The Oticon Geno 1 CIC in review
Oticon offers the Geno 1 CIC, a small mini hearing aid that is worn in the ear. It is a hearing aid from an affordable price range and is suitable for moderate hearing loss. By being positioned directly in the ear canal, it ensures that sound reaches the eardrum without losses.
Hearing comfort
What is most bothersome for hearing aid users? Exactly, the background noise. That's why we first look at which comfort features the test device contains. The Geno 1 CIC offers only the absolute essentials regarding hearing comfort. A normal noise reduction is definitely present. It is intended to dampen constant noises like traffic noise or the hum of an air conditioning unit. In our test device from Oticon, a simple noise reduction is integrated by the manufacturer, but it cannot be adjusted further.
A filter for rattling, popping noises is not present here – unfortunately, there is no point for that. When the wind blows outside in nature over the microphones, we wish for wind noise reduction. However, that's missing here, and in some outdoor situations, this can significantly impair hearing comfort. The equalizer in the Geno 1 CIC offers only 6 bands. This means that when making changes, one can only access quite large frequency ranges. Thus, you always change quite a lot at once, and the small nuances cannot be implemented. Instruments for spatial hearing are missing here, yet we still award full points. The spatial hearing is maintained because the hearing aid sits directly in the ear canal. And that’s exactly where the sound also reaches non-hearing aid users. This is a real advantage of this specific, small design.
Other hearing aids already use artificial intelligence in their signal processing, but the Geno 1 CIC does not yet incorporate this strategy.
Rating Hearing comfort: 4,5
Oticon Geno 1 CIC:
Operation & connectivity
Digital hearing aids have long evolved beyond the basic amplification function. Apps and other control options significantly expand the range of features, which is why we also look at this important topic in the Geno 1 CIC by Oticon. The simplest control option is always a button directly on the hearing aid. There is one here as well. It can be programmed according to your preferences. Do you want a manual volume control? No problem, the button allows for a gradual adjustment of the volume. Or do you need different special programs for your professional daily life or hobbies? These can also be activated via the button. If you prefer to keep everything in automatic mode, you can simply ignore the button or even have it deactivated. Can the Geno 1 be controlled with a remote? Unfortunately not, there is no suitable device available for that. Voice commands are a relatively new way to control hearing aids. However, this model does not have this feature yet. That's not too bad - the main thing is that you can hear well. If there are sensors in the hearing aid, tap control could be conceivable, meaning triggering a specific function by tapping your fingers on the ear. However, this option is not available in the Geno 1 CIC. Quickly adjusting the volume via the app is unfortunately not possible with the Geno 1 CIC. An app for this purpose is not available. However, this is irrelevant if you are not a smartphone user anyway. We unfortunately have to forgo a streaming function here and continue to hold the smartphone normally to the ear.
Rating Operation & connectivity: 3,5
The best alternatives to the Geno 1 CIC
Our database contains 35 reviews of hearing aids with similar technical features to this one (i.e., In the ear (ITE) in sehr kompakter Bauform in Size "", not rechargable, geeignet für Hörverlust-Grad leicht & mittel). Here are the top 3 (Redaktionsstand 02.10.2025):
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Signia Insio 7 IX CIC | Rating: 4 / 5 |
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Signia Insio 5 IX CIC | Rating: 4 / 5 |
Simplicity & security
How does one cope with the hearing aid in everyday life? This is the next aspect we will evaluate. Because only when such a device works simply and easily can one become accustomed to it. Simplicity in a hearing aid means for us primarily that it adapts flexibly to changing hearing scenarios. The Geno 1 CIC hasn’t fully convinced us in this regard. Although there is a situation recognition feature that differentiates between quieter and louder environments. This works as intended. However, anyone who is actively engaged in life might occasionally hit limitations with it. This isn’t too bad, as one can resort to manual adjustment options. 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 achieved. This significantly eases the adjustment to the new sound.
The Geno 1 CIC relies on battery power instead of rechargeable batteries. Advantage: Very long battery life. Unlike rechargeable solutions, one rarely has to worry about the power supply. Disadvantage: Waste is generated in the form of used batteries. This hearing aid uses a hearing aid battery of size 10.
We also take a look at the robustness of the housing and discover the protection class IP 68 in the data sheet. This means that dust cannot penetrate at all, and water becomes a danger only after prolonged submersion. Protection against contact is also included.
Rating Simplicity & security: 2,5
Oticon Geno 1 CIC:
Extras
Sometimes hearing aids have additional features that can be quite useful. Let's see how it is with this Oticon device: We would have liked to discover a tinnitus program at this point, but unfortunately, there isn't one.
A nice feature would be a remote support service to get help from a hearing professional even when you can't come to the store. But unfortunately, it's not available here, so there are no extra points for that.
Some hearing aids can track certain health data. However, this requires special sensors in the hearing aid, which we unfortunately do not have in the Geno 1 CIC. The device from Oticon focuses on essential hearing functions and does not offer extras like voice assistants or translation features. While that would have been fun, it is not necessary for a good listening experience.
Rating Extras: 4,0
Conclusion: Oticon Geno 1 CIC
In the overall result, this test device ranks in the lower positions and misses some features. We give it a score of 3.81. For less demanding listeners, this is fine, but for a very active lifestyle, we recommend a hearing aid with more extensive comfort features.
Top alternatives in the same price range
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Our Oticon Geno 1 CIC review was created on August 24, 2022 and lastly updated on September 10, 2022. The overall rating of 3,81 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 1.5 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 2.5 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 3.5 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 2 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..
FAQ
How conspicuous is the Oticon Geno 1 CIC to others?
It is in the size class XS, so it appears quite small. We primarily kept the perception for outsiders in mind.
What does the Oticon Geno 1 CIC cost?
The price range in which the Oticon Geno 1 CIC is approximately offered in Germany is between €1,300.00 and €2,000.00. The performance of the device corresponds to the price. In the test, it achieved an overall rating of 3.8 (satisfactory).
Is the Oticon Geno 1 CIC suitable for my hearing loss?
This in-ear hearing aid is suitable for a mild to moderate hearing loss. You can compare other hearing aids from this fitting range with the Geno 1 CIC from Oticon: Hearing Aids Comparison.
How good is hearing with the Oticon Geno 1 CIC?
This in-ear device received a performance rating of 4.5 (poor) in the report for the area of "Hearing Comfort." Important for hearing comfort is, among other things, noise suppression. Here, the Geno 1 CIC from Oticon only achieves 1 out of 5 stars. For the reduction of wind noise, it receives our label 'total failure,' as it does not have this feature. The signal processing takes place in this hearing aid in 6 different adjustable channels (the best hearing aids currently have 24 channels).
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