The Philips HearLink 3030 IIC in review
The HearLink 3030 IIC from Philips is a tiny, barely noticeable hearing aid that is worn in the ear. By utilizing the hidden wearing position in the back section of the ear canal, very good sound transmission is possible. The HearLink 3030 IIC is a hearing aid of good, medium quality and is suitable for mild, moderate, and also strong hearing needs.
Hearing comfort
Good speech understanding is a given in contemporary hearing aids. Equally important is hearing comfort. Only when the ratio of speech transmission to the level of background noise is right will hearing be experienced as pleasant. That’s why we take a look at the comfort features: The manufacturer provides customers with comprehensive noise management in the HearLink 3030 IIC. Normal ambient noises such as street noise, vacuum cleaner sounds, or sounds from a fan are to be dampened by classic noise suppression. In this Philips hearing aid, we are not necessarily dealing with a high-performance variant, but in most listening situations, the noise suppression should be sufficient.
Our test discovered impulse noise reduction. It slightly mitigates popping and rapidly occurring sounds. Wind noise is only perceived as bothersome when it directly hits a hearing aid microphone. However, since this Philips model is very deep in the ear canal, that cannot happen. This device is therefore ideally suited for outdoor enthusiasts. In spatial hearing, the HearLink 3030 IIC shows its full strength: Due to the deep fit just before the eardrum, sound capture occurs like with a non-hearing aid ear. The outer ear naturally directs sound into the ear canal, and the existing head shadow effects are further utilized. Such good 3D hearing could probably not be artificially generated. A few more frequency channels would be desirable, but with the existing 14 channels, it is already quite workable.
Interestingly, artificial intelligence also plays a role in signal processing here. Sound is thus not only analyzed based on typical frequency patterns. Especially intense, noisy situations are perceived as more realistic and pleasant.
Rating Hearing comfort: 2,2
Operation & connectivity
“Can I adjust something on my hearing aid myself?” “Is there perhaps an app?” These and similar questions are becoming increasingly important when selecting a hearing aid, which is why we will take a look at the operating and connectivity options. Often, there is a button on the hearing aid, but we did not find one on this model. Sometimes, this control element is omitted in favor of a smaller design. That’s not so dramatic, since most functions in the hearing aid run automatically anyway. Remote controls for hearing aids are actually common today, but Philips has not provided one for this device.
Voice commands are a fairly new way to operate hearing aids. However, we do not have this option in this model yet. That’s not a big deal - the main thing is that you can hear well. Tap Control would have been an interesting feature as well. With it, you could change the function with a quick tap on the ear. But this is not yet available in the HearLink 3030 IIC.
Although smartphone apps are available for many hearing aids today, Philips unfortunately does not yet provide one for its HearLink 3030 IIC. Wireless connectivity options are completely missing in this version. This is no longer quite up-to-date, but it is probably due to the small size of the hearing aid.
Rating Operation & connectivity: 3,8
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Simplicity & security
Now let's take a look at how the usage in everyday life is. Is the handling easy? Do I get a safe device? An automatic situational recognition is only rudimentarily integrated in the HearLink 3030 IIC. We often have to rely on the manual options and adjust our hearing aid to the environments ourselves. The adaptation to the new hearing experience is supported by this device with a fully automatic acclimatization manager. It adjusts the amplification in barely noticeable steps until my hearing loss is completely compensated. I don't have to do anything other than wear my hearing aids regularly.
HearLink 3030 IIC relies on battery power instead of rechargeable batteries. Advantage: Very long runtime with one battery. You only have to deal with the power supply rarely, unlike with rechargeable solutions. Disadvantage: It produces waste in the form of used batteries. This hearing aid uses a hearing aid battery size 10.
We also take a look at the robustness of the housing and discover in the data sheet the protection class IP 68. This means that dust cannot penetrate at all, and water only becomes dangerous after longer submersion. Protection against contact is also included.
Rating Simplicity & security: 2,8
Extras
Sometimes hearing aids have additional features that can be quite useful. Let's see how it is with this Philips device: Manufacturers often implement a tinnitus program in their hearing aids to alleviate the annoying ringing a bit. However, Philips has opted not to include this in this model. That is unfortunate, as it would be a real added benefit for many people.
An online contact to the audiologist via the app would be very helpful. This is quite common today and provides assistance with minor adjustment issues. Unfortunately, Philips has opted out of this and therefore does not earn any extra points.
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 HearLink 3030 IIC. This Philips hearing aid does not have any further lifestyle options on board. Elsewhere, there are voice assistants or reminder functions, but these are not necessary for good hearing. It would just have made the product a bit cooler.
Rating Extras: 4,0
Conclusion: Philips HearLink 3030 IIC
With a final grade of 3.01, this model holds its own in the mid-range. It has a fairly decent comfort equipment on board, which is sufficient for typical everyday moments and creates a satisfying listening experience.
Top alternatives in the same price range
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Our Philips HearLink 3030 IIC review was created on June 22, 2023 . The overall rating of 3,01 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 4 | »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 noticeable is the Philips HearLink 3030 IIC to others?
It is in the XXS size class, making it appear extremely small. We primarily focused on the perception from outsiders.
What does the Philips HearLink 3030 IIC cost?
The price range in which the Philips HearLink 3030 IIC is approximately offered in Germany is between €2,000.00 and €2,500.00. The performance of the device corresponds to the price. In tests, it received an overall rating of 3.0 (satisfactory).
Is the Philips HearLink 3030 IIC suitable for my hearing loss?
This in-ear hearing aid is suitable for mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss. You can compare other hearing aids in this fitting range with the Philips HearLink 3030 IIC: Hearing Aids Comparison.
How well can you hear with the Philips HearLink 3030 IIC?
This in-ear device received a performance rating of 2.2 (good) in the area of "hearing comfort". Important for hearing comfort is, among other things, noise suppression. Here, the Philips HearLink 3030 IIC achieved 3 out of 5 stars. For the reduction of wind noise, it receives our label 'natural', as it utilizes the natural shape of the ear, thereby minimizing wind noise. The signal processing in this hearing aid occurs in 14 different adjustable channels (the best hearing aids currently have 24 channels).
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