JLab Hear OTC vs. Lexie B3 Powered by Bose
Check out our comparison of the JLab Hear OTC vs Lexie B3 Powered by Bose. Listen to audio samples and see how the two hearing aids differ in terms of sound performance, features, accessories, and more.
Product Overview
Expert Ratings
Compare comprehensive test results and expert opinions.
The JLab HEAR OTC Hearing Aid offers an affordable and user-friendly solution for those with mild to moderate hearing loss, featuring customizable sound settings and a sleek design. Extensive testing reveals its effective performance in various environments, making it a reliable choice for everyday use.
Read full reviewLexie B3 OTC hearing aids deliver Powered by Bose sound, Bluetooth streaming, IP68 durability, and app-based personalization for clearer conversations.
Read full reviewJLab Hear OTC achieved a SoundScore of 3.65/5 and a SoundGrade of B in HearAdvisor lab testing. It ranked #26 of 61 OTC Hearing Aid devices tested. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.
Lexie B3 achieved a SoundScore of 4.48/5 in HearAdvisor lab testing. The OTC Hearing Aid category average SoundScore was 3.47/5.
The portable charger is flimsy and HEAR have a lower egress rating of IPX4. However, with some extra care and cleaning they should hold up to regular daily use.
Lexie B3 hearing aids offer excellent protection from moisture and debris with an IP68 rating. The portable charge case also appears well built and should easily hold up to daily use.
HEAR do not offer enough power for all-day use with a battery life of 10 hours (less with streaming). The battery life is however respectable for a wireless earbud.
B3 offer an impressive 32 hour battery life per charge, which is more than many products on the market. The portable charging case also offers up to 3 additional charges before needing to be plugged in. As such, we found the overall battery offering excellent.
HEAR offer wireless connectivity for both iOS and Android users. I personally experienced stable streaming and phone calls with my iPhone 12.
Lexie B3 are Bluetooth compatible with both iOS and Android devices, allowing for wireless app control, audio streaming, and hands-free calling.
The JLab Hearing Health app offers a nice feature set for personalization. Some elements could be more user friendly, but it makes sense after a little troubleshooting.
The Lexie app has a user-friendly interface and modern, appealing design. It includes practical features like volume control and a tone balance. We especially liked that B3 now includes a hearing assessment to better personalize the audio performance to your hearing.
HEAR are comfortable and had good retention in my ears. They completely seal your ear when worn properly but feel less “plugging” as they are lightweight.
I found B3 very comfortable, and the flexible earwires easily molded to my face which helped provide good retention and speaker placement in my ears.
This is highly personalized, but HEAR look like modern earbuds and distance themselves from the negative stigma some attribute to hearing aids.
B3 are relatively small and have a modern receiver-in-canal design. One potential downside is that they are currently only available in a mat grey color.
JLab Hear OTC has a value score of 5.0/5 based on lab performance and public display price.
Lexie B3 has a value score of 4.3/5 based on lab performance and public display price.
I ran into a few issues with my initial Bluetooth pairing but HEAR and the touch controls work well otherwise.
I did not run into any issues while using B3 or the Lexie mobile app. First-time users may need some practice to get accustomed to inserting the receiver-in-ear style properly.
JLab falls short on actual hearing care as help is limited to their online Help Center and or standard Customer Support.
B3 are over-the-counter hearing aids and are designed to be fit without a hearing care provider. However, Lexie offers remote care which includes both technical and hearing support from their team of Lexie Experts for the lifetime of your hearing aid.
Lab Recordings
Listen to direct output recordings from our acoustic test lab.
Accessories
Compatible accessories for each hearing aid
B3 Charger
The Lexie B3 comes with a rechargeable storage case that charges via USB-C and provides about three extra full charges, for up to 5 days of total runtime. The hearing aids take about 3 hours to recharge and can run up to 32 hours per charge without streaming. Magnetic seating and status lights help confirm the aids are placed correctly and charging.
Hardware
- Bluetooth® (A2DP)
- SBC
- AAC
- Bluetooth® (A2DP)
- Bluetooth® (HFP)
- Bluetooth® (HFP)
- Program control
- Volume Control
- Mute control
- Power on/off
- Streaming start/stop
- Call accept/reject
- Change program
- Accept/end calls