The Signia Active may look like regular true wireless earbuds, but they’re actually Bluetooth connected ‘buds made to enhance hearing, and designed to encourage people who would normally not want to wear a more traditional hearing aid to improve the quality of their life. The design isn’t just for show either, as they really do function like true wireless earbuds too.
Signia describes the hearing aid functionality as, “giving the wearer superior speech understanding in noisy and challenging environments,” so the Active earbuds are for use in noisy environments where some kind of hearing enhancement would help, and not really for people with mild to moderate hearing loss. It makes sense, as the wireless earbud design is ideal for putting in when you need them, rather than wearing all the time.
Anyone who has worn true wireless earbuds for any length of time will know that getting the right comfortable fit is quite difficult, and what’s right for one person may not be right for another. Signia does not detail in its press release or on its website how it prepares and tailors the fit for individuals, but as an experienced hearing aid company, there is likely to be a lot more to the Signia Active than just picking a pair off the shelf and expecting them to fit.
Apart from the design, Signia has taken another standard feature from true wireless earbuds too, and that’s the battery life and charging. Signia says the earbuds will last 26 hours per charge, but it’s not clear whether this is just for hearing enhancement, or a combination of this and music streaming. The case doesn’t contain a battery, but it does have a wired and Qi wireless charging system built-in.
The Bluetooth connectivity links the Signia Active to your phone and an app, which is available for iOS and Android. This way, the earbuds will stream music from your phone and work just like other true wireless earbuds. The app allows hearing performance to be tweaked to an individual’s needs. It also includes advice on wearing and using the earbuds, some of which will come from appointments with Signia’s experts ahead of use, plus a way to schedule future appointments.
The Signia Active join the existing Signia Active Pro earbuds, which are the next step up in the range. These share the same design but are designed for people with more serious hearing loss. The Signia Active will be available from April and cost 999 British pounds, or around $1,340.