Test report: Philips HearLink 2030 CIC

The Philips HearLink 2030 CIC in review

The HearLink 2030 CIC from Philips is a petite, small hearing aid that is worn in the ear. By using the unobtrusive wearing location in the ear canal, very good sound transmission is possible. The HearLink 2030 CIC is a hearing aid from an affordable price range and is suitable for mild, moderate, and also significant hearing needs.

Hearing aids today almost cover the entire need of the target audience. From very inexpensive and simple to expensive and with sophisticated technical support.

Hearing comfort

Hearing aids are designed not only to bring speech to the ear but also to sound pleasant. So, let’s first look at the comfort features. What types of noise does the hearing aid recognize? Are they dampened or transmitted unchanged? Is the hearing aid suitable for a lively everyday life? Here with this test device, we found very few options for comfort adjustment. As with every hearing aid, it also includes typical background noise suppression. It aims to reduce uniform, noisy ambient sounds to the point where they no longer dominate. With the HearLink 2030 CIC, we have a rather simple form of noise suppression that should be sufficient for normal environments.

When the wind sweeps across the microphones outdoors in nature, we wish for wind noise reduction. However, that is missing here, and in some outdoor situations, this can severely impact hearing comfort. Unfortunately, we did not find any pop filter that responds to short, loud sounds. We always take a close look at the number of equalizer bands. They are important to adapt the sound of a hearing aid as accurately as possible to the hearing curve. Additionally, speech noise management takes place within these bands as well. The HearLink 2030 CIC has 12 of them. That’s okay. The HearLink 2030 CIC impresses us with its natural, spatial hearing. The auricle retains its function, making the 3D feeling just like wearing no hearing aid at all.

Speech in noisy environments is always a challenge. Philips addresses this issue with the use of artificial intelligence. The result is brilliant and clear speech transmission while ambient sounds still come through realistically loud to the ear.

For these devices, the optional use of a button is actually a must. The technology does not necessarily provide support in complex listening situations. With the button, you have the opportunity to adjust the volume as needed or switch to programs that correspond to your current listening environment.

Rating Hearing comfort: 3,7

Operation & connectivity

The majority of hearing aids automatically adjust to their environment. However, it can sometimes be very practical to make some changes yourself. After all, the hearing aid doesn't know how you are feeling at the moment. We looked into what control options the HearLink 2030 CIC offers: There is usually a button on the hearing aid, and we found one on the HearLink 2030 as well. It can be configured as a volume control or program selection button and can also be deactivated if desired. Is the HearLink 2030 remote-controlled? Unfortunately not; there is no suitable device available.

Voice commands are a relatively new way to operate hearing aids. However, this model does not have that option yet. That's not a big deal - as long as you can hear well. There is no control of the hearing aids with a simple fingertip in this Philips model, as it would have required specific sensors in the case.

If you are looking for an app, unfortunately, you won't find one here. The HearLink 2030 CIC has to make do without smart control features. This point is lost. There is no connection option to other audio sources provided here. It's a pity, as a wireless streaming function would have provided real added value.

Rating Operation & connectivity: 3,5

Simplicity & security

Now let's take a look at how the usage unfolds in everyday life. Is the handling easy? Do I get a secure device? We would have wished for a program automation in the HearLink 2030 CIC that adapts itself to the environment. However, this is unfortunately not available, so points deducted at this point. A crucial aspect regarding simplicity for us is the support during the acclimatization process. Especially after having heard poorly for years, it can sometimes be difficult to perceive everything at a natural volume. Our test device features an acclimatization manager that helps us with very small volume adjustments during the habituation phase. After a few weeks or months, we then reach the calculated amplification level.

The HearLink 2030 CIC is not rechargeable. It continues to receive its power from size 10 disposable batteries that need to be replaced every few days.

The HearLink 2030 is almost dustproof and waterproof, and with its IP 68 classification, it is certainly well protected against external influences.

Rating Simplicity & security: 3,0

Extras

Lastly, we are interested in whether there are any additional goodies on top: For example, a tinnitus option would be interesting. Unfortunately, we have not discovered a way to alleviate tinnitus in the HearLink 2030 CIC.

A nice feature would be a remote maintenance service, allowing assistance from a hearing professional even when you cannot make it to the store. But unfortunately, this is not available here, so there is no extra point for that.

Many hearing aids today still come with a few health functions. However, since the HearLink 2030 CIC does not have any special sensors for this, we cannot present any particular features. The functionality of the HearLink 2030 CIC is limited to normal hearing, which is perfectly fine. Additional features like fall alarms or Siri integrations do provide significant added value, but they are not relevant for good hearing balance.

Rating Extras: 4,0

Conclusion: Philips HearLink 2030 CIC

In the overall result, this test device places in the lower ranks and lacks some features. We give it a rating of 3.56. This is acceptable for less demanding listeners; however, for a very active lifestyle, we recommend a hearing aid with more extensive comfort features.

 

Our Philips HearLink 2030 CIC review was created on May 3, 2023 . The overall rating of 3,56 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 2.5 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 2.5 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 3 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 2 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..

 

 

 

FAQ

What does the Philips HearLink 2030 CIC cost?

The HearLink 2030 CIC from Philips is currently offered by providers in a rough price range of approximately between €1,300.00 and €2,000.00. You should view this price in relation to the test score of 3.6 (satisfactory). And, for example, also in relation to the star rating in the area of noise suppression in our tests (2 out of 5 stars). You can find all comparison values in the hearing aid comparison.

How well does one hear with the Philips HearLink 2030 CIC?

The HearLink 2030 CIC from Philips achieves a score of 3.7 (satisfactory) in the testing area of hearing comfort. In the area of noise suppression, the hearing aid receives 2 out of 5 stars. For wind noise suppression, it receives the designation 'total failure,' as it does not have this feature. The hearing aid shows 12 different equalizer bands in the test, which can be adjusted by the audiologist according to individual hearing ability (current top models achieve 24).

For whom is the HearLink 2030 CIC from Philips suitable?

This hearing aid is aimed at people with mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss. This so-called "fitting range" is roughly defined by Philips. A good local audiology company can immediately tell after a professional hearing test whether this in-ear hearing aid is suitable for you.

How large is the Philips HearLink 2030 CIC?

We have classified all hearing aids on the market into four size categories, from XXS (almost invisible) to M (rather large). The Philips HearLink 2030 CIC has a size classification of XS, making it relatively small compared to other hearing aids.

 

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