Test report: Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP

The Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP in review

In the jungle of hearing aid variants, we would like to give you some orientation and present another test report. Today, it is about a Phonak model, specifically the Terra+ BTE-UP. The amplification power is suitable for mild, moderate, and even severe hearing needs, and it delivers a quite reasonable sound just through the traditional hearing aid. The Terra+ BTE-UP is a completely normal, medium-sized hearing aid at a lower price level. It is worn behind the ear.

Hearing comfort

Good speech understanding is a given in modern 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 perceived as pleasant. That’s why we take a look at the comfort features: In the Terra+ BTE-UP, we found few options for influencing comfort. Normal background noises like street noise, vacuum cleaner sounds, or fan noise are supposed to be dampened by classic noise suppression. In this Phonak hearing aid, we are not dealing with the most powerful variant, but noise suppression should be sufficient for everyday use.

A filter for clattering or banging noises is not present here – unfortunately, that’s a drawback. Unfortunately, this hearing aid also lacks wind noise suppression. A pity. The hearing aid automatically decides whether the microphones should be directed towards a speaker or not. You get a decent spatial impression, but accurately identifying directions or estimating distances through hearing is not so easy. Let’s also look at the number of equalizer bands: the device from Phonak has 10. We are not really happy with that, as the options for sound shaping are quite limited. However, it is sufficient for good speech understanding.

Artificial intelligence has also made its way into hearing aids, for example here in the Terra+ BTE-UP. This allows for a lot more data to be 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: 4,0

Operation & connectivity

Every person has their own specific hearing needs. It's beneficial if one can individualize their hearing aids beyond the automatic functions. In our test, we discovered the following access options: There is a button directly on the hearing aid. This allows you to change the volume or activate additional hearing programs. It can be programmed according to customer preferences. The use of this feature is, of course, optional. A very practical option is the small remote control, which is available optionally. For us, this is one of the most convenient ways to adjust the hearing aid volume or switch to another hearing program. No one notices anything; there is no need to touch the ear.

In the test, we did not find any option for voice control. This function is not necessarily essential, but we would have appreciated it. Tap Control would have also been an interesting feature. This allows you to change the function with a quick tap on the ear. However, this is not available in the Terra+ BTE-UP yet.

Our favorite tool for hearing aids is the app, and we really like this one. In addition to the obligatory volume controls, there is also an option for sound processing. This significantly expands the potential of the Terra+ BTE-UP and provides relief when listening becomes tiring. The Terra+ comes with a 2.4 GHz antenna and allows us to enjoy dual-ear telephone conversations. This even gives us an advantage over normal hearing individuals. We find this commendable and are happy to give it points.

Rating Operation & connectivity: 1,8

Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP:

Simplicity & security

How does one cope with the hearing aid in everyday life? This is the next aspect we are evaluating. Because only if such a device works simply and straightforwardly can one get accustomed to it. The situational recognition did not exactly impress us. Quiet and loud environments are identified, and the Terra+ BTE-UP adjusts accordingly. But as soon as the acoustic conditions become more demanding, with various sources of noise appearing simultaneously, one may need to make some adjustments to the hearing aid themselves. A great feature of this hearing aid is the automatic acclimatization. Especially when one has been hearing poorly for a long time and then wears a hearing aid for the first time, this is a tremendous relief. The volume does not need to be raised immediately to full capacity. One can start at a lower level, and gradually, almost unnoticed, the amplification approaches the target.

The Terra+ BTE-UP relies on battery power instead of rechargeable batteries. Advantage: Very long runtime with one battery. Unlike battery solutions, one rarely has to worry about the power supply. Disadvantage: Waste is created in the form of used batteries. This hearing aid uses a hearing aid battery size 675.

We also take a look at the robustness of the casing and discover the protection class IP 68 in the datasheet. This means that dust cannot penetrate, and water only becomes dangerous after extended submersion. Protection against contact is also included.

Rating Simplicity & security: 2,5

Extras

At the end of our review, there is still a little space for the extra features: For example, a tinnitus option would be interesting. Unfortunately, we did not discover any possibility to alleviate tinnitus in the Terra+ BTE-UP.

A clever tool is the integrated remote service. Almost everyone has a smartphone, and time is a precious commodity. Therefore, such a remote service is absolutely appropriate. If someone needs a new programming of their hearing aids, they can easily contact the acoustician via the app and describe their hearing preferences. Through a cloud service, the professional can then send a customized setting as a data package to the app. From there, it is loaded onto the hearing aid and can be tried out immediately. This definitely deserves extra points in our test.

Special sensors in the Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP provide brand new insights into your health status. For example, at the end of the day, you can see how many steps you have taken. By the way, you don’t even need to have your smartphone with you while on the go. You only need to take a look at the app to read out the data. With devices like this from Phonak, our reviews are getting longer because there are now also intelligent additional functions. Various assistants make your life easier and are personalized in the app. While not strictly necessary, it is a lot of fun. This earns a good rating from us.

Rating Extras: 1,8

Conclusion: Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP

Mit der Endnote 2,8 behauptet sich dieses Modell im mittleren Bereich. Es hat eine ganz passable Komfortausstattung mit an Bord, die für die typischen Alltagsmomente reicht und ein zufriedenstellendes Hörerlebnis schafft.

 

Our Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP review was created on April 10, 2024 and lastly updated on January 2, 2025. The overall rating of 2,80 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 2 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 4.5 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 3.5 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 4.5 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..

 

 

 

FAQ

Was kostet das Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP?

Das Terra+ BTE-UP von Phonak wird von Anbietern derzeit in einem groben Preisrahmen von ungefähr zwischen 700,00 € und 1.300,00 € angeboten. Diesen Preis sollten Sie in Relation zur Testnote von 2.8 (***) sehen. Und zum Beispiel auch in Abhängigkeit mit der Sternebewertung im Bereich Lärmunterdrückung in unseren Tests (). Alle Vergleichswerte finden Sie im Hörgeräte-Vergleich.

Wie gut hört man mit dem Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP?

Das Terra+ BTE-UP von Phonak erreicht im Testbereich Hörkomfort die Note 4,0 (**). Im Bereich Lärmunterdrückung erreicht das Hörgerät . Bei der Windgeräuschunterdrückung bekommt es das Prädikat . Das Hörgerät zeigt im Test 10 unterschiedliche Equalizerbänder, die vom Hörakustiker auf das individuelle Hörvermögen eingestellt werden können (die aktuellen Spitzenmodelle erreichen 24).

Für wen ist das Terra+ BTE-UP von Phonak geeignet?

Dieses Hörgerät richtet sich an Menschen, deren ist. Dieser sogenannte "Anpassbereich" wird von Phonak als grober Rahmen vorgegeben. Ein gutes Hörakustikunternehmen vor Ort kann nach einem Profi-Hörtest sofort sagen, ob dieses Hörgerät für Sie geeignet ist.

Wie groß ist das Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP?

Wir haben alle Hörgeräte am Markt in vier Größenklassen eingeteilt, von XXS (quasi unsichtbar) bis M (eher groß). Das Phonak Terra+ BTE-UP hat die Größenklassifizierung M, ist also im Vergleich mit anderen Hörgeräten.

 

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