A New Kind of Hearing Aids The Nuance Audio glasses are one of the most interesting hearing products to hit the market in the last few years. They combine modern glasses with directional microphones and open-ear speakers that sit just above the ear canal. The result is a hearing aid alternative that doesn’t go in your ears at all. If you have mild to moderate hearing loss and wear glasses regularly, Nuance Audio should be on your shortlist. Nuance Audio Background The idea of combining hearing aids and glasses has been around for decades—early versions even ran wires from the arms of the glasses into the ears. But those designs never took off. A few years ago, global eyewear giant EssilorLuxottica acquired a small startup called Nuance Audio and began rethinking the concept from the ground up. Instead of wires or earbuds, Nuance Audio glasses use tiny directional microphones and open-air speakers that beam sound toward your ears. That means your ears stay open and unblocked, while you still get a meaningful boost in volume and speech clarity. Soundly offers Nuance Audio in two frame styles (Square and Panthos) and two colors (Black and Burgundy). Both styles come out of the box with transition lenses that double as sunglasses. The glasses are designed for easy lens swaps at your local optimitrist if you opt for prescription lenses. What We Like About Nuance Audio Discreet, Open-Ear DesignThere’s nothing in your ears. This is the biggest draw for many people. Sound is delivered through small speakers tucked into the arms of the glasses. If you’ve struggled to get used to wearing something in your ears, this is a great option. Directional Microphones That Follow Your Head MovementsSix onboard microphones pick up sound from your environment. Because the glasses follow your head and eye movements, they naturally capture the conversations you’re focused on. The companion app lets you toggle between a focused “frontal” mode and a more ambient “all-around” mode. Simple Customization via AppUsers can choose from four preset audio profiles, adjust background noise filtering, and control volume. All of this happens through the Nuance Audio app, which is clean and stable. No Streaming, Just AmplificationOne important note—these glasses do not stream music or phone calls. The Bluetooth connection is only used for customization. That’s a tradeoff, but it helps preserve battery life for the main job: hearing better in the real world. How Setup Works Once you pair the glasses with the app, you’ll go through a short calibration process where the glasses learn how to aim sound into your ears. Then, you choose from four preset programs labeled A through D—each one tuned for different hearing profiles. You can also adjust background noise levels and switch between frontal and all-around microphone modes. Volume can be controlled in the app or by tapping the arm of the glasses. Battery life is around 8-10 hours, depending on background noise. This is shorter than traditional hearing aids, so some users will need to charge midday or turn off the amplification when not in use. Note: Every Soundly purchase includes a complimentary setup call with an audiologist. We're here to support you at every step, if you need us. Who Should Consider Nuance Audio? Mild to Moderate Hearing LossThese glasses are best suited for those with mild to moderate hearing loss. If your hearing loss is more severe, you may find that you max out the volume and still want more gain. You can take our hearing test to check your hearing profile—we’re happy to review your results. Regular Glasses WearersIf you already wear glasses or sunglasses daily, Nuance Audio could be a seamless fit. You’ll get hearing help without changing your daily routine. Users Who Don’t Prefer Hearing AidsThese glasses don’t offer the same amplification power as some in-ear devices, but they’re often more comfortable and easier to get used to. If you’ve struggled with the feel of traditional hearing aids, Nuance Audio is worth considering. Our Overall Thoughts It’s not the right fit for everyone. Battery life is limited to about 8–10 hours and there’s no music streaming. But for anyone hesitant to put something in their ears, Nuance Audio is a remarkably compelling option. Nuance Audio is the first serious attempt in years to combine hearing support and eyewear in a way that actually works. The technology is solid, the form factor is sleek, and for the right person, it could be a genuinely life-changing product.
