The Philips HearLink 9030 CIC in review
We have tested a small, almost invisible hearing aid of excellent quality this time. It is the Philips HearLink 9030 CIC. It is worn in the ear and is designed for nearly every hearing need. The position worn directly in the ear canal is due to its design, which is why it delivers a beautiful, clear sound.
Hearing comfort
First, we assess the hearing comfort features. What types of sounds does the hearing aid recognize? How does it handle them? Is the hearing aid suitable for a varied everyday life? Here, this test device provides customers with comprehensive sound management. As in all hearing aids, we also find the typical noise suppression here. It is designed to reduce monotonous, noisy ambient sounds to the point where they no longer dominate. The HearLink 9030 CIC features truly impressive noise suppression, making listening extremely pleasant.
We painfully missed wind noise suppression. Those who are often outside could be disturbed by the clearly audible wind noises. The suppression of short, loud sound events convinced us here; it is indeed powerful. We found an impressive 24 equalizer bands in the HearLink 9030 CIC. In each band, the hearing aid activates its sound management, filters out the disruptive elements, and retains important speech components. Auditory adjustments can be targeted and precise. We are very satisfied with that. Especially with sharp or steeply falling hearing curves, such a hearing aid can be very useful. Although it lacks instruments for spatial hearing, we still award full marks. The spatial hearing is preserved because the hearing aid sits directly in the ear canal. And that is where sound reaches non-hearing aid users as well. This is a real advantage of this special, small design.
One component in the signal processing of the HearLink 9030 CIC is artificial intelligence. The impact is positive, as many customers find conversations in noisy situations noticeably more relaxed.
Rating Hearing comfort: 2,0
Operation & connectivity
“Can I adjust something on my hearing aid myself?” “Is there an app, perhaps?” These and similar questions are becoming increasingly important when choosing a hearing aid, so let’s take a look at the operating and connection options. There is a button directly on the hearing aid. With this, you can change the volume or activate additional listening programs. It can be programmed entirely according to customer preferences. The use is of course optional. We would have liked a remote control, but Philips does not offer one for this model. So no points in this regard.
In the test, we did not find any voice control options. This feature is not necessarily required, but we would have appreciated it nonetheless. Some hearing aids can also be controlled with a quick tap of the finger, without having to press a button. However, this feature has not yet been implemented here.
Quickly adjusting the volume through the app - unfortunately, that's not possible with the HearLink 9030 CIC. An app is not available for this purpose. However, this is irrelevant if you are not a smartphone user anyway. Wireless connectivity options are completely lacking in this variant, unfortunately. This is no longer quite up to date, but it is probably due to the small size of the hearing aid.
Rating Operation & connectivity: 3,5
The best alternatives to the HearLink 9030 CIC
Our database contains 70 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 & stark). Here are the top 3 (Redaktionsstand 02.10.2025):
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Starkey Genesis AI 24 CIC Wireless | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Starkey Signature Series 24 CIC NW | Rating: 4.5 / 5 |
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Starkey Genesis AI 20 CIC Wireless | Rating: 4.5 / 5 |
Simplicity & security
Let's continue with the test: How does it stand in terms of user-friendliness? Is it easy or complicated to handle the hearing aid? The HearLink 9030 CIC features an extensive set of stored hearing situations. If a typical pattern is recognized, the hearing aid automatically activates the correct setting. The adaptation to the new hearing experience is supported by a fully automatic acclimatization manager. It adjusts the amplification in barely noticeable steps until my hearing loss is completely balanced. I only need to wear my hearing aids regularly.
Zinc-air batteries power the HearLink 9030 CIC. Changing the battery could become quite cumbersome for people with limited dexterity or vision. If you have concerns about this, it's better to look for a rechargeable model.
We also take a look at the robustness of the casing and discover the protection class IP 68 in the data sheet. This means that dust cannot penetrate, and water only becomes hazardous after prolonged submersion. Touch protection is also included.
Rating Simplicity & security: 2,0
Extras
Before we reach the end, let's take a look at the extras: We would have liked to find a tinnitus program at this point, but unfortunately, there isn't one.
Unfortunately, there is no remote adjustment option. So anyone who needs optimization and wants to change their hearing aid settings will have to visit an acoustic professional.
A new trend in the hearing aid industry is integrated sensors that can track, for example, some personal health data. However, the HearLink 9030 CIC does not offer this. The functionality of the HearLink 9030 CIC is limited to normal hearing, which is perfectly fine. Additional functions like fall detection or Siri connections provide a significant added value, but they are not relevant for achieving good hearing balance.
Rating Extras: 4,0
Conclusion: Philips HearLink 9030 CIC
With a final grade of 2.72, this model holds its ground in the mid-range. It has a quite decent comfort level on board, sufficient for typical everyday moments and provides a satisfying listening experience.
Top alternatives in the same price range
Which devices in a comparable price range currently show the best technical performance? Here are the current top 3:
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Starkey Edge AI 24 ITC R | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Starkey Edge AI 24 mRIC R | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Starkey Edge AI 24 RIC RT | Rating: 5 / 5 |
Our Philips HearLink 9030 CIC review was created on July 17, 2023 . The overall rating of 2,72 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 4 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 2.5 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 4 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 2 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..
FAQ
How big is the HearLink 9030 CIC from Philips?
Since a size in millimeters does not explain how big a hearing aid looks, we have divided the size perception into classes. Class "XXS" is practically invisible, while class "M" has the largest appearance. The HearLink 9030 CIC from Philips is in the size class XS. So, it can be described as quite small.
What is the price of the Philips HearLink 9030 CIC?
The HearLink 9030 CIC from manufacturer Philips is currently offered by hearing care professionals in Germany in a price range starting from approximately €3,000.00. To assess the price-performance ratio, you should consider the overall test score of 2.7 (satisfactory).
How well can you hear with the Philips HearLink 9030 CIC?
The Philips HearLink 9030 CIC receives a score of 2.0 (good) from us for hearing comfort. The Philips hearing aid is rated as a 'complete failure' for its suppression of wind noise, as it does not have this feature. The noise suppression of the device achieves a very good 5 stars (the best possible rating). 24 frequency bands are separately adjustable in this hearing aid for processing sound levels (top values of the current top models: 24).
Who is the Philips HearLink 9030 CIC suitable for?
If your hearing loss is mild, moderate, or severe, the Philips HearLink 9030 CIC could be suitable for you. This so-called "fitting range" of the hearing aid is determined by the manufacturer and has to do with the amplification of the hearing aid, among other things. Whether the device is indeed suitable for you can only be sensibly assessed by a hearing care professional on-site after a thorough hearing test has been conducted.
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