Test report: Bernafon Alpha 3 ITE HS

The Bernafon Alpha 3 ITE HS in review

Die Technik dieses Gerätes wurde vom Bernafon Alpha XT abgelöst und ist daher nicht mehr ganz aktuell. Wir haben deshalb eine Abwertung in der Gesamtnote vorgenommen.

Are you curious about this hearing aid from Bernafon? Let's see what we have found out. The Alpha 3 ITE HS has been designed for both mild and more severe hearing needs and is worn in the ear. It is a slightly visible hearing aid at a reasonable price from the upper mid-range.
Due to the sound outlet being close to the eardrum, we have a good, clear sound.

Hearing comfort

In the Hearing Comfort section, we look at how a hearing aid manages all the background noise. Comfortable noise management contributes significantly to a user liking and wearing their hearing aids regularly. For this Bernafon device, solid comfort programming by the audiologist is possible. The regular noise suppression aims to reduce consistent, static background noises. In the Alpha 3 ITE HS, the noise suppression is solid. There are hearing aids that have a significantly more effective reduction, but this one should be sufficient for normal demands.

When clattering and rattling sounds occur, the Bernafon device activates its impulse sound suppressor. However, these sounds remain quite intense. Those who enjoy spending time outdoors will appreciate the wind noise suppression here. While it does not dampen significantly, it is definitely useful. The hearing aid automatically decides whether the microphones should be directed towards a speaker or not. One has a decent spatial impression, but accurately assigning directions or estimating distances through hearing is not so easy. A solid basis for programming the Alpha 3 ITE HS is provided by the 14 equalizer bands. As sound enthusiasts, we do wish for a few more, but for the typical situations we encounter in our daily lives, a quite reasonable sound profile can be created from them.

Artificial intelligence has also made its way into hearing aids, e.g., here in the Alpha 3 ITE HS. This provides a lot more data to identify speech and noise. Based on our experience, the sound of hearing aids with AI is perceived as particularly precise and realistic.

Rating Hearing comfort: 3,2

Operation & connectivity

Most hearing aids automatically adapt to their surroundings. However, it is sometimes very practical to be able to make adjustments oneself. After all, the hearing aid does not know how you are currently feeling. We looked at the control options that the Alpha 3 ITE HS offers: First, we discovered a button directly on the hearing aid. This makes a lot of sense, as it is the simplest and fastest way to make a change. The volume can be adjusted through it, and various hearing programs can also be activated. If you prefer not to adjust anything directly at the ear, you can of course deactivate the button. Those who don't like to touch their ear to make things louder will appreciate the optional remote control. This allows for comfortable and discreet adjustments to the hearing aid.

Voice commands are a relatively new way of operating hearing aids. However, this model does not yet offer this feature. That's not a big deal – the main thing is that you can hear well. There is no control of the hearing aids with a simple tap in this Bernafon model, as certain sensors would have been needed in the housing for that.

In the App Store, we also find a suitable application from Bernafon. The app for the Alpha 3 ITE HS is not one of our highlights, but it has everything you need for your hearing systems. The Alpha 3 comes with a 2.4 GHz antenna and allows for binaural phone calls. This even gives us an advantage over normal hearing individuals. We find that good and are happy to give points.

Rating Operation & connectivity: 2,0

Bernafon Alpha 3 ITE HS:

Simplicity & security

Now let’s take a look at how the usage is in everyday life. Is the handling easy? Do I get a secure device? Typical listening situations that everyone encounters in their environment are reliably recognized and adjusted through automatic settings. However, for more specific, recurring needs, one cannot avoid using the manual hearing programs. We give a big plus point for the automatic acclimatization assistant. It gradually increases the starting volume in very small steps until my hearing goal is reached. This makes getting used to the new sound significantly easier.

Many hearing aids today have a rechargeable battery, but the Alpha 3 ITE HS is still powered by disposable batteries. This is somewhat cumbersome to handle and also burdens the environment.

The datasheet certifies the Bernafon device with an IP protection class rating of 68. This makes it one of the most robust hearing aids on the market. Dust has no chance, and water does not penetrate the casing unless it is submerged deeper than 1.5 m. Nevertheless, be cautious. Shampoo, for example, changes the surface tension of water. You should also avoid saltwater. However, in everyday life, you can behave quite carefree.

Rating Simplicity & security: 2,3

Extras

At the end of our test report, there is still a bit of space for the extra features: We noticed the tinnitus option here. If you wish, you can have a special tinnitus program set up. It applies gentle noise to the ears when needed, to distract a little from the annoying tinnitus. The sounds can be customized according to personal hearing preferences. A real added value is provided by the remote maintenance service. For a change in the hearing aid settings, you no longer need to go to the specialist shop, but can directly contact the audiologist via the app. Through a cloud service, you can then load the new data package into the hearing aids. This is exactly what we expect from a modern hearing aid. Many hearing aids still have a few health functions today. However, since the Alpha 3 ITE HS does not have any special sensors for that, we cannot present any specifics here. In connection with a smartphone, the Alpha 3 ITE HS surprises us with a few nice lifestyle features. It is definitely worth getting thoroughly acquainted with the app and using the offered assistance programs.

Rating Extras: 1,8

Conclusion: Bernafon Alpha 3 ITE HS

With a final grade of 3.46, this model occupies the mid-range. It comes equipped with a fairly decent level of comfort suitable for typical everyday moments and provides a satisfactory listening experience.

What is the difference between the various designs? Are there mini hearing aids with batteries? Or with Bluetooth? Read our comprehensive In-Ear Hearing Aids Comparison, which provides you with this and many more interesting pieces of information.

 

Our Bernafon Alpha 3 ITE HS review was created on May 17, 2023 and lastly updated on June 25, 2024. The overall rating of 3,46 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 3 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 4 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 4 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 4.5 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..

 

 

 

FAQ

Ist das Alpha 3 ITE HS von Bernafon für mich geeignet?

Der Anpassbereich dieses Hörgerätes ist "". Ob Ihr Hördefizit in diesem Bereich liegt, kann ein Hörakustik-Fachbetrieb vor Ort schnell beurteilen.

Was kostet das Alpha 3 ITE HS von Bernafon?

Der grobe Rahmen, in dem das Bernafon Alpha 3 ITE HS derzeit in Deutschland angeboten wird, ist ungefähr zwischen 2.000,00 € und 2.500,00 €. Zum Preis sollte man sich auch die Gesamtbewertung anschauen: Die Gesamt-Testnote im HörShop-Test ist 3.5 (***). Auch Details sind wichtig, um den Hörgerätepreis einordnen zu können: Die Sternebewertung der "Lärmunterdrückung" im Test zeigt .

Welche Größe hat das Bernafon Alpha 3 ITE HS?

Dieses In the ear (ITE) haben wir in die Größenklasse S eingeordnet. Das bedeutet, dass es ist. Sie können es mit anderen Hörgeräten dieser Größenklasse vergleichen: Hörgeräte-Vergleich.

Wie gut hört man mit dem Bernafon Alpha 3 ITE HS?

Das Alpha 3 ITE HS vom Hersteller Bernafon ist mit 14 separat einstellbaren Equalizer-Bändern ausgestattet (zur Einordnung: Die aktuellen Spitzengeräte besitzen 25 Bänder). Die Bewertung der Unterdrückung von Lärm für dieses Gerät erreicht . Prädikat gibt es für die Windgeräuschunterdrückung des Alpha 3 ITE HS. Fasst man den gesamten Bereich "Hörkomfort" zusammen, ergibt sich eine Gesamtnote im Test von 3,2 (***).

 

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