Widex Allure - expert hearing aid review

Widex has long been recognised for delivering some of the most natural, calming sound in hearing care. Their new Widex Allure hearing aids continue that tradition, but also mark a major shift in how Widex are approaching new technology.

In this review, I share my real-world experience using Widex Allure in a variety of settings – quiet spaces, noisy environments, music listening, and everyday life. I discuss the sound quality, the new fitting process, what’s available at launch, and what’s still to come with future updates.

If you’re considering Widex Allure, or upgrading from previous Widex devices like Moment, this review will help you decide whether Allure is the right fit for your hearing needs right now, or whether it might be better to wait.

_{Watch audiologist Adam Bostock share his expert verdict on the new Widex Allure hearing aid.}

In this review, I’m taking a close look at the new Widex Allure, the company’s first new platform since the release of Widex Moment, five years ago.

Allure carries forward much of what Widex are best known for – a focus on natural sound, a calming listening experience, and an attention to detail that matters most for day-to-day hearing.

At the same time, it marks a change in how Widex are approaching their new technology. Some familiar features are missing at launch, with updates planned over time. For some users that won’t be an issue. For others it may be worth understanding exactly where Allure stands today, and where it’s heading.

^{The new Widex Allure colour range.}

Over the past week I’ve been using Widex Allure in a range of real world situations – quiet spaces, noisy cafes, outdoor walks, music listening, and controlled testing inside our clinic. In this review I’ll walk you through how it performs, where it stands out, and where it still has ground to make up.

So, let’s start with the basics. Widex has always taken a different route from other hearing aid manufacturers. Where some brands compete on who can offer the most features, or who has the boldest claims about noise reduction, Widex has tended to keep things focused on how the hearing aid sounds, how it feels to wear, and whether the listening experience feels natural.

That philosophy has built them quite a loyal following over the years, and rightly so. Their products have long been praised for being clear, calming, and particularly good for music.

Allure is the first Widex hearing aid, since the release of Widex Moment, to be built on a completely new chip platform. And, the good news is, it sounds like a Widex should – the tone is smooth, rounded, and easy on the ear. From the moment they were fitted, I found no harshness, no artificial sharpness, and no real adjustment period either. It’s the sort of sound that, for a first time wearer, could be an enormous positive, as there’s nothing jarring or overwhelming about it. It’s a very balanced, very natural listening experience.

In terms of what’s available, I tested the Allure using Widex demo units, the same type of devices patients would experience during a clinic demonstration. I programmed them to the highest technology level available and used them in a range of everyday environments – quiet rooms, background noise, music listening, and walking outside.

Three listening programs were available for me during testing – Universal, PureSound™, and Music. Universal quickly became the one I used the most. It handled speech well, even in background noise, and the way it managed microphone focus was particularly good, shifting from a wide open, omnidirectional setting into a narrower beam as needed, but without feeling forced or mechanical.

The sound never collapsed into that tunnel effect you sometimes get with aggressive directional microphones. Instead, Universal allowed for better speech clarity, while keeping the sense of space and surroundings intact. That balance, helping without over-processing, is one of the reasons Widex continue to stand out.

PureSound™, which is Widex’s low latency mode, offered an even cleaner sound. It’s the least processed of the three and, while it’s slightly more sensitive to wind and handling noise, it delivered an immediately transparent experience.

I can see this appealing, particularly to users who dislike the digital sound of some modern hearing aids – those who say they always hear the hearing aid working. PureSound™ feels much less like that. It worked best indoors or in calmer outdoor conditions.

Music continues to be a real strength, whether through a Sonos system at home or streamed audio in the car. Using Music mode, the instruments and the vocals held their shape, and music sounded balanced, detailed, and genuinely engaging.

Widex have always had that reputation for treating music well and allure continues on that tradition. If live music or recorded music is a big part of your life, Widex still deserves serious consideration.

Streaming performance overall was pretty good. I streamed mainly from an iPhone, podcasts were crisp, video stayed properly in sync, and there was no real impact on battery life.

Like most receiver in the canal (RIC) style hearing aids, streamed music lacked deep bass, but speech and mid-range tones came through cleanly and naturally.

^{The Widex Allure’s straightforward desktop charger case.}

Battery life was consistent throughout testing. A full day’s use was easily achievable and the desktop charger is simple and effective with no fiddling or complex routines – just pop them in the case and they charge.

There is, however, one small omission that’s worth mentioning. SmartSpeak, Widex’s voice prompt system that announces things like program changes and low battery alerts. This isn’t currently available and, at the moment, you get a series of beeps instead.

Widex say SmartSpeak will return through a future software update. It’s not a major problem for most users but, for some, losing that feature could make the aids slightly harder to use day-to-day.

Fitting and setup is an area where Allure feels quite different from what Widex have offered previously. Their new Compass Cloud fitting software is genuinely quick and easy to use.

Widex say you can go from the first connection to completed fit in under two minutes and, in my experience, that’s pretty accurate. It’s intuitive, it’s well designed, and it makes the fitting process smoother than ever.

But, again, there’s a trade-off. At launch the feature set is more limited than usual. Only three programs are available, fine-tuning options are reduced, and some long-standing Widex tools are missing.

One notable example is the Sensogram, Widex’s in-ear measurement tool that’s been a staple of fittings for years. Now, it’s not currently included in the Allure fitting workflow and that’s a real loss, particularly for clinics who use it to fine-tune demonstrations without full rear ear measurement.

Zen tones are another absence. These fractal-based soundscapes have been a key tinnitus support feature in previous devices. Widex have said that they might return in future updates but, for now, they’re not available. For users who specifically need tinnitus support, that may be a deciding factor.

In short, for straightforward fittings, Allure’s simplicity will be a welcome change, but for those needing more complex setups or additional therapeutic tools, the current version may feel too limited.

Accessory support also deserves a mention. Allure is compatible with Bluetooth LE Audio and is expected to support Auracast™ streaming once firmware updates are released. It works with the new TV Play 2 streamer and that streamer remains backwards compatible with previous Widex models.

However, Allure does not support the original TV Play. More critically, it doesn’t currently support Widex Sound Assist. For many users, Sound Assist is an important tool, acting as a remote microphone and multi-functional accessory that improves speech understanding in noise.

At the time I’m filming this, Allure is not compatible with Sound Assist, and there’s no confirmed timeline for when that support will arrive. For long-time Widex users, or anyone really who relies on a remote mic, that could be a dealbreaker.

Physically, the Allure casing is slightly larger than the Moment sRIC it replaces. It’s noticeable, if you look for it, and perhaps slightly disappointing, given how much Widex have previously emphasised the slim, smart RIC design.

^{Allure casing is slightly larger but, once fitted, the aids were comfortable, secure.}

Smart RIC casing isn’t yet available with Allure but, once fitted, the aids were comfortable, secure, and easy to forget about. I wore them throughout full days without needing to adjust them, including whilst walking and exercising lightly. In that sense, they lived up to the Widex reputation for comfort and stability.

Pricing will vary by clinic, but wholesale costs have risen, positioning Allure firmly as a premium product. I would expect it to be priced at the higher end of the market.

What stands out most to me about Allure isn’t just the sound quality or the feature omissions, it’s the strategic shift Widex have made in how they release their technology.

In the past, Widex launched products fully formed, everything ready on day one. With Allure, the hardware is ready, but some features are missing at launch, and they’ll arrive through firmware updates later. That’s a familiar model in industries like smartphones and electric cars but, in hearing care, it’s quite a new approach.

It won’t suit everyone. Some users and some clinicians will prefer the certainty of having every feature in place from the start. But it isn’t necessarily a flaw, it’s simply a different way of delivering innovation over time.

So, final verdict? Widex Allure is an excellent sounding hearing aid. The Universal program works well across real world situations, music performance is still a standout, and battery life and comfort are strong. But, there are caveats. The fitting software at launch is more limited, some established Widex features are missing, and accessory support isn’t complete yet.

If your priorities are natural sound and straightforward use, Allure is a strong contender. But, if you need advanced tinnitus tools, remote microphone support, or full customisation from day one, it may be worth waiting until the platform matures.

For now I’d rate Wides Allure a solid four out of five. It’s a premium hearing aid, delivered on a platform that’s still growing into itself. A smart choice for the right user but not quite the finished article just yet.

For more honest and independent hearing aid reviews, please visit our Alto Hearing YouTube channel.

Review by Adam Bostock – Senior Audiologist