Hearing Aids for Background Noise and Noise Reduction

Hearing Aids for Background Noise and Noise Reduction

How can I hear better in noise?

Overview    |    Deep Signal Processing    |    Background vs speech    |    Benefits    |    Best hearing aids for background noise    |    Conclusion    |    Chat to us 

Last Hearing Aid UK Update:  22/04/2026

Hearing aids for background noise

If you have ever sat in a busy restaurant, nodding along to a conversation you can barely follow, you already know the problem. Background noise does not just make hearing harder; it makes the whole experience exhausting.

Think of it this way: the hearing aid is trying to do what your brain used to do automatically, pick out the voice you want to hear and quieten everything else competing for your attention.  Modern devices can also adapt to changing soundscapes, improving clarity and listening comfort.

Noise-cancelling hearing aids

If you have hearing loss, you will generally have difficulty hearing in background noise.  If you have hearing that is classed as 'normal' - when focusing on speech or one sound source, you can filter out the background noise automatically. 

People with hearing loss struggle to do this without support from hearing aids. 

For example, it can be a challenge for those with hearing loss to have a conversation in a busy restaurant.  This is usually why hearing in background noise is a top priority for those with hearing loss.

However, using hearing aid features and modern technology, they can distinguish and understand speech and noise. 

This article discusses the extra options and hearing aid features that can tackle background noise and answer the common question: How can I hear better in background noise?

Deep Signal Processing (DSP) in modern hearing aids

Wearing hearing aids helps you to distinguish the direction of sound, the source of sound and filter out the unwanted background noise - and all whilst allowing you to feel a part of your environment. 

Today's hearing aid technology offers different settings and filters so that you can have full control of the way you want to hear, usually using your mobile phone hearing aid app.  However, some modern hearing aids can adjust automatically.

One of the main features of modern hearing aids is background noise reduction.  This smart technology is called digital signal processing or DSP. 

It works by recognising the acoustic characteristics of background noise and reducing it, leaving speech clearer and listening less tiring.

The bigger leap in recent years has been deep neural network (DNN) processing. Rather than following a fixed set of rules, these hearing aids have been trained on millions of real-world sounds and have essentially learned to tell speech from noise the way a brain does, by experience rather than instruction.

This is what powers the AI features in the latest premium hearing aids and makes a genuine, noticeable difference in complex environments like busy restaurants, crowded family gatherings, and open-plan offices.

How do hearing aids filter out background noise?

The most popular way to filter out background noise is by using directional microphones, which are used to focus on sound or speech in front of you instead of behind you. 

A good audiologist will ask what your common environments are to customise your hearing aid settings to reflect this and support your hearing better.

They can also customise programs that enable you to tackle sporadic listening situations where there is a lot of background noise. 

But to simplify, between the two microphones within your hearing aids, you can quickly identify the direction of sound and get amplification or reduction in a certain direction.

This technology keeps improving, getting faster and more intelligent with the advancements of processing chips and more research and investment into algorithms.

It is worth being honest about something: not all hearing aids tackle background noise equally well. Entry-level devices use relatively fixed rules to filter sound, and they make a real difference in moderate noise, but they have limits.

Mid-range devices offer more customisable programmes and faster processing. Premium hearing aids use AI-powered deep neural network processing that adapts dynamically to changing environments. For people who regularly navigate demanding, noisy situations, the step up to premium technology makes a meaningful difference.

Adjusting hearing aids for background noise

Because it's enough to just turn up the volume, right?  Well, in short, no.  Hearing aids also include volume control, but it's not used for what you might expect. 

For example, if you turn up the volume on your TV with your remote control, it will automatically make all sounds louder. 

A volume control setting on your hearing aid will turn up or down both high and low frequencies. 

This ultimately makes it harder for people with hearing loss to process.  To be precise about why: speech clarity lives in the high frequencies, roughly 2,000 to 8,000 Hz, where consonant sounds like s, f, sh, and th sit. These are the sounds that let you distinguish one word from another.

When you raise the volume, you amplify background noise and speech equally, and you do not improve the separation between the two. This is why people with hearing loss often say they can hear someone speaking but cannot make out what is being said. The problem is not volume; it is separation, and that is what hearing aid processing is designed to solve.

What's the difference between background noise and speech?

Hearing aids of today have very smart and powerful processors that distinguish the difference between your background noise and speech.  This leaves you with better speech clarity and focus. 

The main job of hearing aids is to help filter out background noise and enhance speech, making it easier for people to understand what is being said in noisy environments.  This is called improved speech understanding.

What is even more impressive is that big technology doesn't have to mean big, cumbersome hearing aids anymore. Discrete, small, and invisible hearing aids incorporate this kind of technology, too.

What are the benefits of improving speech understanding in background noise?

Getting on top of background noise does not just improve your hearing. It changes how you feel about being in the world.

• Conversations become less of an effort, whether you are face-to-face with someone or not.
• The cognitive load of constantly straining to hear is reduced, which matters for long-term brain health.
• Social situations feel less daunting, which means you are more likely to stay connected to the people and activities that matter to you.
• And perhaps most quietly important of all, your confidence comes back.
• The exhaustion and self-consciousness that hearing loss in noise can bring start to lift.

Who should look for hearing aids with background noise reduction?

• Those who work in noisy environments.
• Those who have an active social life.
• Those who find they are consistently struggling to hear speech in noise.

Hearing Aid to Reduce Background Noise

What is the best hearing aid for background noise?

Best hearing aids for background noise

What about the best hearing aids for background noise reduction?  There are a lot of hearing aid brands that reduce background noise and improve speech understanding successfully.  Each manufacturer uses different technology to tackle background noise - below are a few examples.

Phonak hearing aids for background noise

Each Phonak hearing aid has forward-facing directional microphones that share data with the other hearing aid. By working like this, they decide from which direction sound is coming and reduce amplification accordingly.

The Phonak Infinio Ultra Sphere goes considerably further, using a dedicated DEEPSONIC AI chip exclusively for speech-from-noise separation. It works continuously alongside the main processing chip and, according to Phonak's published research, reduces listening effort by up to 35%.

For people who struggle in the most demanding noise environments, this is currently one of the strongest performing devices available.

Oticon hearing aids for background noise

Oticon's approach is built around their BrainHearing philosophy: rather than aggressively narrowing the sound environment, they give the brain access to the full sound scene and support its natural ability to make sense of it.

The Oticon Intent uses Deep Neural Network 2.0, trained on over 12 million real-world sounds, alongside 4D sensors that detect head and body movements to understand what you are trying to listen to and adapt accordingly.

Starkey hearing aids for background noise

Starkey's Omega AI introduces DNN 360, which processes sound from all directions simultaneously rather than prioritising what is in front of you. According to Starkey's published data, this delivers up to 28% improved speech intelligibility in challenging environments. Their Edge Mode+ feature provides an on-demand boost for particularly difficult listening situations.

Resound hearing aids for background noise

Resound hearing aids reduce background noise by using their directional microphones and All Access Directionality technology.  This means that one hearing aid is in a directional mode that focuses on the sound or speech coming from the direction you are looking. 

The other hearing aid is in an omnidirectional mode, which enables you to still hear 360-degree sound.

The idea behind this technology is that it learns which hearing aid microphone to use as the focus by predicting what sound or speech you want to focus on. 

Widex hearing aids for background noise

Widex takes a different approach altogether. Rather than focusing on aggressive noise suppression, their Allure platform prioritises making sound feel as natural as possible. Their ZeroDelay technology processes sound in just 0.5 milliseconds, which is considerably faster than most hearing aids and helps avoid the slightly artificial quality that some people notice with heavily processed audio.

In moderate noise environments, this is highly effective and natural-sounding. In very loud environments, it may not suppress background noise as assertively as Phonak or Starkey, which is worth discussing with your audiologist.

Hearing aid accessories for background noise

For situations where even premium hearing aids struggle, accessories can bridge the gap significantly. The Roger range from Phonak includes wireless microphones that transmit speech directly into your hearing aids, bypassing distance and background noise almost entirely.

Research by Phonak suggests Roger microphones can exceed the noise performance of a normal-hearing person in some demanding conditions. Similar remote microphone systems are available from Oticon, Starkey, and Resound. If background noise is a daily challenge, ask your audiologist about these options.

In conclusion

Hearing in background noise is the number one challenge for people with hearing loss, and it is the area where hearing aid technology has advanced most in recent years.

AI-powered deep neural network processing, directional microphones, smart accessories, and the right fitting from a qualified audiologist together make it possible to participate in noisy environments in a way that simply was not achievable a few years ago.

If you would like to discuss finding the right hearing aids for your lifestyle and environments, our qualified independent audiologists are here to help.  Call us free on 0800 567 7621 or book a free hearing test at a clinic near you or in the comfort of your own home.

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