Test report: Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO

The Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO in review

Once again, we are focusing on a hearing aid from the company Signia. This time it is a traditional behind-the-ear hearing aid named Intuis SP 4.0 HdO. It is a medium-sized hearing aid, and in terms of pricing, it is at the lowest price level. It can be used for moderate to severe hearing loss. Let's take a look at what the inner workings have to offer:

Hearing comfort

We all agree that speech understanding is the most important task for hearing aids. However, from our experience in the hearing acoustics specialist shop, we also know that hearing comfort is at least equally important. It’s about processing background noise so that it doesn’t interfere with speech understanding while still creating a realistic sound experience. In testing the Intuis SP 4.0 behind-the-ear model, we find only the bare essentials regarding hearing comfort. Let’s take a look at the individual features:

Of course, this Signia device has noise suppression, as that has become standard. Noise suppression means that constant and rather monotonous sounds (e.g., air conditioning, vacuum cleaner ...) are dampened. Here, the manufacturer has integrated a basic noise reduction, but it cannot be adjusted further.

Even in more affordable hearing aids, we often find attenuation for impulsive, rattling sounds nowadays. However, this clever tool is unfortunately not included here, which is a pity. We sorely missed wind noise suppression. Those who spend a lot of time outdoors might feel quite disturbed by the clearly audible wind sounds. The equalizer in the Intuis SP 4.0 behind-the-ear model has only 6 bands. This means that for any adjustments, you can only access quite large frequency ranges. Thus, you change a lot at once, and the small nuances cannot be implemented. Spatial hearing would be another important point, but not much can be said about that with this Signia hearing aid. There are no special features that can somehow support or replicate spatial hearing. This is something to consider, especially if you are often out and about in public spaces.

Strategies based on artificial intelligence are not yet implemented in this hearing aid from Signia.

Rating Hearing comfort: 5,3

Operation & connectivity

Since you probably don't have your audiologist by your side all the time, it is quite helpful to be able to make changes to the hearing aid yourself. There are various control options, and we will look at which ones the Intuis SP 4.0 BTE has. A very quick way to adjust the volume is the small button on the device. It is easy to feel, and you can adjust it louder or quieter in several steps. Additional programs for specific hearing situations can also be activated with it. If someone prefers not to use the button, they can simply have it deactivated. Those who are not comfortable touching their ear to adjust the volume will be pleased with the optional remote control. This allows for convenient and discreet adjustments to the hearing aid.

The modern form of voice command control is not yet found in the Intuis SP 4.0 BTE. There is no control of the hearing aids with a simple tap of the finger in this Signia model, as it would require specific sensors in the casing.

An appropriate app is also made available to us. In everyday life, the app should suffice, but it offers not much more than a volume function and the ability to access various hearing programs. Unfortunately, we have to forgo a streaming function here and continue to hold the smartphone to our ear in the usual way.

Rating Operation & connectivity: 2,8

Simplicity & security

For the next chapter, we subjected the hearing aid to a small practical test. We wanted to know if it is easy to use and uncomplicated in everyday life. The Intuis SP 4.0 BTE features a solid everyday automatic that is probably sufficient for a quieter life. However, for more complex listening environments, we recommend the additional manual programs. This device supports the adjustment to the new hearing experience 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.

Intuis SP 4.0 BTE relies on battery power instead of rechargeable batteries. Advantage: Very long runtime with one battery. Unlike rechargeable solutions, you only need to worry about the power supply very rarely. Disadvantage: Waste is generated in the form of used batteries. This hearing aid uses a hearing aid battery size 13.

The datasheet certifies the Signia device with an IP protection class rating of 68. This makes it one of the most robust hearing aids on the market. Dust has no chance of getting in, and water will not penetrate the housing unless it is submerged deeper than 1.5 meters. Nevertheless, please be cautious. Shampoo, for example, alters the surface tension of water. You should also avoid saltwater. However, in everyday life, you can behave quite carefree.

Rating Simplicity & security: 2,3

Extras

Everyone appreciates a few extra features, so let's see if we can find any here: Tinnitus is an issue for many people, but unfortunately, this hearing aid does not have a specific tinnitus sound program. Therefore, we cannot award an extra point here.

The remote maintenance service offers real added value. There is no longer a need to go to the specialist shop for changes to the hearing aid settings; instead, one can contact the acoustician directly through the app. Then, via a cloud service, the new data package can be loaded into the hearing aids. This is exactly what we expect from a modern hearing aid.

There are no sensors in this Intuis SP 4.0 variant, so the popular health tracking cannot be offered. For example, the steps taken throughout the day are counted. As mentioned, this hearing aid does not have this function on board. Other hearing aids already have a few advanced options like a fall alarm or reminder functions. We do not find these here, and that's not too dramatic because the normal hearing functions are still the most important.

Rating Extras: 3,3

Conclusion: Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO

In summary, this device ranks low and provides us with little more than a solid basic setup. Of course, with this device, one can understand speech, just like with all hearing aids, but not much is done to reduce listening effort. Our overall rating: 4.55. Please always consider this rating in relation to the price range of this hearing aid.

 

Our Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO review was created on December 16, 2024 . The overall rating of 4,55 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 1 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 3.5 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 4 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 3 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..

 

 

 

FAQ

What does the Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO cost?

The Intuis SP 4.0 HdO from Signia is currently offered by providers in a rough price range of approximately between €1.00 and €700.00. You should consider this price in relation to the test score of 4.6 (poor). And, for example, also in relation to the star rating in the area of noise suppression in our tests (only 1 out of 5 stars). You can find all comparison values in the hearing aid comparison.

How well does the Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO perform?

The Intuis SP 4.0 HdO from Signia receives a score of 5.3 (poor) in the area of hearing comfort. In the area of noise suppression, the hearing aid achieves only 1 out of 5 stars. It receives the designation 'total failure' for wind noise suppression, as it does not have this feature. The hearing aid shows 6 different equalizer bands in the test, which can be adjusted by the audiologist to the individual's hearing ability (current top models reach 24).

Who is the Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO suitable for?

This hearing aid is aimed at people with moderate to severe hearing loss. This so-called "adaptation range" is roughly defined by Signia. A good local hearing acoustics company can immediately tell if this behind-the-ear hearing aid is suitable for you after a professional hearing test.

How big is the Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO?

We have classified all hearing aids on the market into four size categories, from XXS (almost invisible) to M (rather large). The Signia Intuis SP 4.0 HdO has a size classification of M, making it relatively large compared to other hearing aids.

 

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