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TL;DR: Phonak hearing aids address tinnitus in two ways: by restoring sound to an auditory system that's been running too quiet, and through Tinnitus Balance, a built-in sound therapy program available across the current Infinio and Lumity lineups. This guide explains how both work and which model fits your situation.
Tinnitus and hearing loss don't always arrive together, but they travel in the same circles. Research published in The Lancet estimates that around 50 million American adults experience tinnitus, and the majority of them also have some degree of hearing loss. That overlap isn't a coincidence — it's the same underlying mechanism at work in both conditions.
When the auditory system isn't receiving enough sound input, the brain compensates by increasing its internal gain. The result, for many people, is phantom noise: ringing, buzzing, hissing, or clicking that has no external source. Phonak tinnitus relief works from this starting point. By restoring sound to the auditory system through amplification, Phonak hearing aids reduce the sensory deprivation that drives tinnitus perception. Combined with a programmable sound therapy feature called Tinnitus Balance, the approach addresses the condition from two angles simultaneously.
Our hearing aid buying guide covers the broader purchase decision, but this article focuses specifically on how Phonak tinnitus relief works, which models include it, and how to get the most from it through professional remote programming.
Before getting into specific models, it's worth understanding why hearing aids are one of the most effective tools available for managing tinnitus — and what they can and cannot do.
The brain is constantly calibrating. When the ears stop delivering adequate sound input — because of noise-induced damage, age-related changes, or other causes — the auditory cortex compensates by amplifying its own activity. That hyperactivity is what many people experience as tinnitus.
Hearing aids interrupt this cycle. By restoring the sound the auditory system has been missing, they give the brain the input it needs to stop generating phantom noise at the same intensity. For most people, this doesn't eliminate tinnitus completely. It reduces its perceived loudness and prominence, making it easier to ignore rather than something that demands constant attention.
Amplification alone helps many tinnitus sufferers. For others, a dedicated masking sound layered underneath ambient hearing provides additional relief. Phonak's answer is Tinnitus Balance, a programmable sound therapy feature built into the current Infinio and Lumity lineups.
Tinnitus Balance delivers a customizable broadband noise signal — options include white noise, pink noise, and speech-shaped noise — directly through the hearing aids. The volume and character of the masking sound is set by your hearing care provider during programming, then adjustable within a range through the myPhonak app. The goal isn't to drown out the tinnitus. It's to reduce the contrast between silence and the phantom sound, making the tinnitus less perceptually salient over time.
This approach is grounded in habituation theory: when a sound is consistent and predictable, the brain eventually learns to filter it out as background. Tinnitus Balance provides that consistent signal, giving the brain a steady reference point that competes with the tinnitus rather than fighting it.
One aspect of the Phonak tinnitus relief approach that doesn't get enough attention is the role of listening effort. For people with hearing loss and tinnitus, every conversation in a noisy environment requires significant cognitive work — filling in missed words, watching faces for lip cues, concentrating harder than hearing peers to follow the same exchange.
That cognitive load is exhausting. And fatigue consistently makes tinnitus worse. At the end of a draining social situation, the ringing tends to feel louder, more intrusive, and harder to ignore. Reducing listening effort isn't just a comfort feature — for tinnitus sufferers, it's part of the therapeutic equation.
Phonak's current flagship models address this specifically. The Sphere Infinio reduces listening effort by up to 35% through its DEEPSONIC AI chip. The Audeo R Infinio reduces listening effort by up to 45% in quiet environments through AutoSense OS 6.0. Both figures have meaningful implications for tinnitus management beyond what the Tinnitus Balance program achieves on its own.
All three models below include Tinnitus Balance as a built-in feature across every technology level. The right choice depends on your lifestyle, the environments where your tinnitus is most disruptive, and your budget.
The Phonak Audéo Sphere Infinio I90 is Phonak's current flagship and the strongest all-around choice for tinnitus sufferers who spend time in complex, noisy environments. Its dual-chip architecture sets it apart from every other model in the lineup.
The DEEPSONIC AI chip separates speech from background noise in real time using a deep neural network, reducing listening effort by up to 35%. For tinnitus patients, that reduction in cognitive load directly translates to less end-of-day fatigue and less tinnitus exacerbation. The ERA chip handles standard amplification and runs AutoSense OS 6.0, which adapts across multiple listening environments automatically.
Beyond listening effort, the Sphere Infinio includes SoundRelax, which smooths sudden loud sounds before they reach the ear — a meaningful feature for tinnitus sufferers whose symptoms spike after exposure to unexpected noise. EchoBlock and WindBlock round out the acoustic protection suite. Tinnitus Balance is included at every technology level, I70 through I90. Battery life reaches 56 hours per charge.
The Phonak Audéo R Infinio I90 shares the ERA chip and AutoSense OS 6.0 platform with the Sphere Infinio, without the DEEPSONIC dual-chip architecture. For tinnitus sufferers whose primary concern is sound therapy and listening comfort rather than maximum speech-in-noise performance, this model delivers exceptional results at a more accessible price point.
Clinical data shows the R Infinio reduces listening effort by up to 45% in quiet environments compared to previous platforms. SoundRelax, EchoBlock, and WindBlock are all present at upper technology levels, providing the same acoustic protection suite as the Sphere for calmer listening situations. Tinnitus Balance is available across all four technology levels — I90, I70, I50, and I30 — making this the most accessible entry point into Phonak's current tinnitus management platform.
Battery life runs 24 hours per charge. Full hands-free calling works on both iOS and Android via Bluetooth 5.3.
The Phonak Audéo Lumity L90 is Phonak's proven mid-tier platform, released in 2022 and still a strong performer for tinnitus management at a more budget-conscious price point. It runs AutoSense OS 5.0, which adapts across listening environments 700 times per second using machine learning. SmartSpeech Technology, including StereoZoom 2.0 and SpeechSensor, improves speech clarity in noise — reducing the listening effort that aggravates tinnitus.
Tinnitus Balance is included and programmable by your hearing care provider. The myPhonak app allows volume adjustments to the masking sound between appointments, giving you day-to-day control over the therapy without needing to schedule a session. Tap controls on L90 and L70 models let you manage calls and streaming without reaching for your phone.
For buyers who want Phonak tinnitus relief with proven technology at a lower cost than the Infinio lineup, the Lumity L90 is the right starting point. Technology levels run L90 through L30, all including Tinnitus Balance.
All three models pair with the myPhonak app, which gives you meaningful day-to-day control over your tinnitus therapy without requiring a remote programming appointment for every adjustment.
Through the app you can:
That last point matters more than most people realize at the outset. Tinnitus management is an iterative process. The first fitting is a starting point. As you wear the devices consistently over weeks and months, your perception of the tinnitus typically shifts — and the Tinnitus Balance settings that worked at first may need refinement. Our licensed hearing care providers handle those adjustments remotely, with no session limits and no time cap on how long we support you.
Setting expectations accurately is part of genuinely helpful tinnitus guidance. Phonak hearing aids are not a cure for tinnitus. They're a management tool, and a highly effective one for most people who use them consistently. Here's what the realistic trajectory looks like for most wearers.
Most people notice that tinnitus is less dominant in the presence of ambient sound once amplification begins. Hearing aids restore the background hum of the world that hearing loss gradually removes. That restored soundscape provides natural competition for the tinnitus signal, often making it feel quieter even before Tinnitus Balance is fully dialed in.
Tinnitus Balance settings take time to optimize. Your hearing care provider programs an initial configuration based on your audiogram and your description of your tinnitus character. Follow-up adjustment sessions refine the masking sound to match your specific perception.
Habituation builds gradually. The brain begins to reclassify the tinnitus as non-threatening background noise rather than an urgent signal demanding attention. This process is slower for some people than others. Consistent daily wear — rather than wearing hearing aids only in challenging situations — accelerates it meaningfully.
Many people find the tinnitus remains present but loses its psychological charge. It's still there, but it stops pulling attention the way it did before.
Getting the most from Phonak tinnitus relief requires more than ordering a device. The Tinnitus Balance program needs to be configured to your audiogram and your specific tinnitus characteristics by a licensed professional. That's where our remote programming process makes a genuine difference.
Here's how it works with us:
For a detailed walkthrough of what to expect at your fitting, our checklist for a successful hearing aid fitting covers the process from delivery through your first adjustment session.
Traditional clinics charge significantly more for the same devices and the same professional standard of care. Basic online retailers often skip the licensed professional step entirely, leaving tinnitus sufferers without the programming precision the Tinnitus Balance feature requires to work properly. We sit between those two options: authorized dealer status, licensed hearing care providers, valid manufacturer warranties, and no clinic overhead passed on to you. Every purchase includes a 60-day risk-free trial.
Tinnitus Balance works by introducing a customizable masking sound to reduce the contrast between quiet and the phantom tinnitus signal. It's most effective for tonal tinnitus, which is the most common type — a steady ringing or hissing at a particular pitch. For pulsatile tinnitus, which pulses in sync with your heartbeat, a medical evaluation is recommended before pursuing hearing aid-based management.
Most people with tinnitus do have some degree of hearing loss, even if mild. Amplification alone often helps by restoring the ambient sound the auditory system has been missing. If your hearing is within normal limits but you experience tinnitus, Tinnitus Balance can still be programmed as a standalone masking tool — though the amplification benefit won't apply. Our team can advise based on your audiogram.
Yes. The myPhonak app lets you adjust the volume of the masking sound within the range your hearing care provider has configured. You can also stream additional audio directly to your hearing aids for supplementary masking. Full reprogramming requires a remote session with our licensed hearing care providers.
Most people notice that tinnitus feels less dominant within the first few weeks of consistent wear, as ambient sound is restored and the Tinnitus Balance masking begins working. Deeper habituation — where the tinnitus loses its psychological charge — typically builds over several months of daily wear. Consistency matters more than any single adjustment session.
The Phonak Audéo Lumity L90 delivers reliable Phonak tinnitus relief at a more accessible price than the Infinio lineup. Tinnitus Balance is fully programmable, the myPhonak app gives you day-to-day control, and SmartSpeech Technology meaningfully reduces listening effort in noise. For budget-conscious buyers, the L70 and L50 also include Tinnitus Balance and remain strong performers.
Phonak tinnitus relief isn't a one-visit solution. It's a process of fitting, adjusting, habituating, and refining and having a licensed professional available throughout that process makes a measurable difference in outcomes.
Our hearing care experts are ready to review your audiogram and recommend the right starting point. Call us at (855) 603-3541 or contact our team directly for a personalized consultation. Every purchase includes a 60-day risk-free trial, unlimited remote adjustments, and a full manufacturer warranty.
