That's a good combination, a pair of hearing aids that you don't have to break the bank to buy, and they are invisible in the ear. The release of Rexton Reach inoX-Li rechargeable CIC hearing aids in April 2024 inspired me to write this article about the best affordable invisible hearing aids.
Is Rexton Reach inoX CIC a new concept?
No, the Rexton Reach inoX CIC is pretty much the same product as Signia SILK IX CIC. The owner of both Signia and Rexton (WS Audiology) provides the same technology on two platforms for branding and marketing strategy. Signia SILK IX rechargeable CIC has been in the market since 2023, but now Rexton Reach inoX CIC has been introduced to the UK market at a lower price range. Please see my review of Signia SILK CIC here.
Is Rexton Reach inoX CIC suitable for severe hearing loss?
The Rexton Reach inoX rechargeable CIC is the best fit for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. It is the best choice for people who wish to try hearing aids for the first time as it is discrete and is not as expensive as other premium hearing aids yet provides a reasonably good speech understanding in a variety of environments.
Please see below for a sample of a mild to moderate hearing loss audiogram on Rexton fitting software.
Why should you consider Rexton Reach inoX CIC hearing aids?
Invisible rechargeable CIC
Utilises Signia's latest Soundpro 3.0 and Sound Stabiliser
Suitable for mild to moderate hearing loss
CIC hearing aid does a better job of receiving the natural amplification of your ear versus the ones placed behind the ear, the result is less wind noise and better directionality
Click-fit means it does not need to take ear impressions for an invisible hearing aid
Connectivity to Retoon App for volume, program adjustment and remote telecare
About half the price of a pair of premium hearing aids still very versatile and technologically advanced
A perfect alternative for patients with free NHS hearing aids who wish to upgrade to a rechargeable invisible CIC hearing aid
What technology level of Rexton Reach inoX CIC should I buy?
The Rexton inoX CIC hearing aids come in 3 technology levels, 80, 60 and 40. As you can imagine, the tech levels of Signia SILK 7IX, 5IX and 3IX correspond to Rexton Reach inoX CIC 80, 60 and 40. Please see below the comparison table of different technology levels of Signia SILK IX rechargeable CIC.
Do Rexton Reach inoX CIC connect to my cell phone?
Yes, you can connect the Rexton Reach inoX CIC to your smartphone. I need to warn you that the functionality of the Rexton app for this type of hearing aid is quite limited to volume up and down, changing the preset program and accepting the remote reprogramming that your hearing care professional has sent you remotely.
Can I stream music from my smartphone to my Rexton Reach inoX CIC?
Although the Rexton Reach inoX CIC can connect to the Rexton app on your cell phone you cannot stream music to this type of CIC hearing aid. The size 10 battery used in this hearing aid is not able to handle the power needed for Bluetooth streaming. If you want to have the best of two worlds, my best advice is to consider Starkey Genesis CIC 312, which can satisfy your vanity and stream music.
Can Rexton Reach inoX CIC be programmed remotely?
The good news is that yes, the Rexton Reach inoX CIC can be programmed remotely. Remote reprogramming is not as comprehensive as with the other types of hearing aids which can allow visual communication in the telecare session, but it is good enough to allow basic adjustments such as increasing or decreasing the overall gain of the hearing aids or adjustment on the sound quality. My patients send me the adjustments they need either through emails or through the Rexton app, I do the adjustments for them on the Rexton fitting platform, the new prescription is uploaded on the Rexton cloud and the patient receives a notification on the Rexton app that "there are new setting for your hearing aids, would you like to implement them?", voila, as simple as that.
Is Rexton Reach inoX CIC hearing aid truly invisible?
Yes if your ear canal is medium to large and no if your ear canals are small to medium. So my best advice is to try Rexton Reach inoX hearing aids in local audiology and see for yourself because the size and the shape of your ear canal play a big role in the vanity and how they look invisible or almost invisible. In my experience, they become as invisible as IIC custom-made hearing aids if you have a large ear canal.
Are RextonReach inoX hearing aids a good option for senior patients?
In my experience, more and more senior patients tend to switch from behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids to in-ear hearing aids, in particular CIC and ITC. Arthritis in the hand and dexterity in some senior patients make it difficult for them to put the hearing aids in the ear, or replace the batteries. Therefore a rechargeable CIC is a great advantage for senior patients with hand dexterity or artheritis. The vanity of CIC hearing aids is a bonus. The other advantage is that the seniors feel in control and less dependent on the carer or someone else to replace the batteries of their hearing aids or place them in their ears.
Are RextonReach inoX hearing aids a good option for young patients?
Rexton Reach inoX CIC hearing aids may be a good fit for young patients with hearing aids who may be trying hearing aids for the first time. It is not too expensive for first-time users, yet sophisticated enough to give them the taste of the amplified sound. Most first-time users of hearing aids usually have mild to moderate hearing loss Rexton Reach inoX can easily meet the need from an audiology point of view.
Does Rexton Reach inoX CIC support tinnitus therapy?
Yes, the Rexton Reach inoX CIC has several features for tinnitus noise and sound therapy. Please contact us if interested in tinnitus management through CIC hearing aids.
What has been the feedback from patients about Rexton Reach inoX CIC hearing aids?
The Rexton Reach inoX CIC is new to the market, so I cannot comment on that but its twin sister Signia SILK IX rechargeable CIC has been in the market for a while and I have had the pleasure of attending several patients with them. Overall the patients are happy with Signia SILK IX hearing aids. The only issue that has been reported back is that the rechargeable electrodes could touch the skin and collect some of the skin oil and then cause some issues when placed on the charger unit. The symptom is that one or both aids may not get fully charged. The simple solution is once a while to clean the electrodes on the hearing aids with a damped wipe (or alcohol) to remove the thin invisible oil layer. The issue can happen to other types of rechargeable hearing aids such as RICs with electrodes for the charing, but in the case of Signia SILK and Rexton Reach inoX CIC can be more of the issue due to the design and position of the charging electrodes.
I have a pair of expensive hearing aids, how do I insure my hearing aids?
Please see this link for more guidance on hearing aid insurance.
Does NHS provide rechargeable invisible hearing aids in the UK?
I wish it did, but unfortunately, the scheme of free hearing aids provided by the National Health System (NHS) is quite limited to behind-the-ear (BTE) hearing aids fitted with tubes and earmould or thin tubes. If you wish to upgrade your NHS hearing aids Rexton Reach inoX invisible rechargeable CIC might be one of the best options in the market.
How can I get a free NHS hearing aid?
Obtaining a pair of NHS hearing aids in the UK is pretty simple. Follow these 3 steps to obtain a free NHS hearing aids:
Contact your GP about your hearing loss
Your GP will issue a referral letter to your closest NHS hearing aids provider (called AQP, for any qualified provider)
Take the referral letter and admit to the provider suggested by your GP
Some NHS trusts do not even need a GP referral anymore, which means you only need to contact the AQP provider that your GP suggests. One of the best providers of FREE NHS hearing aids is your local Specsavers.
Most of the hearing aids provided by the NHS are behind the ear with a thin tube fitting. They sound ok but not very great especially not great for speech understanding in the presence of background noise. Also, they take batteries and they do not connect to your smartphone.
