JLab, Hear, OTC Hearing Aid Earbuds, Bluetooth, Beige

This is my 3rd hearing aid. The first one was MD Hearing behind the ear. O erar glasses and loud noise was made every time I moved my head. The second was an Receiver in ear. While this worked better, it was uncomfortable and screeching was a problem. Also, they hurt my ears so I did not wear them very much. I received these and they came with multiple rubber ear peices. I like the vented style as it sounded more natural, and it was much better at reducing chewing noise. They are very comfortable I almost forget I am wearing them. My hearing loss is moderate up to 2000 hz, and severe above 4000 hz. You can test for free at checkhearing.org, no registration needed. My hearing improved by 20 decibels. I like the Loud Environment option the best as unexpected noises are much less significant.

First off these offer a few pre programmed settings and volume adjustments however they mostly just amplify everything and only offer 4 levels of volume control. No matter what we tried they didn't sound right and would not stay in my ears. We tried the larger cushion fins and different sized earbud tips but that didn't make a difference. Another nice feature was the streaming option, but even that has issues. They do switch seamlessly between streaming and hearing modes however they wouldn't stay connected to the phone unless you leave the audio and calls options selected in the Bluetooth settings on the phone. The issue with that is every time the phone gets a text message or makes a sound the hearing aids cut out. They're also too large. I don't care if my hearing aids are noticeable but these are huge and look like massive earbuds for music. The touch controls were much more responsive than the controls on my other jlab wireless earbuds which was good to see, but overall I can't recommend these at all even though I typically like JLab products. Unfortunately, I had to return them.

Works great as a temporary hearing aid for my 92 year old mother who is on hospice and has had an acute hearing loss. This is making her last weeks or months much better. She has been able to hear us and listen to music she loves.

I currently use Otofonix Elite hearing aids. They work exceptionally well, and the replaceable batteries last about six days. They were a game changer when I started wearing them several years ago. It's mildly inconvenient to remove them every time I want to use my AirPod Pros, but each device serves a different purpose, so it’s not a deal breaker. The JLab Hear seemed promising. I could wear them as a hearing aid, but also take a phone call or listen to music without having to swap one ear piece for another. But the reality is, as earbuds the sound quality is only average (okay for phone calls, not ideal for music), and as a hearing aid the quality is not nearly as good as my Otofonix, despite being able to adjust the settings and volume on my phone. In a large, noisy room the JLab did very little to improve my hearing ability. They were never loud enough nor distinct enough, even at full volume. The secondary problem (and the problem with all rechargeable hearing aids), is that they last about 7-10 hours, meaning they don’t last a full day during my waking hours. And the third strike is that they are much more visible than the behind-the-ear Otofonix. Buying the Otofonix Elite and AirPod Pros is five times more expensive, but ten times more functional.

For the price, I think these are worth it. Others in this class are $100 more. It can be echoey and is not great in wind, but works well for one on one convos. I can't use them in loud restaurants. I find them comfortable and super easy to charge. (I have mild-moderate hearing loss)

They are too large to fit in my ear canals and are very visible. They make a screeching noise which pulses every few seconds. Controls not obvious. No cord provided to charge w the cord on the hearing charger device. Have yet to find the right fit. Not happy.

So I changed out some Audien Atom units for these. The switch gear crapped out on one Audien unit in the first month, was replaced, and now two years later both went south. For similar money the JLab units offer some handy improvements. Multiple environment conditions, plus the ability to tailor the frequency spectrum with the Hearing app. means you can avoid that booming screeching over driven sound simple amplifiers give you in a crowded area it acrestuarant. These are not small, but the sound is quite good. Throw in the Bluetooth connectivity and you have so much more functionality compared to other units (including Audien) in the price range. The ventilated bud ear pieces are really nice. I achieved a good solid fit but avoided the occlusion of my ears that so often makes one feel one is under water with unvented earpieces. 10 hours battery life with Bluetooth off is a useable service duration for my needs and I can quickly top the buds off by dropping them into the case for a quick charge if need be. There are no physical switches to get wet or corroded, unlike the old Audien units or others at this price. everything is controlled by haptic touch or through the app. I am well pleased.

Different volume levels are great!