Oticon Opn Portfolio - New Additions Bring New Features and Benefits

AudiologyOnline: The Oticon booth was very busy at AudiologyNOW!  Tell us about all of the excitement. 

Gary Rosenblum: I can capture that in two words – Oticon Opn™.  We’re building on Opn’s paradigm-shifting innovation to give more people more reasons to choose Opn - including those who want the convenience of rechargeable batteries. Oticon Opn™ miniRITE hearing aids will now be available as a rechargeable hearing solution that can be charged overnight for sufficient power to last throughout the day. We are also introducing two new Opn styles as well as Tinnitus SoundSupport™ and Speech Rescue™ LX integrated into all Opn styles. And, professionals are excited about the introduction of the Opn miniRITE-T that features a telecoil and double pushbutton for easy volume and program control.

AudiologyOnline: What can you tell me about Opn’s newest additions?

Gary: The Opn miniRITE can now be powered throughout the day by simply placing the hearing aids in an easy-to-use charger overnight.  The rechargeable solution gives users maximum flexibility to interchange the rechargeable 312 batteries with disposable batteries – for example, if the user forgets to recharge the hearing aids overnight. It is estimated that one pair of environmentally friendly rechargeable batteries can save approximately 150-200 disposable batteries per year.  And it’s the first rechargeable hearing aid with 2.4 GHz direct streaming.

There’s more good news. All Oticon Opn miniRITE hearing aids sold since the introduction last year and going forward can be retrofitted to be rechargeable. Hearing care professionals can turn any Opn miniRITE into a rechargeable solution by simply exchanging the battery drawer. 

The powerful BTE 13 Plus Power fits hearing losses up to 105 dB SPL to extend Opn benefits to people with severe-to-profound hearing loss.  The plus power solution also has a telecoil, a double pushbutton for volume and program control and a LED indicator to monitor hearing aid status. And as I mentioned, our newest Opn style - the small, discreet miniRITE-T - features a telecoil and double pushbutton. 

AudiologyOnline: Will the new Opn styles offer special features?

Gary: Both the new miniRITE-T and BTE 13 Plus Power include two proven features, Tinnitus SoundSupport™ and Speech Rescue™ LX.

With the addition of Tinnitus SoundSupport, Opn now combines the BrainHearing™ benefits of a rich, balanced sound experience that doesn’t overload the brain and a powerful solution for tinnitus relief.  Hearing care professionals will be able to address the needs of people who experience both hearing loss and tinnitus with a range of customizable relief sounds including broadband and ocean-like sounds.  

Speech Rescue LX works together with OpenSound Navigator™ and Speech Guard LX to improve clarity and speech understanding for people with high frequency hearing loss. Speech cues that might otherwise be lost are rescued and brought back into the audible frequency range.  A three-step “copy and keep” methodology “protects” lower frequency speech sounds to achieve frequency lowering with minimal distortion.

In addition to these features, customers say that having the Opn sound experience along with the t-coil in the miniRITE-T is a game-changer for their patients and their practices, particularly in areas where hearing loops are common.

AudiologyOnline: At AudiologyNOW!, Oticon Pediatrics featured videos of teens using Oticon Opn.  Why do you think this solution appeals to teens?

Gary: There are a number of reasons.  Just introduced at AudiologyNOW! is the option to fit Opn using the DSL rationale.  This means that hearing care professionals can now fit teens with a sleek, discreet hearing solution that offers the teens what they most want in a hearing solution - a cosmetically pleasing miniRITE design, easy connectivity to popular devices and the Internet and the confidence that comes with the ability to handle noisy environments with multiple speakers.  Opn is an ideal choice for active teens who care deeply about finding a hearing solution that gives them the cosmetics, connectivity and confidence they want. 

AudiologyOnline: What do you think accounts for Opn’s success?

Gary: Opn is truly a paradigm shift in the industry.  In its core function as a listening device, Opn gives users advantages that even the most sophisticated hearing solutions of today can’t deliver – the ability to handle noisy environments with multiple speakers.  In a survey of 700 new Opn users, 96% of those responding reported that they heard better or much better.  And 70% said they were very satisfied.  No surprise there. Studies have consistently shown a direct correlation between sound quality and user satisfaction.

Opn does more than open a world of sound. It also opens a world of streamer-free connectivity. Nearly half of the users who responded to our survey take advantage of Opn’s direct streaming to stream audio information, with 92% streaming from their cell phones.

AudiologyOnline: How does Internet connectivity contribute to Opn’s appeal?

Gary: When you add the excitement of Oticon’s Internet connections to all of its other benefits, it’s easy to see why Opn has been a stand out. A hearing aid that lets you interact with an almost limitless variety of smart technologies has tremendous appeal.  In 2017, Opn has already captured five prestigious international awards – including two CES Innovation awards and an Edison Award.  This recognition in the wider world of consumer technology turns outdated perceptions of what a hearing aid can do upside down.  That’s a win for the industry, a win for people who wear hearing aids and of course, a win for our customers and their ability to attract new patients.

Thank you Gary!  For mor information, please visit www.oticon.com or the Oticon Expo on AudiologyOnline.