Elehear Delight vs. JLab Hear OTC
Check out our comparison of the Elehear Delight vs JLab Hear OTC. 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 ELEHEAR Delight is an affordable OTC hearing aid designed to look and feel more like a modern earbud than a traditional hearing aid. While HearingTracker has not yet completed a full hands-on review, independent lab testing from HearAdvisor suggests the Delight delivers strong overall value for the price, with especially good performance for everyday conversations in quieter settings and better-than-expected music streaming. Its main trade-offs are more modest performance in noisy environments and slightly weaker feedback handling, but for budget-conscious shoppers who want a comfortable, app-connected, earbud-style hearing aid, the Delight is a promising option.
Read full reviewThe JLab HEAR OTC Hearing Aid offers an affordable and user-friendly solution for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, featuring customizable sound settings and a sleek design. Extensive testing reveals its effective performance in various environments, making it a reliable choice for everyday use.
Read full reviewElehear Delight achieved a SoundScore of 4.28/5 in HearAdvisor lab testing. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.
JLab Hear OTC achieved a SoundScore of 3.65/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #26 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.
Elehear Delight have an IP67 rating, meaning they offer good protection against moisture and dust. They appear built from quality materials, with a unique rubber flange pull-tab, and come with a sleek robust portable charging case.
The portable charger is flimsy and HEAR have a lower egress rating of IPX4. However, with some extra care and cleaning they should hold up to regular daily use.
Delight have a reported battery life of up to 13.5 hours per charge, which is on the lower end. The case offers up to 2 full additional charges which you can expect to take around 1.5 hours from a fully depleted battery.
HEAR do not offer enough power for all-day use with a battery life of 10 hours (less with streaming). The battery life is however respectable for a wireless earbud.
Delight are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for audio streaming and hands-free calling.
HEAR offer wireless connectivity for both iOS and Android users. I personally experienced stable streaming and phone calls with my iPhone 12.
The Elehear app has a user-friendly interface and modern, appealing design. It includes practical features like volume control and a tone balance from Brighter to Deeper. At this time, Delight are "preset-based", though you can get a more customized fit using their ElePro feature and their "Audiologist Plan" program.
The JLab Hearing Health app offers a nice feature set for personalization. Some elements could be more user friendly, but it makes sense after a little troubleshooting.
I found Delight fairly comfortable with good ear retention. Be sure to test various ear tips to find optimal comfort and hearing benefit.
HEAR are comfortable and had good retention in my ears. They completely seal your ear when worn properly but feel less “plugging” as they are lightweight.
Unlike other Elehear hearing aids, Delight offer a more modern earbud-like design. Their smaller size also means they are relatively discrete. One potential downside is that Delight are currently only available in a light-tan color.
This is highly personalized, but HEAR look like modern earbuds and distance themselves from the negative stigma some attribute to hearing aids.
Elehear Delight has a value score of 5.0/5 based on lab performance and public display price.
JLab Hear OTC has a value score of 5.0/5 based on lab performance and public display price.
I did not run into any issues while using Delight and overall found the app, and Bluetooth connection, very stable. Delight hearing aids are ear specific, so be sure to get them oriented properly.
I ran into a few issues with my initial Bluetooth pairing but HEAR and the touch controls work well otherwise.
Unlike many OTC devices, remote support from licensed audiologists is available through the ElePro app feature and follow-up email correspondence. It is not the same as direct in-person care, though it is a nice inclusion from Elehear.
JLab falls short on actual hearing care as help is limited to their online Help Center and or standard Customer Support.
Lab Recordings
Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.
Accessories
Compatible accessories for each hearing aid
Delight Charger
The ELEHEAR Delight charging case is a compact portable charger designed to keep the hearing aids powered at home or on the go. It recharges the hearing aids automatically when they are placed inside, provides up to two extra charges, and uses simple LED indicators to show charging and battery status. The case charges by USB-C, includes a reset button for restoring or reconnecting the hearing aids, and also handles basic power management: the hearing aids turn on when removed from the case and power off when returned and the lid is closed.
Delight Charger
The ELEHEAR Delight charging case is a compact portable charger designed to keep the hearing aids powered at home or on the go. It recharges the hearing aids automatically when they are placed inside, provides up to two extra charges, and uses simple LED indicators to show charging and battery status. The case charges by USB-C, includes a reset button for restoring or reconnecting the hearing aids, and also handles basic power management: the hearing aids turn on when removed from the case and power off when returned and the lid is closed.
App
The ELEHEAR app lets users set up and personalize the Delight hearing aids from a smartphone. It supports volume, tone, noise-control, and preset-mode adjustments, along with battery monitoring and firmware updates. The app also includes mode switching between hearing-aid use and headset/streaming use, plus extra features such as AI translation and Serene natural white-noise sounds for tinnitus masking. It is available for iOS and Android, with Bluetooth support for calls, music, and other media streaming.
App
The ELEHEAR app lets users set up and personalize the Delight hearing aids from a smartphone. It supports volume, tone, noise-control, and preset-mode adjustments, along with battery monitoring and firmware updates. The app also includes mode switching between hearing-aid use and headset/streaming use, plus extra features such as AI translation and Serene natural white-noise sounds for tinnitus masking. It is available for iOS and Android, with Bluetooth support for calls, music, and other media streaming.
Hardware
- Bluetooth® (A2DP)
- Bluetooth® (A2DP)
- SBC
- AAC
- Bluetooth® (HFP)
- Bluetooth® (HFP)
- Volume Control
- Change program
- Accept/end calls