Jabra Enhance Pro Hearing Aid

Costco Hearing Centers introduced three Jabra Enhance Pro hearing aids in June 2021. These hearing aids feature “premium” quality technology found in the best hearing aids available from global hearing aid manufacturers.

Jabra, an established brand in the personal headphone market, is produced by the GN Audio group, which is a business unit of GN Store Nord. GN Store Nord is a Danish company with two primary business units: GN Audio and GN Hearing, leading worldwide manufacturers of audio devices and hearing aids, respectively. GN Hearing is the manufacturer of ReSound, Beltone, Lively, Interton, and Danavox hearing aids.

The GN Audio business unit (including Jabra) manufactures and sells wireless headsets and earbuds, keyboards, speakerphones and video solutions and now the Jabra-labeled hearing aids. As you might expect, GN Hearing and GN Audio share technology, and the technology found in Jabra Enhance Pro hearing aids—not to be confused with the Jabra Enhance Plus earbuds—are based upon the ReSound ONE™ hearing aid, the current ReSound flagship product.

Costco is probably the second-largest distributor of hearing aids (about 14% of the market) in the United States, behind only the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA, about 21%). Despite being a big box store and not specializing in audiology, it offers several premium devices from some of the world’s largest hearing aid manufacturers.

Let’s take a closer look at what Jabra Enhance Pro hearing aids have to offer.

Choice of Three Hearing Aid Models

The Jabra Enhance Pro is currently available in three different model choices in eight different color options, and all are IP 68 rated, meaning the hearing aid case provides some dust and water protection of the internal electronics. Costco currently lists the rechargeable model starting at $1799.99 for a set of two hearing aids, but prices may vary by state.

Here’s an overview of each model:

Jabra Enhance Pro PM RIE 61 Rechargeable

• Receiver-in-Ear (RIE) style hearing aid which sits behind the ear (also called “Receiver-in-Canal” or RIC)
• Rechargeable lithium-ion batteries
• Push button—programmable to work as program change, volume change or streaming control
• Directional microphones including additional option of microphone in the ear
• No telecoil option
• Wireless functionality

Jabra Enhance Pro PM RIE 61

• RIE style hearing aid which sits behind the ear
• Standard, disposable hearing aid battery, size 312
• Push button—programmable to work as program change, volume change or streaming control
• Directional microphones including additional option of microphone in the ear
• No telecoil option
• Wireless functionality

Jabra Enhance Pro PM RIE 62

• RIE style hearing aid which sits behind the ear
• Standard, disposable hearing aid battery, size 13
• Multi-function rocker switch
• Directional microphones including additional option of microphone in the ear
• Telecoil standard
• Wireless functionality

Unique Speech Enhancement and Noise Reduction Technologies

As the Jabra Enhance Pro is considered a “premium” technology, you would expect numerous hearing aid features to improve overall listening capabilities— and that is certainly the case with these products.  All of the hearing aids are standard with technology that we have come to expect in modern hearing aids, including directional microphones, impact noise reduction, wind noise reduction, feedback control, and synchronized switching of controls from ear-to-ear.

However, there is additional technology that warrants further discussion, so let’s dive a little deeper into some of those.

All Access Directionality

This technology allows for the two microphones on each hearing aid (in a binaural fitting involving both ears) to calculate the best microphone response for each ear. In other words, there are four microphones in a binaural fitting working together to estimate the best possible directional microphone response in noise for each hearing aid.

As the hearing aids have access to more than just two microphones, this allows for a more precise tuning of the microphone response. This is called beamforming and combines signal processing across multiple pitches (frequency bands).  It also attempts to preserve timing cues which are critical for helping us to localize to sound and separate sounds we want to hear as opposed to those we don’t. ReSound claims a 2 dB (AI-DI) improvement over their own simpler directional microphone systems. While 2 dB doesn’t seem like much, depending on the environment, that 2 dB change can make a big difference (e.g., as much as 20% in speech intelligibility) as well as overall wearing comfort.

Simply put, All Access Directionality is a multi-microphone system designed to improve overall speech intelligibility in complex, noisy situations. This is done automatically and is intended to be seamless for the listener.

Microphone & Receiver-in-Ear (M&RIE): An extra mic for better listening

“Microphone & Receiver-in-Ear” means that the hearing aid utilizes two typical microphones on the casing of the hearing aid plus an additional microphone built into the receiver housing which is placed in the ear. The intent here is to take advantage of the ear’s natural ability to collect and amplify sound which can help improve sound localization, minimize noise from behind the listener, and minimize wind noise. This benefit is also seen in some custom hearing aid products, especially those that sit more deeply into the ear canal.

The Jabra Enhance Pro with the M&RIE option will utilize the in the ear microphone in quiet, speech only and other relatively quiet listening situations. In other more noisy or complicated listening environments, the hearing aids will automatically switch to the microphones on the hearing aid cases and utilize the previously described All Access Directionality. M&RIE can be activated in other listening programs as well. As an example, for a wind noise program the microphone in the ear is selected by default as a means to minimize wind noise.

Ultra Focus

This additional noise reduction feature is controlled by you, the wearer, and can be activated either by using a program change via the button on the hearing aid or via the smart phone app. The point of this control is to give you more choice over the directional microphone response in very noisy situations when you want to hear the person directly in front of you.

Essentially, you can choose how much the microphones narrow down the sounds around you; in situations where you are having a very difficult time following the person in front of you, you may want to choose “narrow.”  Keep in mind that for most listening situations, it’s likely that simply letting the hearing aid decide will give you the best overall listening experience. Still, it’s nice to have the choice.

Environmental Optimizer

This is the hearing aid’s automatic adjustment system based upon an environmental classification system. The Environmental Optimizer is designed to help provide a comfortable listening experience regardless of the environment, making volume and noise reduction changes so you don’t have to adjust the hearing aid(s) yourself.

As you move from environment to environment—for example, from a quiet environment to a noisy restaurant—the hearing aid will determine the best possible settings for volume and also engage noise reduction in the noisy room. This occurs in both ears in the case of a binaural fitting. The hearing aid takes approximately 4 seconds to sample the environmental sounds and make a decision. Then, it will gradually implement the change at a rate of about 1 dB per second so the transition is not sudden or distracting.

Sound Shaper

This is a frequency (pitch) lowering strategy with the intent of taking high-frequency sounds and making them available at lower frequencies. Sound Shaper may be especially helpful to those who have more severe hearing loss in the high frequencies, where amplifying sounds in the high-pitch range may be impossible for the hearing aid or, because of the inner ear’s own distortion, will provide little benefit to the listener. The Sound Shaper essentially makes sounds that wouldn’t otherwise be audible available for listening.

Rechargeable and disposable battery options

Only one of the three available Jabra Enhance Pro hearing aids, the PM RIE 61 Rechargeable, comes standard with a built-in rechargeable lithium-ion battery. The other two available aids utilize either a 312 or 13 size batter (13 is larger and may provide additional battery life). Costco provides a standard recharging case at no additional charge.

A portable premium charger is also an option for an additional cost. The premium charger can charge your hearing aids on the go without being connected to a power source.

In general, the hearing aid rechargeable battery can last up to 30 hours on a single charge. Keep in mind this will depend on your particular programming and how much time you spend steaming audio to your devices. The more streaming, the less the battery life.

Wireless Features

As with most modern high-end hearing aids, the Jabra Enhance Pro hearing aids provide wireless capabilities. That is, the hearing aids can communicate wirelessly ear-to-ear, stream audio from compatible devices, connect via the Jabra Enhance Pro app to compatible smart phones, and connect wirelessly to accessories such as tablets, TV streamers and remote microphones.  

The hearing aids are compatible with both Apple® and Android™ devices, and many people enjoy the binaural streaming of phone calls, or asking a question to a personal assistant like Siri or Alexa, from compatible phones directly to both hearing aids. The hearing aids are also compatible with some Apple Watch™ products.

However, until recently, true hands-free capability was not available. That is, although you could hear the conversation via your hearing aids, the microphones on the hearing aids did not pick up your own voice and you were required to speak into the phone for the other person to hear you. That has changed recently, though, as the Jabra Enhance Pro hearing aids now allow for hands-free phone calls. If you were previously fit with these hearing aids, you will need to contact your HCP for an internal update in order to activate this functionality.

Remember that not all devices are compatible with the Jabra Enhance Pro hearing aids for wireless functionality and the hands-free calling is reserved for newer devices only. For example, you will need the iPhone® SE (2nd generation) or iPhone 11 if you want the hands-free feature to work. Please see the ReSound/Jabra compatibility page for up-to-date information on compatible devices.

Jabra Enhance Pro App

We have already covered some of the functionality of the Jabra Enhance Pro app, but let’s discuss a few more features. For example, you can modify noise controls including how the directional microphones work, and modify tinnitus signals. But you can make simple changes as well via the app, including changing the program, volume and even tonal response by modifying bass, middle tones, and treble.

You can also check the status of your hearing aids, such as battery life and request service from your HCP.  Your HCP can also update your hearing aids directly from the app for more simple adjustments, meaning you may not have to visit the hearing aid clinic for some programming changes. Although Costco does advertise this remote care benefit, not all stores may offer it, so please check with your HCP at your individual store for availability.

The app also has a built-in help menu to help you navigate the app and a “Find my hearing aids” functionality.  For any of us who are forgetful, this can be a handy feature in addition to those times when you might have actually lost them.

The Apple app store currently has a highly favorable rating of the app of 4.6—higher than I’ve seen for similar hearing aid apps. However, the Android app has a much lower rating of only 3.8 with complaints of reliable connectivity. It should be noted that, at the time of this writing, the most up-to-date version of the app for Apple was iOS 15.4.1 which was released March 31st, 2022. This provided a fix for connection issues and you should routinely check the compatibility website to ensure you are running the latest version of the app. Be on the lookout for Android updates as well.

Tinnitus Controls

It’s not uncommon for people with hearing loss to also have tinnitus—sound you hear that doesn’t have any external source. Many people describe tinnitus as “ringing in the ears,” but its many types also include buzzing, pulsing, or whistling sounds. Even those with normal hearing can experience tinnitus and it’s a very common complaint. For most, it’s a minor inconvenience; for others, it can become very distressing, interfering with sleep, concentration, work, etc.

Many manufacturers, including Jabra (ReSound) incorporate tinnitus features into their hearing aids. It’s typically a control that needs to be “turned on” by your HCP and set appropriately.  Remember that for some people, simply wearing a hearing aid can bring tinnitus relief so having the feature turned on isn’t always necessary. However, if it is turned on, you can have access to the tinnitus signal from within the Enhance Pro App, allowing you to change the type, shape, and overall loudness of the tinnitus sound generator.

Some hearing aid manufacturers allow the wearer little control over the tinnitus sounds. However, some people’s tinnitus may change throughout the day both in tone and volume. Depending on their changing environments, the person may hear the tinnitus more readily in one location over another. So, having access to noise variations and volume can be very useful.

Accessories

Numerous accessories are available depending on your hearing aid type, hearing loss, listening needs and lifestyle. Always discuss with your HCP what options are available to you so that you can get the most benefit from your hearing aids.

As an example, if you have significant difficulty hearing conversation in noisy situations or even in quiet, a removable microphone may be beneficial. These remote mics (Micro Mic and Multi Mic) are placed on the lapel or table/desk in front of the person you are speaking with and they will pick up their voice and transmit it directly to your hearing aids. Again, talk to your HCP to see if they offer or recommend such devices, as some Costco stores do not always carry the same range of accessories that you may find in a clinic or private practice.

Other accessories include a TV streamer and two simple remote controls.  For those who don’t need or can’t handle a smart phone app, the simple remotes provide you the ability to make easy changes to volume and program number.

There’s also a Phone Clip+ which acts as a remote microphone but has additional functionality such as a built-in t-coil and the ability to use a sound jack. This accessory is especially helpful when you have a phone or other device that has Bluetooth® but is not compatible with the hearing aids.

Pros and Cons of Jabra Enhance Pro

Pros of Enhance Pro

Cons of Enhance Pro

The Jabra Enhance Pro hearing aids offer high-end hearing aid technology from a proven hearing aid manufacturer (ReSound). The Costco pricing is highly competitive, as it is with all of their available brands.

However, always consider the level of care and service that you require and what you are comfortable with when seeking hearing healthcare services. That is not to say you won’t receive the best care at Costco, as they do follow best practices, but not everyone is close to a Costco store with a hearing aid clinic and/or you may not be comfortable with the warehouse delivery model.