We often get questions about Siemens Hearing aids. The Siemens brand is known for German engineering and innovation, and Siemens was also one of the leading names in audiology until just a few years ago.
So if you have an old pair of Siemens hearing aids that need an upgrade or are just curious about where the brand went, this article is for you.
We’ll cover the iconic beginnings of the Siemens hearing aid brand in the early 1900s, break down the 2015 acquisition that turned Siemens into Signia and talk about the latest technology from the new Signia brand.
Let’s dig in!
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Instead of selling hearing aids directly, we spend our time reviewing products, publishing clearly organized information, and building modern tools to make the process of accessing hearing health easier. Learn more.
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- 50+ hearing aid brands reviewed and rated by our team of hearing aid wearers and audiologists
- 200+ hours each month spent researching brands and care options
- 100% independently owned and operated
We launched Soundly.com in 2022 to create a better starting point for the hearing health experience.
Instead of selling hearing aids directly, we spend our time reviewing products, publishing clearly organized information, and building modern tools to make the process of accessing hearing health easier. Learn more.
Our work is funded through reader support. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Read more about our research process here.
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History
Siemens was created by German inventor Werner von Siemens. Siemens was a prolific industrialist who made a wide range of engineering innovations—one of his earlier known achievements was a new telephone type that used horseshoe magnets.
In 1913, he turned that hair-brained idea into the first publically available Siemens hearing aid.
In the 1920s and 1930s, Siemens began growing a hearing aid business. In the 1960s, Siemens introduced the first in-the-ear hearing aid and rapidly expanded the brand through products, acquisitions, and technology.
By the early 2000’s Siemens was a global leader in hearing products. In 2015, just over 100 years after the original Siemens hearing aid, the brand was purchased by Singapore-based Sivantos.
The new owners shed the old Siemens name and rebranded the company Signia. A few years later, in 2019, Sivantos merged with WS Audiology.
Siemens (now Signia) technology today.
It’s safe to assume that Werner von Siemens would be impressed with how far his original ideas have traveled.
Today, Signia carries a strong line of hearing aids, including their fashion-inspired Styletto, invisible-style Silk, and the all-around favorite Signia Charge&Go.
You can read all about Signia’s recent technology here.
Are you looking to upgrade an old pair of Siemens hearing aids?
If you have an old pair of Siemens hearing aids that need an upgrade, Signia could be an excellent place to start.
Technology has advanced significantly in 8 years (say hello to Bluetooth, Rechargeable batteries).
Still, the sound processing philosophy from Signia builds on the 100-year foundation of Siemens and might offer a familiar sound.
Is this the German hearing aid brand you’ve seen advertised on Facebook?
There’s a good chance that you’ve been served a Facebook ad boasting “German Made hearing technology.” Those ads typically come from Hear.com, a subsidiary of Signia’s new parent company WS Audiology. The underlying technology hear.com provides is from Signia (previously Siemens).
Is there anything special about German Made hearing aids? Not necessarily. Signia is impressive, but probably not because of their German roots.
Fun fact: Denmark is viewed as the global leader in hearing technology. ReSound, Oticon, and Widex are all based in the tiny country and export their designs globally. Signia is now headquartered in Piscataway, NJ.
Final Thoughts
We have Siemens to thank for a lot of hearing aid innovation over the last 100 years. For now, though, the name is retired in the hearing aid space, and Signia is here in its place.
We hope you’ve enjoyed this breakdown. If you have questions or comments, we would love to hear from you at hello@soundly.com.
