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hear.com Horizon Mini IX vs. Lexie B3 Powered by Bose

Check out our comparison of the hear.com Horizon Mini IX vs Lexie B3 Powered by Bose. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.

hear.com Horizon Mini IX 7IX
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hear.com

Horizon Mini IX 7IX

$4,950 per pair
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Score
4.5
Lexie B3 Powered by Bose
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Featured Products
Lexie

B3 Powered by Bose

SoundScore 4.5/5
$999 per pair
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Horizon Mini IX
$4,950 per pair
Shop Now ↗
B3 Powered by Bose
$999 per pair
Shop Now ↗

Product Overview

Horizon Mini IX
B3 Powered by Bose
Form Factor
Form FactorNon-custom device that typically sits completely inside the ear canal. Some of the device may be visible to the naked eye.
Form FactorThis type of hearing aid sits behind the ear. A wire runs along the top of the ear and down to a speaker sitting inside the ear canal. An custom-fitted mold may be required.
Expert Rating
N/A
Score
4.5
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
Rechargeable
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidIP68

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Horizon Mini IX
B3 Powered by Bose

HearingTracker Score

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.5EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 OTC hearing aids deliver Powered by Bose sound, Bluetooth streaming, IP68 durability, and app-based personalization for clearer conversations.

Read full review

HearAdvisor SoundScore

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.5EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 achieved a SoundScore of 4.5/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.49/5.

Build Quality

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.8EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 hearing aids offer excellent protection from moisture and debris with an IP68 rating. The portable charge case also appears well built and should easily hold up to daily use.

Battery

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.6EXCELLENT

B3 offer an impressive 32 hour battery life per charge, which is more than many products on the market. The portable charging case also offers up to 3 additional charges before needing to be plugged in. As such, we found the overall battery offering excellent.

Bluetooth

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
5.0EXCELLENT

Lexie B3 are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for wireless app control, audio streaming, and hands-free calling.

App Features

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.5EXCELLENT

The Lexie app has a user-friendly interface and modern, appealing design. It includes practical features like volume control and a tone balance. We especially liked that B3 now includes a hearing assessment to better personalize the audio performance to your hearing.

Comfort

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.8EXCELLENT

I found B3 very comfortable, and the flexible earwires easily molded to my face which helped provide good retention and speaker placement in my ears.

Design

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.8EXCELLENT

B3 are relatively small and have a modern receiver-in-canal design. One potential downside is that they are currently only available in a mat grey color.

Value

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.4ABOVE AVERAGE

Lexie B3 has a value score of 4.4/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Handling

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
4.8EXCELLENT

I did not run into any issues while using B3 or the Lexie mobile app. First-time users may need some practice to get accustomed to inserting the receiver-in-ear style properly.

Pro Support

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

B3 Powered by Bose
3.0BELOW AVERAGE

B3 are over-the-counter hearing aids and are designed to be fit without a hearing care provider. However, Lexie offers remote care which includes both technical and hearing support from their team of Lexie Experts for the lifetime of your hearing aid.

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

Horizon Mini IX
B3 Powered by Bose
Busy CafeBusy CafeSpeech intelligibility improvement in loud environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Horizon Mini IX

Lab recordings not yet available

B3 Powered by Bose
Quiet OfficeQuiet OfficeSpeech intelligibility improvement in quiet and moderate environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Horizon Mini IX

Lab recordings not yet available

B3 Powered by Bose
Streaming MusicStreaming MusicStreaming music provides a full range of bass and treble
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Horizon Mini IX

Lab recordings not yet available

B3 Powered by Bose

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.

Accessories

Compatible accessories for each hearing aid

Horizon Mini IX
B3 Powered by Bose
Battery Charger
None

B3 Charger

The Lexie B3 comes with a rechargeable storage case that charges via USB-C and provides about three extra full charges, for up to 5 days of total runtime. The hearing aids take about 3 hours to recharge and can run up to 32 hours per charge without streaming. Magnetic seating and status lights help confirm the aids are placed correctly and charging.

Hardware

Horizon Mini IX
B3 Powered by Bose
Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
No
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
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.
No
  • Bluetooth® (HFP)
IP RatingIP RatingIP Ratings rate sealing effectiveness of hearing aids against intrusion from foreign solid matter (dirt, dust) and moisture.
No
IP68
Push ButtonPush ButtonThe hearing aid features a push button which allows toggling across different sound processing programs
No
  • Program control
  • Volume Control
  • Mute control
  • Power on/off
  • Streaming start/stop
  • Call accept/reject
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

Horizon Mini IX
B3 Powered by Bose
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.
20
No
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.
e2e wireless 4.0e2e wireless 4.0Control coupling, synchronization, binaural directionality, Spatial Speech Focus, CROS/ BiCROS.
No
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.
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.
Automatic Sound FocusAutomatic Sound FocusAutomatic Sound Focus reduces surrounding noise and adjusts dual microphones toward the direction of speech.
Echo ReductionEcho ReductionThis feature improves speech audibility by reducing the “blurring” of speech sounds that can occur in the presence of echoes.
Auto EchoShieldAuto EchoShieldAutomatically creates a more comfortable hearing experience in high-reverb environments leading to increased speech clarity and natural room perceptions.
No
Extended bandwidthExtended bandwidthHearing aid provides amplification at frequencies (pitches) higher than the typical hearing aid.
12kHz
No
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.
Yes
No
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.
Feedback cancellationFeedback cancellationHigh-speed monitoring and control of feedback risk in individual processing channels.
Yes
Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)
6
4
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.
SoundSmoothing™: 3SoundSmoothing™Reduces the sound of clattering cutlery and rustling newspaper, etc.
Yes
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.
48
No
Self-fittingSelf-fittingThis hearing aid allows you to fit yourself without professional assistance. Typically found in OTC products.
No
  • Tuned based on audio preference selections
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.
Yes
No
Unique Amplification StrategyUnique Amplification StrategyHearing aids all process sounds a little bit differently. Sometimes it varies even within one model.
Advanced Focus StreamsAdvanced Focus StreamsAdds up to 3 additional focus streams providing the correct amount of boost for each conversation partner's speech while allowing the wearer to stay connected to their environment.3Dynamic Soundscape Processing 3.0Dynamic Soundscape Processing 3.0Integrates inputs for precise hearing aid optimzation, including (when available): acoustic sensors, motion sensors, OVP 2.0, noise detection, SNR analysis, and RealTime Conversation Enhancement.5/5Speech & Noise ManagementSpeech & Noise ManagementReduces listening effort using sophisticated sound processing.5/5SpeechStabilizerSpeechStabilizerPreserves the natural envelope of speech in any situation, including very noisy situations, which preserves acoustic cues that are important for speech understanding.
No
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.
eWindScreen binauraleWindScreen binauralBinaural processing of the audio signal (using Ultra HD e2e) delivers superb performance in asymmetrical wind environments.
No