Audien Hearing Atom X vs. Lucid Hearing Tala

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.

While it features customizable sound settings through the Lucid Hearing app and boasts a 16-hour battery life, it lacks ear-level controls and has subpar Bluetooth audio quality, making it a mixed bag for users.

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.

Lucid Tala achieved a SoundScore of 4.64/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #3 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.

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.

Tala is an impressive OTC hearing aid though it does not seem to have the best build quality. I found the plastic casing of Tala and the charging case

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.

Tala hearing aids packs some impressive features, but the build quality isn't great. Both the hearing aids and portable charger appear to be made of thin plastic, which aligns with its lower ingress rating of IP22.

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.

I was pleased to learn that Tala offer audio streaming and hands-free calls for both iOS and Android, but make sure you purchase the right version as they are mobile OS specific. While the audio quality is not great, it is still a great feature to have.

Not yet rated by our experts

Lucid's app offers many useful features, like the 7-band equalizer LucidShape, and recently received an update improving the overall appearance. You will definitely want to use the app to get the most out of Tala hearing aids.

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

I found Tala lightweight and had no issues with them fitting and staying in my ears. They are not as occluding as some other earbud-like hearing aids so I felt less plugged, though this can hurt audio performance in various ways.

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.

Tala hearing aids have an interesting earbud-like design that stands out, but it is not the most modern-looking option available. Its bright white color also makes it very noticeable in ear which can be good or bad depending on your preferences.

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

Lucid Tala has a value score of 3.7/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

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.

Tala are easy to use, but they lack physical buttons, so you'll need to use the app for adjustments. The included case also works well, but be careful to place the left and right hearing aids in the correct charging slots.

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

Lucid is a step above some other OTC companies as they offer lifetime support from licensed professionals. This is not the same as in person can but it is a great addition even for those familiar with hearing aids.