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Phonak Virto M M-Titanium

Phonak Virto M Hearing Aid

Reviews and Prices

Ratings

3.5 stars stars

3.4 stars from 10 reviews

Hands-Free Calling Yes
iPhone Streaming Yes
Android Streaming Yes
Rechargeable No
IP Rating IP68

About the Phonak Virto M

When Phonak unveiled the first true Bluetooth® hearing aids back in 2018, I said they knocked it out of the park. Now, with Phonak Virto™ M Black, which is available in the U.S. beginning this week, Phonak is bringing the same Bluetooth connectivity to a new small custom-fit form factor, designed to look like a next-generation hearable. The sleek, compact design leans into the popularity of smart wireless earbuds, positioning Virto M Black as an answer to the age-old stigma associated with hearing aids.

Since its successful product introduction at CES in January, I’ve taken a closer look at the product and its features. The big story here is that Phonak is delivering an excellent hearing solution—not just for tech-savvy baby boomers—but also for younger hearing aid users who want the latest hearing enhancements and connectivity in a contemporary earbud-style form factor.

More than a Bluetooth earbud

While Virto M Black looks a lot like a Bluetooth earbud you might pick up at Best Buy for a few hundred dollars, it’s actually a high-end programmable medical device. And, it will cost you a few thousand dollars after a hands-on fitting by a local hearing health professional.

But the new hearing aids offer industry-leading hearing enhancement, flexible Bluetooth connectivity, all-day battery life, and a multifunction smartphone app that facilitates on-the-go sound adjustments. It’s a winning combination that should make them well worth the added cost for those who need serious help with their hearing.

The expected features and more

Virto M Black provides music streaming, hands-free calling, noise reduction, audio controls, and other features you might expect from a high-end wireless earbud. At the same time, it delivers individualized amplification and sound processing, customized to your unique hearing loss needs. And compatibility with Phonak wireless remote mic and TV audio streaming accessories makes it even easier for people with hearing loss to understand speech in challenging listening environments.

“Most hearables still only provide one-way consumption of streamed audio content,” says Ditlev Friis, Business Unit Director, Phonak Specialty Business. “But Virto M Black’s advanced sound processing technology, combined with smartphone connectivity, facilitates two-way communication with friends and loved ones.”

From earmold to 3D printing

How does Phonak ensure the Virto M Black will fit comfortably in your ear? It turns out, this is quite the involved process. First, your hearing healthcare provider must create a physical mold of your ear (earmold).

This mold is then analyzed by Phonak to create a “Biometric Calibration” of 1,600 data points from your unique ear impression. The calibration enables placement of the directional microphones and Bluetooth radio receiver in optimal locations within the hearing aid shell to provide the best possible performance. Phonak uses 3D printing to create the base components, which are assembled and finished by hand before shipment to the patient.

An end to hearing aid stigma?

With the Virto M Black earbuds, Phonak is attacking the stigma associated with hearing aids head-on. They are large enough to be noticed and don’t even try to meet the old standard of “invisibility.” Instead, they look like a slimmed-down version of the wireless sport earbuds worn by young, active people at the gym, at the office, or when running around town.

Blurring the line

“Virto M Black was designed to blur the lines between a hearing aid and a hearable,” says Friis. “Our aim is to help people seek treatment sooner, thanks to the stylish design and innovative hearing aid technology. And because it meets the needs of even severe hearing losses, it provides a long-term solution for people with progressive hearing loss.”

In a survey, Phonak asked more than 600 consumers to compare the Virto M Black hearing aids with other traditional in-the-ear hearing aids. A majority said they would choose Virto M Black. And the highest number of positive responses were in the 18-to-56-year-old age range. The company says the more appealing design addresses the stigma associated with hearing aids, one of the reasons people delay treatment for an average of seven years after first noticing a hearing loss.

Marvel Bluetooth connectivity and proprietary 2.4 GHz audio streaming

Virto M Black is the first custom-made hearing aid to integrate Phonak Marvel technology, including universal Bluetooth streaming, hands-free phone calls, and a personalized hearing experience via the myPhonak app. It is the first custom-made hearing aid that directly streams from both iOS®, Android™, or virtually any other Bluetooth®-enabled audio device. And its microprocessor chip runs five wireless protocols at the same time including Bluetooth Classic, Bluetooth LE, Binaural VoiceStream Technology™, Airstream Technology™ and Phonak Roger technology, providing comprehensive wireless connectivity.

With Virto M Black, hearing aid wearers can answer, end, or reject a phone call with the push of a button while keeping their phone in their pocket, purse, or on a nearby table. On-board microphones allow wearers to use their devices as wireless headsets, resulting in truly hands-free conversations. And when paired with a Roger accessory, Phonak says Virto M Black wearers can experience up to 10-times better-than-normal hearing in noisy situations and over distance by streaming the Roger signal directly into both ears.

Long battery life

Phonak’s decision to have the Virto M Black use disposable 312-size hearing aid batteries might seem to run counter to consumers’ growing preference for rechargeable hearing aids. But from a practicality standpoint, it may prove to be a winning design decision.

Phonak has helped lead the industry in developing and delivering lithium-ion rechargeable batteries integrated into hearing aids. But the small size of rechargeable batteries means they need to be charged overnight, daily. And daily battery life can be negatively impacted if you do a lot of audio streaming, make a lot of phone calls, or work in a noisy environment that prompts constant program adjustments by your sound processing software.

Phonak says the Virto M Black’s 312-size batteries, on the other hand, deliver from five to seven days of continuous service, depending on your amount of audio streaming. The disposable batteries can be easily removed and replaced by popping open the door on the outside of the hearing aid.

Early reviews call Virto M Black an earbud with “super powers”

Phonak is betting there are enough hearing aid consumers who want to be part of the hearables revolution to make Virto Black a big success. And if early response to the product is any indication—especially from the multiple glowing hands-on reviews from consumer tech blogs and videos—it’s a very good bet. For instance:

  • reviewer for CNET, who wore them around CES for a few days, said “These $6,000 Phonak wireless hearing aids could be the AirPods for the hearing impaired.”
  • Slashgear said they are “hearing aids that look like wireless earbuds,” calling Virto M Black “a hearing aid that further blurs the lines by adopting a form that is quite common if not already fashionable among mobile users today.”
  • And a reviewer for Endgadget, who wore them around CES for a few days, called it “a hearing aid that gives you super powers.” The Virto M Black also won the Engadget award for Best Accessibility Tech at CES.

Phonak Virto M Model Comparison

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.

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Phonak Virto M Technology Levels

Phonak Virto M Test Phonak Virto M M30 Phonak Virto M M50 Phonak Virto M M70 Phonak Virto M M90
Price

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$1,776

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$2,307

Check offers

$2,769

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$3,443

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Rating
0%

0 reviews

0%

0 reviews

100%

1 review

0%

0 reviews

65%

8 reviews

Adjustment Bands 8 12 16 20
Listening Programs
Maximum additional programs, in addition to AutoSense OS
3 3 3 3
AOV
AutoSense OS
Version
3.0 3.0 3.0 3.0
DuoPhone
EasyPhone
EchoBlock
Environmental Balance
NoiseBlock
QuickSync
Real Ear Sound
SNR-Boost
SoundRecover2
SoundRelax
Tinnitus Balance
UltraZoom
UltraZoom Level
Essential Standard Advanced Premium
User Preference Tuning
WhistleBlock
WindBlock
auto Acclimatization

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.

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Phonak Virto M Accessories

MiniControl

MiniControl

Functions

  • Remote Control

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-Titanium
PartnerMic™

PartnerMic™

Discreet remote microphone that helps to boost your partners voice in one-to-one conversations in noise.

Functions

  • Remote Microphone

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
RemoteControl

RemoteControl

The Phonak RemoteControl provides a discreet way to control your Phonak hearing aids.

Functions

  • Remote Control

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
Roger Clip-on Mic

Roger Clip-on Mic

The Phonak Roger Clip-On Mic is most powerful Roger partner microphone for conversations in difficult listening situations and over distance.

Functions

  • Remote Microphone

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
Roger EasyPen

Roger EasyPen

An effective yet simple microphone with only two buttons for clients who desire ultimate simplicity with full Roger performance, including listening to multimedia.

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
Roger MyLink

Roger MyLink

Functions

  • Remote Mic Neckloop

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
Roger On

Roger On

Phonak Roger On is an advanced remote mic accessory developed by Phonak. It is designed to improve speech understanding in noisy environments, over distance, and when many people are speaking simultaneously. Equipped with MultiBeam 2.0 Technology, it provides a boost in understanding by capturing voices from all directions. The Roger On can connect to a variety of multimedia devices and is fully compatible with almost all hearing aids and cochlear implants that have a T-coil or a Roger receiver.

Functions

  • TV Streamer
  • Remote Microphone

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
Roger Pen

Roger Pen

Handy microphone for various listening situations. Thanks to its portable design, it can be conveniently used where additional support is needed over distance and in noise. It can also transmit the sound of multimedia devices e.g. T.V. and has wideband Bluetooth for cellphone calls.

Functions

  • Remote Microphone

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
Roger Select™

Roger Select™

Phonak Roger Select is a microphone specifically designed to help boost your hearing performance and keep you at the heart of the conversation.

Functions

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
Roger Table Mic II

Roger Table Mic II

Phonak Roger Table Mic II is a microphone dedicated for working adults who participate in various meetings. It selects the person who’s talking and switches automatically between the meeting participants.

Functions

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
RogerDirect™

RogerDirect™

As a break-through in hearing technology, Marvel hearing aids feature RogerDirect™ which allows the Roger technology to stream directly to Marvel hearing aids without having to attach an external receiver. This major innovation makes Roger technology easier to use and more attractive for a broader group ranging from mild to profound hearing loss. Roger technology makes use of intelligent and adaptive algorithms that continuously measure and precisely analyze noise levels to keep the Roger signal clearly audible above the background noise.

Functions

  • Accessory Connectivity

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312
TV Connector with AirStream™

TV Connector with AirStream™

Functions

  • TV Streamer

Compatible Aids

  • Virto M M-312

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Phonak Virto M Videos

Phonak Virto M Video 13 April 2020

Customized hearing with style | Phonak VirtoTM Marvel

Recently retired, Terry loves spending time woodworking, tackling his wife’s to-do list and walking in the woods. What convinced Terry to start...

Phonak Virto M Video 28 January 2020

Phonak Virto Marvel & Virto Black Hearing Aid Review

Phonak Virto Marvel & Virto Black Hearing Aid Review | Hearing Aids Reviews. Dr. Cliff Olson, Audiologist and founder of Applied Hearing Solutions...

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Phonak Virto M 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, averaged across all hearing aids belonging to this family of devices.
Note: Original answers provided in star rating format.

Benefit in Quiet
No data available
82%
Benefit in Noise
No data available
67%
Benefit on the Phone
No data available
71%
Clear and Natural
No data available
67%
Music Improvement
No data available
71%
Physical Comfort
No data available
82%
Reliability
No data available
67%
Feedback
No data available
71%
Hearing Improvement
No data available
67%
Value
No data available
71%
Anonymous
Anonymous 02 May 2022
5 stars stars
Phonak Virto M M50 Phonak Virto M M-312

I need the in-ear style because I wear glasses, masks and have a funny ear, which make over the ear too frustrating.

As far a comfort and convenience I'm very happy with my choice.  I can wear these for hours and not notice them.  They sort of become like glasses, if you wear those.  They are a godsent and it's also nice when they come off.

What most people have an adjustment to is that having it in your ear plugs your earhole and you sound funny to yourself. They have a largish air tunnel through the hearing-aid which helps. I adjusted to that pretty easily, three weeks and I didn't notice it anymore.  I end up speaking softer around my friends and they'd ask me to repeat myself.  That found a natural balance as well.

Batteries last about three days for me. I have mine on from 8am to sometime in the evening. I'm frequently streaming podcasts or music during the day as well.  312 batteries make great presents ;)

It will only pair with two devices at a time as it's Bluetooth 4.2, but I sure do enjoy having the world's best ear buds.  I love podcasts in particular.  When bluetooth is one you'll get a funny pause in your hearing quality as the bluetooth cuts in on your phone.  That's the one knock I have perhaps?
At the end of the day I really like not having to ask people to repeat themselves or have the TV on 11.
We'll see what they are like on the motorcycle shortly, another reason to not have the over-the-ear style while dealing with a helmet.  

Stephen R. Duff
Stephen R. Duff 29 December 2021
5 stars stars
Phonak Virto M M90 Phonak Virto M M-Titanium

I had problems fitting them in my ear to wear each day. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 11 October 2021
3 stars stars

I think my fit is a problem.  One ear especially feels plugged.   It often feels like being underwater.   When I chew or swallow my hearing seems blocked.   I like not having the bit hanging over my ear which gets tangled in my hair, masks etc.   I have the Virto M90 - 10NWO

Anonymous
Anonymous 25 February 2021
1 star stars
Phonak Virto M M90 Phonak Virto M M-Titanium

Buyer beware. The door breaks off every three weeks. It's as delicate as a potato chip and is useless.  I have a busy schedule and now I have to visit the hearing aid clinic regularly for the repair. Also, wasting brand new batteries because they get stuck in the aid with no door to remove it. Do not buy this hearing aid.

Anonymous
Anonymous 22 February 2021
2 stars stars
Phonak Virto M M90 Phonak Virto M M-Titanium

Have a lot of issues and been back to the audiologist 3 times.

After a few hours they work out of the ear.

When I talk it sounds like I am in a tunnel

they have been sent away and refuted but I still have the same issues. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 31 December 2020
3 stars stars
Phonak Virto M M90

I really like the Virto M90 hearing  aids since they fit well in my ears but I am not confident that I am using  and "servicing" them effectively/efficiently to make an accurate/valid assessment. Is there any literature available that I can obtain in an effort to use them effectively and THEN make a more :valid" assessment ?

Thunderhead
Thunderhead 10 December 2020
5 stars stars
Phonak Virto M M90 Phonak Virto M M-312

I have the Phonak Virto M90-312, my average wear time is 13 hours per day. They are very comfortable to wear and to adjust your comfort and clarity sound levels through the myphonak app on my iPhone/iPad. Very satisfied with the capability of receiving phone calls directly to my hearing aids, streaming  music and podcasts. Downside is battery life of 4 days only but that is do to my streaming of music/podcasts/SiriusXM.

Anonymous
Anonymous 29 October 2020
1 star stars
Phonak Virto M M90 Phonak Virto M M-312

I received these from my VA and I can not use them , They need paired up with my phone and they keep loosing the pair up , Sound seems very artificial to me , Tiny and echo sounds , I will be taking Them back and Hoping the Starkey new Tech is better .  

Thunderhead
Thunderhead 22 September 2020
5 stars stars
Phonak Virto M M90 Phonak Virto M M-312

I have the Virto M90, ITE (In the ear hearing aids)very comfortable to wear because it is a custom ear mold. I can take my phone calls through my aids without having to remove my iphone from my pocket, stream music and listen to podcasts and audiobooks. I wear glasses and usually wear a ball cap most of the time so you don’t have the rustling sounds that I had with my old BTE. With the app you have the capability to make adjustments for comfort, clarity and background noise. My average wearing time per day is 12.5 hours per day (the app provides you the statistics). Since I have to wear hearing aids I want comfort and the feel that I am not wearing anything. 

Anonymous
Anonymous 14 July 2020
4 stars stars
Phonak Virto M M90 Phonak Virto M M-Titanium

The hearing seems much better than my previous set of hearing aids. I was wearing the Ks7's from Costco before, but they never really sounded "full" ... maybe because of the open ear tips? My audiologist added small vents on these virtos which I guess means I can hear more of the low end tones. It definitely helps with the volume and fullness, but one downside is I can hear myself loudly when I speak, and I'm trying to adjust to that. I do also feel more blocked up than I did with the previous set. But, it's worth it for me to hear better.

Getting the custom molds done was pretty interesting. They used an ear scanner, so I didn't have to do the putty in my ear. That's why I stayed away from customs in the past. Somehow I am worried about the putty getting stuck, even though the audiologist said that never happens. 

Anyway, I'm happy with the small size, and love that you can't really see these. The main trade off for me there was the smaller model didn't have Bluetooth. The phone seems to work fine though, so I'm not missing too much.

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Discussion

Use the form below to leave a quick comment about the Phonak Virto M. Alternatively, consider providing more thorough feedback using our hearing aid review system. If you review your hearing aids using our review system, we'll send you a $5 promotional credit for use in our hearing aid battery shop as a special thank you. Review your hearing aids now.

Stephen R. Duff

I am new to the world of hearing problems and wearing hearing aids. It took me a while to actually break down and buy some realizing that my hearing is not going to get any better.

I tested a few different kinds from the office of my Audiologist. Although I liked the Phonak with miracle ear Technology that would change programs in any situation I went into, this ear type was just too visible for me.

I didn’t like the placement of those kinds as they rests on top the ear. I wear glasses so they get in the way and to take off the Coronavirus masks. And here’s the vanity part… I just couldn’t stand for people to see them over my ears. I am 53 years old and had always associated hearing problems with someone 65 or older. I felt like everyone could see the hearing aid module resting on my ear. There hearing aid technology is awesome but I just couldn’t stand that kind of hearing aid visibility. 

The kind of hearing aid that goes inside the ear, 

Less though, could be seen as well.

Then my audiologist recommended that I try

the PHONAK VIRTO M TITANIUM. 

They are very small if not the smallest hearing aid on the available to date, so it is very easy to conceal. They are made from Titanium which makes them extremely hard to damage and light weight in my ear. The titanium allows the hearing aid to be very thin which allows for a deeper fit in the ear and is custom made so it is very comfortable in the ear. It is very thin. It has miracle ear technology which is great for me because I can walk into a different situation and the hearing aids adapt to that specific situation. 

It does not have buttons for an iPhone to be used with a hearing aid. Bluetooth and all the other streaming capabilities, I prefer to put a pair of these hearing aids in my ear and just go. I don’t want to half to take out my mobile to change the sound field,  changing the the base or treble, stereo or mono… all I want is a pair of hearing aids that you put in your ear and go. Besides, this hearing aid has many many profiles your audiologist use to customize them for you. It is so simple to use. Just put thim in your ears then these hearing aids go into AUTOMATIC MODE. 

I will say that since these hearing aids have very high tolerances in the ears, there is a slight learning curve to getting them in your ear exactly right. But once that’s over come… And that is minor… You’ll hear like you’ve never heard before.  Another thing that I do not like about them is the warning sign that indicates when your batteries are dead. What happens is that I hear this notification tone in my ear within and within 15 minutes there are dead. I wish I had a little bit more advanced notice to get replacement batteries for this hearing aids. 

The next thing that bothers me are the size of the batteries and the fact that the batteries only last for two or three days. But the reason for the this is   the hearing aid to be so small. 

My remedy for these problems is to take an extra pair of batteries with me wherever I go.  I also change out my earbud batteries out every two days. That way I know I’ll always have strong power on standby and have to worry that they go dead during my day. 

Should you run out of power, these hearing aids are custom built to your ear and have high tolerances in the way they fit and provide a very snug but comfortable fit. 

To remedy these issues,  it helped me to obtain a very small case, Phonack makes one the perfect size, and keep an extra set of batteries in it… be sure to keep the batteries in the storage case or cardboard case it came in so it will not rattle when you walk. Same idea with a cotton ball. I just put a cotton swab in the case, also a  cleaning brush and I’m ready to go. 

All in all, they are incredibly comfortable and are the most discreet of any hearing aid on the market. If at all possible buy the most expensive of this particular kind as you can afford. The higher it cost the more programs you are able to have. By programs I mean automatic settings that your hearing aids can go into in any given situation.The more programs that you have the more customizable situations this Hearing aid can be. 

Bluetooth is nice for some but I prefer to put my hearing aids in and just go and let the miracle ear technology automatically make changes for different scenarios that I go into instead me having too grab my iPhone with Bluetooth and try to dial in what you think is the best for any given sound circumstances.  Frankly, I’m a very busy man and don’t have time to grab my iPhone whenever I switch from one situation to another.

Absolutely the best choice for me and my needs. 

Member

How much did you pay for them?

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