Jabra Enhance Select 500 vs. Oticon Intent

Check out our comparison of the Jabra Enhance Select 500 vs Oticon Intent. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.

Score
0.0
Jabra Enhance Select 500
Add Product
Featured Products

Enhance Select 500

$1,695 per pair
Shop Now ↗
Score
0.0
Oticon Intent 1 miniRITE R
Add Product
Featured Products

Intent 1 miniRITE R

$4,898 per pair
Shop Now ↗

Product Overview

Form Factor
Receiver In The EarForm 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.
Receiver In The EarForm 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
Score
0.0
Score
0.0
User Rating
3.7
2 reviews
3.7
8 reviews
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.
MildModerateSevereProfound
MildModerateSevereProfound
Product Features
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidTelecoilIP68
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidTelecoilIP68

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Enhance Select 500
Intent
Enhance Select 500
4.3ABOVE AVERAGE

The 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 review
Intent
4.4ABOVE AVERAGE

Oticon Intent is a top-tier flagship with excellent lab-verified speech performance, strong streaming and connectivity, and smart features like 4D sensors and fast charging, though its slightly bulkier fit, simpler button controls, and the still early LE Audio and Auracast rollout may be drawbacks for some users.

Read full review
Enhance Select 500
4.3ABOVE AVERAGE

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.

Intent
4.7EXCELLENT

Oticon Intent achieved a SoundScore of 4.70/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #1 of 35 Prescription Hearing Aid devices tested. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.91/5.

Enhance Select 500
5.0EXCELLENT

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.

Intent
5.0EXCELLENT

Intent offer excellent moisture and dust protection with an ingress rating of IP68. Both the hearing aids and case are well build and ready for daily use.

Enhance Select 500
4.6EXCELLENT

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.

Intent
4.2ABOVE AVERAGE

With a battery life of up to 20 hours, longer without streaming, Intent should last you all day. This is an improvement over their previous generation Real which offered up to 16 hours.

Enhance Select 500
5.0EXCELLENT

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.

Intent
5.0EXCELLENT

I found Intent to offer easy and stable wireless connection. Their audio quality while streaming music, and during hands-free calling, was good and comparable to other prescription hearing aids.

Enhance Select 500
4.5EXCELLENT

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.

Intent
4.4ABOVE AVERAGE

I found the Companion app easy to navigate and use. Other prescription hearing aid companies offer more in-depth apps, but there is still plenty of opportunity to customize settings from your mobile device. The HearingFitness component is also a nice feature for those who like to actively track their progress.

Enhance Select 500
5.0EXCELLENT

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.

Intent
5.0EXCELLENT

Oticon Intent were extremely comfortable and lightweight in my ears. In general, hearing care providers can make numerous physical changes to prescription hearing aids like Real to improve comfort.

Enhance Select 500
5.0EXCELLENT

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.

Intent
5.0EXCELLENT

Intent are sleek modern looking prescription hearing aids offering a smaller overall size than their previous generation Real. They also allow you to customize the look of your hearing aids with an array of color options.

Enhance Select 500
3.8AVERAGE

The Jabra Enhance Select 500 offers above-average sound performance, though similar results are available at lower price points in the OTC category.

Intent
3.3BELOW AVERAGE

Oticon Intent has a value score of 3.3/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

Enhance Select 500
4.5EXCELLENT

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.

Intent
5.0EXCELLENT

Intent are easy to use and adjust either with the multi-function button or Oticon Companion app. I had no issues making adjustments with either.

Enhance Select 500
3.0ABOVE AVERAGE

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.

Intent
5.0EXCELLENT

Prescription hearing aids like Real are fit by hearing care providers so you should receive quality care. The Oticon Companion app also opens the possibility for remote programming and virtual follow-up appointments.

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

Busy CafeBusy CafeSpeech intelligibility improvement in loud environments
Quiet OfficeQuiet OfficeSpeech intelligibility improvement in quiet and moderate environments
Streaming MusicStreaming MusicStreaming music provides a full range of bass and treble
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

3.5mm Line to Streaming
Multi Mic

Multi Mic

3.5mm Line to Streaming+3

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.

—
Battery Charger
—
Desktop Charger

Desktop Charger

Battery Charger

Direct contact charger with magnets for secure device fitting.

Intent SmartCharger

Intent SmartCharger

Battery Charger+1

A hearing aid charger for Oticon Intent hearing aids. Includes a power bank for charging on the go.

Bluetooth Streamer
Unite Phone Clip+

Unite Phone Clip+

Bluetooth Streamer+2

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.

ConnectClip

ConnectClip

Bluetooth Streamer+3

Transmits audio to your hearing aids from a distance, lets you make hands-free phone calls, and adjusts your hearing aid volume and program settings.

CROS System
—
CROS

CROS

CROS System

Oticon CROS sends a wireless signal via Near Field Magnetic Induction (NFMI) from the poorer ear to a receiver on the better ear.

CROS PX

CROS PX

CROS System

The new Oticon CROS PX is rechargeable and offers TwinLink™ dual streaming technology, which provides access to more sounds in challenging listening environments and handles wireless streaming at the same time.

FM to Digital Streaming
Multi Mic

Multi Mic

FM to Digital Streaming+3

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.

—
Landline to Streaming
—
Phone Adapter 2.0

Phone Adapter 2.0

Landline to Streaming

The Oticon Phone Adapter 2.0 enables hearing aid users to connect to their landline phones via the ConnectClip accessory. Wireless, hands-free phone conversations are enabled when the ConnectClip is worn on the body.

Power Pack
—
Intent SmartCharger

Intent SmartCharger

Power Pack+1

A hearing aid charger for Oticon Intent hearing aids. Includes a power bank for charging on the go.

Remote Adjustments
—
Companion App

Companion App

Remote Adjustments+2

App that lets you adjust the volume, mute your hearing aids, and change listening programs. Includes streaming EQ and remote care.

Remote Control
Unite Phone Clip+

Unite Phone Clip+

Remote Control+2

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.

Remote Control 3.0

Remote Control 3.0

Remote Control
ConnectClip

ConnectClip

Remote Control+3

Transmits audio to your hearing aids from a distance, lets you make hands-free phone calls, and adjusts your hearing aid volume and program settings.

Companion App

Companion App

Remote Control+2

App that lets you adjust the volume, mute your hearing aids, and change listening programs. Includes streaming EQ and remote care.

Remote Microphone
Multi Mic

Multi Mic

Remote Microphone+3

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.

ConnectClip

ConnectClip

Remote Microphone+3

Transmits audio to your hearing aids from a distance, lets you make hands-free phone calls, and adjusts your hearing aid volume and program settings.

Smartphone App
—
Companion App

Companion App

Smartphone App+2

App that lets you adjust the volume, mute your hearing aids, and change listening programs. Includes streaming EQ and remote care.

Smartphone Streamer + Hands Free
Unite Phone Clip+

Unite Phone Clip+

Smartphone Streamer + Hands Free+2

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.

ConnectClip

ConnectClip

Smartphone Streamer + Hands Free+3

Transmits audio to your hearing aids from a distance, lets you make hands-free phone calls, and adjusts your hearing aid volume and program settings.

Telecoil Streamer
Multi Mic

Multi Mic

Telecoil Streamer+3

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.

—
TV Streamer
Unite TV Streamer 2

Unite TV Streamer 2

TV Streamer

Streams stereo sound from the television directly to your hearing aids from up to 22 feet away.

TV Adapter 3.0

TV Adapter 3.0

TV Streamer

Streams TV audio directly to your hearing aids at the volume you choose with an effective range of up to 45 feet.

Hardware

AccelerometerAccelerometerThis hearing aid is capable of measuring acceleration through an embedded sensor.
No
Yes
Bluetooth® AudioBluetooth® AudioThis hearing aid is capable of streaming Bluetooth® audio certain phones and/or devices.
  • Made for iPhone (MFi)
  • Android (ASHA)
  • Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)
  • Bluetooth® Auracast™
  • Made for iPhone (MFi)
  • Android (ASHA)
  • Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)
  • Bluetooth® Auracast™
GyroscopeGyroscopeThis hearing aid is able to determine orientation using embedded sensors.
No
Yes
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.
  • Made for iPhone (MFi)
  • Android (ASHA)
  • Made for iPhone (MFi)
  • Android (ASHA)
  • Bluetooth® Low Energy (LE)
IP RatingIP RatingIP Ratings rate sealing effectiveness of hearing aids against intrusion from foreign solid matter (dirt, dust) and moisture.
IP68
IP68
Mic + Speaker In EarMic + Speaker In EarPlacing a microphone in the ear allows hearing aids to measure the effect that your pinna (outer ear) has on the sound arriving at your eardrum. This may allow the hearing aid to better emulate the natural sound of your ear.
Yes
No
Push ButtonPush ButtonThe hearing aid features a push button which allows toggling across different sound processing programs
  • Program control
  • Volume Control
  • Program control
  • Volume Control
  • Mute control
  • Power on/off
  • Call accept/reject
  • Tinnitus volume
  • Airplane Mode
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.
  • Accept/end calls
  • Accept/end calls
TelecoilTelecoilThe hearing aid is able to pick up audio from landline telephones or public audio systems without using its acoustic microphones. This minimizes background noise and improves clarity and understanding, even over great distances. At performing arts venues, events, government meetings, etc., look for assistive listening systems (hearing loop, FM, and infrared systems), which must be provided at no cost under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other international regulations.
No
Yes

Software Features

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.
12
24
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
Neural Noise Suppression: 10 dB / 4 dB
Better Ear FocusBetter Ear FocusSome modern hearing aids can share sound from one ear to the other. In some cases the sound from the less noisy side can be shared to the other ear, enabling the listener to hear a cleaner sound in both ears.
No
Yes
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.
Yes
No
Ear SimulationEar SimulationThe outer ear, or pinna, can have a significant effect on the frequency shape of sound arriving at your inner ear. Some hearing aids mimic the "pinna effect" when producing sound, to deliver more natural sound to the listener.
No
Virtual Outer Ear: 2 configurations
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.
Yes
No
ExpansionExpansionExpansion reduces audibility for very soft sounds. This can help to remove microphone noise, which is generated by soft environmental sounds.
3 settings
No
Extended bandwidthExtended bandwidthHearing aid provides amplification at frequencies (pitches) higher than the typical hearing aid.
No
Yes
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.
No
Yes
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.
Yes
Yes
Frequency LoweringFrequency LoweringUnderstanding certain speech sounds is dependent on the high frequency parts of these sounds. For individuals with high frequency hearing loss, this feature can take high frequency speech information and move it to lower frequencies where it will be audible.
No
Yes
Handling noise reductionHandling noise reductionReduces noises related to hearing aid movement on the ear and noises related to hands or objects touching the hearing aid while worn.
No
Yes
Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)
Fully flexible programs: 4
4
New User AdaptationNew User AdaptationProvider may set the hearing aid to gradually get louder over the first few weeks or months of a new hearing aid fitting. This can be convenient for new users who want to experience maximum benefit without making a lot of trips to the provider for tune ups.
Yes
Yes
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.
NoiseTracker™ II: 2 settings
No
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.
No
48
Soft Speech BoostSoft Speech BoostMore aggressive amplification for softer speech sounds
No
Yes
Spatial AwarenessSpatial AwarenessListening to sound through hearing aids is not a natural experience, and your ability to tell where a sound is coming from may be impacted by the way sounds are amplified with hearing aids. Some hearing aids attempt to fix this problem by preserving cues to sound localization like between-ear level differences, etc.
No
Spatial Sound™: 4 estimators
Spatial Noise CancellationSpatial Noise CancellationThis feature recognizes where sounds are coming from and can reduce noise coming from behind or to the side of the listener. This helps the listener focus on the speaker, usually in front of them.
No
Spatial Balancer: 60%
Streaming Bass BoostStreaming Bass BoostBoosts bass when streaming audio
No
Yes
Sudden Loud Noise ReductionSudden Loud Noise ReductionThis feature detects loud sounds and reduces their volume to a comfortable level. Though not a replacement for hearing protection, this technology can greatly improve listener comfort.
Impulse Noise Reduction: On/Off
SuddenSound Stabilizer: 2 Configurations
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
Yes
Unique Amplification StrategyUnique Amplification StrategyHearing aids all process sounds a little bit differently. Sometimes it varies even within one model.
No
Yes
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.
Wind Guard: On/Off
Yes