Jabra Enhance Select 500 vs. Sony CRE-C20

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 Sony CRE-C20 is a discreet, over-the-counter hearing aid designed for individuals with mild to moderate hearing loss, featuring a compact size and rechargeable battery for up to 28 hours of use. While it offers a user-friendly setup and an Auto Sound Analyzer for enhanced speech clarity, it lacks Bluetooth streaming capabilities, which may be a consideration for users seeking more advanced connectivity options.

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.

The Sony CRE-C20 achieved a SoundGrade of B and ranked #21 out of 56 devices in the OTC Hearing Aid category, placing it in the top 36% of OTC devices tested by HearAdvisor. This positions it as an above-average performer within a competitive category.

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.

Sony CRE-C20 has an excellent IP rating of 68, which aligns with our hands-on experience as we observed an improved build quality compared to CRE-C10.

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.

CRE-C20 offer an impressive battery life of up to 28 hours. I also liked the portable charging case which offers you Qi wireless charging.

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.

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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.

Sony's Hearing Control app includes good features and allows your to further personalize CRE-C20 with their on-ear hearing assessment. One downside though is that the hearing aids and app communicate with sound cues from your phone. I find this method of wireless communication less reliable that Bluetooth, and it overall makes the pairing process more complicated.

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.

CRE-C20 are good comfortable once you find the best tip for your ears. They are not overly plugging though it can take some time to get used to having a hearing aid so deep in your ear canal.

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.

CRE-C20 are surprisingly small and sit mostly invisible in your ears. The style works well and was originally designed as an "instant-fit" prescription hearing aid from Signia.

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

The Sony CRE-C20 offers moderate value relative to its $999 price point, with several higher-scoring alternatives available at similar or lower prices.

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.

CRE-C20's smaller size and method of wireless communication make it more difficult to manage than many other hearing aids. However, Sony has improved upon the design as CRE-C20 now uses internal rechargeable batteries, as opposed to disposable ones. It is a unique offering with many pros but be sure to consider this against your needs and abilities.

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.

Sony does not offer great support with their hearing aids. You are limited to phone and email based technical assistance which is a downside to many OTC products.