The Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless in review
What hearing comfort does the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless offer? How is it operated? Is it worth purchasing? Answers to these questions can be found in our test report on this hearing aid from Starkey. First, the basics: It is worn in the ear, and its optimal position at the front of the ear canal allows sound to travel easily toward the eardrum. This is important, as this is the only way to produce a really good, wideband sound.
The Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless is a fine little hearing aid from the highest quality segment that can cover moderate, stronger, and changing hearing losses. Read more details:
Hearing comfort
In the Hearing Comfort section, we look at how a hearing aid handles all the background noise. Comfortable noise management significantly contributes to a user liking and regularly wearing their hearing aids. In this Starkey device, the manufacturer provides the customer with comprehensive noise management. The regular background noise suppression aims to dampen consistent, hissing background noises. In the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless, Starkey has implemented effective noise reduction. It operates at a high performance level and offers the user very good comfort.
Short and sudden noises are often bothersome, but in this model, there is an adjustable impulse sound control. This makes sounds like cutlery clattering, slamming drawers, or rustling newspapers feel less unpleasant. Wind is another issue that can limit hearing comfort outdoors. However, the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless handles this elegantly by activating wind noise suppression in such situations. By the way, this can be adjusted in stages. Although there are no instruments for spatial hearing, we still grant full marks. Spatial hearing is preserved because the hearing aid sits directly in the ear canal. And this is exactly where sound reaches even non-hearing aid users. This is a real advantage of this special, compact design. With 20 channels, the frequency band count in the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless is very high. This allows the hearing aid to be perfectly tuned to each individual's hearing and provides good long-term tuning options.
One component in the signal processing of the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless is artificial intelligence. The impact is positive, as many customers find conversations in noisy situations to be noticeably more relaxed.
Rating Hearing comfort: 1,7
Operation & connectivity
Occasionally, one finds themselves in situations where it would be beneficial if the hearing aid were set differently. After all, we live in hectic times, where even the acoustic environment frequently changes. Most hearing aids have specific options for adjusting the settings themselves. Here's how it works with the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless: First, we discovered a button directly on the hearing aid. This is very sensible, as it is the easiest and quickest way to make a change. The volume can be adjusted through it, and different hearing programs can also be activated. If you prefer not to adjust anything directly at the ear, the button can of course be deactivated. The small remote control, which is available as an option, is very practical. For us, it is one of the most convenient ways to raise or lower the volume or switch to another hearing program. No one notices anything; reaching for the ear is not necessary.
Voice control of devices is widespread in other areas, and now it is also available in hearing aids. The Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless can adjust the volume or switch to another hearing program with a short voice command. More and more functionalities are being adopted in hearing aids that are already known from other areas. Here in the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless, it is the tap control. It is enough to briefly tap on the ear shell with your fingers or your palm, and a command will be triggered. This could be, for example, starting a transmission from the TV adapter. Your hearing care professional will help you select the appropriate function.
The best way to adjust the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless is with the associated app. Earlier apps only had one screen, but this one offers much more than just the usual volume control. We clearly highlight the advantages here. We really enjoyed the direct, wireless streaming. This means that calls from the smartphone can be transmitted to the hearing aids without any additional accessories. This turns the hearing aid into the perfect hands-free system or wireless headphones. Listening to music or watching videos is incredibly comfortable as well.
Rating Operation & connectivity: 1,2
Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless:
The best alternatives to the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless
Our database contains 4 reviews of hearing aids with similar technical features to this one (i.e., In the ear (ITE) in mittelgroßer Ausführung 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 Edge AI 24 CIC Wireless | Rating: 5 / 5 |
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Starkey Edge AI 16 CIC Wireless | Rating: 4.5 / 5 |
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Hansaton flow+ 312 Dir ITC | Rating: 2.5 / 5 |
Simplicity & security
Another point on our checklist is handling. Does everything work easily and reliably? What does the hearing aid offer to ensure safe use in everyday life? The Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless excels in situation recognition. Those who want a comprehensive and powerful fully automatic hearing aid and prefer minimal manual adjustments will be very satisfied with this. The adaptive algorithms untangle the individual sound events in the environment and present the soundscape clearly and precisely. Some people find it difficult to adapt, but this hearing aid makes it easy for us to cope with the new volume. There is an acclimatization manager that gradually leads us to the required target amplification. The period can range from a few weeks to several months and is individually adjustable. The increments are so small that one hardly notices that there was a volume increase.
The CIC Wireless from Edge AI 20 is powered by 312 disposable batteries; it is not rechargeable. This has its advantages and disadvantages. For the decision between "battery or rechargeable," we have provided assistance here: Rechargeable hearing aids or batteries: 6 criteria for your decision.
With IP 68 certification, the hearing aid can withstand a variety of adverse effects. Dust cannot penetrate, it is resistant to prolonged submersion in water, and it is also protected against contact.
Rating Simplicity & security: 1,8
Extras
Sometimes it’s the little things that make a hearing aid perfect. That’s why we quickly look for the extras that might be included: Worth mentioning is the tinnitus program. Those plagued by annoying ear noises will benefit from it. Pleasant, quiet sounds are adjusted to gently surround the tinnitus. In the end, the tinnitus blends into the background noise and is hardly noticeable at all.
Starkey is keeping up with the times and offers a forward-looking feature with the remote fitting service. Busy professionals with little time can contact their audiologist online and have their hearing aids reprogrammed. Hearing aid users who have a longer journey to the specialist store also benefit from this special service.
Sensors in the hearing aid enable functions that provide real added value. This model from Starkey contains such sensors, which, for example, count your steps throughout the day. The data can then be viewed in the app. It’s possible that additional tracking functions will be added through subsequent updates. This Starkey device also includes a few small highlights. Depending on what your smartphone supports, you can receive reminders for appointments, access Siri, or use other assistance systems. This definitely adds an extra point.
Rating Extras: 1,0
Conclusion: Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless
Our conclusion for this hearing aid is very positive: Here we have a small technological marvel that has impressed us in every way. Both the listening comfort and the features for daily use leave nothing to be desired. We are very happy to award an overall rating of 1.44 and are confident that with this device, one will have a great 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 Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless review was created on October 29, 2024 and lastly updated on November 1, 2024. The overall rating of 1,44 is composed of: »Hearing Comfort (40% weighting): Rating 4.5 | »Operation & Connectivity (28% weighting): Rating 5 | »Simplicity & Security (17% weighting): Rating 4.5 | »Extras (15% weighting): Rating 5 | Learn more about our evaluation criteria and testing standards in How We Test..
FAQ
How noticeable is the Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless to others?
It is in the XS size category, so it appears quite small. We primarily considered the perception for outsiders.
What is the price of the Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless?
The price range for which the Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless is offered in Germany is starting from €3,000.00. The price corresponds to the performance of the device. In the test, it achieved an overall rating of 1.4 (very good).
Is the Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless suitable for my hearing loss?
This in-ear hearing aid is suitable for a hearing loss that is mild, moderate, or severe. You can compare other hearing aids from this fitting range with the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless from Starkey: Hearing Aid Comparison.
How good is hearing with the Starkey Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless?
This in-ear device received a performance rating of 1.7 (good) in the report for the area of "hearing comfort." Important for hearing comfort is, among other things, noise suppression. Here, the Edge AI 20 CIC Wireless from Starkey achieved a good 4 out of 5 stars. For the reduction of wind noise, it received our rating of 'very good' (4 out of 5 stars). The signal processing in this hearing aid occurs in 20 different adjustable channels (the best hearing aids currently have 24 channels).
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