Cearvol Wave vs. Jabra Enhance Select 500
Check out our comparison of the Cearvol Wave vs Jabra Enhance Select 500. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.
Product Overview
Expert Ratings
Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.
The Cearvol Wave is a budget-friendly OTC hearing aid with a visible in-ear design, Bluetooth streaming, app-based personalization, AUX-IN support, and a charging case that can double as a remote microphone. In HearAdvisor lab testing, it earned a strong 4.32/5 SoundScore, with especially impressive speech-in-noise performance for its $399 price. The main trade-off is own-voice comfort, where users may notice a more plugged-up or boomy sound. A full HearingTracker review is still pending.
Read full reviewThe Jabra Enhance Select 500 earned a SoundGrade of A and ranked in the top 5% of devices tested by HearAdvisor. With GN Resound technology, it has an IP68 rating, 30-hour battery life, and reliable Bluetooth. While streaming audio quality was not high-fidelity, the Jabra Enhance App offers good audio personalization. The device includes telehealth and remote programming, though support response times were slower than expected. Lightweight and compact, with larger buttons for ease of use, the receiver-in-canal design may take some adjustment.
Read full reviewCearvol Wave achieved a SoundScore of 4.37/5 in HearAdvisor lab testing. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.
The Jabra Enhance Select 500 achieved a SoundGrade of A and ranked #9 in the OTC Hearing Aid category, placing it in the top 14% of the 56 OTC devices tested by HearAdvisor.
We found Cearvol Wave to feel well built, especially the portable charging case, though they have a lower IPx5 rating. This suggests you should take extra care and limit exposing them to moisture and debris.
Quality is fantastic when it comes to Jabra hearing aids as they share technology from GN Resound. Select 500 have a solid ingress rating of IP68 and the portable charging case will have no problems handling daily use.
Wave's battery life falls below many other hearing aids with a max use time of up to 10 hours per charge. You can expect shorter run times in their Restaurant program and with heavy use of Wave's wireless audio features. While this could be better, Wave offer a quick-charge feature where 15 minute in the case gives you an additional 3 hours of use.
Jabra have stepped up their game with a 30 hour battery life, ensuring you get through the day even with streaming. The case also holds enough power for 3 addition charges which is plenty for a weekend excursion.
Cearvol Wave are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for audio streaming and hands-free calling. The case also offers unique additional wireless features.
Bluetooth was straightforward and reliable, working seamlessly without any issues. While the streamed audio quality has improved, it needs work before I'd consider it hi-fidelity.
We found the Cearvol mobile app to offer many useful features for general sound customization. The user-interface could be modernized, though the large numbers and icons make it easier to see what you are adjusting.
The Jabra Enhance App mirrors the useful features available in Resounds medical hearing aid app. I found it to offer plenty of options to personalize audio quality beyond the custom programming.
I found Wave comfortable to wear with a nice "twist-in" feel. My main complaint is that they protrude slightly from the ear which can make them more prone to catching on things.
I found 500 very comfortable given their shockingly small and lightweight design. The button are also larger than many OTC products making setting changes easier.
Wave offer a modern earbud-like design. This, along with their black and silver color, make them very noticeable in your ears. Depending on your preferences this can be a pro or a con.
Jabra has done a nice job redesigning prescription technology for the direct-to-consumer market. Select 500 is sleek, with a range of stylish colors, and sat discretely behind my ear.
Cearvol Wave has a value score of 4.9/5 based on lab performance and public display price.
The Jabra Enhance Select 500 offers above-average sound performance, though similar results are available at lower price points in the OTC category.
Handling is one area where Wave shine. The portable charging case includes a touch-screen and doubles as a wireless remote control for your hearing aids. It also offers additional features like a remote microphone and direct audio input.
500 are easy to use, though receiver-in-canal devices might take a bit of practice. Pro support can assist, and the easy charging case makes on-the-go charging a breeze.
Cearvol mention offering both remote and online support from hearing care providers. You also have 24/5 access to their support specialists. In my experiences, they are quick to respond and you can easily receive help from a human.
Jabra has arguably the best pro support offering among OTC devices, providing telehealth with hearing care providers, remote programming, and tech support. However, the support I received while trying Select 500 was slower than expected.
Lab Recordings
Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.
Accessories
Compatible accessories for each hearing aid
Multi Mic
A flexible remote microphone that can either be clipped to clothes or used as a tabletop mic for meetings. Use the mini-jack input for streaming audio from a music player to your hearing aids.
Wave Charger
The Cearvol Wave includes a rechargeable charging case with a built-in LCD display that shows the battery status of both hearing aids and the case itself. The hearing aids provide up to 24 hours of runtime per charge, while the 400 mAh charging case stores additional power for on-the-go charging. Beyond charging, the case doubles as a remote microphone for one-on-one conversations and includes a 3.5 mm AUX input that can stream audio from TVs and other compatible devices directly to the hearing aids.
Wave Charger
The Cearvol Wave includes a rechargeable charging case with a built-in LCD display that shows the battery status of both hearing aids and the case itself. The hearing aids provide up to 24 hours of runtime per charge, while the 400 mAh charging case stores additional power for on-the-go charging. Beyond charging, the case doubles as a remote microphone for one-on-one conversations and includes a 3.5 mm AUX input that can stream audio from TVs and other compatible devices directly to the hearing aids.
Unite Phone Clip+
Small enough to clip onto your shirt collar, it streams phone calls and audio to your hearing aids from any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone or smartphone.
Multi Mic
A flexible remote microphone that can either be clipped to clothes or used as a tabletop mic for meetings. Use the mini-jack input for streaming audio from a music player to your hearing aids.
Unite Phone Clip+
Small enough to clip onto your shirt collar, it streams phone calls and audio to your hearing aids from any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone or smartphone.
Wave Charger
The Cearvol Wave includes a rechargeable charging case with a built-in LCD display that shows the battery status of both hearing aids and the case itself. The hearing aids provide up to 24 hours of runtime per charge, while the 400 mAh charging case stores additional power for on-the-go charging. Beyond charging, the case doubles as a remote microphone for one-on-one conversations and includes a 3.5 mm AUX input that can stream audio from TVs and other compatible devices directly to the hearing aids.
Multi Mic
A flexible remote microphone that can either be clipped to clothes or used as a tabletop mic for meetings. Use the mini-jack input for streaming audio from a music player to your hearing aids.
Unite Phone Clip+
Small enough to clip onto your shirt collar, it streams phone calls and audio to your hearing aids from any Bluetooth-enabled mobile phone or smartphone.
Multi Mic
A flexible remote microphone that can either be clipped to clothes or used as a tabletop mic for meetings. Use the mini-jack input for streaming audio from a music player to your hearing aids.
Unite TV Streamer 2
Streams stereo sound from the television directly to your hearing aids from up to 22 feet away.
Hardware
- Bluetooth® (A2DP)
- Made for iPhone (MFi)
- Android (ASHA)
- Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)
- Bluetooth® Auracast™
- Bluetooth® (HFP)
- Made for iPhone (MFi)
- Android (ASHA)
- Program control
- Volume Control
- Volume Control
- Change program
- Accept/end calls
- Accept/end calls