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Widex has introduced its new flagship hearing aid, Allure, a rechargeable receiver-in-canal (RIC) device with a completely new processing chip. The new Widex Allure hearing aid platform is designed to deliver Precision Hearing Technology that results in natural clarity, superior speech-in-noise performance, and an intuitive user experience.
The driving force behind Widex Allure was to create a hearing solution that offers crystal-clear speech without compromising environmental awareness.
WS Audiology U.S. Wholesale President Søren Hvidberg Nielsen told HearingTracker, “We believe that to advance technology and really make a difference for both patients and for hearing care professionals, there's typically a need for a lot of fundamental research and work to find the right solution. And that's very much true for what we’re introducing with Allure. Many aspects of Allure and the things we wanted to achieve—the foundational research for it—were being conducted as far back as 9 years ago when I came on board with the company. Allure is the culmination of a lot of research and innovation. So, this is a very big day for Widex.”
Widex is a company known for its maverick engineering and many firsts, including the first in-the-ear digital hearing aid and some of the industry's earliest machine-learning and AI-driven applications. “With Allure, we wanted to change the industry again by giving wearers a seamless, effortless hearing experience,” said Dana Helmink, AuD, Senior Director of Clinical Development at Widex. “The focus is on clarity, ease of use, and future readiness.”
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The new Allure RIC RD is available in three technology levels (440, 330, and 220), has an onboard push button, a new app, an LED light indicator, and comes in 10 colors. Allure streams audio to Android and iOS devices and provides hands-free calling for iPhone users and compatible Bluetooth LE Audio phones. The new hearing aid is Auracast-ready pending a firmware update, and the RIC RD model will soon include a telecoil.
At the heart of Allure is the company’s all-new W1 chip, which Widex says dramatically enhances processing power and speed—redefining what users can expect from a hearing aid. The W1 has an integrated single-chip architecture and reportedly offers 4 times faster processing speeds and 4 times more memory than the previous-generation Moment hearing aid chip. “This new chip allows us to consolidate multiple components into one, which improves signal processing and brings more speech and noise solutions to the wearer,” Dr. Helmink explained.
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Widex aims to reimagine hearing care, with innovation that is clear, intuitive, and future-ready. Allure’s Precision Hearing Technology consists of a combination of new and enhanced features:
Allure boasts up to 25 hours of battery power (with 7 hours of streaming) on a single charge. It comes with two charger options: a Standard Desktop Charger and a Charge N Clean system that dries and sanitizes the hearing aids. Widex told us a portable charger is on the horizon. Additional form factors and accessories are also expected soon.
Because this is a brand-new hearing aid, HearingTracker has not yet had an opportunity to evaluate or test Widex Allure in the HearAdvisor lab. However, we will report the results of our independent testing in the near future.
Hearing well in noisy environments is the number-one challenge for individuals with hearing loss. Although past solutions have improved speech clarity, many hearing aids still struggle to balance clarity with environmental awareness, says Helmink. She says the industry tends to apply overly aggressive strategies to improve the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and manage noisy environments. Allure's unique approach, which aims for sound with Natural Clarity, ensures that users stay immersed in their surroundings without being overwhelmed by background noise.
Dr. Helmink described the experience as “effortless immersion,” where speech is enhanced naturally rather than aggressively filtered, preserving spatial awareness. “When we think of clarity, it’s not just improving SNR in a noisy environment. Rather, the goal should be technology that achieves a natural balance between the clarity of the speech of the individuals that you’re engaged with and the awareness of the environment that you're in. With Allure, there’s a balance that brings this effortless immersion and communication, opening up everything to enjoy the ease of listening in your sound setting.”
One standout feature powered by the W1 chip is Speech Enhancer Pro, a 52-band spectral analysis system that is designed to provide unparalleled granular control over speech and noise, ensuring clarity without sacrificing sound naturalness. It is able to look at both fast- and slow-acting components to bring speech to the forefront and create a great listening experience for users in noisy environments.
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“With Speech Enhancer Pro and the new chip, we've been able to add a 52-band analysis before we go into our full 15-channel processing,” explains Helmink. “So this 52-band analysis starts identifying the speech and noise in the environment and separates it so that we can more granularly make those adjustments for better speech-in-noise performance. And when we do that, we're optimizing the sound in 15 channels based on the Speech Intelligibility Index (SII), which considers the wearer's specific hearing loss and considers their real-time listening environment in order to optimize for speech and noise.”
Helmink emphasized that this signal processing focuses on the overall speech in noise experience including clarity of speech and environmental immersion. In Widex clinical studies, 92% of listeners preferring it in noisy situations with 96% reporting less noise annoyance in three listening conditions.1 “You can think of Speech Enhancer Pro as a ‘best of both worlds’ scenario,” she adds.
Managing feedback (whistling and squealing sounds) is a constant challenge for hearing aids, particularly for open fittings. Many manufacturers use aggressive feedback suppression, which often compromises sound quality. Widex took a different approach with Allure’s Adaptive Dynamic Feedback Controller. Using adaptive frequency shifting technology, the new system preserves sound quality and makes the target easier to achieve in more open-ear fittings. The adaptive frequency shifting varies by frequency and is relative to the size and speed of the shift.
“This system continuously adjusts in real-time [by frequency, size, and speed] to prevent feedback without impacting sound quality,” Dr. Helmink explained. “It’s especially important for music lovers, as Widex has always been the go-to choice for musicians and audiophiles.”
Allure also builds on the company’s established PureSound Processing and ZeroDelay technology, which processes sound in only 0.5 milliseconds. This ensures that users experience natural sound without the distortion or artifacts found in some other hearing aids. Allure PureSound™ is designed to be used in conjunction with the new hearing aid's more advanced noise management features, resulting in greater speech intelligibility. Combined with the Adaptive Dynamic Feedback Controller, this has led to a new fitting rationale that allows for an extended fitting range.
Adina Bahcevanii, Head of Widex (from a press statement)We are very proud to introduce Widex Allure, which represents a transformative change and a clear difference in hearing technology performance. Allure delivers crystal clear speech while allowing wearers to be fully immersed in the sound of their environment, providing a natural hearing experience.
“We've been able to add advanced speech-in-noise features without sacrificing our zero-delay processing,” said Dr. Helmink. “This means users get all the benefits of PureSound, but now with significantly improved speech intelligibility in noise.” In Widex testing, PureSound Allure resulted in speech intelligibility that was 4.3 dB better than the company’s previous-generation Moment hearing aid.2
In addition, Allure enhances Bluetooth connectivity, featuring:
The redesigned Widex Allure App aims to offer an intuitive and customizable experience while providing an intuitive user interface. The app leverages real-time artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning, allowing users to customize their hearing experience effortlessly. The new Widex Allure App features:
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“Our goal was to create an app that anyone could use with ease,” Helmink said. “We studied usability patterns and simplified the experience while keeping powerful customization options intact.”
Widex is also introducing Compass Cloud, reportedly the industry’s first All-in-One Audiology cloud-based fitting solution. This platform gives hearing care providers more precise and seamless first fittings, ensuring that patients experience success on Day One. As a cloud-based software solution, it allows Widex to refine the platform continually, improving performance and enhancing user experience. It also allows for more robust security measures and enhances remote fitting capabilities.
“A great first fit builds confidence,” Dr. Helmink emphasized. “We want wearers to leave their appointment feeling assured that they’ve made the right choice.”
Dr. Helmink summarized the innovation behind Allure by drawing an analogy to consumer electronics: “It’s like upgrading from an old TV to a high-definition OLED display. You think your previous experience was great—until you see how much better it can be.”
For more information, please visit the Widex Allure website.
Karl Strom ist der Chefredakteur von HearingTracker. Er war Gründungsredakteur von The Hearing Review und berichtet seit über 30 Jahren über die Hörhilfenindustrie.