From innovation to real life: My personal Infinio story
Michael Preuss, Infinio’s lead audiologist, has lived with hearing aids since the age of three. Discover why Phonak’s innovations hold a special meaning for him and how Infinio excels.
Growing up with severe to profound hearing loss and wearing hearing instruments came with challenges. Yet, it also sparked a dream—to one day contribute to the hearing aid industry.
That dream became my reality when I joined Phonak as a product audiologist. Living with hearing aids and contributing to product development offers a unique advantage—not only for Phonak but also for my colleagues and, ultimately, for people like me who rely on these innovations. This adds an extra layer of personal motivation to strive for excellence in every innovation
Phonak Infinio introduces meaningful advancements in sound quality, connectivity, reliability, speech understanding, and personalization. Here’s my personal take on the “why” and “how” innovation in these areas makes a difference—from both my perspective as a hearing aid wearer and as an audiologist.
An exceptional first-fit experience
From my perspective as a longtime hearing aid wearer, I loved upgrading from a previous hearing aid generation to Infinio. These devices stay true to the familiar Phonak sound fingerprint while improving sound quality.
The result is a more comfortable listening experience, with noise being less intrusive. Like forgetting glasses on your nose, the ultimate sign of comfort is forgetting—both physically and acoustically—that hearing aids are on your ears all day. Having a great first fit can go a long way toward acceptance of hearing aids.
Stability and speed of connectivity
Our digital world can range from a few devices to an entire network, and it’s different for everyone. Phonak’s universal connectivity reassures me by providing a straightforward way to connect everything.
My Infinio devices stay reliably connected to my iOS smartphone, Android tablet, laptop, TV connector, and Roger™ microphone. The improved stability and speed of the new Phonak ERA™ chip make a noticeable difference in my everyday life. For example, when I’m running or hiking in the Swiss mountains, I can keep my smartphone tucked away in my backpack, rain jacket, or pocket and still make calls or enjoy music. ERA’s stability ensures these connections work seamlessly. Even the person on the other end of my call benefits from improved features like Own Voice Pickup.
When I pause my music or a stream, ERA transitions instantly back to the sounds around me, keeping me connected to my environment.
Reliable performance for every adventure
Infinio features the 3rd generation of Life-technology protection, a standard across the entire Audéo Infinio range. Our products undergo over 10,000 hours and 135 stringent tests* to handle the challenges of everyday life.
Running or hiking in the Swiss mountains often means dealing with sweat, rain, or even paths behind waterfalls. Beyond water resistance, Phonak’s testing ensures the entire system is protected. This reliability allows me to enjoy all activities worry-free—whether I’m jumping with my kids at a trampoline park, biking with a helmet on, riding on a rollercoaster, or charging my devices with the ChargerGo in remote areas.
Personalization for every situation
As an audiologist, I appreciate the nearly endless personalization options Phonak Target software provides. Combined with the myPhonak app, it allows me to tailor the listening experience for maximum comfort and effectiveness.
Personalization needs can vary depending on the situation, like streaming music or watching a movie on a noisy plane or train. With the myPhonak app, I can fine-tune settings or mute the microphones completely, allowing me to fully immerse and relax. And now, Infinio has added a new “Find my hearing aids” feature—something my mom would’ve loved when I buried my hearing aids in a sandbox at age five!
Clean, clear speech in noisy environments
“I can hear well with my devices, but I still struggle in noisy places.” That’s been a reality for over 30 years, and I always thought it was simply a limitation of my hearing loss.
But with Audéo Sphere Infinio and Spheric Speech Clarity, I’ve finally been able to enjoy conversations in busy restaurants, at weddings, and during gatherings. Instead of constantly anticipating questions or straining to follow along, I can now relax and be fully present.
This technology delivers clear speech from all directions, reducing the effort needed to listen and leaving me with more energy throughout the day. Even my wife and colleagues have noticed a change; I’m more relaxed, responsive, and confident in noisy environments. The impact is profound, and I always say, “You have to hear it to believe it.”
There is no doubt: Phonak Infinio has made everyday moments easier for me, from hearing clearly in noisy places to staying connected with the people and things that matter. It’s made a real difference in how I engage with the world around me.
I truly believe your clients will experience these same benefits, making a meaningful impact on their everyday lives as well.
If you’re interested in learning more about Phonak Infinio’s innovations: Link to articles.
Continue here for additional insights on Infinio’s new fitting formula, Adaptive Phonak Digital 3.0
*Sonova applies the 135 individual stringent tests to all our products.