technology levels costing more for the enhanced feature set. Your hearing care professional (HCP) can recommend the best model for your hearing loss and lifestyle.

Because the vast majority (>85%) of today's hearing aids purchased are RICs and BTEs, most of the descriptions below broadly describe the MOMENT family, concentrating on the RIC and BTE features.

Unique Technology offered by Widex

Widex is known as a trendsetter in the hearing industry and MOMENT employs most of the signature technologies for which the company is known.

The "PureSound Experience" with ZeroDelay technology

Widex promises the most natural, least distorted sound experience ever using the new ZeroDelay™ and PureSound™ technologies. In a nutshell, ZeroDelay™ offers to deliver sound to the eardrum faster than ever before. Sound quality can be degraded when the digital signal processing in the hearing aid takes too long and is then mixed with the natural sound that passes through venting in the ear tip. Even if this delay is just a few milliseconds, the mixed sound can become distorted due to phase differences (called the "comb-filter effect") between the digitally amplified and the natural sound entering the ear.

Widex PureSound is designed for these open or vented hearing aid fittings and provides an innovative alternative to its classic Universal listening program. PureSound overcomes the artificial or tinny sound that can arise from phase differences in open fittings. Additionally, Widex research indicates ZeroDelay can better preserve the natural cues that listeners use for spatial perception than hearing aids with longer processing delays. The company calls the sound delivered via ZeroDelay its “PureSound experience.”

All of this is achieved by processor speed advancements, and Widex claims 85% of listeners prefer PureSound over the sound offered by its previous-generation products. Also noted in their internal study, 95% of wearers described the hearing aid’s sound as “natural” and “clear,” including the sound of their own voice when compared with their own existing hearing aids (from various brands).

Notably, Widex continues to offer its signature True-Input Technology, which reduces peak-clipping and thus cuts down on distortion from the analog-to-digital converter. This is said to result in a "cleaner" signal when listening to louder-level sounds like live music.

MOMENT SmartRIC: A new design for better hearing in noise

The latest product from Widex, introduced only in February 2024, is the L-shaped SmartRIC. Representing a fairly radical departure from its traditional RIC form factor, Widex SmartRIC uses its 20-degree curve at the top of the hearing aid to elevate its two directional microphones while making them closer to being on the horizontal plane than traditional RICs. This strategic placement reportedly allows the dual-mics to better align with the wearer's focus, leading to an enhanced signal-to-noise ratio, especially in challenging listening environments.

However, while we do think this engineering is clever, the SmartRIC does remind one of the elegant curvatures found in Signia Styletto and Phonak Lumity Slim. But the Widex SmartRIC also has other refinements. The newly designed microphone inlets effectively minimize wind and touch noise—those annoying muffled sounds made when something brushes against a hearing aid—making your listening more comfortable and natural.

SmartRIC can operate for up to 37 hours on a single charge, making it the company’s longest-lasting RIC. It also comes with one of the nicest portable charging cases in the industry—the first and only portable recharger offered by Widex. Its compact charger can fully recharge the SmartRIC in just 4 hours, and it can provide an 8-hour boost of usage with a quick 30-minute charge. And, in another impressive feat, the new charger can carry 5 extra charges for on-the-go use.

MOMENT SHEER for more natural sound and well-being

MOMENT SHEER is a new rechargeable receiver-in-canal (sRIC R D) option introduced in September 2022 that takes over for its predecessor, the mRIC. It features a new design intended to be very discreet and modern and is one of the smallest lithium-ion hearing aids on the market. It also employs new microphone openings for better directionality, an updated push-button, acoustically superior ear-tips, and a more versatile AI personalization system.

An expanded range of eartips and sleeves in SHEER widens the scope of applicable hearing losses relative to a closed to open (vented) fitting—providing hearing care professionals more flexibility during your fitting.

SHEER also features rechargeability, and its standard charger has been redesigned to improve ease of use and match the modern aesthetic of the new hearing aid. Widex claims that the SHEER provides up to 29 hours of use time on a full charge of 4 hours; it can provide 16 hours of listening with 8 hours of streaming. Regardless, with a full charge, you can almost be certain to get a full day’s use out of the hearing aids.

Charging station options

There are different standard chargers for MOMENT SHEER and BTE R D, although both are small enough to take anywhere and have LED light indicators to show the charging status. The BTE R D has a clever but not-very-intuitive sliding cover which is handy if you wish to slip it into your pocket; however, some people find it hard to open (you need to pull up gently on the cover for it to release, then slide it back to open). The newer sRIC R D charging case has a sleeker design and lacks this sliding cover.

A premium Charge n Clean station, as the name implies, treats the recharging hearing aids with a UV-C LED light that eliminates up to 99.99% of bacteria, yeast, and viruses while also stabilizing the temperature throughout the charging process to ensure optimal battery performance.

Finally, there is also the Widex SmartRIC portable case which can be used only for this device. This new charger, which is small enough to fit into your pocket or small purse, features LEDs to inform you of its charging status and offers patients hassle-free charging and peace of mind when on the go.

Aside from achieving a tiny hearing aid size, the lithium-ion solution also helps to provide improved moisture protection. But the fact is that all MOMENT products carry an IP68 rating, making them resistant to moisture and dust; this rating has become a standard in the hearing aid industry. For more details about IP ratings, see our article on moisture and hearing aids.

The downside to these rechargers is that none contain extra charges except for the SmartRIC charger. It's probably not a deal-breaker, but we think Widex will improve upon this feature as it introduces new devices like the SmartRIC.

MySound 2.0: AI for exceptional sound personalization

HearingTracker published an article in 2018 predicting that machine learning would revolutionize hearing aids. Widex pioneered SoundSense Learn machine learning technology in hearing aids with their EVOKE family of products, and it formed the foundation for the personalized sound enhancement found in Widex’s latest hearing aids.

With the introduction of SHEER, Widex hearing aids now incorporate MySound 2.0, the company’s next generation of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning. MySound 2.0 works with the Widex MOMENT smartphone app and allows you to customize the sound settings of the hearing aid for various listening situations with an easy-to-use AI interface.

MySound 2.0 has two different modes:

1. Made by You helps with sound personalization, using a series of A/B comparisons in your specific listening environment so you can tailor the sound experience to your exact listening needs, much in the same way an optician asks you if one lens allows you to see more clearly than another. Widex engineers have also added a new dimension to these comparisons called compression—which is essentially a tool that reduces the span between the loudest and softest sounds you can hear—providing users with about 10 times more options in the fine-tuning process than the previous version of MySound.
2. Made for You allows users to choose a setting automatically created within the app based on the preferences of thousands of other wearers for a similar listening situation. The AI gathers sound preferences from Widex wearers worldwide and instantly distills them into optimized sound recommendations you can employ.

The overall goal of Made by You and Made for You is to allow for the personalization of sound in your hearing aid for the many different listening environments you encounter—adjustments in "real-world situations" that cannot always be done within a clinic—ultimately improving your listening comfort and overall hearing aid experience. The ability to use AI within these adjustments may also mean fewer necessary visits to your hearing provider for adjustments.

Controlling Widex MOMENT hearing aids

MOMENT RIC and BTE hearing aids (except the small RIC 10) come with a push-button control on the device that turns them on/off, adjusts the volume, and changes up to 5 listening programs/settings. The RIC 312 D and XP ITE contain telecoils for listening in looped venues, and the Widex Sound Assist accessory (see below) provides telecoil functionality even if the hearing aids don’t have a telecoil.

With these models, you can also connect your smartphone and hearing aids to the MOMENT app, which allows you full control of the hearing aid functions and Bluetooth streaming. (There are also remote controls available as accessories, as shown below with Widex Sound Assist).

The Widex MOMENT app provides a full range of options for controlling your hearing aids on Apple^® or Android™ smartphones. The App allows you to personalize the sound of the hearing aids using MySound (as described above), change the volume, programs, and directional focus and control, and adjust the audio streaming from iPhone and Android phones. There is also an "equalizer screen” that lets you adjust the bass, middle, and treble within individual programs, then name and save these settings for later use.

The app provides information for monitoring battery and wireless connection status, turning on/off Bluetooth (Flight Mode), and finding your hearing aids if you lose or misplace them. Help sections and How-to videos are also available for learning about the aids and troubleshooting.

The Widex MOMENT app currently has only a user rating of 2.9 on the Apple App Store and a 2.6 rating on Google Play. This is not unusual for a hearing aid app; most hover between ratings of 2-3 due to complaints stemming from connectivity issues—a frequent source of discontent, particularly when smartphones and tablets upgrade their operating systems but fail to make the necessary corresponding changes for hearing aid streaming (which seems to be low on their pecking list).

The MOMENT App can be used with all MOMENT RIC and BTE aids (except the RIC 10) and is compatible with iOS 13.2 or later, as well as with most ASHA-supported smartphones and Android 7.0 and higher. Make sure to check the Widex compatibility page for the complete list.

For MOMENT ITE hearing aids and the RIC 10 model, there is the more basic TONELINK app which allows you to adjust the volume, change programs, mute the aids, and change directional focus (where applicable). The ITE and ITC models offer an optional push-button control in addition to TONELINK.

Tinnitus and Relaxation Modes

Widex was the first company to employ soothing "fractal tones" in their hearing aids to help people with tinnitus (ringing in the ears). Built upon the legacy of its broader approach to managing tinnitus—Widex Zen Therapy—Widex SoundRelax is an expanded library of constantly changing, soothing tones and harmonic melodies that never repeat, all designed to relax the mind and aid concentration. Once activated by your hearing care professional, the Zen/Relax sounds are shaped according to your hearing loss, so you can listen to them at any time and place with a simple push of the program button.

The Zen/Relax program can be used alone (without amplification) in quiet when you are not required to hear surrounding sounds; it can also be used with amplification so that both the surrounding sounds and the generated sounds (fractal tones and noise) are heard together. The new Relax tones bring a “calming effect of soft tones and modulated nature sounds to wearers with and without tinnitus.”

HCPs trained in tinnitus remediation can employ Widex Zen Therapy in comprehensive programs that include counseling, amplification, relaxation techniques, and other strategies for reducing the effects of tinnitus.

Widex RemoteCare

With the Widex Remote Care App and Widex Remote Link neckworn-accessory, you can have a live video call with your audiologist and receive real-time hearing aid adjustments. While the Remote Link accessory may be considered a nuisance (some manufactuers offer remote care with no accessory), Widex currently has one of the most comprehensive remote care offerings available on the market, allowing your audiologist to make all of the same adjustments to your hearing aids that they might make in their clinic. This includes calibrating or re-calibrating the feedback cancellation software and checking your hearing again using in-situ audiometry (i.e., the hearing aid itself tests your hearing and the hearing aid's performance).

Accessories for Widex Moment

As noted above, you can increase the functionality of Widex MOMENT hearing aids with several accessories, most notably Widex Sound Assist, COM-DEX, and TV Play.

Widex Sound Assist: The "Swiss Army knife" of hearing aid accessories

Released at about the same time as SHEER, Widex Sound Assist is a five-in-one device that has been likened to a "Swiss Army knife" of hearing aid accessories. You can place Sound Assist on a boardroom table or clip it onto the lapel of the person you wish to focus on and hear them exceptionally well— even at a distance and/or in a noisy listening situation. Sound Assist also allows you to make hands-free phone calls and provides direct streaming from any Bluetooth device, as well as functions as a remote control and telecoil for the hearing aids. See the video below for our review on this device.

Widex SoundConnect

Widex SoundConnect allows you to stream stereo audio directly from your computer to Bluetooth-enabled Moment hearing aids. It is a small plug-and-play Bluetooth device that looks like a tiny USB, and gives your computer up to 8 meters (8.5 yards) of connectivity with your hearing aids for video calls or any computer audio streaming.

Widex COM-DEX

COM-DEX is a hands-free neck-worn streamer that transmits high-quality sound to hearing aids from phones, MP3 players, and other devices. COM-DEX pairs easily via Bluetooth to a variety of Bluetooth accessories and also works with an optional COM-DEX Remote Mic to hear better over distances up to 10 meters. And a COM-DEX App enables smartphone control of your hearing aid’s Bluetooth settings.

TV PLAY streams to your MOMENT hearing aids

TV PLAY™ streams audio from your television direct to your hearing aids. It’s easy to set up, with minimal cables that connect to the digital audio out and powered USB ports on your TV. The device can sit next to the TV or be easily mounted on the back. Sound levels can be controlled via the hearing aid control buttons, RC-DEX, or the MOMENT app.

HearAdvisor Testing and Real-life User Reviews

In our HearAdvisor lab tests, ratings for WIDEX MOMENT SHEER were very good (at this writing, above the competition by 5% or more) for "Speech in Noise" and "Own Voice" for Tuned fittings. SHEER had above-average ratings in 4 of the 5 testing categories measured for both Initial Fit and Tuned Fit. For details, see the HearingAdvisor Lab Ratings section below.

HearingTracker guest-author Mark Truong used Widex MOMENT hearing aids for two weeks in October 2020 and reported on his experiences. One of the things he enjoyed most about them was both the sound quality and pass-through (transparency) feature of MOMENT’s Bluetooth audio streaming, which allowed him to listen to music while also being aware of environmental sounds—whether biking in his neighborhood or chatting while doing the dishes. He also thought the wearing comfort was better than most other hearing aids he has tried.

At this writing, the Widex Moment product line has a 2.9 star rating (out of 5 stars), but there were only 9 reviews with two people giving it only 1 star because it doesn’t provide hands-free calling (which Widex doesn’t advertise). For the entire product line, the highest ratings (95%) were for the parameters of “Clear and Natural” and “Reliability”, and 90% for “Music Improvement” and “Hearing Improvement”.

One reviewer named Smertz writes in December 2021:

Phone calls function nicely, people have no problem understanding me. The aids work really well in crowded restaurants and small music venues. The app works well and is very reliable, but its interface could use significant improvement, especially for a brand that is a favorite among musicians and music lovers… For remote visits with an audiologist, a separate and expensive connection hardware is required. This is nonsense when Phonak builds the remote access capability right into the aid itself. Overall, my listening experience has improved greatly with the Widex Moment 440 aids and I recommend them for trialing.

Another named Wootieli comments in May 2020:

Overall, I love them! I love the rechargeable solution. They came with a small charger with slots to just drop them in every night which turns their power off. Lifting out of the charger powers them back on. You can also hold the button down until you hear them go off. I use them at least 10-12 hrs daily and stream all calls through them and also music some days or my audio book. I’ve never run out of battery power. I’ve heard the “low battery” announcement a couple times but that’s all.

In the HearingTracker Forum, there is a discussion about the use of PureSound for people who have greater degrees of hearing loss (i.e., outside mild to moderate losses) and may not benefit from the technology that is designed for open fittings. The reviewer genespesard, who has a more severe hearing loss than PureSound is indicated for, comments in December 2022:

I’ve had my new [Sheer] 440’s for almost two months now and I like using Puresound when I’m in a quiet environment like when I’m at home. If I go out I switch to Universal or one of the custom programs I’ve created. I’m way outside the fitting range [of PureSound] but I still like it when the listening isn’t too demanding.

Summary

The MOMENT line of hearing aids is the newest flagship product offered by Widex, and the SHEER sRIC R D is among the top RIC hearing aids on the market. Traditionally, Widex hearing aids have been one of the favorite picks for people who love music and music streaming, and the ZeroDelay and Puresound processing technologies provide exceptional listening in a multitude of environments as demonstrated by both consumer comments and from our HearAdvisor audio samples. Probably the largest drawback of MOMENT is its limited choice of rechargeable options, but it should be noted there are four technology levels and the new SHEER provides a very wide fitting range with three different receiver options and new eartips.