Widex MOMENT
Packed with modern technology, yet almost invisible, that's true for many hearing aids these days. The Widex MOMENT offer a rechargeable battery and two AI-powered processors that can automatically adapt to your environment. If that's not enough, you can connect the hearing aids to your smartphone to create custom programs or stream audio from your Apple device.
- Brand: Widex
- Battery Life: Approx 40 hours
- Presets: 5 on device, more with app
- Connectivity: Bluetooth
- Volume Adjustment: Only when using app
- Noise Cancellation: Yes - customizable
- Additional Tips: Provided
- Lightweight and small
- Dual processor
- Rechargeable
- Bluetooth audio streaming for Apple users
- Separate charging station and carrying case
- Charging case does not have an internal battery
- Users can't customize programs loaded to the hearing aids
- Android users can't natively stream audio to the hearing aids
Hearing aids these days are packed with modern technology and they're almost invisible.
I had the chance to review the smallest and lightest AI-powered Bluetooth hearing aids with a rechargeable battery available right now. The Widex MOMENT won't just boost your hearing, they also sound surprisingly good by default and let you customize the audio to your needs.
But can you handle these hi-tech hearing aids? Let me help you decide.
Why Should Young People Care About Hearing Aids?
Hearing loss is on the rise and it's increasingly afflicting young adults.
Most people ignore it at first. While putting it off, for seven years on average, their hearing declines further, potentially causing erosion of speech comprehension, anxiety, social isolation, depression, and dementia, all known as co-morbidities of hearing loss. Early treatment of hearing loss can stop or delay this chain reaction of conditions.
The sooner you step in and consult a physician, the better they can help you protect your hearing and restore your health. However you feel about wearing a hearing aid, if you think you have a reason for concern, you should get a hearing test and a professional consultation.
Disclaimer: This review covers the technical aspects of a hearing aid, as well as the reviewer's personal experience. It can not replace medical advice from a physician or audiologist. Please consult a medical doctor before you purchase a hearing aid.
What's in the Widex MOMENT Box?
My Widex MOMENT delivery included two boxes with the following items:
- A pair of mRIC R D hearing aids in a carrying case
- A charging unit with a micro USB cable and a USB wall charger
- Cleaning accessories, two NanoCare sets, a set of Widex Easywear instant open ear tips, and a cleaning tissue
- A Widex Remote Link unit with a 3.5mm audio cable and a micro USB charging cable
- Various instruction manuals and information cards
The silver-gray behind-the-ear unit I received was clearly marked as a demo. Consumers will be able to choose from a variety of colors and form factors. Note that only the behind-the-ear mRIC R D model contains a rechargeable lithium-ion battery.
The Remote Link is optional. You'll need it for a remote fitting. But if you're able to see your audiologist for an in-person hearing test, they might be able to lend you a unit for your follow-up remote fitting.
Widex MOMENT Specs
For this review, I'll focus on the Widex MOMENT 440 mRIC R D behind-the-ear model that contains the rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The 440 performance level supports the full set of advanced features, such as SoundSense Learn, SmartWind Manager, or the real-time Speech Enhancer.
My unit came with an M-receiver, which uses a medium power level and is suitable for mild to moderate hearing losses. A stronger P-receiver is available for more severe hearing loss.
You can review the full set of specs and features on this Widex MOMENT mRIC R D data sheet.
How Do the Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids Work?
Today's hearing aids can't restore your hearing. They can only amplify sounds and thus help you pick them up with your remaining hearing ability. In that regard, all hearing aids work the same.
Where hearing aids differ from one another is in the speed and quality with which they capture, process, and output sounds. The better your hearing on one or both ears, the faster the processing needs to be to avoid the so-called comb filter effect, i.e. the distortion created by delayed sound output mixing with environmental sound. Both the processing speed and the processing tweaks are key to producing a natural sound.
The Widex MOMENT tackle the hearing aid challenge in a couple different ways. First, they offer different programs for different environments. Your audiologist can load up to five default programs onto your hearing aids. And you can personalize your hearing experience with additional custom programs.
The technology gathers a variety of anonymous data such as how often the wearer adjusts the volume, which sound presets they most regularly use, and how many custom settings they create. Based on these on-the-fly preferences, a complete personalized listening experience is created for the wearer.
All of this happens in the intuitive Widex MOMENT mobile app, which we'll introduce in more detail below.
What further sets the Widex MOMENT apart from other hearing aids is that they carry two digital processors. The ZeroDelay pathway has a processing time of less than 0.5 milliseconds; it powers the PureSound program. The second processor, known as the Classic pathway, powers all other programs and reaches up to 2.5 milliseconds; much faster than the industry average of 5-8 milliseconds.
People with severe hearing loss require more processing power in their hearing aids. The Classic pathway doesn't just amplify sound, it also uses specialized microphones to remove feedback, control for loud sound, and manage noise. This additional processing is what makes it slower.
During my fitting, I learned that tinnitus patients often prefer slower processing because the slight delay can distract from the ever-present ringing in the ears. However, since the brain generally can't detect a distortion if the delay is below 10 milliseconds, all programs produced by the Widex MOMENT should sound natural.
How Does the Remote Fitting Work?
Hearing aids can function out-of-the-box, but they won't sound good. You'll need to see an audiologist to adapt the settings to your hearing ability and personal preferences.
Assuming you had a hearing test and a physician recommended a hearing aid, you'd typically see your audiologist for an in-person fitting of the hearing aid, which includes measurements of your ears. During the pandemic, however, many audiologists have switched to remote fittings and will rely on software for their measurements. For my demo, I scheduled such a remote fitting.
In preparation of the appointment, I installed the Widex REMOTE CARE app (Android, iOS) on my phone, plugged both ends of the provided audio cable into the two audio jacks at the top of the Remote Link, and wore it around my neck.
Next, I followed the on-screen instructions to pair the Remote Link with the app. The process was clear and easy to follow.
Finally, I joined the appointment using the app and waited for the audiologist to join the video call.
This next part could be challenging if your hearing is severely damaged on both ears as you won't be able to use headphones or hearing aids during the call. You will be wearing the new hearing aids, but the audiologist will communicate with you through your phone's speakers.
During the fitting, the audiologist performed a simplified hearing test to gauge my hearing ability. Then she loaded settings customized to my results onto the hearing aids. The first time I heard myself talk with the hearing aids enabled, it sounded like I was speaking through a loudspeaker because the hearing aids amplified my voice. Based on my feedback, the audiologist turned the hearing aids down.
It only took a couple of back-and-forths to get the settings right. Then she demonstrated a few different programs, including the PureSound program, which uses the ultra-fast digital processor.
Wearing a Hearing Aid for the First Time
The Widex MOMENT are the first hearing aids I've ever tried. They are so light that at times I almost forgot I was wearing them.
Before you put a hearing aid in, identify which side it goes on. Just like in US politics, red is right and blue is left. You'll find the color code both on the main unit and the receiver.
To put them in, wedge the main unit behind your ear first, then wrap the thin tube around the top of your lobe, close to your head, and lower the receiver deep into your ear canal. You will have to push it in slightly.
I recommend turning the hearing aids on after putting them in. Reach behind the ear with your index finger and find the on/off button, then provide support from the front with your thumb as you press the button for three seconds. Once you release the button, the hearing aids will announce that they're the "left" or "right" one.
Note: If you struggle with dexterity, i.e. if your fingers aren't sensitive or agile enough to handle small delicate objects, handling this style of hearing aid could be a challenge. While it might be easy enough to wear a behind-the-ear model, disassembling and cleaning the receiver will be difficult. On the plus side, the batteries are rechargeable, which eliminates one of the most challenging maintenance tasks, i.e. replacing tiny batteries.
My demo contained an open-style dome, which lets environmental sounds pass through, meaning I could hear everything like normal with the hearing aids turned off. A closed-style dome is beneficial for severe hearing loss, as it will block out external noise and boost the sound level.
By themselves, the hearing aids are comfortable and almost unnoticeable. When you add glasses and a facemask, however, the behind-the-ear model becomes cumbersome. You'll prefer glasses with thin arms that don't rub against the hearing aid too much. And I'd recommend getting facemasks with elastics that wrap around your head, rather than going behind your ears.
Alternatively, you could choose an in-ear model that won't collide with your glasses or a facemask. Unfortunately, the Widex MOMENT in-ear versions don't offer rechargeable batteries, which is one of their best features.
How to Use the Widex MOMENT App to Customize Sound Profiles
The Widex MOMENT hearing aids contain a single button; the on/off switch. To control the volume and other settings, you'll need the Widex MOMENT app (Android, iOS). This is where these AI-powered hearing aids come into their own. Machine learning helps the Widex MOMENT predict the settings that are best for a given environment.
Following the fitting, I took my hearing aids on a few excursions. As I was going for my first walk wearing the Widex MOMENT, it was windy outside, which resulted in an unpleasant rustling noise. I pulled up the app and went into the SoundSense Learn (SSL) tool to set up a custom program. I selected my current activity (outdoor) and what the hearing aids should help me with (conversation).
Based on my input, the SSL tool suggested pairs of settings that I compared. The very first pair contained one setting that completely removed the rustling noise. The app will continue to suggest up to 14 pairs of settings, but you can save and exit as soon as you're satisfied with the sound.
Creating those custom programs is neat but you don't have to. The app comes with four presets: PureSound, Universal, Music, and Directional Focus.
You can still customize each of the presets. For example, you can increase or decrease the volume of each hearing aid individually. And you can use the equalizer to adjust the bass, middle, and treble or pick one of the presets: more speech, more clarity, less sharpness, and less echo.
Unfortunately, you can't save the changes you make to the presets, and when you jump from one to the next, the app will go back to default settings.
Note: You don't have to use the app to switch between default programs. More on that in the Q&A section below.
What Do the Widex MOMENT Sound Like?
I have mild hearing loss on one ear, so I was able to compare the effect of a hearing aid on great hearing on one ear with its effect on weak hearing on the other.
Outdoors
As mentioned above, the AI removed sound artifacts caused by the wind purely based on my selection of where I was (outdoors) and what I wanted to hear (a conversation). I was impressed.
You can also emphasize specific sounds, like birds chirping. To that end, Widex's SoundSense Learn tool includes "enjoying sound" as an option. Combined with "suppressing disturbances" and your current activity, e.g. "outdoor," the AI can help you amplify and, to some degree, isolate these favorite sounds.
Among People on the Bus
On another occasion, I was on a bus and tried out a few different settings to focus on speech. I wanted to eliminate background noise to clearly hear the stop announcements. What I ended up hearing most clearly was other people's conversations.
During the bus ride, I also tested the Directional Focus program. Telling your hearing aids which direction you'd like to focus on makes it easier for the AI to isolate the desired sound and eliminate noise coming in from all other directions. This is particularly useful for conversations. On the bus, I could equally tune into conversations or drown them out by focusing on the traffic noise to my right.
Music and Entertainment
I tested the hearing aids with music coming from speakerphones and two different over-ear headphones. Despite an occasional unpleasant feedback sound, the headphones worked surprisingly well with the hearing aids, though I wouldn't recommend it for regular use.
Widex is said to be a good option for music lovers as it captures a wide sound window and picks up both loud and soft sounds without distortion. While I enjoyed amplifying the volume on my left ear, which removed that slight "numb" feeling on that ear, I wasn't entirely satisfied with the sound of music. Highs were piercing on my weak ear and it took a fair bit of modifying of the default programs to make amplified music bearable.
What worked best for music was creating a custom program using the SoundSense Learn tool. Turns out I love bass (lows) and prefer a boost of treble (highs) over middle (speech) sounds. That makes sense as my favorite music is bass-heavy and my hearing loss affects the high notes.
For movies, I preferred a program with pretty much everything turned down, which most closely resembled the "low echo" default setting.
Anywhere
Overall, what was most pleasing for me, was increasing the volume on my weak ear. The additional processing offered in noisy environments was effective and impressive. While the default programs don't always produce the best sound, once you adjust the audio balance in the equalizer and set the volume for each aid individually, you'll fully appreciate the flexibility the MOMENT app gives you.
More Questions About the Widex MOMENT
What's the Battery Life of the Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids?
The model we reviewed has a maximum battery life of 40 hours. The real battery life depends on how you use the hearing aids. If you use the Bluetooth connection to switch between programs or stream audio, the battery life can drop significantly.
How Can I Charge the Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids?
The Widex MOMENT come with a charging unit. The charger does not have an internal battery, meaning it has to remain plugged in while charging. To charge the hearing aids, plug in the micro USB cable, lift the bar covering the charging slots, and fold it to the side. Then place your hearing aids in the charging slots.
A half-hour charge will give you four hours of battery life. A full charge takes a maximum of four hours.
Note: When you remove your hearing aids from the charger, they will turn on by default. Be sure to turn them off before placing them in the carrying case.
How Do I Know Whether My Hearing Aids Are On or Off?
During my fitting, the audiologist showed me a neat trick. To tell whether one of your hearing aids is on or off, place it in the palm of your hand, cover it with your other hand, and gently press your hands together. If you hear a feedback noise, it's turned on. Press the button for three seconds to turn it off.
Can I Switch Between Programs Without the App?
Yes! Your audiologist can load up to five programs onto your hearing aids. You can switch between these programs by pressing the on/off button on either one of the hearing aids.
The Widex MOMENT also use Widex's Sound Class Technology, which let the hearing aids automatically adapt to your environment by switching to one of up to 11 distinct sound classes. This feature automatically kicks in while using the Universal or PureSound program.
To use your custom programs, you'll still have to use the app.
How Do I Clean My Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids?
Gently. The Widex MOMENT come with everything you need for cleaning your ear-set, and the included instruction manual thoroughly explains the process.
Can I Stream Audio to the Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids?
You can stream audio to the Widex MOMENT hearing aids from an iPhone. If you use Android, you'll have to wait for a firmware update. At the time of publishing this review, no release date was available. To stream audio from any Bluetooth source to Widex MOMENT hearing aids, Widex offers the Com-Dex accessory.
Note: Streaming audio runs through the Universal program, meaning it will use the Classic pathway, i.e. the 2.5ms processor.
Can the Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids Help My Tinnitus?
Yes, the Widex MOMENT support the Widex Zen Therapy program. Zen Therapy is a tinnitus management tool that can help you focus, relax, or fall asleep despite the ringing in your ears. You can preview the tool using Widex's ZEN Tinnitus app (Android, iOS).
How Much Do the Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids Cost?
The price for the Widex MOMENT ranges from $2,000 to $8,000 a pair, depending on the performance level. If you only need a hearing aid for one ear, you can also purchase a single aid by itself.
How Difficult Is it to Repair the Widex MOMENT Hearing Aids?
Widex uses standard pieces for their hearing aids. Your audiologist should have these pieces in stock, meaning it should be quick and easy to fix common issues.
Our Widex Moment Verdict
Lacking previous experience with hearing aids, it's tough to issue a fair verdict. What I can say is that I did notice a significant improvement of my hearing on both my weak and my strong ear.
What I loved most was amplifying the volume on my weak ear. Being able to dial up my hearing felt almost like playing with a Bond gadget.
I was impressed with how quickly the AI removed background noises and external distortions. I enjoyed being able to customize the sound for different environments and activities.
It would be great if it was possible to save modifications to the default programs loaded onto the hearing aid or add custom programs to the hearing aid. And I wish Widex had combined the carrying case and the charging unit. Moreover, a charging unit with an internal battery would be a lot more useful. At a price point of up to eight thousand dollars per pair, these seem like reasonable features to expect.
If you're in the market for a hearing aid, I would strongly encourage you to compare a few different models before you settle on one. This is a significant investment, not unlike a car. If you're attracted to super light AI-powered rechargeable Bluetooth hearing aids, you should definitely test drive the Widex MOMENT.
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