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Audien Hearing Atom X vs. hear.com Horizon Mini IX

Check out our comparison of the Audien Hearing Atom X vs hear.com Horizon Mini IX. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.

Score
3.3
Audien Hearing Atom X
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Audien Hearing

Atom X

SoundScore 3.0/5
$389 per pair
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hear.com Horizon Mini IX 7IX
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hear.com

Horizon Mini IX 7IX

$4,950 per pair
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Atom X
$389 per pair
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Horizon Mini IX
$4,950 per pair
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Product Overview

Atom X
Horizon Mini IX
Form Factor
Form FactorNon-custom device that typically sits inside the ear canal. The device will be clearly visible to the naked eye.
Form FactorNon-custom device that typically sits completely inside the ear canal. Some of the device may be visible to the naked eye.
Expert Rating
Score
3.3
N/A
User Rating
3.63 reviews
—
Hearing Loss LevelHearing Loss LevelThis represents HearingTracker's best guess on suitability. Please consult a licensed audiologist to confirm your own candidacy for this device.
MildModerate
MildModerate
Product Features
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroid
Rechargeable

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Atom X
Horizon Mini IX

HearingTracker Score

Atom X
3.3BELOW AVERAGE

A clever touchscreen charging case and long battery life modernize Audien's budget lineup—but speech clarity (especially in noise) still trails many OTC rivals.

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Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

HearAdvisor SoundScore

Atom X
3.0BELOW AVERAGE

Audien Atom X achieved a SoundScore of 2.98/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #9 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Build Quality

Atom X
4.1AVERAGE

Audien Atom X hearing aids lack an IP rating, so they might not be the best against moisture or dust. While using them they feel decently built and they do come with an excellent portable charging case.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Battery

Atom X
3.1BELOW AVERAGE

Atom X offer up to 12 hours of battery life, which is less than many of Audien's hearing aids. Recharging will take roughly 3-4 hours, with the case offering several additional full charges.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Bluetooth

Atom X
4.5EXCELLENT

Atom X offer wireless control and streaming for both iOS and Android. This is the key new addition for Atom X and I found it to work very well.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Comfort

Atom X
3.5BELOW AVERAGE

I found Atom X more comfortable than Atom Pro 2, though other hearing aids will likely offer you a better fit and overall comfort.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Design

Atom X
3.5BELOW AVERAGE

The design of Atom X falls between a custom hearing aid and wireless earbud. They are only available in a medical beige color, which is meant to match skin color, but will not suit everyone.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Value

Atom X
3.9ABOVE AVERAGE

Audien Atom X has a value score of 3.9/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Handling

Atom X
4.5EXCELLENT

Atom X is the most user friendly hearing aid I have tried from Audien Hearing to date. The physical buttons are large and the bright touchscreen feature is a great addition.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Pro Support

Atom X
1.0BELOW AVERAGE

Like many OTC products, Audien does not offer remote assistance from hearing experts, support is limited to email and phone customer support.

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

Atom X
Horizon Mini IX
Busy CafeBusy CafeSpeech intelligibility improvement in loud environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Atom X
Horizon Mini IX

Lab recordings not yet available

Quiet OfficeQuiet OfficeSpeech intelligibility improvement in quiet and moderate environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Atom X
Horizon Mini IX

Lab recordings not yet available

Streaming MusicStreaming MusicStreaming music provides a full range of bass and treble
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Atom X
Horizon Mini IX

Lab recordings not yet available

HearingTracker partners with HearAdvisor to provide recordings and performance data from an acoustic laboratory that follows standard scientific procedures. All hearing aids are fitted and performance-tested for mild sloping to moderate hearing loss. All audio samples cutoff above 10kHz.

Hardware

Atom X
Horizon Mini IX
Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
No
Hands-Free CallingHands-Free CallingIt is possible to have a hands-free phone call with this hearing aid. You are not required to hold the phone up to your mouth.
  • Bluetooth® (HFP)
No
Rechargeable BatteriesRechargeable BatteriesCharge your batteries overnight in a docking station and get a full day's use (in most cases) of battery life the following day.
Lithium-ion
Lithium-ion

Software Features

Atom X
Horizon Mini IX
Adjustment BandsAdjustment BandsThese are frequency-divided sections that can be adjusted in a hearing aid in order to amplify sounds. Although there are rarely more than 10 frequencies measured in a hearing assessment, having more bands that can be adjusted may allow for improved speech understanding and user comfort.
No
18
Adjustment SynchronizationAdjustment SynchronizationThis feature allows for a more pleasant listening experience by ensuring that both hearing aids process sound the same way. If one hearing aid changes its processing in response to noise or speech, it will send a wireless signal to the other hearing aid so both process sound in the same way.
No
e2e wireless 4.0e2e wireless 4.0Control coupling, synchronization, binaural directionality, Spatial Speech Focus, CROS/ BiCROS.
DirectionalityDirectionalityDepending on the types and number of microphones a hearing aid has, the hearing aid may be able to boost sounds from specific directions (by reducing sounds from other directions). This can be helpful to focus on a speaker directly in front of the hearing aid user, as well as to give the user information about where different sounds are coming from.
No
Binaural OneMic directionalityBinaural OneMic directionalityEach CIC receives the sound and information not only from its own microphone but also from the microphone of the other hearing aid. This creates a virtual four-microphone network, allowing the pair of hearing aids to create a directional beam. In addition, the natural pinnae effect of the outer ear supports this directionality and makes the listening experience even more natural.
Echo ReductionEcho ReductionThis feature improves speech audibility by reducing the “blurring” of speech sounds that can occur in the presence of echoes.
No
Auto EchoShieldAuto EchoShieldAutomatically creates a more comfortable hearing experience in high-reverb environments leading to increased speech clarity and natural room perceptions.
Extended bandwidthExtended bandwidthHearing aid provides amplification at frequencies (pitches) higher than the typical hearing aid.
No
12kHz
Extended Dynamic RangeExtended Dynamic RangeExtended dynamic range typically makes louder sound clearer. This may help with the reproduction of loud music or loud speech in a very noisy environment.
No
Yes
Feedback SuppressionFeedback SuppressionIf any sound amplified by the hearing aid escapes the ear canal, it may reach the hearing aid’s own microphone and cause a harsh whistling noise. Some hearing aids are able to recognize when this feedback occurs and reduce or eliminate it.
No
Feedback cancellationFeedback cancellationHigh-speed monitoring and control of feedback risk in individual processing channels.
Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)
No
6
Noise ReductionNoise ReductionThis feature uses modern hearing aids’ processing power to examine the incoming sound signal, determine if noise is present and reduce the volume of the troublesome sound to increase comfort.
Yes
SoundSmoothing™: 3SoundSmoothing™Reduces the sound of clattering cutlery and rustling newspaper, etc.
Processing ChannelsProcessing ChannelsThese are all the frequency-divided sections the hearing aid is able to examine at a single time. The hearing aid uses this information to determine whether the contents of each section are noise, speech, or something else and amplify the sound in each section accordingly.
No
32
Tinnitus ReliefTinnitus ReliefTinnitus, or ringing in the ears, can be addressed by hearing aids in several different ways, such as introducing a soft therapeutic signal or targeted notched noise.
No
Yes
Unique Amplification StrategyUnique Amplification StrategyHearing aids all process sounds a little bit differently. Sometimes it varies even within one model.
No
Advanced Focus Streams: 3
Wind Noise ReductionWind Noise ReductionAs wind blows against the microphones of hearing aids, unpleasant noise may be generated. Some hearing aids have the ability to recognize this wind noise and reduce its level. Such reductions may also affect the audibility of desired sounds, like speech.
No
eWindScreen binauraleWindScreen binauralBinaural processing of the audio signal (using Ultra HD e2e) delivers superb performance in asymmetrical wind environments.