Phonak introduces Naída Paradise

Press Releases
#1

Phonak makes Paradise technology available to those with severe and profound forms of hearing loss

Naída™ Paradise offers an unrivaled powerful hearing experience thanks to next-level, powerful sound and industry-leading connectivity

Stäfa, Switzerland, February 2, 2021 – Phonak, a leading global provider of life-changing hearing solutions, today announces Naída Paradise, the power hearing aid that gives people with severe to profound hearing loss the power, sound quality and wireless connectivity they need to connect with everything around them. Now in its seventh generation, Naída Paradise is 14% smaller, 27% lighter(1), and further improves upon the legendary hearing performance that ultra-power wearers expect from Phonak. This includes next-level, powerful sound, industry-leading connectivity and new custom program memory feature with the new myPhonak 5.0 app.

Next level, powerful sound

Naída Paradise features a powerful double receiver that delivers up to 141 dB of peak gain in the UP model and up to 130 dB in the rechargeable model. It’s powered by the new PRISM™ sound processing chip and features AutoSense OS™ 4.0 for a host of premium features that work together seamlessly. For example, the hearing aids can automatically enhance soft speech in quiet places or reduce noise in loud environments. A built-in accelerometer detects movement and automatically steers the microphones to improve listening on-the-go.(2)

Industry-leading connectivity

Naída Paradise eliminates connectivity barriers that previously existed for consumers who needed more power. Thanks to Phonak universal connectivity, wearers can wirelessly stream audio directly into both hearing aids from virtually any smartphone, TV, laptop, tablet, eBook and more. Only Phonak Paradise technology allows two active Bluetooth® connections at the same time, so wearers can stay connected to their smartphone and their video chat without having to manually switch back and forth.

In addition to universal Bluetooth connectivity, Naída Paradise hearing aids are also equipped with RogerDirect™. This means wearers can also receive the Roger remote microphone signal with no additional accessory required. Launched in 2013, Roger™ technology is proven to boost hearing performance in loud noise and over distance. In fact, hearing aid wearers who receive the Roger signal have better speech understanding in noise and over distance than people with normal hearing.(3) Some Roger microphones and receivers have also been shown to help users understand up to 61% more speech in a group conversation in 75dBA of noise than using hearing aids alone.(4)

Enhanced user accessibility

Universal Bluetooth connectivity coupled with on-board microphones means Naída Paradise wearers can use their hearing aids as wireless headsets for truly hands-free calls. A new Tap Control(2) feature allows users to double tap on their ear to accept or end a call, or pause or resume streaming. A tap on the other ear gives instant access to popular smartphone voice-assistants like Siri® or Google Assistant™.

“Naída has a long-lasting history of delivering power without sacrificing sound quality, so we knew that we needed to deliver an outstanding product to our wearers who depend so heavily on their devices,” said Jon Billings, Vice-President Phonak Marketing. “With Naída Paradise, we’re making history again by giving those with severe forms of hearing loss access to next-level, powerful sound with industry-leading connectivity.”

Coming soon – myPhonak Memory feature and new Roger On™

In late spring, the myPhonak app’s 5.0 update will include the myPhonak Memory feature, which has been requested by consumers and hearing care professionals. It allows consumers to save a custom program from the app to the hearing aids, access last used custom program using the hearing aid’s multi-function button, or access other custom programs via the app. This update eliminates the need to remember a custom setting after a notification alert.

Phonak is also preparing for the newest member of the Roger family with the debut of Roger On. The new Roger On remote microphone will feature MultiBeam 2.0 technology and an improved pointing mode that allows the user to zoom into a speaker by simply pointing. Roger On will be compatible with most hearing aid and cochlear implant and will be able to stream a variety of audio content.

The new Phonak Naída Paradise will be available for pre-order by licensed hearing care professionals in select markets beginning February 2 and will begin shipping as of February 22 in select markets. The myPhonak 5.0 app featuring myPhonak Memory feature as well as the new Roger On remote microphone will be introduced in select markets in late spring.

For more information, please visit:
For consumers: https://www.phonak.com/com/en/hearing-aids/phonak-naida-p.html
For professionals: https://www.phonakpro.com/com/en/products/hearing-aids/naida-paradise/overview-naida-p.html

Source/Reference

(1) Naída P UP with RogerDirect compared to Naída B UP + external Roger receiver.

(2) In the Phonak power BTE portfolio, only Naída P-PR comes with motion sensor technology, including Tap Control.

(3) Thibodeau, L. (2014). Comparison of speech recognition with adaptive digital and FM wireless technology by listeners who use hearing aids. American Journal of Audiology, 23(2), 201-210.

(4) Thibodeau L. M. (2020). Benefits in Speech Recognition in Noise with Remote Wireless Microphones in Group Settings. Journal of the American Academy of Audiology, 31(6), 404–411. https://doi.org/10.3766/jaaa.19060

About Phonak

Headquartered near Zurich, Switzerland, Phonak, a member of the Sonova Group, was created in 1947 out of a passion for taking on the most difficult hearing challenges. Seventy years later, this passion remains. As the industry’s leading innovator, we offer the broadest portfolio of life-changing hearing solutions. From pediatric to profound hearing loss, we remain committed to creating hearing solutions that change people’s lives to thrive socially and emotionally. We believe in creating a world where ‘Life is on’ for everyone.

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6 Likes
Power Hearing Aids 2021
#3

Exciting news. Any idea when the links might work? Roger On sounds really interesting. Sounds a bit like it might add Roger Pen’s pointing ability to Select’s abilities, but too little info to tell.

#4

I wonder, is there a possibility for Phonak to introduce support for LE audio or LC3?
If they don’t introduce it now, then they will lag far behind the competition. Especially when others started introducing it with future hearing aids.
Oticon More and Resound One.

#5

Seems unlikely to me. Phonak seems to have a history of being a bit behind the curve on connectivity until they think they’ve come up with something better. They never did adopt Made for iPhone. I’m guessing that they feel they’re better off sticking with BlueTooth Classic and they’re betting LE audio will have it’s share of implementation glitches. I wouldn’t expect LE audio in Phonaks until whatever generation succeeds the Paradise. However, I’ve been wrong numerous times! :slight_smile:

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#6

Hello,

Here a screenshot from Dr. Cliff’s new video, does anyone know more about this new tool?

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#7

I’m on Android and happy that my marvel is compatible with it.

#8

Marvel is compatible with many BT sources, what @MDB wanted to say is that phonak uses regular BT and not proprietary one which is called made for iPhone (and which doesn’t work for mac laptops for example if I understood correctly)

There are some issues with some iphones, but there are also issues with some of those iphones with mfi aids as well so it’s hard to say where is the culprit exactly.

@MDB I think that’s better approach - to see who actually will use it and how they’ll implement it and then make a thing that works fine in many devices.
And since I couldn’t find any phone with BT 5.2 on gsmarena I guess they’re still not out? So pushing tech in aids without knowing how it is working, that means they also cannot properly test it. Paradise just started with prism chip, so there definitely is expected that next gen will squeeze something else from that chip, so it’s entirely possible that the hardware is there. However I doubt they’ll do paradise firmware update to enable such features, because you know, they need to sell the next one with something new.

Also, I expect improvement on autosense recognition, maybe they decide for deep neutral network or something else that comes in meantime.

But Phonak again suck at naming… Why they call the new mic phonak roger on? Why not phonak roger cucumber? Or dog, or whatever noun, but using ‘on’ will make it cumbersome to find information…
It seems like upgrade of pen into select tech, with beams. That looks awesome. Hope that it won’t cost insanely is probably in vain, but one can hope :joy:

#9

Need to review a few of your past posts Blacky, but do you feel “autosense mode” in Paradise line performs better (overall) then in Marvel aids? I’m not sure if there were really any changes between two aids regarding autosense adjustment or upgrade. And when you say “you expect improvement in autosense recognition” are you referring to that improvement in the new Naida Paradise UP?

When testing new Paradise Up it would be nice to think I could test aid performance with autosense on and then off - to see if I notice any hearing level changes. But I’m under the assumption when the Paradise Up comes out - autosense will be permanent feature that probably can’t be turned off. Just guessing here.

#10

There are actually a few phones out or soon to be out with BT 5.2, although challenging to find with GSMArena. Any phone with the new Snapdragon 888 Chipset has the potential to have BT 5.2 and the S21 Galaxy Ultra is listed with BT 5.2, as well as an Asus phone and a couple by Xiaomi. I contacted Samsung support and they claimed both S21 and S21+ would have BT 5.2, but who knows.

#11

Dr Cliff Aud, latest video on his accessment of the New Nadia Paradise UP (released 8 hours or so ago) Cheers Kev :wink:

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#12

I can’t say that I notice difference in autosense’s ability to recognise the environment and react accordingly. In other words, for both M and P it just works.

In terms of noise handling, I remember one ‘whoa this is better’ with P, being in a bus and some kid started screaming, and my ears didn’t ‘start bleeding’, but granted I didn’t test Ms in the exact same situation.

So, overall, to me they are the same, even though one is ver 3.0 and another 4.0 if I remember numbers correctly.

When I say I expect upgrade, I meant in terms of being better to distinguish sources even more precisely, eg either being trained with more sources, or even use DNN like oticon more, so that they know that flushing toilet or washing hands/dishes is noise but not something they need to kill immediately, while wind and train noise outside is definitely noise and worth killing.

But I really can’t say I’ve noticed anything really significant in terms of its ability to autoswitch.

Granted, coming from aids that didn’t have that, whole experience on both M and P is astonishing and awesome.

You could test with and without autosense, autosense is just one program which holds subprograms, but each of those can be extracted as standalone as it is, or could be even modified if you like and accessed on button/ through the app
But you have only 4 slots for such custom programs, and autosense alone holds what 6 or so on tier 90. So you couldn’t test them all, but certainly you could test for example quiet and speech in noise and speech in echo and then in environment set to autosense, listen, observe, then manually switch to some custom program (which is exactly that one from autosense) and then compare.
I actually did just that, for echo. And realised that autosense works better than me clicking, eg it decides that something is echo before I do and make a switch or I forgot. So I heavily rely on autosense and going to some aid that isn’t automated to that extend I’d certainly feel like a downgrade now.

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Maybe this pic helps to understand, this is tier 90
Automatic programs - those where it’s either autosense (7 of them), or autosense streaming (2, that’s ad2p protocol, media, and TV connector will use those two as well) - those all switch completely automatically, and all 9 can be further customised

Then you have streaming programs which also start automatically (or manually if you set it up like that), here are BT calls (hsf handsfree), partner and roger mics, again, all customisable

And last section are real custom programs (which can be choosed from some predefined bases, or you can just copy some of the above, not all are available, only those regular hearing ones, not streaming ones)

However, you see that A in the white circle, and down below 2 have orange, and one has 1 in white?
A is initial program when HA is turned on
1 is what I get on first click on HA button in any direction
I had those orange two as well but decided to just focus on testing one until I get tcoil
I also have that first streaming for tv connector set up on click, so I have it at click 2 (basically, as a last program, in my case 2)

Every program from first section under autosense can get assigned position to them and be accessible on button click. Up to 4 button clicks you can have (+5th tv connector if you set up it that way).

Also, autosense could be disabled in terms that some other program can be put as a default when HA turns on. I didn’t try that so I don’t know what symbols would come/change.

Anyhow, only situation so far where I’d really need something else, for my lifestyle is that autosense recognise any vehicle as a car, so it can’t distinguish public bus from a private car, so if I’d drive in a car more often, I’d probably have a custom program for it. Since for commuting by bus I really ain’t interested in hearing other people’s conversations so gimme noise block here :smiley:

I don’t want to imagine my life without such automatisation now once I’ve seen it.
No wonder I wasn’t happy with my previous aids since I couldn’t even remember what settings were on each click, and yes I even had a remote, but when I’ve tried it, I didn’t get much of a difference. But I knew back then significantly less than I know now.

I still :rofl: when I remember that back then (2014/5) I put phonak in my ear and pull it out because it was horrible. Yes, I had poor fitters who didn’t have a clue about best practices or REM live speech mapping. I got widex dream because I could get red one. And it was the least horrible but not much useful in real life, I never could understand people properly if they were on my bad side. Now with M and P I don’t have to switch sides all the time, maybe only in some really bad environments, but I’ll probably pull out roger select then, if even that could help at all
But during normal walking on the street, nope, I just walk wherever :smiley:

@MDB yeah, gsmarena doesn’t offer 5.2 as a BT filter option yet, I’ve looked today…

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#13

Thanks for such a detailed posts. I still have a lot to learn about the new Naida Paradise UP. Now I just reviewed Dr. Cliff’s video and noted two things he said about the PU. One is there is no motion sensor with the PU. Now that might not be the end of the world if it relates to tapping the aid with your finger for different settings or adjustments. So I’m assuming the lack of motion sensor does not impact the aid hearing level or hearing aid performance. Am I correct in that logic?

Also we can go round and round on a RIC or a RITE (which I’ve worn) for the last ten years, but it appears the PU has its receiver in the aid body or BTE. So that will present a change for me. Interesting that the More aid has power receivers in the ear - RITE if you want to use, where the PU does not. If I’m correct though the Resound Enzo Q power aid and possibly the Xceed power aid also has receiver in the aid body (BTE) so maybe that location (for receiver) is a better choice then in ear canal.

In any case let me know if the lack of a “motion sensor” is no big deal and receiver in aid behind ear is also better location then in ear canal.

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#14

I believe Dr Cliff said the Nadia Paradise Power BTE (Rechargeable) has the Motion Sensor (Double Tap) Any of the Nadia Paradise Ultra Power battery versions do not have the (Double Tap) only the rechargeable versions of any Paradise Aids have this feature, I have checked via the Phonak website and Target 7.0.7, my Phonak Paradise 90’s with the 13 batteries most certainly do not have the “Double Tap” feature… Unfortunately. Cheers Kev.

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#15

Not for Paradise.
BT Classic for the time being however their BT hardware is designed to allow for implementation of newer profiles (such as BT 5.2) and protocols so you may see this in the next platform.

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#16

Behind the curve?
Phonak is ahead of the curve in connectivity.
Find me another option that can connect to two Bluetooth audio devices simultaneously, can pair directly to a TV, can connect directly to an Apple Watch for audio streaming and can also connect to Bluetooth enabled laptops… I’ll wait =)

BT 5.2 will be important but not now.
If it was, don’t you think Apple would be implementing LC3 in all of their latest Airpods?

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#17

What do you need to know :stuck_out_tongue_winking_eye:

#18

I was referring to the time when Phonak had no connectivity other than Compilot. Everybody else had Made for iPhone. I think they will also be late to the game with BT 5.2. But as I have said before, I’m often wrong.

#19

No major improvements in the way autosense 4.0 detects scenes vs 3.0, the big change was motion based automatic behaviour, the addition of low speech enhancement and improved spatial noise cancellation and an entirely new fitting formula with adaptive compression (adaptive Phonak digital 2.0)

Phonak has used recording based system learning for many generations, oticons claims of being the first are actually false, including the suggestion that they are the first to go outside of the laboratory, recordings are made outside however all training is completed in the lab!

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#20

It depends on your loss and needs.
Motion sensor gives one hearing related feature - when you walk, it opens the mic so that you can hear better people near you assuming you’re walking in noisy street.

However, you need to do several steps for it to kick in, and it stops when you stop. So, it really depends on your use cases if such behavior is suitable to you at all.

Also, it depends on your loss and domes/molds you wear if you’ll be able to hear the difference at all.
I have reverse slope and wore open domes when tested, and to me it was completely the same.

But I wouldn’t worry too much about that feature. Try them as they are now and see if they give you value for the money as they are now. Assuming you need UP.

I don’t think it’s better, I think it’s currently only possible way. Because receiver is a small loudspeaker, and even if they are small, they do get bigger with more power they need to deliver, eg P is significantly bigger than S or M. SP I haven’t seen and they only come in moulds anyway (at least with phonak), and I’ve never seen UP as a RIC version. My guess is that they are just too big to fit in the ear canal, together with the housing and dome/mold and what not, and that’s why they sit behind and sound is transmitted through the tube.
In short, I don’t think the batteries are the only reason why those UP aids are so big.

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#21

Every other manufacturer still needs streamers like the compilot, however Phonak has retired most of its accessories because they are no longer needed.

It sort of sounds like Phonak is ahead of the curve?

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