If you’re already benefiting from your cochlear implant, an upgrade to the latest Nucleus® 8 or Kanso® 3 sound processor can help you hear your best in more situations every day.
Both devices feature Cochlear’s most advanced hearing technology, including SmartSound® iQ 2 with SCAN 2 – designed to automatically sense your surroundings and adjust to deliver clearer sound. This is a significant improvement over earlier SmartSound and SmartSound iQ used in previous generation sound processors.1,2,3
Experience more powerful background noise reduction with the latest ForwardFocus*, which more effectively reduces unwanted noise to help you concentrate on face‑to‑face conversation.4,5
Users who have already upgraded6 reinforce the benefits:
- 90% recommend making the switch
- 2/3 report better hearing in noisy environments since their upgrade±
- 70% say they experience longer battery life compared to their previous sound processors#
Smaller, lighter designs offer enhanced comfort, whether you choose an off‑the‑ear or behind‑the‑ear option. Both processors deliver the same advanced performance — clearer sound, improved confidence, and a more connected hearing experience.
Explore the latest Nucleus sound processors
*ForwardFocus is a clinician-enabled feature that can be user-controlled or automated.
± Surveyed recipients who upgraded from Nucleus 7 Sound Processor to Nucleus 8 Sound Processor with SmartSound iQ2 with SCAN2 and ForwardFocus technology enabled.
# Battery life varies for every user, according to the age of the battery, the programs used each day, your implant type, the thickness of skin covering your implant, and the size and type of battery used. Streaming from compatible devices, True Wireless devices or FM may decrease sound processor battery life depending on how often and for how long streaming is engaged. Typical expected battery life is calculated using default map settings used with a CI1000 series implant. All day hearing is defined as 16 hours.
1 Mauger SJ, et al. Clinical evaluation of the Nucleus 6 cochlear implant system: performance improvements with SmartSound iQ. Int J Audiol. 2014, Aug; 53(8): 564-576.
2 Cochlear Limited. D1864200 SCAN 2 Design Description. Apr 2022
3 Wolfe J, et al. Benefits of Adaptive Signal Processing in a Commercially Available Cochlear Implant Sound Processor. Otol Neurotol. 2015 Aug; 36(7): 1181-90
4 Cochlear Limited. D1913968 Nucleus 8 Whitepaper. 2024, Jan
5 Cochlear Limited. D1817793. CLTD5754 Clinical Investigation Report
6 Cochlear Americas. CAM-MKTP-1356. N7 to N8 Recepient Upgrade Survey. May 2025.
