--- title: "Audéo EON Sphere: the Phonak study explained | Silver Audition" description: "Understanding speech in noise with AI: we read the Phonak study on the Audéo EON Sphere. The figures, the limits, and what it changes for you." lang: en json-ld: | { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@type": "Article", "headline": "Hearing aids and AI: what the Phonak study on the Audéo EON Sphere actually shows", "description": "Understanding speech in noise with AI: we read the Phonak study on the Audéo EON Sphere. The figures, the limits, and what it changes for you.", "datePublished": "2026-09-16T15:59:49.428231+00:00", "mainEntityOfPage": "https://silveraudition.ch/en/resources/hearing-aids-ai-phonak-study-audeo-eon-sphere", "author": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Silver Audition" }, "publisher": { "@type": "Organization", "name": "Silver Audition" }, "image": "https://silveraudition.ch/__l5e/assets-v1/519e0d1d-2daa-463a-8a50-b70cdc1814bf/audeoe-design-article.png", "dateModified": "2026-09-16T16:36:47.747599+00:00" } --- [![Silver Audition](/logo-silver-audition.svg)](/en) - [Our approach](/en/our-approach) - [Hearing aids](/en/hearing-aids) - [Prices](/en/prices) - [Resources](/en/resources) - [Shop](/en/shop) - [Contact](/en/contact) [FR](/ressources/aide-auditive-ia-etude-phonak-audeo-eon-sphere)EN [Download the brochure](/en/brochure) 1. [Home](/en) 2. › 3. [Resources](/en/resources) 4. › 5. Hearing aids and AI: what the Phonak study on the Audéo EON Sphere actually shows # Hearing aids and AI: what the Phonak study on the Audéo EON Sphere actually shows Phonak research · 16 September 2026 · 9 min read ![Article illustration: Hearing aids and AI: what the Phonak study on the Audéo EON Sphere actually shows](/__l5e/assets-v1/519e0d1d-2daa-463a-8a50-b70cdc1814bf/audeoe-design-article.png) You hear well at home, but at a restaurant, around a lively table, you catch one word in two. It is a complaint we hear every week in Morges and Vevey, and it is precisely the situation the new generation of Phonak hearing aids sets out to solve with a chip dedicated to artificial intelligence. Phonak has published a study to measure what that chip actually delivers. We read it for you. Here is what it says, what it does not say, and what it changes for your decision. ## Two chips instead of one The Audéo EON Sphere is a receiver-in-canal hearing aid, the small format that sits behind the ear with a thin wire running into the ear canal. What sets it apart is its architecture: it carries two processors. The first is a conventional audio chip. It amplifies sound, recognises the kind of environment you are in (quiet, music, street, restaurant) and handles the connection to your phone or television. Every modern hearing aid does this job. The second is a chip dedicated to artificial intelligence. It does one thing only: it runs a neural network trained to separate speech from noise. The feature is called Spheric Speech Clarity. It switches on automatically when the environment becomes loud and complex, and stays idle the rest of the time. The Audéo EON R, the standard model in the same range, shares the first chip but not the second. That is the essential difference between the two devices, and it is what the study examines. ## Why a neural network changes the method Until now, the usual answer to understanding speech in noise was the directional microphone: the device favours sounds coming from the front and reduces those coming from the sides and behind. That works well with a single conversation partner, but it assumes you are looking at the person speaking. At a table of six, the conversation moves around, and the voice you care about rarely comes from where you happen to be looking. A neural network works differently. It has been trained on a very large number of recordings of voices mixed with noise, until it learned what human speech looks like, wherever it comes from. Instead of choosing a direction, it sorts: it keeps what has the signature of speech and reduces the rest. The aim is to improve the signal-to-noise ratio, the gap between the voice you want to hear and the background, without asking you to turn your head. ## What the study measured The study was carried out at the Hörzentrum Oldenburg in Germany, a recognised hearing research centre, and published in October 2025 (Latzel and colleagues). Twenty-two people took part. All already wore hearing aids, had a moderate to severe, symmetrical hearing loss, and were 70 years old on average. In other words, a profile close to that of most of our patients. Each participant was tested in two conditions, with the same devices: once with the artificial intelligence programme, once with a conventional “speech in loud noise” programme based on directional microphones. The background noise was a babble of several voices, played from all directions, at 75 decibels. That is roughly the sound level of a busy restaurant. Four measurements were taken. ### The understanding threshold: 3.2 decibels gained For each participant, the researchers looked for the noise level at which they could no longer understand half of the sentences. With artificial intelligence, that threshold moves by 3.2 decibels: the person can tolerate 3.2 decibels more noise and still understand just as well. It sounds modest, but the decibel scale is deceptive. Three decibels correspond roughly to a doubling of the noise's sound energy. In practice, a table that had become impossible to follow becomes followable again. This is the measurement behind the “up to 44%” figure Phonak puts forward. It is a relative improvement, calculated on the range of scores obtained in the two conditions, not 44% more words understood. ### Words recognised when several people talk: almost 20 points more In a second test, several people spoke at the same time and participants had to repeat words. With artificial intelligence, the word recognition score rises by 19.9 percentage points. To give an order of magnitude: someone who understood one word in two now understands seven in ten. ### Listening effort: the same strain with 3.4 decibels more noise Understanding in noise is not only about hearing the words. It demands a concentration that wears you down. Participants rated their listening effort on a standardised scale. With artificial intelligence, they reported the same effort with 3.4 decibels more noise. Phonak expresses that gap as a relative change of 37%. ### Fatigue over time Finally, the researchers simulated a condensed “listening day”. As the day went on, participants' results improved with the artificial intelligence programme, as if ear and brain were learning, while they stagnated with the conventional programme. The authors read this as a sign of reduced listening fatigue. ## A less power-hungry chip, so the AI is active more often A second figure appears in Phonak's communication about this generation: “37% more efficient”. It does not come from the study and it does not measure hearing. It is a manufacturer specification for the energy consumed by the speech-separation feature, compared with the previous generation. Not to be confused with the 37% in the listening-effort section above: same number, two unrelated things. That figure nevertheless has a direct consequence for what you hear. On the previous generation, the artificial intelligence chip consumed so much that the device kept it for very noisy environments only, to protect the battery. A feature that uses a third less energy can switch on earlier, at more moderate noise levels, and stay active for longer during the day. That is what we see in our centres with the EON generation: the speech-in-noise programme kicks in in situations where the previous Sphere stayed in its standard mode. The benefit measured by the study therefore extends to more moments of the day. We come back to this in our article on [the real battery life of a rechargeable hearing aid](/en/resources/rechargeable-hearing-aid-real-battery-life). ## What it means day to day These laboratory measurements describe one specific situation: a lot of noise, several voices, one conversation to follow. That is the family meal, the café terrace, drinks with friends, the club meeting. If those are the moments when you drop out, when you answer “yes” without having understood, or that you end up avoiding, that is where the artificial intelligence chip brings something measurable. Conversely, in quiet surroundings, at home, one to one or in front of the television, the chip stays idle. In those situations, the Audéo EON Sphere and the Audéo EON R process sound in the same way. ## The limits to know before you decide To make an informed decision, you also need to read the small print. The study was funded by Sonova, the group that owns Phonak. That is not a reason to dismiss it, it is the norm in this industry, but it calls for caution in interpretation. The “37% more efficient” figure is a value declared by the manufacturer, with no published independent measurement, and the link between that energy saving and better everyday understanding is reasoning, not a separately measured result. Twenty-two participants is a small sample. The results are statistically robust, but they describe an average. The individual benefit may be higher or lower, depending on your hearing loss and your brain. The comparison is between two sound-processing programmes, tested on the same devices, not between two models. The study therefore does not directly compare the Audéo EON Sphere with the Audéo EON R in real conditions. The study was carried out on the previous generation of Sphere devices. Phonak applies the result to the current generation on the grounds that the feature is the same, carried by a newer chip. That reasoning is plausible, but it is not a new measurement. Finally, everything was measured in a laboratory. A real restaurant adds dishes, music and the acoustics of the room. The real benefit therefore varies from one place to another, and from one person to another. ## How to know whether it is right for you The question to ask is simple: how much time do you spend, each week, in noisy situations where you need to follow a conversation? If the answer is “often”, the artificial intelligence chip in the [Audéo EON Sphere](/en/hearing-aids/phonak-audeo-eon-sphere) meets a concrete need, and the study gives it a measured basis. If the answer is “rarely”, the [Audéo EON R](/en/hearing-aids/phonak-audeo-eon-r) offers the same comfort in quiet situations, at a lower price. The prices of both models are on [our prices page](/en/prices). In both cases, the test that counts is your own. Our centres offer a free three-week trial, with devices fitted to your hearing, with no obligation to buy. Take them to the restaurant, to the family table, wherever you usually drop out. Then [come and tell us about it](/en/contact). ## Sources Latzel, M., Heeren, J., Lesimple, C., Gökalan, M., Puhlemann, L. and Haf, C. (October 2025). Spheric Speech Clarity improves speech understanding and reduces both listening effort and fatigue. Phonak Field Study News, study conducted at the Hörzentrum Oldenburg. Available in the [Phonak evidence library](https://www.phonak.com/evidence). Phonak / Sonova AG (2026). [Phonak EON: Adaptive Clarity, Universal Connectivity](https://www.phonak.com/en-us/professionals/innovations), accessed September 2026. Sonova AG (24 August 2026). New EON hearing aid portfolio strengthens Phonak's leadership in speech understanding, scene intelligence and Made-For-All connectivity. Press release, Stäfa. States that the EON generation's speech-in-noise feature uses 37% less energy than the previous generation. ## Written by the Silver Audition team Written by the Silver Audition team, qualified hearing care professionals in Morges and Vevey. ## A question about your hearing? Our hearing care professionals answer your questions and support you, with no obligation. [Contact us](/en/contact) ## Also worth reading [![Article illustration: Discreet hearing aids: what size and weight really change](/__l5e/assets-v1/ee3d6813-fa8c-4c61-b8df-191688470daf/audeoe-everyday-article.png)](/en/resources/discreet-hearing-aid-size-weight) Phonak research ### [Discreet hearing aids: what size and weight really change](/en/resources/discreet-hearing-aid-size-weight) “Will it show?” What size and weight figures mean, what actually makes a hearing aid discreet, and the three options, from behind-the-ear to invisible. 16 September 2026 · 6 min read [![Article illustration: Rechargeable hearing aids: how many hours does the battery really last?](/__l5e/assets-v1/6b3b18be-15ef-440a-986b-347bc02b78a3/audeoe-chargergo-poster.jpg)](/en/resources/rechargeable-hearing-aid-real-battery-life) Phonak research ### [Rechargeable hearing aids: how many hours does the battery really last?](/en/resources/rechargeable-hearing-aid-real-battery-life) “Up to 38 hours”: what is that figure worth day to day? Our hearing care professionals explain the real battery life of a rechargeable hearing aid, charging, and what changes over the years. 16 September 2026 · 6 min read [![Article illustration: How Do Your Ears Hear Sounds?](/images/blog/bigstock-Portrait-Of-Young-Caucasian-Wo-477-1200px.webp)](/en/resources/how-do-your-ears-hear-sounds) Understanding hearing ### [How Do Your Ears Hear Sounds?](/en/resources/how-do-your-ears-hear-sounds) Discover how the auditory system works and how we perceive sound. A clear walkthrough of hearing and why it matters. Read more. 3 October 2025 · 2 min read ![Silver Audition](/logo-silver-audition.svg) Hear better. Live fully. Your dedicated hearing health partners, Swiss expertise and genuine care. Explore - [Our approach](/en/our-approach) - [Hearing aids](/en/hearing-aids) - [Prices](/en/prices) - [Resources](/en/resources) - [Contact](/en/contact) Our products - [Shop](/en/shop) - [Accessories](/en/accessories) - [Hearing protection](/en/earplugs) - [Consumables](/en/consumables) - [Download the brochure](/en/brochure) Help and advice - [Help and troubleshooting](/en/troubleshooting) - [Phonak E50-R or E70-R?](/en/advice/phonak-e50-or-e70) - [Convincing a loved one](/en/advice/convince-a-loved-one) Our centres - [Rue de Couvaloup 5, 1110 Morges](/en/morges) - [Avenue de la Gare 12, 1800 Vevey](/en/vevey) Contact - [](https://www.facebook.com/ecoutesilvana) - [](https://www.instagram.com/ecoutesilvana/) - [](https://www.youtube.com/@EcouteSilvana) Copyright © 2026 Silver Audition. All rights reserved. [Privacy policy](/en/privacy-policy)[Impressum](/en/impressum) ![](https://bat.bing.net/action/0?ti=13018850&tm=gtm002&Ver=2&mid=81abb68f-7521-4c62-8f0a-3d8ccb9dc48b&bo=2&pi=918639831&lg=en-US&sw=800&sh=600&sc=24&nwd=1&tl=Aud%C3%A9o%20EON%20Sphere%3A%20the%20Phonak%20study%20explained%20%7C%20Silver%20Audition&p=https%3A%2F%2Fsilveraudition.ch%2Fen%2Fresources%2Fhearing-aids-ai-phonak-study-audeo-eon-sphere&r=<=3471&evt=pageLoad&sv=2&asc=D&cdb=AQAS&rn=545397)