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What Do Cochlear Implants Sound Like?
Knowing what cochlear implants sound like is important for people who are considering getting a cochlear implant, as well as their families. This article looks at how cochlear implants change the way people process sound. We will talk about the quality of sounds, how users feel about the new sounds, and what you might expect when using a cochlear implant.
What Are Cochlear Implants?
Cochlear implants (CIs) are devices made for people who have trouble hearing or who can’t hear at all. Unlike hearing aids that make sounds louder, cochlear implants go around the damaged parts of the ear and help the auditory nerve. This lets users hear sounds in a new way, making it easier to understand speech and enjoy sounds around them.
A cochlear implant is a two-part system: An external sound processor, worn behind the ear, and an internal implant which is placed during a procedure. The sound processor picks up sounds with microphones and sends them as digital signals to the internal implant. The signal is delivered to the auditory nerve and then to the brain.
It's important to know that cochlear implants are very different from hearing aids. Hearing aids help people who can still hear a little, while cochlear implants help those who cannot hear at all or have very little usable hearing.
Hearing with a cochlear implant is a new way of hearing. It takes time to adjust to these new sounds. This adjustment is important, and with practice, speech and sounds become more natural.
How Well Do Cochlear Implants Work?
Many things can affect how well a cochlear implant works for an individual. A person’s hearing history, the type of implant, how it is programmed all matter. If someone practices their listening through therapies and trainings after receiving a CI, it may also affect how a cochlear implant sounds. Some users might hear certain sounds better than others, depending on their hearing loss. Background noise can make it harder to hear. Some users may want to adjust their settings for different locations, while others will use adaptive programs to automatically change the settings and make it easier to hear.
Everyone's experience with sound is different. Some users adapt quickly and enjoy music and conversations, while others may need more time. Factors such as what age and how long the recipient had hearing loss before the implant matter. It's important for users to know that cochlear implants can help them hear better, but their understanding of sound will improve over time as they get used to it.
Chat, laugh, learn, and share stories about cochlear implants and hearing loss at
So, What Do Cochlear Implants Sound Like?
A cochlear implant doesn’t provide sound in the same way as natural hearing. Instead, CIs work by directly stimulating the auditory nerve with electrical signals, bypassing damaged parts of the ear (like the hair cells in the cochlea). Because of this, the sound people hear through a cochlear implant is typically a mix of electronic, mechanical, or digital sounds, which may seem unclear or synthetic, especially at first.
“I was able to understand speech upon activation. I had the common experience of people sounding like robots sucking helium, but still, I could make out voices right away.
After a couple of weeks of rehab using the WordSuccess™ app, and listening to audiobooks for hours a day, I got better and better at understanding. As soon as I got my Phonak Naída™ Link M Hearing Aid activated, I think my brain did a better job of integrating ‘real’ sounds with the new electronic stimulation from my implant.”
- Vince Werner, hears with AB cochlear implants
Over time and with practice, the brain can adapt, and things will sound clearer and more natural.
“My speech comprehension jumped from 8-12% to 93%! My friends and family were astonished at the difference. I was relieved and inspired.”
- Sue Prichard hears with AB cochlear implants
Describing what a cochlear implant sounds like:
While working as a Senior Cochlear Implant Consumer Specialist, I’ve been with many people during their cochlear implant activations. New recipients sometimes share that sounds are tinny, distant, or robotic at first, but over time sounds become clearer and more natural.
Everyone hears differently based on their hearing loss, device settings, and personal experiences. So, these experiences should be used to learn more, not as exact demonstrations of hearing with a cochlear implant.
You can read more experiences of cochlear implant activations and how users experienced sound on our blog.
What do AB cochlear implants sound like?
With AB cochlear implants, you’ll get the ability to hear five times more pitches than any other cochlear implant on the market.3
How? AB’s advanced technology includes Current Steering and independent output circuits in all electrodes, which is not available in any other cochlear implant system!
What does that mean? Imagine listening to a piano, where every single note is clear. That’s the experience you’ll have with AB cochlear implants. While other CIs may only capture some of those notes, our technology lets you hear the full range of sound, bringing a world of richer, more vibrant hearing.
For children, it also means the best chance for developing speech and language.1,2,3
Natural Design for Natural Hearing
AB cochlear implants also utilize a T-Mic for optimized hearing.
The outer ear, or pinna, is shaped in a way that helps people naturally hear sounds that come from the front better than those coming from the back. This "pinna effect" helps people with normal hearing know if sounds are coming from the front or the back.
Often, people with hearing aids or cochlear implants have devices with the microphone placed at the top of the ear, so this natural localization ability is lost.
AB has the unique T-mic, which is placed at the opening of the ear canal so that it can still make use of the pinna effect, restoring this ability. Even without the T-mic, Real Ear Sound offers the same benefit.
New Developments in Cochlear Implants
Recently, cochlear implant technology has improved a lot, making hearing easier for users. These new features help people hear speech and sounds more like how they naturally would and even enjoy music. In fact, professional musicians have reported how their cochlear implants have helped them hear the nuances in music that they’ve never heard before, and children growing up with cochlear implants have learned to play instruments and embrace music.
“After the surgery, my switch-on appointment was a disappointment. Everything sounded electronic and staticky like the ‘Transformers’ movie. It was really hard having to accept such a radical change in my sound perception. I tried to listen to music, but it also sounded totally mechanical. I became even more demoralized and convinced that I would not be able to continue my musical studies.
Time, however, is transformative. In just three months, I was able to achieve 100% in speech understanding, even in noise. I could recognize consonants such as F, V, S, C, G, Z—sounds that I could not hear before with hearing aids. I no longer resort to lip reading. I can hear speech coming from another room, and over the phone.”
- Martina Petruccio, professional pianist who hears with an AB cochlear implant
New features like wireless connections and AI-powered sound processing technologies have changed how users experience cochlear implants. These technologies let users listen to music, phone calls, and other sounds easily and more clearly. Because of this, the quality of sound from cochlear implants has become much better, allowing for a more enjoyable listening experience.
“[At first] The sounds were tiny, distant, and foreign. Speech comprehension was terrible. Had I picked the wrong ear? Doubt crept in, but I pressed on.
Over time, my brain adapted. One-on-one conversations became manageable. Some voices, though, remained unintelligible. Music, once a source of joy, was reduced to a handful of songs deeply embedded in my memory. It was progress, but far from perfect.
And then, something amazing happened.
The moment [my second CI] turned on, without any fine-tuning, I could hear more clearly than I ever had with the first implant. The difference was night and day. It was like going from an FM to a distant AM station.
Rehab was a breeze. There was a synergy between the two implants that accelerated my progress in ways I never expected.”
- Bob Douglas, hears with AB cochlear implants
Looking ahead, there are exciting trends in cochlear implant development. Researchers are working on new ways to customize sound processing for each person's hearing needs. As these improvements continue, cochlear implants will keep changing lives for the better, making it an exciting time for those wanting to hear better.
Ready to take the next step?
Advanced Bionics has a team of professionals to support you as you explore if a cochlear implant is right for you. Our Outreach team can help answer your early questions and guide you to a cochlear implant center near you to start the evaluation process. The cochlear implant evaluation is a hearing and speech understanding test to see if you qualify medically for a CI, or if a hearing aid is still the best solution for your hearing loss. Our Cochlear Implant Consumer Specialist team is here to help answer your additional questions, get you prepared for your evaluation, and ensure you have all the information you need to make an educated decision to move forward with an Advanced Bionics cochlear implant. The support doesn’t stop when you get your CI! We also have a team of Recipient Support Specialists ready to help you learn about your new device and how to best use it for your hearing and lifestyle needs.
AB is here for you every step of the way! Connect with a specialist today:
Note: The views expressed in this post are those of the author. Each person's situation is unique so your experience may not be the same. Talk to your hearing care provider about whether a cochlear implant is right for you.
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Firszt JB, Koch DB, Downing M, Litvak L. (2007) Current steering creates additional pitch percepts in adult cochlear implant recipients. Otology and Neurotology, 28(5):629-636.
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Quick A, Koch DB, Osberger MJ. HiResolution with Fidelity 120 Sound Processing: Listening Benefits in CII and HiRes 90K Implant Users. Poster Presentation at the Conference on Implantable Auditory Prostheses, July 15-20, 2007, Lake Tahoe, CA.
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Mirza S, Douglas SA, Lindsey P, Hildreth T, Hawthorne M. 2003. Appreciation of Music in Adult Patients with Cochlear Implants. Cochlear Implants International. 4(2): 85-95.
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Data on file: D000033020
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