Jabra Enhance Select 500 vs. Phonak Lyric 4

Check out our comparison of the Jabra Enhance Select 500 vs Phonak Lyric 4. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.

Score
4.3
Jabra Enhance Select 500
Add Product
Featured Products
SoundScore 4.3/5
$1,695 per pair
Shop Now
Phonak Lyric 4
Add Product
Featured Products
Phonak

Lyric 4

Enhance Select 500
$1,695 per pair
Shop Now
Lyric 4
Review

Product Overview

Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4
Form Factor
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.
Form FactorExtended wear hearing aids are placed deep into the canal and kept there for a few months. When the battery expires the aid is disposed of and replaced by a fresh device.
Expert Rating
Score
4.3
N/A
User Rating
3.72 reviews
3.717 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.
MildModerate
MildModerate
Product Features
Hands-freeRechargeableiPhoneAndroidIP68

Expert Ratings

Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.

Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4

HearingTracker Score

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
Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

HearAdvisor SoundScore

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Build Quality

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Battery

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Bluetooth

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

App Features

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Comfort

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Design

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Value

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Handling

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Pro Support

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.

Lyric 4

Not yet rated by our experts

Lab Recordings

Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.

Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4
Busy CafeBusy CafeSpeech intelligibility improvement in loud environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4

Lab recordings not yet available

Quiet OfficeQuiet OfficeSpeech intelligibility improvement in quiet and moderate environments
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4

Lab recordings not yet available

Streaming MusicStreaming MusicStreaming music provides a full range of bass and treble
Hear this scene unaided, for comparison
Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4

Lab recordings not yet available

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

Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4
IIC Adjustment ToolIIC Adjustment ToolAllows users to adjust an IIC hearing aid with a magnetic tool.
None

SoundLync

Remote Control

Unite Phone Clip++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.

None
Remote Microphone

Multi Mic+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.

None
TV Streamer

Unite TV Streamer 2

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

None

Hardware

Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4
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™
No
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)
No
IP RatingIP RatingIP Ratings rate sealing effectiveness of hearing aids against intrusion from foreign solid matter (dirt, dust) and moisture.
IP68
No
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
No
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
No
Tap ControlsTap ControlsThe hearing aid may be controlled by physically tapping it with your fingers.
  • Accept/end calls
No

Software Features

Enhance Select 500
Lyric 4
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
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 Directionality™ IIIBinaural Directionality™ IIIBinaural Directionality III provides the ultimate balance for supporting natural hearing: a signal-to-noise ratio improvement similar to bilateral directional microphones and a significant benefit in ease of listening compared to other directional microphone strategies.Synchronized SoftSwitching™Synchronized SoftSwitching™SoftSwitching (synchronized between ears) uses sound level and speech detection algorithms to decide when directionality is likely to be advantageous in a certain listening environment. It also offers the same four selections of MultiScope beamwidth settings: the default AutoScope, Narrow, Medium and Wide. The SoftSwitching mode differs from MultiScope Adaptive Directionality in that it uses slower transitions between directional settings and the omnidirectional setting, which is sometimes more comfortable and preferable among certain hearing aid users.
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.
Environmental OptimizerEnvironmental OptimizerProvide automatic adjustment of hearing instrument settings.
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
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.
DFS Ultra IIIDFS Ultra IIIReduces feedback while preserving amplification without compromising sound quality.
No
Listening ProgramsListening ProgramsNumber of manually accessible listening programs (using push button, remote, app, or other switching method)
Fully flexible programs: 4Fully flexible programsCustom listening programs
No
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.
Synchronized Acceptance ManagerSynchronized Acceptance ManagerSynchronized Acceptance Manager gives a gradual and automatic increase of the gain in the hearing aid over time.
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.
NoiseTracker™ II: 2 settingsNoiseTracker™ IINoiseTracker II uses a technology called spectral subtraction. Spectral subtraction works by subtracting the short-term noise spectrum from the signal, leaving only the speech portion behind ... ReSound’s NoiseTracker II is able to use spectral subtraction successfully because the Environmental Classifier has identified speech and noise so precisely.
No
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/OffImpulse 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.
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.
Tinnitus Sound GeneratorTinnitus Sound GeneratorThe tinnitus sound generator administers sounds that make the disturbing noise less noticeable and draw your attention away from the tinnitus.
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.
Wind Guard: On/OffWind GuardWhen no wind noise is found, the hearing aid constantly updates and stores the sound input levels in each Warp band. Then, when wind is present, WindGuard calculates the amount of gain reduction needed to return to the stored level of the specific bands affected by wind noise.
No