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Oticon Intent Review

Prices, Sound Recordings, Models
Amy Sarow, AuD, CCC-A
Amy Sarow, AuD, CCC-A

Dr. Amy Sarow is a practicing clinical audiologist and serves as Audiology Lead for Soundly. Her expertise and experience span topics including tinnitus, cochlear implants, hearing aid technology, and hearing testing. She holds a doctoral degree in audiology from the University of Iowa. During her residency at Mayo Clinic, Dr. Sarow was inspired by the three-tiered, patient-centered approach, incorporating clinical work, teaching and research.

Blake Cadwell
Blake Cadwell

Blake Cadwell is a hearing aid wearer and co-founder at Soundly. He regularly tests and reviews hearing technology to share his experience with Soundly’s readers. Blake's research and perspectives have been featured in the The New York Times, Washington Post, LA Times, AARP and FastCompany.

About Soundly
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Soundly is an independently owned hearing health research tool. Our reviews are conducted by hearing aid wearers and audiologists. We physically review the leading hearing aids on the market for sound quality, comfort, durability, and more. Our review process starts with hands-on unboxing and days, weeks, or months of wear. We also record live sound demos using a calibrated binaural microphone (read more here). We experiment with backend fitting software for prescription products and use test box measures to measure prescriptive accuracy and flexibility. Our work is funded through reader support. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission. Read more about our story here.

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Behind the Ear
Bluetooth
Rechargeable
PROFESSIONAL FITTING
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Background

Oticon is the second most popular hearing aid brand (after Phonak). The brand has built a fanbase around its “open” sound philosophy by using advanced methods to support natural sound. Their newest device, the Oticon Intent, goes a step further, offering open sound quality customized to the user’s intent. 

The newly designed devices continuously adapt based on four built-in sensors. Together, the brand calls this MoreSound Intelligence 3.0.

  • Conversation sensors: Search your soundscape for speech sounds.
  • Head sensors: Track your movement to gather information about where you are focused.
  • Body sensors: Track your movement through the room and open the field of sound when you walk
  • Acoustic sensors: Analyze background noises, echo and room dimensions

None of these sensors are brand new to the world of hearing aids, but Oticon claims to be the first brand to use all four together in one connected system. Add in Oticon's already impressive Deep Neural Network and you get what might be the smartest hearing aid in the industry.

What makes Oticon Intent special?

There are several new features with the new Oticon Intent. Let’s hit the highlights:

Design

Intent is the smallest RITE that Oticon has designed to date.  This design is both comfortable and discreet, giving users a low-profile hearing aid option. The receiver sits directly in the ear canal, making it easy to hide behind hair or glasses. It also comes in a variety of colors, even a new Sky Blue option, as well as the standard colors to match hair color or skin tone.

Bluetooth

Oticon Intent now offers Bluetooth LE Audio which future-proofs the devices for new audio experiences like Auracast that will roll out in phones, TVs, and public spaces in the next two years.

Battery Life

The Oticon Intent uses a powerful lithium-ion battery, packed with even more efficiency. Understanding their users’ dynamic lifestyles, they’ve engineered a battery that not only lasts longer (20 hours per charge), but also charges more rapidly, ensuring you're always ready to engage with the world around you. A full charge takes merely 2 hours, an upgrade in convenience and functionality. Furthermore, for those moments when life gets ahead of us and charging slips your mind, a quick 30-minute charge can provide 8 hours of wear time.

Sound Quality

With this new release, Oticon describes enhanced clarity and balance of sound for the user. How they did it? Through rigorous training with an expansive library of everyday sounds, Oticon Intent's Deep Neural Network has developed the ability to differentiate and amplify sounds that matter most to the wearer. In comparative studies, users expressed a preference for the nuanced clarity offered by the Oticon Intent's sound processing.

Our Take

Our opinion on the enhancements introduced with Oticon's latest offering, the Oticon Intent, is overwhelmingly positive. We're particularly impressed by the integration of Bluetooth LE Audio technology, which represents a significant leap forward in wireless connectivity, a future-forward addition. The smaller size of the Intent device is another appealing aspect. Its discreet and comfortable design addresses one of the core concerns of hearing aid users. Furthermore, the more efficient charging system introduced with this model is always a welcome improvement.

Lastly, the potential for improved sound quality, driven by the advancements in Oticon's Deep Neural Network, promises a listening experience that's both nuanced and enriched, tailoring sound amplification to the user’s personal preferences. These updates collectively enhance the quality of life for individuals with hearing loss, underpinned by cutting-edge technology and a deep understanding of user needs.

There are additional factors worth considering. Previously, Oticon's hearing aids featured batteries that could be changed right in the office, providing a layer of convenience appreciated by many users. Unfortunately, the new lithium-ion batteries in the Oticon Intent model do not offer this same level of ease. Should the battery cease working, it would necessitate sending the device in for repair rather than a quick, in-office replacement.

Additionally, the transition from a rocker switch to a single pushbutton in the new device could pose an adjustment for users who prefer the tactile feedback and flexibility of manual program adjustments. These changes, while advancing in certain areas, may require consideration and adaptation from users accustomed to the previous functionalities.

Pros 👍
  • Respected product with millions of happy users
  • More open sound quality than with other top brands
  • Easy-to-use app
  • More efficient rechargability (fully charged in 2 hours)
  • Strong performance in noise
Cons 👎
  • Requires in person care (no direct-to-consumer or OTC options)
  • More expensive compared to Telehealth and OTC
  • The app offers less customization than other leading brands
  • Rechargeable batteries can no longer be changed in clinic (must be sent for repair)
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Soundly Scorecard
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Hearing Loss Level 🔊
Mild - Severe
  • Oticon Intent is a fully customizable, prescription hearing aid appropriate for mild-severe hearing loss
  • If you have severe hearing loss, your care provider can fit you with a custom earmold to reduce feedback
  • If you have profound hearing loss, you may be a better fit for Oticon Xceed
Care Type 🏥
Prescription
  • Oticon Intent is a prescription device fit and programmed by a professional
  • After an initial fitting, you can connect with your care provider remotely through the Oticon app
Sound Quality 🔊
Strong in Background Noise
  • Oticon Intent comes with a new, smarter operating system. Intent uses Oticon's Deep Neural Network to sort background noise from speech. Many users describe Oticon's sound quality as "relaxed", "natural" and "comfortable."
  • The new 4D sensors give a customized listening experience for the user, and potentially enhanced clarity and balance.
Comfort 🦻
Very Comfortable For All-Day Wear
  • Oticon Intent is a very comfortable product with a wide-variety of possible earmolds, domes, and fits. Oticon Intent sits behind your ear with a receiver (speaker) inside the ear.

Style  💫
Behind The Ear
  • Oticon Intent hearing aids sit behind the ear
  • Oticon's smallest RIC hearing aid to date
  • Intent comes in 9 colors including chroma beige, silver grey, silver, terracotta, chestnut brown, steel grey, diamond black, olive green, and sky blue
Battery 🔋
Rechargeable
  • Intent is only availabe in a rechargeable battery option at the moment.
  • The rechargeable version of Oticon Intent gets 20 hours of power on a single 2-hour charge, even with streaming.
Connection 📡
Bluetooth Available
  • Oticon Intent allows Bluetooth streaming, music listening, and phone calls across all models. iPhone users can take calls hands-free, and compatible Android users will also enjoy hands free calls.
  • Oticon Intent uses Bluetooth LE and is Auracast-capable
Dexterity Level 🤏
Average
  • Oticon Intent is reasonably easy to handle but does require the wearer to place the hearing aid behind their ear and insert the receiver into the ear (consistent across all behind-the-ear styles)
  • Single push button
Waterproof Level 💦
IP68
  • Oticon Intent is water resistant with an IP rating of 68
  • This hearing aid can withstand dust and water submersion in one meter of water for up to 30 minutes
App features 📱
Has An App, Telehealth Capable, Find My Hearing Aids
  • Remote care: included in the new Oticon Companion app
  • Customization: volume, program change, streaming sound quality (treble/bass), SpeechBooster
  • Tinnitus masking: your hearing care provider can create a tinnitus masking program
  • Find my hearing aid: available in the app
  • Health tracking: not available
Pricing and Process
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Pricing

The national average price for Oticon Intent 1 hearing aids is around $8,000 per pair. 

Our research indicates that the best pricing and care packages are currently available through ZipHearing. ZipHearing offers a pair of Oticon Intent 1 hearing aids with one year of unlimited care for $4,798 per pair.

Process 

ZipHearing will match you with a local clinic near your zip code and pre-negotiate a lower price (typically 25% less than the national average). 

Fill out the form on this page to get matched with a local clinic. 

Our readers are consistently happy with ZipHearing's offering and give the company 97% 5-star ratings on Trustpilot.

How to Choose a Technology Level
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Oticon Intent comes in several technology levels. Each device looks identical from the outside, but on the inside, each technology jump offers more sophisticated sound processing and special features. In general, wearers opt for the top technology they can reasonably afford.

The key differences between Oticon Intent 1, 2, and 3 mostly come down to background noise management. 

Oticon Intent 1

  • 12 dB of background noise suppression
  • 24 programming bands
  • 64 sound processing channels

Oticon Intent 2

  • 10 dB of background noise suppression
  • 20 programming bands
  • 48 sound processing channels

Oticon Intent 3

  • 8 dB of background noise suppression
  • 18 programming bands
  • 48 sound processing channels

Review Oticon's full feature matrix here

Read our full guide to choosing a technology level here 👈

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