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hear.com Horizon Mini IX vs. Orka Two

Check out our comparison of the hear.com Horizon Mini IX vs Orka Two. 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
4.0
Orka Two
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Orka

Two

SoundScore 3.8/5
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Read our review
Horizon Mini IX
$4,950 per pair
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Two
Review

Product Overview

Horizon Mini IX
Two
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
4.0
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-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroid

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Horizon Mini IX
Two

HearingTracker Score

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
4.0ABOVE AVERAGE

The Orka Two hearing aids offer sleek, modern design and advanced wireless features, including Bluetooth connectivity and hands-free calling for both iOS and Android devices.

Read full review

HearAdvisor SoundScore

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
3.8AVERAGE

The Orka Two achieved a SoundGrade of B and ranked in the top 62% in the Prescription Hearing Aid category. While solid, this mid-tier positioning means several competitors in the same price range deliver stronger overall sound performance in HearAdvisor's standardized testing.

Build Quality

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
4.5EXCELLENT

Orka Two have a published ingress rating of IPX6, meaning they have some moisture protection but they are not waterproof. They appear very well built, nearly on par with prescription hearing aids.

Battery

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
3.5BELOW AVERAGE

Orka Two are rechargeable and you can expect up to 12 hours of battery life per charge. This is less than many modern hearing aids and may limit all-day use for some. The case does offer on-the-go power which takes only 1.5 hours for a full recharge.

Bluetooth

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
5.0EXCELLENT

Orka has made sure their hearing aid offers excellent Bluetooth features for both iOS and Android users. You can expect wireless streaming, app control, and hands free calls across both platforms.

App Features

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
4.0AVERAGE

Orka Two's app is a nice addition with many useful features, such as personalization through an app-based hearing assessment.

Comfort

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
5.0EXCELLENT

Orka Two are very comfortable thanks to their smaller size and ergonomic design. Their team of hearing care professionals can also assist you in optimizing comfort based on the available earwire and ear tip sizes.

Design

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
5.0EXCELLENT

These hearing aids appear very modern and have a sleek design similar to Apple products.

Value

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
3.5AVERAGE

The Orka Two offers moderate value, though higher-scoring devices are available at this price point.

Handling

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
4.7EXCELLENT

Orka Two are fairly easy to use, though the receiver-in-canal style may require some practice for people just starting out. While these hearing aids do not have physical buttons, the portable charging case does offering you options beyond their nifty tap-controls.

Pro Support

Horizon Mini IX

Not yet rated by our experts

Two
3.0ABOVE AVERAGE

Orka offer relatively good pro support for an OTC company. You receive unlimited remote support and adjustments from their team of licensed hearing care professionals.

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

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

Lab recordings not yet available

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

Lab recordings not yet available

Two
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

Two

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
Two
Remote Control
None

Health App+3

The Orka Health App is designed to optimize the performance of your Orka hearing device. It's your one-stop solution for everything you need - real-time adjustments, connections with hearing professionals, available anytime, anywhere.

Charging case+2

The charging case includes a program button to switch between normal and noise programs and a volume up and down button.

Hardware

Horizon Mini IX
Two
Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
No
  • Bluetooth® (A2DP)
  • Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)
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 Rating
No
IPx6
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
Tap ControlsTap ControlsThe hearing aid may be controlled by physically tapping it with your fingers.
No
  • Accept/end calls

Software Features

Horizon Mini IX
Two
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
AI Noise RemovalAI Noise RemovalArtificial Intelligence is utilized to remove or modify background noise from the sound signal to help isolate speech for better speech understanding.
No
AI Adaptive DeNoiseAI Adaptive DeNoiseOrka claims their denoising feature ensures optimal sound isolation and quality by focusing on speech clarity and minimizing background noise.
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.
Adaptive BeamformingAdaptive BeamformingDepending 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.
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
Environmental AdaptationEnvironmental AdaptationThe hearing aid can detect different acoustical environments, like speech in noise, and adjust the sound of the hearing aid accordingly to drive comfort or speech understanding, etc.
No
Full Automatic Environment ClassifierFull Automatic Environment ClassifierOrka claims its environmental switching capabilities ensures optimal performance in various environments.
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
No
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
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 Streams: 3
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