Review of Siemens Binax 7

Question: “What do you like about the Siemens Pure binax 7?”

Note that this department of Siemens has been recently purchased by a private investment firm named Sivantos; however, the product willcontinue unchanged under the name Siemens according to my rep.

The Siemens Pure binax 7 is one of my favorite hearing models.

Of course not every model is good for all individuals, but this particular model is ideal for people who want the following:

• A recharger for their hearing aids
• The ability to control their hearing aids using an app on their cell phone
• The option to use their hearing aids as Bluetooth earphones
• Tangible controls on their hearing aids
• Tinnitus therapy
• And, of course, superior sound quality

“I really like their solid design”

I really like the elegant design of the casing, and the solid reliability of the various buttons and controls. I find that Siemens achieved that desirable balance between aesthetics and function; not an easy feat. In my lab, I find that the parts are easy to replace and work with. Most importantly, the parts are solid. They snap on and off and fit precisely, but are designed toward an elegant presentation. It reminds me of the age-old art of clock making for which Germany is famous. I also like that the aid can be used with either rechargeable batteries or with regular disposable batteries. Sometimes a person doesn’t want to take the recharger on a trip with them.

“Binax accessories are a mixed bag”

The recharger, or eCharger as Siemens calls it, is somewhat finicky. It is not 100% reliable. It seems to be related to upkeep. The user has to clean out the contacts on both the hearing aids and the charger, and know how to place the hearing aids into the slots without pushing down on them. Even with this said, I have found that the user has to be warned that he or she may have to switch to regular batteries. Also, the charge is limited to a certain number of hours. It depends on how much the aids are draining the battery, but the hours seem to be limited to 8-12 hours per charge. So if the user has a long day ahead then he or she has to carry extra batteries, which defeats the purpose.

The easyTek accessory is worn around the neck, and serves the purpose of receiving a Bluetooth signal. When I used the Pure binax 7 for a two week “test drive” as I do with all of my hearing aids before making them available through my practice, I paired the easyTek to my iPhone but had to pair it each morning to ensure it worked consistently. Otherwise people find it useful. The device is so lightweight that you don’t feel it.

The free TouchControl app is popular. Note that it won’t change programs if you enlarge the font in your cell phone. Other than this little glitch, I found that it is handy for changing the volume and changing programs using your phone instead of reaching up to your ears. Well designed app.

The Voice Link accessory does not work well and is outdated. For example, the TV connection doesn’t work on a digital TV unless you purchase a digital to analogue converter.

“Quality Sound!”

With 48 channels, 20 adjustable handles and gain reaching out to 12,000 Hz, the features are premium. I also like that it has a superior number of parameters to adjust, from the range of the volume control, the range of the directional microphones, to the tinnitus therapy signal, to the control of the accessories.

The Spatial Configurator is an especially outstanding parameter. The user can choose to selectively “zoom” in to listen to the side or behind, depending upon the programming. This is controlled by the user via the easyTek.

And with my Unity equipment by Siemens, I can perform a Real Ear Measurement during the fitting, then select Autofit which makes fine tune adjustments instantly to the shape of the user’s ear canal, resulting in a perfect measurement.