Widex’s latest innovation, the Allure platform, marks a significant evolution in hearing aid technology, prioritizing as always natural sound reproduction, simplicity, and user-centric customization. Built on their new W1 chip, the Widex Allure hearing aid is said to provide faster processing and greater memory capacity. Enabling advanced features such as PureSound™ with ZeroDelay™, Speech Enhancer Pro, and dynamic environmental adaptation. Designed to deliver clarity and comfort, the Allure series continues Widex’s long-standing commitment to authentic auditory experiences.
At the heart of Widex’s technology is a minimalistic approach to sound processing. Their goal is preserving audio in its most natural form. This is based on the belief that the brain prefers unaltered, lifelike sound, leading to improved speech understanding, better localization, and less listening fatigue. Widex continues to focus on enhancing the individualized acoustic fingerprint of each user. Therefore, crafting sound that aligns closely with the unique anatomy and hearing profile of the wearer.
At the heart of the Widex Allure platform lies the revolutionary W1 chip. The W1 Chip is a new processor delivering quadrupled processing speed and memory compared to its predecessor in the Widex Moment series. This enhanced computational capability underpins the next-generation PureSound™ with ZeroDelay™ pathway. This next-gen adaptation is a groundbreaking advancement in open-fit hearing aid design.
Traditional digital hearing aids, particularly in open-fit configurations, typically exhibit a signal processing delay of 5–8 milliseconds, which can cause comb filtering. This phenomenon causes direct (unaided) and delayed (aided) sounds to interfere. Therefore leading to metallic, artificial, or “echoey” perceptions of one’s own voice or environmental sounds.
PureSound™ with ZeroDelay™ reduces this processing delay to just 0.5 milliseconds. An industry-leading benchmark that essentially synchronizes the aided and unaided sound paths, preventing the phase mismatches responsible for unnatural sound coloration. This is particularly beneficial for first-time hearing aid users or those with near-normal low-frequency hearing, where these artifacts are most noticeable and disruptive. New users almost always dislike the sound of their own voices. If not counseled correctly or not taking the acclimatization slowly, people may throw in the towel on hearing better too quickly.
Additionally, the Widex Allure hearing aid platform features Speech Enhancer Pro, a sophisticated algorithm built on a 52-band high-resolution spectral analysis engine. This system constantly monitors and separates speech from noise in real time. Applying targeted gain and compression with remarkable precision. Unlike earlier models that relied on broader frequency band adjustments, Speech Enhancer Pro enables more selective and adaptive amplification. Effectively preserving subtle speech cues even in dynamic, noisy environments.
For the end user, this engineering leap means not just clearer hearing, but more comfortable, authentic, and fatigue-free listening. Everyday conversations sound richer and more natural. Voices retain their timbre and users can stay engaged longer in challenging environments without the strain that often accompanies traditional amplification systems. In essence, Widex Allure offers hearing that sounds less like listening to amplified sound, and more like life itself. Hence, why so many of our musician patients choose this hearing aid over all other aids.
To complement the Allure hearing aids, Widex offers a powerful and intuitive companion. The Allure App has tools to adjust volume, directionality, and sound profiles. The user is also able to customize treble, bass, and midrange frequencies. They can access real-time AI-driven personalization based on listening preferences. Locate misplaced hearing aids with “Find My Hearing Aids” feature. There is also the ability to control settings from an Apple Watch if the user has an iPhone.
The Widex Allure hearing aid offers seamless direct streaming of audio and phone calls from smartphones, supporting both iOS and Android platforms. This includes high-quality stereo sound for music, videos, and voice calls. Therefore creating a unified and convenient listening experience without the need for intermediate accessories. The mechanics of Allure are built on a future-ready Bluetooth LE (Low Energy) architecture. Laying the groundwork for upcoming features that will further expand user convenience and connectivity.
One of the most anticipated developments in streaming audio is Bluetooth LE Audio with Auracast™. Auracast is an emerging global broadcast standard that allows hearing aids to receive audio directly from public or private transmitters, such as TVs in sports bars, announcements in airports (although our wonderful MSP airport has hearing loops), or presentations in lecture halls or classrooms.
Although Auracast is not yet active in the Allure at launch, we are told that the hardware is positioned to support Auracast once firmware and software updates are finalized and industry standards stabilize. This means that Allure users can expect future enhancements that will transform their hearing aids into versatile wireless receivers. Enabling them to “tune in” to shared audio streams in public spaces with ease. Hopefully, without purchasing a new product.
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3-in-1 charging, drying, and UV sanitizing system. 4-hour full charge or 30-minute rapid charge available. |
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Sleek and simple charger offering full-day use after 4 hours, or 4 hours of use from a 30-minute top-up. |
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High-definition audio streaming from TV directly to hearing aids. |
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Compact remote control for volume and program adjustments with a 12-month battery life. |
As professionals deeply familiar with the Widex product line, and I as a long-time Widex users, we approached the launch of the Allure with excitement and high expectations. I personally wore the Allure hearing aids for a full week and provided demo units to several new patients. Below are our preliminary impressions. I promise to have more updates as we get to know this hearing aid better.
Initially, I held very high expectations, perhaps too high, given Widex’s strong history with products like the Moment series. I remember how significant the step was from Widex Dream to Widex Unique. I didn’t think the ‘Dream’ could get any better, and then the ‘Unique’ came. Through the years there have been advancements through the ‘Dream’, ‘Unique’, ‘Beyond’ (the first Widex streaming aid), ‘Evoke’ (first Widex aid with Ai), and then the Moment series.
My initial response was that Allue didn’t change much, and led me to disappointment. However, once adjusted and retrying it after a training, I was impressed by how naturally I could hear without being overly aware of the device itself. The clarity in everyday quiet environments was exceptional. Though performance in busy, loud social settings (like a party) didn’t drastically outperform prior models. Although that’s not a scenario I frequently find myself in anyway, especially post-COVID. Again, I will continue to put this aid to the test.
Communication in quieter, real-world contexts felt intuitive and seamless. Notably, in our clinic, hearing Malia clearly throughout the day became significantly easier. With my severe hearing loss in one ear, this was nothing short of game-changing. Even she can tell you the funny things I thought she said, and how many times I had to say “who” as I didn’t hear the names of customers/patients very well. Yes, we talk across a room. With the Allure, it quickly became evident that I heard those soft words and patients’ names. Because she didn’t want to make me feel bad, she shared that her husband said she mumbles a lot so we chalked it up to her mumbling. But that wasn’t really true. She was just trying to make me feel better, as I am 30 years older than she.
Early on Allure demos, patients generally responded positively to the sound quality yet preferred the Moment. Citing missing features and familiarity. I recognize my own unintended influence on these demos, perhaps sharing too candidly my initial doubts. For future fittings, we’ll allow the devices to speak for themselves in a more neutral setup.
It’s important to acknowledge that while the Widex Allure platform brings a host of forward-looking features, it currently lacks some of the hallmark elements that longtime users and professionals value. Notably:
Despite these initial constraints, however, our experience reveals a compelling counterbalance: increased personalization options through the Widex Allure App. The app offers a surprisingly robust level of self-directed control, which can empower users to adjust their own sound environment in real time. Often compensating for the lack of deep programming available to clinicians at this stage.
Within the My Sound Control section of the Widex Allure App, users can make several meaningful modifications, including:
For users who are open to engaging with these tools, the power to optimize listening without returning to the clinic is a major advantage. It also allows clinicians to support patients in becoming more autonomous and confident in their hearing experience. Particularly during a time when remote care and self-management are becoming increasingly valued.
While the Widex Allure platform impressively aims to allow users to make self-adjustments to optimize the initial fitting experience with the Allure App without requiring multiple return visits, it falls short of delivering a true telehealth solution. Despite its robust processing power, app-based personalization, and remote-ready architecture, there is no current infrastructure for remote fine-tuning, live fittings, or asynchronous provider support. We feel that these features are becoming increasingly vital in hearing healthcare. This is surprising, especially considering how easily a telehealth remote adjustments and fitting could be integrated with the platform’s existing capabilities.
Critically, this raises important questions: Is the absence of telehealth support an intentional limitation? Perhaps designed to preserve a more traditional, clinic-centric sales model that sustains higher price points through in-person service channels? While we totally recognize the value of provider-led fittings, particularly for complex cases, there is a growing demographic of patients who, due to geography, mobility, financial constraints, or health concerns, need access to remote care. The idea that these users could be left behind unable to obtain a wonderful aid like Widex, due to business structure, rather than technical limitations, is concerning.
From a clinical and ethical standpoint, we believe Widex has both the technology and responsibility to support remote access as a standard, not a luxury. Even if a provider is still required to initiate the fitting, enabling their cloud-based fine-tuning and remote adjustments would significantly expand access and equity in hearing care. We are hopeful that Widex will listen to feedback from clinicians and users alike and incorporate telehealth features into future updates. This would not only enhance the Allure platform’s value but also align it with the growing movement toward inclusive, patient-centered, and digitally accessible hearing healthcare.
We look forward to sharing these thoughts with our Widex representatives and continuing the conversation on how Allure can evolve to meet the needs of all users. Not just those who can physically walk or live near a clinic that offers Widex hearing aids.
The Widex Allure is not just a product, it’s a cloud-based platform designed for continual upgrades and enhancements. We believe future firmware updates will likely restore or even exceed the features of the Moment series. For now, the naturalness of sound, improved connectivity, and promising new hardware architecture make it a strong contender. Especially for users seeking simplicity with powerful performance
We promise we will continue testing, learning, and updating our impressions and reporting our Widex experience with the new Allure based on real-life experience.
Please don’t miss the power of Widex sound! Try a demo. Except for again, the problem of those who don’t have a provider near you that won’t offer a demo, since the Allure Widex aid can’t be demoed across the miles. So sad.
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