Unitron Hearing Aids Review
Unitron hearing aids are some of the most popular hearing devices on the market. I’m Dr. Amy, and I fit a variety of hearing losses with different brands and styles of hearing aids. Unitron offers a wide range of features and benefits, making them a good choice for many people with hearing loss. As a Doctor of Audiology with years of experience working with patients with hearing loss and a range of hearing aid manufacturers, I’m uniquely qualified to provide insight on hearing aid brands. In addition, I’ve seen both the good and bad. In this article, I’ll tell you my opinion about Unitron hearing aids from both an audiologist’s perspective and my experience with wearing Unitron Blu hearing aids for a few days.
Why should you trust my review?
I’m Dr. Amy, a Doctor of Audiology, and I’ve worked with a variety of hearing aids. I have fit many patients with a wide range of hearing aids, including Unitron. Additionally, I test hearing aids myself to have firsthand experience.
What is Unitron?
First, let’s get into some background if you’re unfamiliar with this hearing aid company. With its beginnings in the 1960s in chilly Canada, Unitron is now a part of the Sonova Group, one of the largest hearing aid manufacturers in the world. In recent years, they’ve made some strides and offer high-quality hearing aid technology with representation in over 46 countries worldwide.
How does Unitron compare with the top six hearing aid manufacturers?
In the hearing aid market, there are six top hearing aid brands: GN Resound, Oticon, Phonak, Starkey, Signia, and Widex. While Unitron is not on that list, Unitron is often compared with Phonak – and for good reason. Unitron hearing aids use the same PRISM chip as Phonak hearing aids. However, how they use the chip differs from what Phonak hearing aids do. I trialed a pair of Unitron Moxi Blu RIC hearing aids (the most popular hearing aid style) for a few days. First, let’s look at some of the pros and cons of the Unitron Moxi Blu hearing aid.
Read more about other hearing aid brands here.
What is Unitron Moxi Blu?
The Unitron Moxi is the company’s latest hearing aid model. This RIC hearing aid (receiver in canal) comes in several levels of technology: 9 (premium level), 7 (advanced), 5 (standard), and 3 (essential). A unique selling point of Unitron is that you can upgrade technology later or test out a different level with their FLEX:TRIAL capability. I set this rechargeable hearing aid for premium-level technology for my hearing aid trial.
What I liked
- Good sound quality overall
- Handsfree calls were easy and audible
- Good streaming quality
- Easy-to-use Smartphone app
Overall, I thought that these hearing aids were a solid choice. While wearing them at home, they provided a natural listening experience, and felt comfortable in my ear canal. I wore them in various listening environments, including outside on a windy day, and they did a reasonable job counteracting the wind. The streaming quality was excellent, and I tested out a podcast and some music. Phone calls came through clearly for the caller and me without needing my phone nearby. The intuitive app allows you to adjust the volume and manually switch programs if desired. The app also offers a remote care feature, which is excellent for those looking for remote programming from their hearing care professional.
What I didn’t like
- In one instance, a noise triggered a “choppy” listening experience
- Whistling from disruption to Bluetooth connection to my phone in the car
- Tap control unintentionally triggered Siri
- Placing hearing aids in the charger can be finicky
While wearing these hearing aids, I encountered a few points I didn’t like so much. In the grocery store, the hearing aids were cutting in and out with the background noise. The culprit? Most likely, ceiling fans and varying degrees of background noise caused the hearing aids to jump between programs, sometimes creating a “choppy” listening experience.
Additionally, one instance in the car caused some disruption due to the connection with Bluetooth on my phone. While the universal wireless Bluetooth connectivity is a big plus, the hearing aids did jump between the audible GPS commands in my hearing aids back to the car stereo. As the microphones cut in and out during this experience, they would whistle while making that adjustment. Disabling the Bluetooth in that scenario did fix the issue. However, the tap control was unintentionally triggered several times when reaching up toward my hair, which triggered Siri in my ear. Additionally, placing the hearing aids in the charger can take some work. I put them in the charger with a little effort, but someone with dexterity challenges may find this problematic.
Unitron Moxi Hearing Aids
The Unitron Moxi hearing aid is one of the most popular hearing aid models in the Unitron hearing aid line. The RIC hearing aid is available in six colors and fits mild to severe hearing loss. In addition, it comes in a rechargeable battery option, disposable battery option, and telecoil option, and it has a remote control feature on the Smartphone app for easy operation. In my experience as an audiologist, patients appreciate the wide range of features and benefits offered by the Unitron Moxi hearing aid.
Unitron Stride Hearing Aids
The Unitron Stride hearing aid is another popular model. It is a BTE hearing aid with a fitting range for up to a profound hearing loss. It also features a rechargeable battery or disposable battery option for those who prefer traditional hearing aids with 675 batteries.
Should you get Unitron hearing aids?
From an audiologist’s perspective, I can confidently recommend Unitron Moxi Blu hearing aids. These are high-quality hearing instruments and have a lot of attractive features. I’ve had great success with patients who wear Sonova products and recommend hearing aids based on their fitting profile, features, and personal experience wearing them. Another excellent option with Unitron is upgrading without purchasing a whole new device. During the pandemic, many patients stayed at home in quieter environments, and now that most of us are back to a noisier setting, it’s nice to have the ability to upgrade.
Who should not get Unitron hearing aids?
- Single-sided deafness (no CROS option)
- Not tech savvy (Bluetooth can act up)
- Poor dexterity (charger can be tricky)
While I generally would recommend these hearing aids, there are a few people who may do better with other products. For example, if you have single-sided deafness, I’d instead recommend you try Phonak products, as they offer some of the best hearing aids with CROS capability. For those who have difficulty turning off Bluetooth or don’t want Bluetooth connectivity, I’d recommend a different hearing aid brand to keep things simple. Finally, if dexterity is a concern, there are rechargeable products that are easier to place in the charger.
Conclusion:
If you’re considering purchasing a hearing aid, Unitron hearing aids are worth considering. They offer a wide range of features and benefits, making them a good choice for many people with hearing loss. In addition, if you’re looking for a flexible hearing aid option, Unitron is a great choice.
