The Philips HearLink 7030 IIC in review
Are you curious about this hearing aid from Philips? Let's see what we found out. The HearLink 7030 IIC has been designed for nearly every hearing need and is worn in the ear. It is a miniature hearing aid approximately 1 cm long from the Business Class.
Due to its placement deep inside the ear canal, we achieve good, clear sound.
Hearing comfort
What is most annoying for hearing aid users? Exactly, background noise. Therefore, let's first look at the comfort features of the test device. With the HearLink 7030 IIC, we were impressed by the excellent noise management. There is definitely a normal noise cancellation present. It is meant to dampen constant sounds like traffic noise or the hum of the air conditioning. In our test device from Philips, we find really strong noise reduction, making listening extremely pleasant.
Impulse noises occur very frequently in everyday life. There is the dishwasher that needs to be unloaded, or the bunch of keys that is placed on the table. The HearLink 7030 IIC features strong impulse sound management that makes these sounds tolerable. A wind manager is not necessary for this model. It is, in fact, hidden in the ear canal and is naturally protected from wind by the outer ear. The number of frequency bands is very important for good speech-noise distinction. With 20, this hearing aid is among the best in the field and offers excellent adjustment options. The special design of the HearLink 7030 IIC proves to be fortuitous when it comes to spatial hearing. The microphones are deeply positioned in the ear canal, and this is exactly where sound reaches even normal hearing individuals. Thus, spatial hearing does not need to be artificially created but occurs naturally.
By the way, you may perceive the sound of this Philips device as clearer and more natural, especially in noisy environments. This is likely due to the implemented artificial intelligence. The hearing aid has already been fed with millions of real sounds, leading to a significantly improved distinction between speech and noise.
Rating Hearing comfort: 1,3
Operation & connectivity
Most functions of this Philips model are activated automatically. However, it can be very useful to have the option to extend the functionality a bit. In our test, we found out what options we have here. Unfortunately, this hearing aid lacks a direct control option. This is likely due to its small size. However, this doesn't have to be a disadvantage, as often the automatic functions are sufficient. Remote controls for hearing aids are actually common today, but Philips has not provided one for this device.
Some hearing aids can already be controlled by voice, but this one from Philips unfortunately cannot yet. It would be practical if fingers are not as nimble anymore or if one simply likes smart gadgets. There is no control of the hearing aids with a simple tap on this Philips model, as it would have required certain sensors in the case.
Quickly turning up the volume via the app is unfortunately not possible with the HearLink 7030 IIC. An app is not available for this. However, this is irrelevant if you are not a smartphone user anyway. The smartphone cannot be connected to the hearing aid, as the necessary equipment with a wireless antenna is unfortunately missing.
Rating Operation & connectivity: 3,8
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Simplicity & security
Next up in the test: How is the user-friendliness? Is it easy or complicated to handle the hearing aid? Simplicity in a hearing aid means primarily that it adapts flexibly to changing hearing scenarios. The HearLink 7030 IIC didn't completely convince us in this regard. There is a situation recognition feature that differentiates between quieter and louder environments. This works well. However, those who are active in their lives may occasionally hit some limitations with this. But that's not so bad; manual adjustment options are available. A great bonus in this hearing aid is the automatic acclimatization. Especially when someone has been hearing poorly for a long time and then wears a hearing aid for the first time, this is an enormous relief. The volume doesn't have to be immediately turned all the way up. One can start at a lower level, and gradually and almost unnoticed, the amplification approaches the target.
The HearLink 7030 IIC is not rechargeable; it operates on hearing aid batteries. Unlike a rechargeable battery, it does not need to be charged daily, but the size 10 battery is changed after a few days.
We also take a look at the robustness of the casing and find the protection class IP 68 in the data sheet. This means that dust cannot penetrate at all, and water only becomes a risk after prolonged immersion. Protection against contact is also included.
Rating Simplicity & security: 2,5
Extras
Finally, let's take a quick look to see if there are any extra features: Manufacturers often implement a tinnitus program in their hearing aids to somewhat alleviate the annoying ringing. However, Philips has opted not to include this in this model. That's unfortunate, as it would be a real added benefit for many people.
What about remote servicing? Such online services eliminate the need to visit the specialist store, as you can directly contact an audiology professional through the app. Unfortunately, we could not find this feature for the HearLink 7030 IIC. Too bad, as it would have been a great additional tool.
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 7030 IIC. The device from Philips 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: Philips HearLink 7030 IIC
With a final grade of 2.63, this model positions itself in the middle range. It has quite a decent comfort feature set on board, sufficient for typical everyday moments and creates a satisfying listening experience.
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Signia Active Pro IX ITC | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Our Philips HearLink 7030 IIC review was created on July 24, 2023 . The overall rating of 2,63 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 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 big is the Philips HearLink 7030 IIC?
Since a size in millimeters does not explain how large a hearing aid appears, we have divided the size perception into classes. Class "XXS" is practically invisible, while class "M" has the largest appearance. The Philips HearLink 7030 IIC falls into the size class XXS. It can therefore be described as extremely small.
What is the price of the Philips HearLink 7030 IIC?
The HearLink 7030 IIC from the manufacturer Philips is currently offered by audiologists in Germany in a price range of approximately €2,500.00 to €3,000.00. To assess the price-performance ratio, you should consider the overall test score of 2.6 (satisfactory).
How well does one hear with the Philips HearLink 7030 IIC?
The Philips HearLink 7030 IIC receives a rating for hearing comfort of 1.3 (very good) from us. The Philips hearing aid receives the designation 'natural' for its suppression of wind noise because it utilizes the natural shape of the ear, making wind noise hardly possible. The noise suppression of the device achieves very good 5 stars (the best possible rating). 20 frequency bands can be adjusted separately in this hearing aid for the processing of sound ranges (top values of current top models: 24).
Who is the Philips HearLink 7030 IIC suitable for?
If your hearing deficit is mild, moderate, or severe hearing loss, the Philips HearLink 7030 IIC could be suitable for you. This so-called "fitting range" of the hearing aid is set by the manufacturer and has to do with the amplification of the hearing aid. Whether the device is actually suitable for you can only be meaningfully assessed by an audiologist on-site after a comprehensive hearing test has been conducted.
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