A vent is an important feature to any ear-mold. It is a small passageway in your mold that connects your ear canal to the outside and the size varies depending on your hearing. The more closed off (smaller vent), the more likely you will feel plugged. The more open (bigger vent) the more likely that sounds will leak out of your ear and not reach your eardrum. Therefore, it is always a balancing act between comfort and sound quality. But now the hearing aid manufacturer, Phonak, has introduced the ActiveVent, the world’s first automatically adjusting vent!
ActiveVent switches between two settings, open and closed. The chosen setting depends on the situation. When you’re in a calmer listening area, the vent is open. This open vent allows for the natural environmental sounds to reach your ears for greater situational awareness. It also lets your ears feel less plugged for a more natural perception of your own voice.
However, enter a noisy area and ActiveVent closes, allowing for more focused listening of what’s in front of you. When closed, most of the sound that reaches your eardrum is from the hearing aid. By facing the sound of interest and having your back to the noise, the closed vent can be used more optimally to help you hear. ActiveVent also closes when you’re streaming sound from a mobile device which creates a fuller, richer sound.
Ideal for mild to moderate hearing losses, ActiveVent is an option available with Phonak’s rechargeable Paradise hearing aids. ActiveVent comes with titanium custom ear-molds, which is a strong medical grade material to house the speaker and ActiveVent to fit comfortably in your ears. Give us a call if you’d like to learn more.
