The Invisible Lyric Hearing Aid - Audiologist Reviewed
Reviews and Prices
Lyric is one of the most unique hearing aids on the market. Unlike other hearing aids, Lyric is inserted deeply into the ear canal by a specially-trained audiologist or otolaryngologist, where it stays for months at a time. There is no need to recharge the batteries at night, and you don't need to take the hearing aids out when working out, showering, or going to bed. When the battery does need replacing, your Lyric devices would need to be removed and reinserted by a specialist.
Is Lyric really invisible?
Yes. Lyric is the most invisible hearing aid that we're aware of. The deep insertion means it is very difficult, if not impossible, for those around you to see the device. Phonak has been marketing Lyric as an invisible device for years, and the FTC would have stopped them by now if it weren't true.
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Does Lyric sound natural?
Lyric is manufactured by Phonak, the global hearing aid leader. Phonak claims that Lyric 4 achieves a "clear, natural sound" by collecting sound deep within the ear canal, rather than from microphones placed outside the ear or behind the ear (like traditional hearing aids). Considering the importance of the pinna effect, this claim actually makes a lot of sense.
How will my voice sound?
Lyric's unique deep insertion means your voice will sound much more natural than it would with other in-the-ear style hearing aids. As it turns out, the smaller the cavity between a hearing aid and the eardrum, the less the occlusion effect (the effect that causes booming in your ear when you speak, etc).
Does Lyric help with tinnitus?
Phonak has published some evidence that the Lyric can help relieve the symptoms of tinnitus. This makes sense given the general role that hearing aids in relieving the symptoms of tinnitus related to auditory deprivation. But, with Lyric being worn at night, the device offers a unique approach to helping relieve tinnitus even at night, when it can be most bothersome to some. While the evidence is still emerging, it seems reasonable that many people would expect an improvement in their tinnitus by wearing Lyric.
Is Lyric 4 better than Lyric 3?
In a recent press release, Phonak outlines the new benefits of Lyric 4 over the previous generation.
- Comfort: A reduction of the medial portion of the module by 0.3mm led testers to rate the new Lyric4 as significantly more comfortable than the previous generation.
- Reliability: A new debris collection design means less clogging from earwax.
- Fitting Rate: Lyric is successful with 75% of appropriate candidates. Phonak believes the reduced medial module should improve the success rate, but this has not been measured.
Is Lyric for everyone?
Lyric is not for everyone. If you have any of the following, you may not be a good candidate for Lyric:
- Short, narrow, or sensitive ear canals
- Heavy earwax (cerumen) production
- Taking blood thinners
- Severe to profound hearing loss
- Sharply sloping hearing loss (ski slope loss)
- A history of ear-related medical conditions
- Underwater swimming or diving
There may be other factors not listed above. Please consult a local Lyric provider to find out if you are a good candidate for the devices.
Potential downsides of Lyric
An annual subscription to the Lyric solution is purchased through a network of independent Lyric providers. Some have questioned the long term cost of the subscription, with most subscribers paying more than they would for a standard pair of hearing aids in that time. There is also the question of device reliability. While Phonak has made improvements to the debris collection in Lyric 4, it is still possible that your devices will die frequently and need to be replaced. This means no hearing from the ear(s) with the dead Lyric(s) until your specialist appointment. Lastly, you won't get the same connectivity options offered by modern Bluetooth hearing aids. So that is something to consider if you're wanting iPhone / Android streaming connectivity etc.
Phonak Lyric 4 Physical Specifications
Model details listed above may be incomplete or inaccurate. For full specifications please refer to product specifications published by the original equipment manufacturer. To suggest a correction to the details listed, please email info@hearingtracker.com.
Phonak Lyric 4 Technology Details
Phonak Lyric 4 | |
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Price | |
Rating |
78%
15 reviews |
Technology specifications listed above may be incomplete or inaccurate. For full specifications please refer to product specifications published by the original equipment manufacturer. To suggest a correction to the details listed, please email info@hearingtracker.com.
Phonak Lyric 4 Accessories
SoundLync
Functions
Compatible Aids
- Lyric 4
Phonak Lyric 4 Videos
Phonak Lyric 4 Reviews
Hearing aid reviews are fundamentally different from reviews for most other consumer electronic products. The reason is because individual factors, like degree of hearing loss, have a profound effect one's success and overall satisfaction with the product. When purchasing a hearing aid, you'll need to consider more than just your hearing outcome ... Continue reading
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Overall Ratings
Hearing Tracker uses a ten-question survey to assess consumer feedback on hearing aids. The percentage bars below reflect the average ratings provided per question.
Note: Original answers provided in star rating format.
![Bob W](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
They HURT so badly, the sounds is muffled, unless I push them in further. Then the sound is good, but they hurt even worse. My audiologist won't schedule me less than a month out. She told me insurance covers the cost, but we got a bill for the full amount, and because it's so difficult to get into see the audiologist, our 30 day return period is passed, so now I'm stuck with them, AND I have a $3200 bill. At least my insurance pays for mental health services because these hearing aids are making me very depressed.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
As an active 40 year old with newer moderate single sided hearing loss, the Lyric has been a total game-changer for me.
It took a few tries to zero in on the correct size, but as soon as we found the proper fit it was as if curtain had been lifted from my left side.
Insertion after finding the right fit has been quick and easy and the initial acclimation period was similarly quick and easy.
Mine does tend to move a bit while I'm sleeping, but thanks to some of the other reviews on this page, I've found that using my pinky to gently shift it back into place has worked well.
The shifting aside, day to day comfort has been excellent. I love not having to think about charging, positioning, or while I'm biking or hiking, etc.
Overall, the sound quality is...SO, so good. I'd been concerned with things sounding tinny or robotic, but wow. It's been as close to a return to healthy hearing as I could have hoped.
No occlusion, no issues with wind or using a traditional phone, voices sound natural, and music is full of joy and delight again.
Highly recommend.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
Best hearing aids for my reverse slope hearing loss. Did take about 3 months of getting used to. It was not easy but for the first time saw a glimmer of hope for my hearing issues. I do use the tool to adjust them in my ear if they move while sleeping. These have been life changing for me. I do not know what I would do without them. I have tried many styles and brands over the years but never had consistent help due to my rare hearing loss (conversation tones).
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
Overall, this is the best hearing aid. No need to take on and off, change batteries or charge them. I do martial arts and ride motorcycles so there is no need to take them off each time I train and ride my bike. Nobody will know you have them unless you tell them. Only drama is the wax build up where your audiologist will take care of that. First time I tried them, I could not stand them and had them taken out. I then read in a Forum of somebody highly recommending them but to very patient and because they will be great at the end. And that is what I did. I tried many other hearing aids, but they are nowhere near as good.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
Life-changing, at least for me, anyway.
Early 50s. Vain. Bald. So, invisible was the only way to go. After trying, I dunno, at least six different brands, I settled on the Signia Silk 5x. Nice!
- Invisible—and the only ones I could stand:, least occlusion, least "digital"-sounding BUT
- I lost my first pair within year 1 (Yay warranty!)
- They kept slipping out (no running!)
- I'd forget to put them in, or where they were...
My wife *really* got sick of "What?" all the time, so I opted (coughed up) for Lyrics. I remember getting in my car. Pink Floyd's "Money" was on the radio. I remember thinking not "Wow, that sounds better" but "WOW! I have *never* heard that before!"
Now I can't live without 'em. You think you're all good until the audiologist takes 'em out and you realize: Um... I'm deaf(ish). Whereas the Silks were a relief to remove, the Lyrics are a relief to have.
Why not a 5-star review? Fear. My insurance covers a lot of hearing aid—basically a new high-end set every three years. Lyrics are ~three times the cost, so... Will I be able to convince my wife that the value (and out-of-pocket cost) is higher than me saying "What?" all the time? I sure hope so.
If you are vain, lazy, and absent-minded like me, enjoy sports (like running and sailing) and have too much cash on hand, then these may be just. for. You!
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
I began wearing my Lyric 4 hearing aids in September 2021. In February 2022 I gave up on them although I paid for a 12 month subscription.
I was on a sixth week replacement schedule. The first week the Lyric 4 was in I could hear fairly well. However by week four or five it sounded like I had earplugs in. I do not receive these hearing aids. They are poor functioning and will not meet the needs of the hearing impaired. I was sorry that I had to discontinue wearing the hearing aids because I paid in full. However leaving them behind for Signa Silk CICs was the best decision that you have made in my life.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
The Lyric 4 hearing aids often move in my ears while sleeping. This causes a diminishment of my ability to discern words. Also, the volume was very faint although my audiologist adjusted at least 3 times. The batteries go dead often. I have been wearing Lyric 4 for7 months. Although I still have 5 months left on my subscription I plan to discontinue use in 2 weeks.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
I like the fact that I completely forget about them in my ears. My doctor puts them in, my doctor takes them out. My voice doesn’t sound like I’m in a barrel. My voice is not augmented or different from the way I heard my voice before I got hearing aids. Noises around me sound just like they did before my hearing started to diminish.
The hearing aids that I owned before I owned the Lyric aids were very nice and top of the line. As a matter of fact, those hearing aids were made by,the same company that makes the Lyric
But because I had to change the battery out every two or three days and the hearing aid had such tight tolerances that it had to be precisely placed in my ear which took some time every time I put them in, I became non-compliant. I’m also in my early 50s and it was really embarrassing for people to be able to see and tell I was wearing hearing aids. The lyric completely eliminates the embarrassment of having people know that you’re hard of hearing. I now have 100% total compliance because doctor has to take them out and forgetting to put them in in the morning I don’t half to worry about, there already in my ears.
It took a few days to develop the natural or the not there feeling… But thinking about hearing age in my ear, do I have enough battery to get me to the next day, the very ginger way I had to be with the old ones. The only Big gripe I have with them is that they are not waterproof… Water resistant only.
That only becomes a problem when I go swimming and put my head into the water… Which when I go swimming that usually happens. But you can shower with them without a problem.
I know all things aren’t meant for all people. But for me, the Lyric is almost perfect.
Kinda expensive, but when you consider that you get an unlimited supply of this hearing aid when the battery of the Lyric goes dead, you simply go to your Audiologist and they put another pair in. It doesn’t matter how many times this happens. You always will have a working lyric in your ear.
I had pink phonak bte hearing aids when i was little, hated them because of how they liked so i never wore them at all… then about 6 months ago have also tried the lyric but wasn’t a candidate in the end for quite a few reason… moisture getting trapped, not being able to clean my ears, they kept dying a lot and my ears just hated them… tried IIC ones from starkey and the sound quality was awful, i tried other resound RIC ones, sounded awful as well… i guess since I liked the lyric sound quality, my audiologist had me try the new Lumity ones and they’re amazing!!! Phonak has the best quality by far
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
I love love my lyric hearing aids. I’ve been using lyric hearing aids for about 11 years. I forget I am hearing impaired with them, and so do other people. You cannot see them, you can sleep in them, shower in them. They are amazing. I hope lyric continues with the great hearing aids they have. I have been hearing impaired all my life my first hearing aid when I was 8 years old. And I am now 60. I can testify to how great they are. Thank you!
Good for you. I’m newly “deaf” but I too LOVE my Lyrics. I had problems with the kind that fit over the ear because my ear is so small they wouldn’t stay seated.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
I love the Lyrics but they do have their issues. I personally have no problem taking them in and out so I drive by and do a pick up. You have to place them deep enough or they will sound muffled. I get post nasel drip and sometimes water from a shower traps in the canal and they fail. I wish they could make a truly waterproof version. And I agree with the one earlier review, there should be a way to test the sound. It is not as clear sounding as a behind the ear but you can't see them and if you want to use head sets on without a feedback whistle, most other hearing aids whistle and chime if covered. For me, I wish there was something that lasts longer as I have to replace after two or three weeks sometimes if I have post nasal drip failure. Still, I much prefer it to the other options and the ones that don't go deep into the canal have a weird sound as if you are hearing from a can. Lyrics have a very natural sound. If on a budget these are not for you but if you can afford it, give it a try. I think it's worth it. Get an extra pair from your doctor if you are leaving town and learn how to insert and remove yourself. The doctor should give you the on off device which has a removing hook. I use a Q tip to push it in. Sometimes I have to remove if my ears are inflamed and hurt for some reason. Still the best current option for me.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
For the life of me, I cannot imagine why anyone would not want Phonak Lyric hearing aids.
(1). They are completely invisible
(2). You wear them 24/7 for months at a time
(3). You can shower with them, sleep with them and after the first few hours, you simply forget they are there.
(4). Your hearing is great. No more straining to hear conversations in restaurants or a family member talking in the next room.
(5). If there is a downside to Lyric, it's the cost. They are not cheap and, so far at least, they have not figured out how to charge them in the ear, so they must be replaced every 6-8 weeks (maybe less if you remember to turn them off at night). Replacement takes about 5 minutes and you are good to go.
(6). Friends who absolutely refuse to wear hearing aids simply are not convinced that Lyric works even though I am wearing them as I try to convince them it's the way to go? They continue to refuse to eat in a restaurant with more than three people because they can't hear? Go figure.
Crazy. Get them. They are the best.
They HURT LIKE HELL! That's why! They literally gave me migranes and made me sick to my stomach the first time. I took them out after two days. It took my audiologist a month to get me back in. I wanted to get rid of them, but she convinced me she could get another 30 day trail since I hadn't worn them the first 30 days. The second set is a smaller size, and the pain isn't as bad, but it's still bad enough. My audiologist insists that this is normal and told me I should just take Tylenol all the time to deal with the pain. If I pull them out a bit, they hurt less, but the sound is muffled. As soon as I push them back in again, my head, neck, jaw, sinuses, teeth all start throbbing again. The worst part is, my audiologist said they were covered by insurance, and they weren't, (we know we have coverage for some types of hearing aids through some providers) AND she forgot to tell us the trial period could not be extended, so now I'm stuck with these things, and they are making me miserable.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
Of course I loved the invisibility. I don't love that they seem to plug up frequently due to wax or possibly post-nasal drip. In 12 months I have had to replace them about 16 times. In one ear, the Lyric would move in my sleep and then provide muffled sound, so I felt more deaf than with it out. I felt I was owed a refund, since no one warned me of these problems, and I was told no. Given that the Lyrics have no features such as streaming directly into your ears from electronic devices, I don't see why they are so hideously expensive, and they require many trips to the audiologist. In fact, when I was first fitted with Lyrics, my audiologist selected a size that was too big, which caused trauma to my ear canal and infection, treated by an expensive visit to a real ear doctor. Never again will I waste my money.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
Wonderful in a pandemic! I tried behind-the-ear aids, and while they worked well, they were in the way with glasses bows and hair style, not to mention masks! I love the in-the-ear, forget-about-it aspect of the Lyric, and the way nothing interferes with mask elastic or glasses bows. I don't have to take them off at night, or worry about changing batteries or running out of them. My supplier, Main Line Audiology in Narberth PA, has been very accommodating and see me whenever there is a need. My first pair lasted three months.
It took quite a while to get them adjusted, and I wish there were some precise test of hearing levels instead of 'is that better?' It's too subtle to tell. And the price is higher than other models. But the convenience is worth it, and I'm overall very satisfied.
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
![Miranda](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
I love the natural sounds. I like the ability to wear them 24/7 without having to take them out and put them back in. They last for months at a time. I will never stop wearing lyrics!
![Anonymous](https://www.hearingtracker.com/assets/unknown-c446ee7573ea32bd128233adb861e371abf4939e9c05dbb32e28e2a746bff307.png)
This is a great product until your hearing aid battery dies on a Sat, Sunday or on a holiday. Then you are SOL.
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I have been wearing Lyrics for five years in the Northern Virginia area. There are a multitude of audiologists in our area but only three (3) carry the Lyric. The others I have talked to closer to my home who refuse to carry the Lyric (I feel because they are too expensive) have forewarned me that audiologists everywhere are dropping the Lyric. You need to increase the number of audiologists that carry the Lyric. What happens to me when these three decide to drop the Lyric?
I've been using Lyric for around 6 mos. Big "pro" is no longer having to worry about ripping my hearing aid apart when taking off a face mask. In general, for speech, it works well. BUT My problem was music. I love music. But I found that the low frequencies/bass that gives music its punch and thunder is blocked by the hearing aid. As an experiment, I went without the lyric in one ear and found that I could now hear "well enough" out the the lyric ear and could experience the wonder full fullness of the bass/lower sounds out of the "empty" ear. The difference is like going from listening to music from an cheap radio vs hearing it via a good stereo sound system. I was so taken with the difference that I have opted to keep only one lyric in one ear and leave the other ear "free". The difference is liking music vs loving music. I believe the lyric does faithfully reproduce the music that it allows to pass through--it just drops the low frequencies I'm looking for.
Perhaps when face masking goes away (2022?), I'll look into changing to a type of hearing aid I've heard about which leaves the ear passage way open so as to not block low frequency to the eardrum.
I have the Lyric now for 2 weeks for a test, and my first experience was that I missed basses while listening to music. My expensive stereo set sounded as a cheap AM-radio. I told this to my audiologist, and he told me that he never heard that from lyric users. I am glad to read your report, so I am not the only one with this issue.
The same here, I can naturally hear low frequencies very well. They're just blocked by Lyrics. With the Virto Titanium I don't have this problem because the low frequencies can naturally pass through the opening for ventilation.
Hi! Phonak is an amazing brand and their newest RIC models are just as amazing quality as the lyric as long as toy have the right components and your audiologist can perform REMS on them unlike with the lyric.. phonak hearing aids in general have an absolute amazing fitting software so it will absolutely almost exactly match your prescription target… my audiologist performed REM’s on my hearing aids and only had to make a couple tiny changes.. other than that, they were almost exact.. with the lyric, there’s no verification that its exactly like your target prescription but it’s still amazing as well but it definitely depends on the hearing loss.. I don’t think that the lyric can actually accommodate more than a mild to moderate hearing loss
I received a pair today and I am amazed with my ability to hear. I need a better explanation of how the program works for the Lyric. How much per year because they appear very expensive. Details please
I am trying the Lyric 4. My left ear seems to be fine, but my right ear has problems because it sounds like I am in a barrel. I believe this is due to my correction for TMJ. Over 30 years ago my bite was re-aligned to eliminate problems in the TMJ. Realignment was achieved by replacing my teeth with caps of sizes that eliminated the problem with TMJ. The dentist did a great job!
SInce that time I have been able to move my jaw in ways that change my hearing, and now especially with the Lyric 4. I would like to know if anyone has resolved problems associated with TMJ. Feedback appreciated.
Larger Lyric unit? Smaller unit? Place the instrument closer to the eardrum? Place it further from the eardrum?
(BTW, I can wiggle my ears, which also changes the hearing in the Lyrics!)
I have been trying Lyric hearing aids out for the last couple of months. The freedom of not having anything behind the ear is wonderful but I have had to return to the audiologist almost weekly to get the adjustment of sound to be comfortable. It kept feeling very damped down. The audiologist finally changed some settings to "open up" the sound and it's been better but I find metallic sounds can be almost painfully amplified through the Lyric.
In the last few days, the left ear has felt very plugged up and the Lyric tones were much fainter than on the right side. Thinking something was malfunctioning on the left, I went to see the audiologist. She took out the left aid, with difficulty because it seemed to be very wet behind it with fluid. Finally it came out with lots of bloody fluid (yes, gross), a little uncomfortable removing it but mostly just difficult because the fluid had created suction in the ear. So 3 weeks ago, I was covid positive with lots of upper respiratory congestion. I had wondered about having my ears plugged up during this time with the Lyrics.
So what is the answer or recommendation? Seems to me if you have a head cold, the Lyrics should come out so that the ear canal remains open until all is clear. My congested state due to covid obviously created a "fluid situation" in my ears that resulted in hearing aid malfunction and blisters in my ears.
I'm back to my behind the ear aids until my ears heal. Has anyone else had an experience like this? Would it be healthier for the ears to let them "breathe" for a few days every few weeks? I like Lyrics but worry about the safety of wearing them long term. I had no idea so much bloody fluid had collected behind mine. Cannot be healthy.