The Phonak Terra BTE in review
Today we have a traditional hearing aid called Terra BTE on our testing agenda. The manufacturer Phonak designed it for mild, moderate, and also severe hearing needs, to be worn behind the ear. In terms of price, it is a model from the more affordable category. So, let's take a look:
Hearing comfort
A good understanding of speech is a given in modern hearing aids. Equally important is listening comfort. Only when the relationship between speech transmission and the level of background noise is right will hearing be perceived as pleasant. That’s why we take a look at the comfort features: With the Terra BTE, we found very few options for influencing comfort. Normal background noises like traffic, vacuum cleaner sounds, or those from the fan should be suppressed by classic noise reduction. In this Phonak hearing aid, we would rate the noise reduction as mediocre. It is sufficient if you do not live in a very noisy environment.
A pulse sound suppressor is unfortunately not included in the Terra BTE. Wind noise is another issue. Many people enjoy being outdoors and are then a little disturbed by the wind. Unfortunately, there is no wind management here, so one simply has to endure the sounds of the air movement. We miss a good room sound, but the automatic focus can indeed be helpful in situations with multiple people. Let’s also take a quick look at the equalizer: With 8 bands, it is not particularly flexible. With a few more channels, we would certainly have achieved a nicer, more natural sound experience. But at least we can tune the sound quite reasonably to our hearing perception.
Even in hearing aids, the use of artificial intelligence has made its way in, for example, here in the Terra BTE. This means there is much more data available to identify speech and noise. In our experience, the sound of hearing aids with AI is perceived as particularly precise and realistic.
Rating Hearing comfort: 4,2
Operation & connectivity
Sometimes it’s not so bad if you can adjust the volume of the hearing aid a little, for example, when the neighbor is mowing the lawn loudly or someone is speaking very quietly to you. Many models therefore have special operating functions. You can use them, but you don’t have to. We looked into this with the Terra BTE: there is a button directly on the hearing aid. With this, you can change the volume or activate additional hearing programs. It can be programmed according to customer preferences. Of course, using it is optional. If desired, there is a remote control for the hearing aid. This allows you to easily adjust the volume. The operation is not only child’s play, but no one will notice that you are adjusting your hearing aids.
We are always pleased when a hearing aid surprises us with a great additional feature. For example, we would have liked to see voice control here. But that is not available in the Terra BTE at the moment. Another option to control the hearing aids is a tap control. For this, you simply tap your fingers on your ear, which triggers a specific function. However, this option is not available in this Phonak device.
We missed an app for the Terra BTE during the test. If operation via smartphone is important to you, you should look for another model. The Terra comes with a 2.4 GHz antenna and allows us the pleasure of binaural phone calls. This even gives us an advantage over normal hearing individuals. We find that good and are happy to give it points.
Rating Operation & connectivity: 2,5
The best alternatives to the Terra BTE
Our database contains 84 reviews of hearing aids with similar technical features to this one (i.e., in klassischer Bauform in Size "", not rechargable, geeignet für Hörverlust-Grad leicht, mittel & stark). Here are the top 3 (Redaktionsstand 02.10.2025):
|
Hansaton Beat FS 9 R T 13 | Rating: 5 / 5 |
|
|
Hansaton Beat FS 9 R T 312 | Rating: 5 / 5 |
|
Philips HearLink 9040 MNB T | Rating: 4.5 / 5 |
Simplicity & security
In the next step, we want to address the topic of user-friendliness. Is the Terra BTE easy to use? Is it weatherproof? Do you have to do a lot to get used to it? Here are our answers: For automatic situation recognition, we expected a bit more support in everyday hearing situations. The situations “Silence” and “Noise” are recognized, but usually, the background noise is a bit more complex. The integrated acclimatization manager can be of great help when entering the world of hearing aids. Its task is to gradually increase the volume of the hearing aid in tiny steps until the target volume is reached. This way, you can relax and slowly adapt to the new hearing impressions. More information about acclimatization and other hearing aids with this feature can be found here: Acclimatization to Hearing Aids.
Unfortunately, the Terra BTE is not equipped with a battery, so you need to regularly use size 312 batteries for operation.
The hearing aid has been classified in the IP protection class 68. This guarantees comprehensive protection against dust ingress. Water also cannot easily harm the hearing aid. This makes it well-equipped for outdoor activities, where it can get wet and dirty. However, avoid bathing or swimming with the hearing aids. Bath additives or the salt content in seawater can change the composition and ultimately cause damage.
Rating Simplicity & security: 2,5
Extras
Everyone appreciates a few extra features, so let's see if we can find some here: For example, a tinnitus option would be interesting. Unfortunately, we did not find any way to alleviate tinnitus in the Terra BTE.
Unfortunately, there is no remote adjustment option. So, anyone who needs optimization and wants to change their hearing aid settings will have to visit a hearing professional.
If Phonak had integrated motion sensors into this hearing aid, individualized health tracking could even be possible. However, this is not the case here. These points lead to a loss of value for the Terra BTE. The hearing aid also lacks additional features like specialized assistance systems, a fall alert, or a language translator. This is not a major issue, as it does not affect the important hearing functions.
Rating Extras: 4,0
Conclusion: Phonak Terra BTE
With an overall grade of 3.39, this model holds its ground in the mid-range. It has a decent level of comfort features included, sufficient for typical everyday moments and providing 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:
|
Hansaton Beat FS 1 R T 13 | Rating: 4 / 5 |
|
Hansaton Beat FS 1 R T 312 | Rating: 4 / 5 |
|
Hansaton Beat FS 1 R T 675 | Rating: 4 / 5 |
Our Phonak Terra BTE review was created on March 5, 2024 and lastly updated on January 2, 2025. The overall rating of 3,39 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 2 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 3.5 | »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
What does the Phonak Terra BTE cost?
The Terra BTE from Phonak is currently offered by providers in a rough price range of approximately between €700.00 and €1,300.00. You should view this price in relation to the test score of 3.4 (satisfactory). And for example, also in relation to the star rating in the area of noise suppression in our tests (3 out of 5 stars). You can find all comparison values in the Hearing Aids Comparison.
How well does one hear with the Phonak Terra BTE?
The Terra BTE from Phonak achieves a score of 4.2 (sufficient) in the test area of hearing comfort. In the area of noise suppression, the hearing aid achieves 3 out of 5 stars. For wind noise suppression, it receives the classification 'Total failure,' as it does not have this feature. The hearing aid shows 8 different equalizer bands in the test, which can be adjusted by the audioprosthetist to the individual hearing ability (current top models reach 24).
Who is the Phonak Terra BTE suitable for?
This hearing aid is aimed at people whose hearing loss is mild, moderate, or severe. This so-called "fitting range" is roughly defined by Phonak. A good local hearing aid company can immediately determine after a professional hearing test whether this behind-the-ear hearing aid is suitable for you.
How big is the Phonak Terra BTE?
We have categorized all hearing aids on the market into four size classes, from XXS (virtually invisible) to M (rather large). The Phonak Terra BTE has a size classification of S, making it medium-sized compared to other hearing aids.
Compare hearing aids: discover all other current reviews now
Find and sort all currently listed hearing aids now. You have full access to all filters, allowing you to quickly view the top hearing aids at a glance.
