Nucleus upgrade benefits
Smaller, smarter and better connected, the Nucleus® 8 Sound Processor opens up a world of new possibilities. Discover the latest Nucleus hearing technology and everything you need to know about the upgrade process.
What you'll find on this page
- Learn about the Nucleus® 8 and Kanso® 2 Sound Processors
- Are you a Nucleus® 22 Implant recipient? Learn about the Nucleus® 7
- Compare your current sound processor with the latest technology
- Learn about next steps to upgrade
Designed to help you hear your best
In an ever-changing world, staying connected with one another has never been more important. With advanced technology designed to help you hear your best in any situation, a new sound processor can help you seize more of life’s opportunities. Experience the proven benefits of streaming audio directly to your sound processor, including compatible* Apple and Android™ devices.1-4 If the Nucleus 8 Sound Processor is the right option for you, you’ll experience our best technology yet, including SmartSound® iQ 2 with SCAN 2** and improved ForwardFocus.***
“The Nucleus upgrade changed my life. I spend less effort trying to understand people. I just hear better.”
- Jack, Nucleus recipient
The choice is yours
Nucleus® 8 Sound Processor
Kanso® 2 Sound Processor
Ready to upgrade to the latest hearing technology?
The Cochlear Store makes it easy to order what you need when you need it. Place your upgrade order online 24/7 through insurance or self-pay mode.
Optimize your hearing experience
The Kanso 2 Sound Processor features technology to help you experience clearer sound, even in challenging listening environments.1-5 When you’re at work or in a busy café, simply switch on ForwardFocus through the Nucleus Smart App* to decrease noise coming from behind you so you can focus on the face-to-face conversation. And SmartSound® iQ with SCAN** automatically analyzes your surroundings and adjusts to optimize your hearing in different situations.
The Nucleus 8 Sound Processor features an improved ForwardFocus*** that more powerfully reduces unwanted background noise. Whether you choose to have it fully automated or manually activated through the Nucleus Smart App as needed, ForwardFocus helps you to focus on what’s important.
The Nucleus 8 Sound Processor’s smarter, enhanced SmartSound iQ 2 with SCAN 2 technology senses changes in your listening environment and automatically adjusts to help deliver clearer sound as you move throughout your day. This improved classification generates an 8% improvement in accurately classifying sound environments in noisy situations, and an 11% accuracy improvement across all sound environments when compared to previous generation SCAN.11-12
In addition to True Wireless device compatibility, the Nucleus 8 and Kanso 2 Sound Processors are equipped to directly stream phone calls, music and entertainment to your compatible Apple or Android device.*
The Nucleus 8 Sound Processor is also ready for the future with next-generation Bluetooth® LE Audio technology†, which will make it easier to bring sound to you – in more places and from more devices than ever before. Connect directly to what’s being broadcast at public venues such as airports, conference centers and theaters so you’ll never miss out. And whether you’re listening to music, taking a phone call or watching your favorite film, Bluetooth® LE Audio will deliver better sound quality than previous generation Bluetooth® Classic for the best possible audio experience.
The Nucleus Smart App allows you to discreetly adjust your listening settings to hear better in noisy situations, keep track of your hearing information and set daily goals for listening to speech. For added peace of mind, the Find My Processor feature can help locate a misplaced processor.
Whether you're at home, at work or away, your Nucleus 8 Sound Processor can be easily and conveniently recharged via disposable or rechargeable battery options. The Y charger can recharge two batteries at the same time while the USB charger is an optional accessory for recharging one battery when you’re on the go.
The Kanso 2 Sound Processor features a powerful, built-in rechargeable battery that you can rely on for all-day hearing. When you are on-the-go, the Nucleus 8 and Kanso 2 Sound Processors feature portable and USB chargers – and you can easily track your battery usage with the Nucleus Smart App.
"Thanks to Cochlear, since upgrading, my life has truly changed for the better in many ways! I find myself talking on the phone without any help, listening to music and understanding words more clearly, having more confidence in social gatherings, and so much more! I am happy to say that I am very proud, very blessed, and there is nothing that I cannot do!"
— Cathy - Nucleus recipient
Experience confidence and convenience
With a new sound processor, you no longer need to worry about getting caught in the rain. Nucleus sound processors are splash-proof and dust-proof, with the highest available water-resistance rating.13 Add Aqua+ accessories to keep your sound processor protected while enjoying your favorite water activities.††,‡
Experience the convenience of Ready to Wear! For an additional fee, you have the option to ship your sound processor pre-loaded with your current program you can hear your best right away while saving a trip to the audiologist.
Experience convenient quality care without a clinic visit with access to Cochlear™ Remote Care. Once your clinician enrolls you in Remote Care, you can use Remote Check to complete a hearing review or Remote Assist to have a video appointment from home, at work or when you’re away.9,10
Our hearing solutions are designed to help your ears to work together, whether you’re wearing two cochlear implant sound processors or a sound processor and a hearing aid. With our smart bimodal solution, you can stream directly to both your Nucleus 8 or Kanso 2 Sound Processor and a compatible ReSound hearing aid.§ In addition, the Nucleus 8 Sound Processor can be color-coordinated with a compatible ReSound hearing aid‡ for a stylish pair.
If you are a Nucleus 22 (N22) recipient, you have the option to upgrade to the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor, which combines proven hearing performance with smartphone connectivity so you can connect to your world like never before.
Learn more about the Nucleus 7 Sound Processor or place your upgrade order anytime through the Cochlear Store.
Compare Nucleus and Kanso devices
Would you like to see how your current device compares to the latest technology? Download a comparison chart to learn about the differences.
Compare Nucleus and Kanso devices
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More information
Disclaimer
The Nucleus 8 Sound Processor is not currently available in Canada.
Apple, the Apple logo, Made for iPad logo, Made for iPhone logo, Made for iPod logo, iPhone, iPad Pro, iPad Air, iPad mini, iPad and iPod touch are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.
Android is a trademark of Google LLC. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.
The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Cochlear is under license.
*For information regarding the compatibility of Cochlear’s Sound Processors with Apple or Android devices, visit www.cochlear.com/compatibility
**SNR-NR, WNR and SCAN are approved for use with any recipient ages 6 years and older who is able to 1) complete objective speech perception testing in quiet and in noise in order to determine and document performance 2) report a preference for different program settings.
***ForwardFocus can only be enabled by a hearing implant specialist. It should only be activated for users 12 years and older who are able to reliably provide feedback on sound quality and understand how to use the feature when moving to different or changing environments. It may be possible to have decreased speech understanding when using ForwardFocus in a quiet environment.
†When this technology becomes available a firmware update to your sound processor will allow you to connect to Bluetooth LE Audio compatible devices.
††The Cochlear Nucleus 8 Sound Processor is dust and water resistant to level IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529. The Nucleus 8 Sound Processor with Aqua+ is dust and water resistant to level of IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529 when you use a Cochlear Power Extend Rechargeable Battery Module or Cochlear Compact Rechargeable Battery Module. The Nucleus 8 Sound Processor with Aqua+ can be continuously submerged under water to a depth of up to 3 meters for up to 2 hours. The Aqua+ accessory should be used when participating in prolonged water activities. Refer to the relevant user guide for more information.
‡The Kanso 2 Sound Processor is dust and water resistant to level of IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529. The Kanso 2 Sound Processor with Aqua+ is water resistant to level IP68 of the International Standard IEC60529. This water protection rating means that the sound processor with the Aqua+ can be continuously submerged under water to a depth of 3 meters (9 feet and 9 inches) for up to 2 hours. For the Nucleus 7 Sound processor, this water protection only applies when you use the Aqua+ and rechargeable batteries.
§Direct streaming is possible from compatible Apple devices (for compatibility information visit, www.Cochlear.com/compatibility) and a compatible ReSound hearing aid: ReSound LiNX Quattro™, ReSound LiNX 3D™ and ReSound ENZO 3D™. Direct streaming is possible from Android devices running on Android operating system version 10 and using Bluetooth version 5.0 to ReSound LiNX Quattro and Beltone Amaze hearing aids and the Cochlear™ Nucleus® 7 Sound Processor. ReSound is part of the GN group. GN makes life sound better through intelligent audio solutions. For a list of compatible devices visit www.cochlear.com/compatibility.
References
- Cochlear Limited. D1631375 Nucleus 8 Sound Processor Product Definition.
- Wolfe J, et al. Evaluation of a wireless audio streaming accessory to improve mobile telephone performance of cochlear implant users. International Journal of Audiology. 2016;55(2):75-82.
- Wolfe J, et al. Improving hearing performance for cochlear implant recipients with use of a digital, wireless, remote-microphone, audio-streaming accessory. J Am Acad Audiol. 2015 Jun;26(6):532-9.
- Warren C, Nel E, and Boyd P. Controlled comparative clinical trial of hearing benefit outcomes for users of the Cochlear™ Nucleus® Sound Processor with mobile connectivity. Cochlear Implants International (2019 Feb); 20(3)19.
- Cochlear Limited. D1864200 SCAN-X Design Description.
- Mauger SJ, Warren C, Knight M, Goorevich M, Nel E. Clinical evaluation of the Nucleus 6 cochlear implant system: performance improvements with SmartSound iQ. International Journal Of Audiology. 2014, Aug; 53(8): 564-576. [Sponsored by Cochlear]
- Mauger S, Jones M, Nel E, Del Dot J. Clinical outcomes with the Kanso™ off- the-ear cochlear implant sound processor. International Journal Of Audiology. 2017, Jan 9; 1-10. [Sponsored by Cochlear]
- Wolfe J, Neumann S, Marsh M, Schafer E, Lianos L, Gilden J, O’Neill L, Arkis P, Menapace C, Nel E, Jones M. Benefits of Adaptive Signal Processing in a Commercially Available Cochlear Implant Sound Processor. Otol Neurotol. 2015 Aug;36(7):1181-90. [Sponsored by Cochlear]
- Cullington H, Kitterick P, Weal M, et al. (2018). Feasibility of personalised remote long-term follow-up of people with cochlear implants: a randomised controlled trial. BMJ Open, 8(4): e019640; DOI: 10.1136/bmjopen-2017- 019640
- Cochlear Limited Release Reports D1943728 and D1943727.
- Cochlear Limited. D1864200. (2022 Apr).
- Mauger SJ et al. Int. Journal Of Audiology. (2014 Aug); 53(8):564-576. [Sponsored by Cochlear]
- Cochlear Limited D1980144 CP1110 IEC60529 IP68 Certificate & Test Report