Hearing aid review: Oticon Zeal NXT in-the-canal hearing aids
- Koorosh Nejad
- Oct 27
- 7 min read
Updated: 1 hour ago
Oticon released Oticon Zeal NXT in October 2025, an easy-fit, rechargeable, invisible Bluetooth and Auracast hearing aid that offers the same level of AI and DNN processing as its flagship Oticon Intent. It is quite a powerhouse in a miniature size. Read this article to learn more about Oticon Zeal hearing aids and their features.
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What are the highlights of Oticon Zeal hearing aids?
The Oticon Zeal NXT comes loaded with the best features that you can find in other hearing aids in the market. A short list of Oticon Zeal's features is:
Same-day fitting and flexibility: Oticon Zeal can be fitted with the same range of Oticon present open, closed and power domes. This enables the agility of a quick fit in a single visit to the clinic. I love the flexibility that they can also take a custom micromould for people with irregular, very large or those who have experience retention issues with hearing aids.
Discreet and comfortable: This is something you'd better check in the clinic, especially the antenna, which maybe to be noticeable. I compared the Oticon Zeal NXT with Signia Silk and Rexton Reach inoX CIC, and they are pretty close in terms of dimensions. If your ear canals are medium to large, then you should have no problem fitting Oticon Zeal NXT CIC hearing aids in and have them almost invisible.
Next-generation AI: I am impressed to see that the processor used in Oticon Zeal is exactly the same chip which is used in Oticon Intent. The AI sound processing technology delivers up to 12 dB noise suppression and AI-driven speech clarity enhancement up to 6 dB.
Superior connectivity: Oticon Zeal supports ASHA Bluetooth for connectivity to iPhone and Android mobile phones, as well as LE Audio and Auracast. This offers the utmost sound quality and battery saving. Oticon Zeal does not support Telecoil. I think we can compromise that one. Also, Oticon Zeal is the first hearing aid enabled for Google's Fast Pair: users can pair their hearing aid effortlessly with Android phones. Once paired, their connection is automatically recognised across other Android devices logged into the same Google account. Oticon is targeting the Android mobile sector with such a move.
Descent battery life: It takes only 2 hours to go from empty to full charge. A fully charged Oticon Zeal offers 20 hours of run time with 4 hours of streaming. The charging technology enables quick power-ups, providing 4 hours of use with just 15 minutes of charging, or 8 hours of use with a 30-minute charge.
Double-tap function: A double-tap on Oticon Zeal can be programmed to charge the manual programs or change the volume. I wish it could pause and resume streaming and answer phone calls instead. But that's me.
Fitting options - Oticon Zeal NXT CIC
How is the sound quality of Oticon Zeal?
Oticon Zeal uses the same processor and speaker unit as Oticon Intent miniRITE hearing aids. So for the first time, you can enjoy the sound quality of a RIC hearing aid in a small in-the-ear hearing aid.
How many technology levels does the Oticon Zeal NXT come in?
Oticon Zeal NXT come in only one tech level, which is the top-most in terms of AI and DNN processing. It is comparable to Oticon Intent 1R.
Who would benefit from the Oticon Zeal hearing aid?
I believe that the following groups of patients could benefit from Oticon Zeal NXT hearing aids:
First-time users of hearing aids who wish to try a pair of hearing aids which look like music earbuds with full Bluetooth connectivity, Auracast and streaming. Although the Oticon Zeal might be a bit expensive for first-time users, I reckon.
Patients who are emotionally not prepared or comfortable to use behind the ear RIC models.
Those long-term patients who are looking for the cutting-edge in the canal technology, rechargeable, Bluetooth streaming and AI-DNN sound processing.
Book a free telecare consultation if you need more information about Oticon Zeal NXT.
What level of hearing loss can Oticon Zeal support?
Oticon Zeal comes with a size speaker unit, which is 75 dB. That enables the hearing aid to support a flat or sloping mild to moderate to severe hearing loss. For severe hearing loss, you might need to use custom earmoulds.
Do Oticon Zeal hearing aids use Oticon BrainHearing technology/
Yes. Trained on 12 million sound samples, Oticon Zeal™ uses Oticon's second-generation AI to identify and prioritise speech over background noise, making conversations easier.
Is Oticon Zeal truly a CIC hearing aid?
I would say yes. Oticon called the Oticon Zeal an NXT-generation hearing aid, essentially creating a new category for small-sized canal hearing aids. But when you compare Oticon Zeal in size to Signia Silk or Rexton Reach inoX CIC hearing aids, you can clearly see that there is not much difference in the size of Zeal to the Signia and Rexton easy-fit rechargeable CIC hearing aids. Please see the picture below.
Size comparison - Oticon Zeal versus Rexton Reach inoX CIC
What are other hearing aids similar to Oticon Zeal?
The closest hearing aids that I can think of to Oticon Zeal are:
Starkey Omega Ai 312 CIC, which is similar to Oticon Zeal, has LE Audio Bluetooth and Auracast, but it is not rechargeable. Starkey Omega AI 312 CIC uses a 312 battery size, and it is a custom design. Starkey Omega AI 24 CIC WL is at a 30% lower price point compared to Oticon Zeal NXT.
Signia Silk and Rexton Reach inoX rechargeable CIC. Both models are rechargeable and smaller than Oticon Zeal, but have no Bluetooth or streaming capability. Rexton Reach inoX 80 CIC is at £2000 for a pair.
How invisible is Oticon Zeal NXT CIC in my ears?
Oticon Zeal NXT is a CIC-size eary-fit hearing aid. So, similar to other CIC hearing aids, your ear canals need to be large to medium-sized to be able to host Oticon Zeal nicely and comfortably, and they become invisible. According to Oticon's statistics Oticon Zeal hearing aid can satisfy about 2/3 of the patients in terms of comfort, fit and being invisible. My advice is to visit a local audiologist for a consultation for Oticon Zeal.
Please see shots below of me with Oticon Zeal fitted with 10mm closed-domes. My ear canals are medium-sized and have a sharp bend upward. They look quite all right to me.
A patient fitted with Oticon Zeal NXT CIC
How good are Oticon Zeal hearing aids in noise management?
According to Oticon, the Oticon Zeal uses the same level of AI and DNN sound processing as Oticon Intent, so the sound of it should be impressive. I will report on this page as soon as I receive a trial set to try them myself. One thing to note is that, similar to other IIC and CIC hearing aids, Oticon Zeal only has one microphone. Nevertheless, the virtue of AI processing can provide a natural hearing experience, especially since the microphone is located in the concha and not top of the ear. My advice is to do a trial run on Oticon Zeal to feel the sound yourself.
How secure is Oticon Zeal in the ear?
In my experience, more than 70% of the patients use the hearing aids with silicon domes and have no retention issues. However, the other 30% might need hearing aids to be fitted with custom earmoulds. It is a relief to know that I can make micromoulds for Oticon Zeal for better retention for my patients.
Can I do hands-free phone calls with Oticon Zeal hearing aids?
Yes. You can do audio streaming and hands-free phone calls through your Oticon Zeal NXT hearing aids. However, you cannot have your Oticon Zeal pick up a phone call by double-tapping. But a double-tap on Oticon Zeal hearing aids makes the sound louder or quieter.
What is the best price of Oticon Zeal NXT in the UK market?
To my surprise, Oticon decided to set the price of Zeal higher than Oticon Intent! A pair of Oticon Zeal is priced at £6,500 at Hidden Hearing, the retail branch of Oticon in the UK. For the price of Oticon Zeal NXT CIC through HearingNow, please see our Oticon hearing aids page here.
What is Oticon Zeal NXT more expensive than Oticon Intent 1R?
That is a good question to ask from Oticon sales team. I guess that they loaded Oticon Zeal hearing aids with the same top-end technologies that one can have in Oticon Intent 1R. But in addition, the Oticon Zeal is relatively invisible, hence the higher price. The other reason is that for those who wish to have a CIC hearing aid, the Oticon Zeal is the only product that offers AI-DNN and Bluetooth. The next best option will be Starkey Omega AI 24 CIC WL, which takes a 312 battery.
References
Vatti et al. (2025). Oticon Zeal evidence. Oticon whitepaper.
Christensen et al. (2024). Evaluating Real-World Benefits of Hearing Aids With Deep Neural Network–Based Noise Reduction: An Ecological Momentary Assessment Study. American journal of audiology, 33, 242-253.
O'Sullivan et al. (2019). Hierarchical Encoding of Attended Auditory Objects in Multi-Talker Speech Perception. Neuron, 104, 1195-1209.
Puvvada, K. C., & Simon, J. Z. (2017). Cortical representations of speech in a multi-talker auditory scene. Journal of Neuroscience, 37(38), 9189-9196.
Updates
November 2025 - I received my Oticon Zeal demo kit, and in my opinion, Oticon Zeal is indeed a CIC-size hearing aid. I will report back here in my own trial run of Oticon Zeal. A minor issue is that the size of the charger unit is massive compared to the Rexton Reach inoX CIC. I think it is a minor problem, but for those hoping to carry the charger unit in their pocket may be a bit disappointing.
Questions?
Do you have questions about Oticon Zeal hearing aids? Please book a free telecare consultation to discuss your questions and concerns about Oticon Zeal hearing aids through the following link.
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