Jabra Enhance Select 500 vs. Signia Active Pro IX

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.

The Signia Active Pro IX offers the functionality of a high-performance hearing aid in a sleek, earbud-like design, making it ideal for those who value both modern aesthetics and advanced hearing enhancement. Lab tests showed strong performance in speech clarity and music streaming, though its instant-fit design has some limitations, such as reduced feedback handling and lack of custom-fit personalization.

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.

Signia Active Pro IX achieved a SoundScore of 4.63/5 and a SoundGrade of A in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #3 of 35 Prescription Hearing Aid devices tested. The Prescription Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.91/5.

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.

Active Pro IX has an IP rating of 68, meaning it has excellent protection against dust and moisture. This is consistent with my hands-on testing which suggested it is built well and will hold-up to daily use.

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.

I love the all-day rechargeable battery life of Active Pro IX. Even with 5 hours of audio streaming, you can expect around 29 hours of user per charge.

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.

Signia Active Pro hearing aids are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for audio streaming and hands-free calling. While streamed audio quality is not the best, I did not run into any issues while testing.

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.

Signia's hearing aid app stands out with its user-friendly interface and modern, appealing design. It includes practical features like the ability to control the focus of your hearing aids and a mask mode to enhance speech clarity. Additionally, the app offers wellness features, utilizing hearing aid motion sensors for activity tracking.

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.

I found the instant-fit comfort and retention of Active Pro good. Your hearing care provider can demo various ear tips to find the best fit for your ears and hearing needs.

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.

Active Pro IX have a modern earbud-like look, which may be desirable depending on your preferences, and you can choose among 6 colors.

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

Signia Active Pro IX has a value score of 3.6/5 based on lab performance and public display price.

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.

I did not run into any issues while testing Active Pro IX. However, I do wish they offered ear-level controls such as buttons, or tap controls, as it would make the streaming features more user-friendly.

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.

You should receive quality hearing care and support from your provider. The Signia App should enhance your experience with AI assistance and user-friendly virtual appointments, given your provider offers telehealth services.