Comprehensive Guide to CROS & BiCROS Hearing Aids for Single-Sided Deafness
Expert review by Crystal Hearing Solutions Clinical Team.
Losing hearing entirely in one ear, a condition known as Single-Sided Deafness (SSD), presents unique and exhausting challenges. When you can only hear from one side, it becomes nearly impossible to tell where sounds are coming from (localization). Navigating a busy street, sitting on the “wrong” side of a table at a restaurant, or trying to understand a colleague in a noisy room can be incredibly frustrating.
Standard hearing aids cannot fix a completely deaf ear. However, modern audiology has a brilliant solution: CROS and BiCROS technology.
At Crystal Hearing Solutions, we specialize in treating SSD. In this guide, our audiologists explain how these systems work and review the best CROS and BiCROS solutions available from our premium partners: Signia, Phonak, and ReSound.
What is CROS vs. BiCROS?
Both systems use a “transmitter” on the deaf ear to wirelessly send sound over to a “receiver” on your better ear. This gives you 360-degree hearing awareness without needing surgery.
CROS (Contralateral Routing of Signal)
This is for patients who have one deaf ear and one completely normal ear. The transmitter on the deaf ear acts as a microphone, catching sounds from your “bad” side and instantly beaming them into the normal ear. You hear everything through your good ear.
BiCROS (Bilateral Contralateral Routing of Signal)
This is for patients who have one deaf ear and hearing loss in their “better” ear. The transmitter on the deaf ear sends sound over to a fully functioning hearing aid on the other side. That hearing aid then amplifies both the routed sound and the sound from its own side, tailored to your specific hearing prescription.
Top CROS & BiCROS Solutions Available in Mumbai
Because a CROS system requires two devices to communicate constantly, battery life and processing speed used to be major issues. Today, the leading manufacturers have perfected rechargeable, ultra-fast CROS transmitters that pair seamlessly with their flagship hearing aids.
Here is our clinical breakdown of the top options:
Signia CROS Solutions (The IX Platform)
Signia is a major innovator in the SSD space, offering the most versatile physical styles on the market, powered by their advanced Integrated Xperience (IX) platform.
- Signia CROS Pure Charge&Go IX: A sleek, fully rechargeable Receiver-in-Canal (RIC) transmitter. It pairs perfectly with standard Pure IX hearing aids, offering exceptional battery life and Signia’s famous “RealTime Conversation Enhancement” to help you understand speech from any direction.
- Signia CROS Silk Charge&Go IX: The ultimate invisible solution. This is the world’s first completely-in-canal (CIC), rechargeable CROS system. It sits deep inside the ear, offering maximum discretion for patients who do not want to wear devices behind their ears.
Phonak CROS Solutions (Lumity & Infinio Platforms)
Phonak has a legendary reputation for handling extreme background noise, making their CROS systems ideal for patients with highly active, complex lifestyles.
- Phonak CROS Lumity / Infinio: Available in discreet, fully rechargeable RIC styles. These transmitters sync flawlessly with Phonak’s AutoSense OS artificial intelligence. When paired with a Phonak Lumity or Infinio hearing aid on the good ear, the system constantly scans the environment, aggressively suppressing background noise while picking up the voices you need to hear from your deaf side.
ReSound CROS Solutions (The Nexia Platform)
ReSound focuses heavily on miniaturization and future-proof connectivity, making their CROS offering incredibly appealing for tech-savvy users.
- ReSound CROS Nexia: This transmitter pairs with the ReSound Nexia family, which holds the title for the industry’s smallest rechargeable microRIE device. Aside from its microscopic footprint, the Nexia system offers 360-degree environmental mapping and is fully compatible with Bluetooth LE Audio and Auracast broadcast technology.
How to Choose the Right CROS System for You?
Selecting the right CROS or BiCROS system comes down to your daily lifestyle, your aesthetic preferences, and the exact hearing threshold of your “good” ear.
- If discretion is your #1 priority: The Signia CROS Silk IX is unmatched, as it hides completely inside the ear canal.
- If background noise is your biggest struggle: The Phonak CROS paired with an Infinio or Lumity hearing aid provides industry-leading AI noise reduction.
- If you want the smallest behind-the-ear device with Auracast: The ReSound CROS Nexia is the clear winner.
Book a Specialized SSD Consultation at Crystal Hearing Solutions
Fitting a CROS or BiCROS system requires highly precise clinical tuning to ensure the sound transferring from the deaf side doesn’t overwhelm the good ear. Our expert audiologists in Mumbai will map your exact hearing profile and let you experience the magic of 360-degree hearing in the clinic.