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ReSound NEXIA 5 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

ReSound is the 4th largest manufacturer of hearing aids globally, but somehow, the Danish audio company has a way of setting the pace for innovation. Their newest product, ReSound NEXIA, comes with first-ever design features that excite us. The new product is smaller, has a longer battery life, and boasts a first-to-market connection to Bluetooth’s next big thing - Auracast. 

Keep reading for our full thoughts and review. 

What Makes ReSound NEXIA Stand Out 

ReSound NEXIA builds on innovations from the past two generations of products (ReSound ONE and ReSound OMNIA).

What Stays The Same

If you’ve read our reviews on those products, you might know that ReSound ONE was the first hearing aid to add a microphone to the receiver (the piece that goes in your ear). That innovation reduces handling and wind noise and improves background noise management. In 2022, ReSound released ReSound OMNIA with improved beam-forming tech that boasted a 150% improvement in background noise. 

Those popular features will remain with ReSound NEXIA with some exciting additions. 

What's New With NEXIA

The first is a visible reduction in size. Impressively, NEXIA maintains a 30-hour battery life while cutting 25% off the overall size—big thumbs up from us. 

The second big announcement is that NEXIA has an updated Bluetooth capability that allows Auracast streaming in public places. If you aren’t familiar with Auracast, check out our guide to the topic here.

ReSound is putting hearing aid wearers in the front of the line to experience the new capabilities as they roll out. If you can’t wait for public adoption, NEXIA also comes with a new Auracast-equipped TV streamer so you can start experiencing Auracast at home.

One more thing thing…

ReSound has finally added a CROS system (previously not available). NEXIA CROS is for those with single-sided deafness. The devices send sound from the non-hearing ear to the hearing ear to recreate 360% of the sound. 

Our Take

ReSound already makes most of our shortlists for the best hearing aids in the market in 2023; NEXIA’s improvements build on that. 

Our suggestion, if you are in the market for behind-the-ear style  ReSound hearing aids, make sure you ask for NEXIA. If you prefer in-the-ear styles or have profound hearing loss, you may need to wait a few months until the new system rolls out across the rest of the family. 

We’ll add our full, hands-on review to this page as soon as we’ve put our new NEXIA hearing aids through the paces.

Pros 👍
  • Great for background noise management
  • Auracast compatible
  • Small form factor and an optional 3rd microphone in the ear
Cons 👎
  • Requires in-person care (no direct-to-consumer option)
  • More expensive compared to Telehealth and OTC options
  • NEXIA's in-ear M&RIE microphone is a bit larger and can be uncomfortable for some
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Soundly Scorecard
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Hearing Loss Level 🔊
Mild - Severe
  • ReSound NEXIA is a fully customizable, prescription hearing aid appropriate for mild-severe hearing loss
  • If you have severe hearing loss, your care provider may fit you with a custom earmold to reduce feedback
  • If you have profound hearing loss, you may be a better fit for ReSound NEXIA BTE
Care Type 🏥
Prescription
  • ReSound NEXIA is a prescription device fit and programmed by a professional
  • After an initial fitting, you can connect with your care provider remotely through the ReSound app
Sound Quality 🔊
Strong in Background Noise
  • ReSound NEXIA is an excellent choice for background noise management. The optional M&RIE microphone that sits inside the ear adds additional intelligence and reduces handling noise from your hair or glasses.
  • NEXIA hearing aids come with four onboard microphones that anayze and manage background noise in the most complex situations.
Comfort 🦻
Somewhat Comfortable For All-Day Wear
  • ReSound NEXIA is a discreet and comfortable product, but some users with smaller ear canals find the M&RIE receiver uncomfortable in their ears. M&RIE can be removed by your care provider and replaced with a standard receiver.
Style  💫
Behind The Ear
  • ReSound NEXIA hearing aids sit behind the ear
  • NEXIA is 25% smaller than past ReSound products and is one of the smallest behind-the-ear style devices on the market.
  • NEXIA comes in 8 colors, including, sparkling silver, champagne, gold, bronze, warm grey, graphite, espresso, deep black
Battery 🔋
Rechargeable Or Disposable
  • NEXIA comes with three battery options, including micro RIE rechargeable (30 hours), a larger disposable battery version (size 13), and a second disposable battery option (size 312).
  • A rechargeable version of NEXIA is also available with a CROS (for single-sided deafness)
Connection 📡
Bluetooth Available
  • NEXIA is one of the first hearing aids on the market to release Auracast-compatible hearing aids. Auracast will take a few years to roll out in public spaces. Still, once it is available, it will allow users to stream public announcements, movies, and other shared audio experiences directly to their hearing aids.
  • Of course, NEXIA also allows standard Bluetooth streaming from iPhone and Android devices. iPhone users can take calls hands-free, while Android users must keep their phones close to pick up outbound audio.
  • NEXIA uses Apple's MFI connection and Android's ASHA connection to stream content through Bluetooth
Dexterity Level 🤏
Average
  • NEXIA 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)
  • NEXIA recharging cases use conduction charging, which is easier to handle
  • NEXIA has an app feature that uses your phone camera to check that the hearing aids are in the ear properly
Waterproof Level 💦
IP68
  • ReSound NEXIA 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: After an in-office activation, the remote care option is available on the app
  • Customization: Volume control, treble/bass, streaming treble/bass, programs
  • Tinnitus masking: Customizable programs with a hearing care professional or use the Resound Relief app to experiment with masking noise
  • Find my hearing aid: Yes, feature is included in the app
  • Check my fit: An app feature from Resound to check the hearing aids are in the ear properly

Read our full review of the ReSound App here.

Pricing and Process
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Pricing

The national average price for ReSound NEXIA 7 hearing aids is around $5,850 per pair.

Our research indicates that the best pricing and care packages are currently available through ZipHearing. ZipHearing offers a pair of ReSound NEXIA hearing aids with one year of unlimited care for $3,198 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.

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ReSound NEXIA 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 NEXIA 5, 7, and 9 mostly come down to the ability of the device to manage background noise.

NEXIA 9

  • Offers 17 bands of customization
  • Includes 5 background noise management settings (Noise Tracker II)
  • Includes enhanced binaural background noise management (Environmental Optimizer II)

NEXIA 7

  • Offers 14 bands of customization
  • Includes 3 background noise management settings (Noise Tracker II)
  • Includes non-binaural background noise management (Environmental Optimizer I)

NEXIA 5

  • Offers 12 bands of customization
  • Includes 2 background noise management settings (Noise Tracker II)
  • Includes non-binaural background noise management (Environmental Optimizer I)
  • Does not come with the option to get a M&RIE receiver

Review ReSound's full feature matrix here

Read our full guide to choosing a technology level here 👈

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Name

Full Review

Blake Cadwell
Written by
Blake Cadwell

ReSound’s latest flagship product is here, and it’s…tiny. I’ve been wearing ReSound for about four years. My first pair was ReSound ONE, later replaced by ReSound OMNIA and now ReSound NEXIA.

ReSound is the 4th largest hearing aid brand globally and is known as an innovator. In 2013, the brand was the first to ink a deal with Apple to bring Bluetooth streaming to their hearing aids. Of course, today, Bluetooth streaming is standard fare for top-tier products, but ReSound continues to push the envelope in other ways.

In 2020, the brand introduced its M&RIE receiver, which added an additional microphone inside the ear (other brands only place mics behind the ear). The move gave ReSound more background noise capacity and reduced handling noise (that sound you get when you touch your hearing aids).

In 2022 ReSound released OMNIA which boasted better beam-forming and background noise management. I tried that product at Sofi stadium in a croud of 100,000 (read more about that here).

So, what are my thoughts on NEXIA? 

ReSound NEXIA reviewed in Soundly's test studio.

The first thing to know is that nothing about the sound processing in these hearing aids has changed. The algorithms, noise management, and sound processing are the same. The ReSound 3D app is also unchanged (our full app review here). On both fronts, I’m glad things are staying the same. ReSound’s sound processing and app are two of my favorite features from the brand. 

Screenshots of the ReSound Smart 3D App

The size is the most noticeable difference between my new NEXIA’s and my older OMNIA’s. ReSound shaved off 25% of the total volume. These new devices feel light and discreet behind my ears, leaving lots of room for glasses. 

NEXIA is the smallest receiver in canal hearing aid I’ve ever put behind my ears. The fact that they’ve kept 30 hours of battery life inside this tiny device is impressive. 

ReSound NEXIA battery life.

The push buttons on the back of NEXIA can be programmed to trigger volume changes, activate streaming, or change programs. I use mine for volume changes and to start the “hear in noise” program. You can work with your audiologist to program the buttons for different purposes. 

ReSound NEXIA vs. ReSound ONE size.

One thing that I especially love about ReSound’s devices is their reduced handling noise (the sound of glasses and hair touching your device). I try a lot of hearing aids, and ReSound is the only device that keeps noise from my hair or glasses brushing against the microphones to a minimum. They do this using their M&RIE receiver that sits away from those common disruptions. 

Are there any NEXIA drawbacks? 

Comparing ReSound NEXIA to other market leaders like Phonak.

ReSound NEXIA is impressive by most measures but there are a couple of drawbacks to consider.

ReSound’s larger M&RIE receiver is innovative but sometimes less comfortable. The receiver is a bit larger than other manufacturers, which takes a little time to get used to in the ear canal. The slightly larger size is worth the tradeoff for most since that feeling becomes familiar quickly.

At present, ReSound NEXIA allows hands-free calling only for iPhone users. If you want hands-free calling and use an Android, you'll want to check out Phonak Lumity or Orka Two.

Sound Quality Notes

ReSound is among the best at separating speech and noise in a background situation. Our lead audiologist recently put NEXIA in a test box and found the hearing aids could consistently provide up to 8-10 dB of background noise reduction. 

Every hearing aid has a slightly different sound flavor. Personally, I find the ReSound sound quality brighter and sharper, while Phonak and Oticon tend to be smoother and more relaxed. If a sense of clarity is what you are after, the ReSound sound flavor is tough to beat.    

Does the new Bluetooth connection make a difference? 

One other substantial upgrade between NEXIA and previous ReSound generations is the new Bluetooth LE 5.2 capability. 

This change doesn’t shift anything about the user experience at the moment. Hearing aid wearers will still connect to their iPhones and Android devices in the same way as previous versions. So what’s the big deal? 

NEXIA’s new capabilities offer two promises. The first is pretty simple: Bluetooth connections through Bluetooth LE 5.2 could be more stable and easier to manage in the future. That change relies on device makers like Apple to adopt Bluetooth LE connection models instead of their existing MFI framework. Those changes are probably a year or two away, but if you have your hearing aids for 4-5 years, having a Bluetooth LE-enabled hearing aid improves your chances of accessing new features as they roll out. 

The second promise of Bluetooth LE is more exciting. NEXIA’s Bluetooth LE capability allows Auracast streaming in public places. If you aren’t familiar with Auracast, check out our guide to the topic here. Auracast is not widely available yet but could come to airports and houses of worship in the next couple of years. 

Should you upgrade?

If you are a current ReSound OMNIA wearer, I’d say hang tight for now. OMNIA is only a year old, and the sound processing inside NEXIA is identical.

If you have an older model of hearing aids, NEXIA could be an excellent choice for better background noise management, smaller size, and updated Bluetooth tech.  

Regardless of where you sit on your purchase cycle, it’s clear that NEXIA is one of the best hearing aids on the market as of late 2023.

Blake Cadwell
Written by
Blake Cadwell
Amy Sarow, AuD, CCC-A
Reviewed by
Amy Sarow, AuD, CCC-A

Soundly conducts in-depth research to guide prospective hearing aid wearers. Our work is funded through reader support. When you buy through our links, we may earn a commission.

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