Sonova Returns to Costco with Sennheiser Sonite R Hearing Aid
Costco is exploring Sennheiser as a new supplier for hearing aids, meaning Sonova may be re-entering the nation's largest hearing aid retailer after a 2-year hiatus.)
Sonova products are set to return to Costco in a pilot trial, as the United States' largest hearing aid retailer starts to offer the Sonite R receiver-in-canal (RIC) hearing aid made by Sennheiser, a Sonova brand. According to a Costco corporate memo (available on HearingTracker's Hearing Aid Forum), the warehouse membership retailer will initially offer the Sennheiser Sonite R in over 100 stores, replacing WS Audiology's (WSA) Rexton Reach RIC hearing aids which debuted in June. However, WSA will continue to supply Costco with Rexton behind-the-ear (BTE) and custom in-ear hearing aids, while Costco also offers Philips-branded hearing aids from Demant and Jabra Enhance Pro models from GN.
Costco is the largest commercial distributor of hearing aids in the U.S., with over 750 hearing aid centers responsible for an estimated 16-20% of all hearing aid unit sales. Sonova, the world’s largest hearing aid manufacturer, produces Phonak, Unitron, Sennheiser, and Hansaton hearing aids, and operates the hearing clinic network AudioNova/Connect Hearing.
The relationship between Costco and Sonova has been rocky recently. Starting in April 2021, Costco’s premiere Kirkland Signature 10 (KS10) hearing aids were made by Sonova. However, by October 2022, the retailer stopped offering the KS10 amid reports of disputes related to a product recharging issue. This discontinuation extended to Costco's sales of Phonak Brio hearing aids. Commenting on the change, Sonova US President Sandy Brandmeier explained that the Phonak brand was refocusing on strategic channels and eliminating offers “in certain large retail chains.”
As HearingTracker noted at the time, this still left the door open for Sonova's other brands, including Sennheiser—a German consumer electronics company known for its high-end headphones and other audio equipment. More recently, Sennheiser has introduced its Conversation Clear Plus and All-Day Clear over-the-counter hearing aids.
A Sonova spokesperson told HearingTracker, "At Sonova, our vision is to create a world where everyone enjoys the delight of hearing, leading to a life without limitations. As part of this vision, we are committed to providing a comprehensive portfolio of hearing care solutions to individuals seeking treatment for their hearing loss regardless of how they choose to access care.
“For this specific mainstream retail chain, we offer bespoke hearing instrument solutions under our Sennheiser consumer brand [Sonova licensed], as a significant percentage of consumers visit mainstream retail chains to get their hearing treated and get hearing care.”
It's unclear why Costco is interested in replacing Rexton Reach, which like its competitors, is a high-quality device with advanced features. Some market analysts have cited possible product delivery problems may be factor. Last year, as part of the global near-shoring movement, WSA moved a good deal of its production to Mexico when it opened a new state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Tijuana.
The addition of Sennheiser may position it alongside popular Costco brands like Philips HearLink and Jabra Enhance Pro. This shift could reflect a broader trend in large retail and OTC hearing aid distribution toward familiar consumer brands, such as Sony, Bose, JLab, and, more recently, Apple.
Costco has not launched a flagship Kirkland Signature 11 (KS11) hearing aid to replace the KS10, although it may still do so in the future. It could also continue offering multi-brand hearing aids without a KS product.
)
What is Sennheiser Sonite R?
The KS10 was based on technology from Phonak’s older Paradise platform. Although we don’t have full technical details on the Sennheiser Sonite R, it is a rechargeable RIC hearing aid with advanced features that will be dispensed by licensed hearing care professionals at Costco for $1,600. In terms of technology, the Sonite R most closely resembles a previous-generation Sonova product and not the latest Phonak Audéo Infinio or Sphere Infinio hearing aids.
)
According to Sennheiser's Sonite R webpage, the hearing aid includes:
- Automatic features with Al that identify sound and use adaptive noise reduction for the best listening experience
- Narrow Speech focus 2.0 binaural directional beamforming
- A Speech manager that detects direction of the main speech signal and speech boost
- 4 additional programs
- Multifunction buttons
- Impulse and wind managers
- Made for all streaming technology allows any bluetooth compatible device to stream directly and connects to 8 enabled devices
- A standard, pocket-size, charger that fully charges the device in 3 hours for all-day power
- An Ingress Protection (IP) rating against moisture and dirt of IP68, the highest available for hearing aids
- Support app adjusts hearing aid settings, tracks activities, and connects them
- 3 color combinations: Silver/Black, Graphite Gray/Black, and Sandlewood/Black
This article was updated to include a link to the Costco memo and provide more information about the Sonite R hearing aid.
Karl Strom
Editor in ChiefKarl Strom is the editor-in-chief of HearingTracker. He was a founding editor of The Hearing Review and has covered the hearing aid industry for over 30 years.
)